Insight Practices

This is a list of practices intended to invite awareness into what we do, and why we do it.

This is not a complete list.

Observational, informal

Stargazing - Watch the sky
Cloud Watching - Watch the clouds
Birdwatching - Watch the birds
Weather Watching - Watch the weather
Sitting - Sit somewhere, watch what’s going on
Photography - Take photos of what’s going on

Observational, formal

Same Spot Photos - Take a progression of photos of the same place to see changes
Field Recording - Record the sounds where you are

Activities

Cooking - Notice smells, textures and sounds while cooking
Bathing - Notice textures and sensations while bathing
Walking - Notice body sensations while walking

Writing

Poetry - Write about what’s going on
Diary / Journal - Write about what’s going on
Dream Journal - Write your dreams down
Morning Pages - Julia Cameron’s method
Expressive Writing - James Pennebaker’s method
Letter to self - Write to yourself in the future or past
Un-mailed Letter - Write to someone else, but do not send it
Nature Journaling - John Muir’s method

Mixed Media

Collage - Paste scraps and images into a binder to express how you feel

Drawing

Sketch - Draw what is in front of you
Art - Make art based on present or past feelings
Comics - Make comics based on past events and feelings

Apps

Mood Tracking - Use an app or journal to track moods

Meditative, informal

Feelings wheel - Use a list of emotions to identify current emotions

Meditative, motionless

Mindfulness Meditation - Eyes open or eyes closed, notice what’s going on
Kindfulness Meditation - Ajahn Brahm’s method
Body Scan - Notice body sensations
Focusing - Eugene Gendlin’s method

Meditative, with motion

Walking Meditation - Walk and notice sensations in a formal way
Yoga - Move and notice body sensations

Conversational, informal

Talking with a friend - Talk to someone you trust about what you notice

Conversational, formal

Talk Therapy - Talk to a therapist about what you notice
Internal Family Systems - Richard Schwartz’s method
Non-violent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg’s method

Therapeutic, self-driven

DBT Workbooks - Mostly emotions - Marsha Linehan’s method
CBT Workbooks - Mostly thoughts - Aaron Beck’s method
Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook - Kristin Neff’s method
IFS Self-Therapy - Jay Earley’s method
The Work - Byron Katie’s method

v1.1 - Last edit 28-Sep-2026

This is work dedicated to the Public Domain via CC0 1.0