Five Years on One Page: The Unexpected Benefits of Writing Daily in This Journal

There are only two weeks left in 2024, and I felt inspired to write this stream-of-consciousness reflection about a practice that has made a huge difference in my life this past year: daily writing in a five-year journal. Honestly, I should be working on the songbook right now, but I wanted to share this quickly—just in case it inspires you and gives you enough time to order one before January 1st.

Not a Single Significant Event or Experience Will Be Lost

Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with incredible opportunities: Śrīla Gurudeva’s harikathā, my years in his wonderful gurukula (1996–2007), all the times I got to skip weeks or months of school to attend festivals or stay in the dhāma, and eventually getting to live here permanently from 2007 onward. Kṛṣṇa has arranged so many golden situations for me. And every devotee has their own unique set of life-changing experiences. That’s why we’re all on this path, trying.

But here’s the problem: I didn’t value them.

I didn’t take the time to reflect on or preserve those moments. I didn’t write them down, speak about them much, or think about them deeply. It’s like I was constantly being handed gold, but I’d always let it slip through my fingers and fall away.

Now, so much of it is gone. The memories are blurry, even the most significant ones. I don’t even remember the direct instructions Śrīla Gurudeva gave me when he placed saffron cloth in my hands. I only recall the word maryādā, but he said so much more at that moment. Those words and many others like them are lost forever because I didn’t write them down.

If I had valued these moments enough to preserve them, I would have so much more to inspire me now. I’d have vivid memories to reignite my enthusiasm for bhakti when I’m feeling dry, and I’d have a reservoir of lessons to draw from to avoid making the same mistakes over and over.

The way to truly stay in the association of great personalities like Gurudeva and other pure Vaiṣṇavas is to follow their instructions and reflect on how Guru and Kṛṣṇa present to us every situation we face to test and teach us. When we’re aware of how Gurudeva and Kṛṣṇa are with us, watching us, guiding us, and giving us the tools to navigate every situation, we remain in their association in the truest sense—even more than physical proximity.

I think one small step toward getting there is simply taking regular note of their instructions (even if we aren’t yet able to follow them) and noticing the things that happen in life, giving them the attention they deserve. By writing down the instructions of the ācāryas and the experiences Kṛṣṇa puts us through, we can begin to become more conscious of them and gradually allow them to shape our lives.

Because I didn’t even take the basic step of writing anything down, I feel like I’m still starting from the beginning on this path—despite having been in such favorable circumstances for so long. I overlooked and forgot so many lessons Guru and Kṛṣṇa so kindly bestowed upon me.

The Five-Year Journal

I might be glorifying this practice too deeply, but here’s how I see it right now: if I had started journaling decades ago, I would remember everything Gurudeva said to me, all the wonderful things devotees did for me, and also negative things like every fight I got into and what it taught me. I would be filled with gratitude and wisdom. Instead, even the most pivotal events of my life are now a blur.

But better late than never. This year, I started journaling daily in a five-year journal, and it’s been transformative. I haven’t missed a single day, and the benefits have been enormous.

One unexpected effect is that it’s made me braver and less lazy. I’ve started doing things I would normally shy away from—simply because I know I’ll get to write about them at the end of the day. Each entry becomes a memory I know I’ll revisit in the future, and I’m genuinely excited about my future self being able to look back on all these things I’m going through right now.

It’s also become such a relaxing and nourishing way to end my day. After spending hours in front of screens, it feels grounding to put pen to paper. The act of writing by hand helps me reflect on a deeper level than typing ever could.

Why This Five-Year Journal Format Works

What makes the five-year journal so special is its unique structure. Each page is divided into five sections, one for each year. That means you’ll write on the same date when it comes every year for five years, all on one page. (See example above)

The limited space is a blessing—it only takes 10 minutes to write, and the small format keeps the practice light and sustainable. (Pro tip: I write in super tiny handwriting because it helps me write words faster and fit more in.)

What motivates me even more is knowing this journal won’t just get abandoned. It feels like a worthy investment of my time because it’s going to last. Five years from now, I’ll have a record of 1,826 days in one compact book. This book will probably become one of my most cherished material possessions. I’ll revisit the entries I wrote at least four more times (when I go to write my entry for that day each year), and far into the future they'll become all the more valuable. Every day, I’ll clearly see how I’ve progressed—or regressed—over the years. Even now, after just one year, the clarity I’m gaining has been very inspiring, and I know it will only deepen and compound each year as I keep adding to the days in the book.

It may not be entirely appropriate for me to be so strongly advocating for a not-directly-bhakti activity like journaling. But I’m confident that this practice can at least be favorable for bhakti, and many of our ācāryas have set a beautiful precedent for it. Śrīla Prabhupāda kept a daily diary, and there are numerous quotes of him encouraging his disciples to write down their understandings and realizations. Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja did the same, as did many other ācāryas.

Anyhow, if any of this resonates with you, I highly recommend trying it. I’m using this five-year journal by Leuchtturm, but there are plenty of other similar options available.

Building Accountability

One thing that helped me prioritize this practice and make it a solidified habit was the Nurturing the Seed sessions I hosted earlier this year. Every evening at 8 PM (India Time), a group of devotees and I would meet on Zoom for 30 minutes. I’d read a short devotional quote, set a timer, and we’d use that time for all sorts of personal practices we wanted to cultivate—journaling, chanting, studying, and so on.

I stopped hosting these sessions before Kārtika this year because not many people were joining, but I’m open to restarting them in 2025 if there’s enough interest. If not, I’ll continue using services like Groove and Focusmate to meet up with people for daily accountability, which has worked well for me. (Btw, if you use those links, you get a month free. You can also apply for a scholarship on Focusmate.) But I’d much prefer to meet up with devotees than random people. So please feel free to reach out if you’re interested!

There have been a few other practices that have made a huge difference in my life this year, like doing high intensity exercise first thing when I wake up in the morning and going on walks through nature, but this post is already long enough. Once the Gauḍīya Gīti-guccha is sent to the printers, I plan to write here on Vine of Devotion more regularly.

Thanks for reading this post! I always appreciate hearing your thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below! 😄