Year 7 Incursion - Asphyxia

Asphyxia’s Talk About Journals By Sienna Liston

On the 28th of May, all the year 7s piled into the Auditorium, to see Asphyxia talk about journals. Everyone was talking excitedly and I was super keen to find out what was to come. There was a table up the front with three books on it, which we later learned were three of Asphyxia’s 54 journals. I love to draw, write and scrapbook so I was very happy that someone was coming to our school to talk about journals.

Once everyone was quiet, Asphyxia walked out in front of all the year 7s. She introduced herself using sign language. She was deaf and was signing the whole way through with a speaker who was translating everything she was signing.

Asphyxia explained what she usually puts in her journals. Things like to do lists, photos, drawings, writing pieces, the list was endless. Journals for her are used for every purpose in life. When she is feeling sad or stressed she will draw a picture representing those feelings. Sometimes she will write to her younger or future self, explaining how she is feeling whether it be happy or sad. Asphyxia asks herself three questions in her journal: One, what does my mind need? Two, what does my body need? And three, what does my soul need? These questions helps her to see how she is feeling or what she needs at that moment. She explained that journals can help you to see things that you may not see for yourself, such as that you are feeling like you need to go swimming every week or that you are feeling sad and want to talk to someone. The things she said inspired me and gave me ideas for what I could put in my journal.

After she had explained what the benefits of having journals were, she taught us how to make a journal of our own. She found that making her own journal was better than buying one because she could make it more personal and to suit her needs. She makes her pages out of scrap paper using, old children’s book pages, coloured paper, old folders or magazines. Then she sticks her own artwork, writing or anything she likes over the top. She even makes her own front cover!

Everything that Asphyxia said was very inspiring. I am so lucky to have been able to meet her and wish to see her again. I think that everyone found her inspiring and we are all so lucky to have been taught the beneficial things about journals.