In March of 2018, during the 35th year of my life, I went through a profound transformation. I had been for some years a seeker of Truth, and I was accustomed to go through profound inner changes in my being. And this one was the most radical one so far.
This profound inner transformation reflected itself also in exterior life. I moved into a new country and I removed myself from my previous life, real and digital. I deleted my social media accounts and I went without internet for a few months. When I decided to get back online, I didn't feel to speak immediately with anyone I knew already. But I still felt a profound need to share my process.
So I downloaded a new app into my phone, and there I challenged a few strangers with the following message:
"Hi there Stranger! I would like to make an experiment of writing to each other, as if we would be writing our personal diary.
The rules:
- we must be totally open and honest as if it would be a normal diary;
- we should write every day for one month;
- we must remain anonymous for each other so we can be totally safe to share anything we feel.
Are you up for it?
Warm regards,
Joe"
A small group of people accepted the challenge and thus I started to share my story, as they shared theirs with me. And although it is my name in the cover of this book, and although I will share only my own diary entries, what you are about to read is a joined venture of several souls who dared to open up. To be genuine, to be naked, to be vulnerable.
I know I would not be inspired to go so deep within myself without them also opening up to me. To all of those who took part in the co-creation of this book, my heartfelt gratitude. Many of us were profoundly touched by this experience, and it is our desire to open the door for others who might wish to do the same.
It would never be the same to simply write a book or a diary. Usually we are passive when we write or read a book. This was one of the major differences here. We were actively writing to each other, going deeper and deeper into our inner observation and inner honesty, as the days went by.
We decided to give you the opportunity to have a similar experience by creating a new literary gender, where you participate actively with the author in the creation of a new chapter of your life. One that hopefully brings you into a much closer connection to your soul.
In this way, we now extend this challenge to you. The rules are simple:
1) We must be totally open and honest, as if it were a normal diary;
2) We must write every day for at least 1 month;
3) We shall remain absolutely anonymous to each other so that we can share absolutely anything we feel.
Would you like to share a diary with me?
PS. If you wish to take this journey in the same way it was created, you can email me anonymously at: diaryjoewing at gmail. Else, you are welcome to just keep reading this book here, and we invite you to write your own journal as you read, answering each chapter with an entry of your own.
