Today I have, creep like, read all the set reading for my course 'weekend' in Manchester.  It was pretty basic stuff, though as the one on how to do literature reviews said, I have to read with an open mind and not prejudge things.  And if I don't like or rate something I am to ask myself why. 

One of the papers was on journalling and was, in part, well, just bizarre to my linear, scientific mind - recording and evaluating my dreams...?!  There was also a suggestion about using images/metphors to help the reflective process, so in a spirit of blatant mischief I offer the following image/metpahor for theological reflection and journalling (actually, I can work with it, but that's just a demonstration I've been doing this stuff too long!).  Here goes....

The London Tube Map - a circle line for those who want to use a cyclic approach, various linear routes through from one place to another and any number of combinations and permutations, and many places to join or leave the process.  Oh yes, it also bears a passing resemblance to a spider's web, if that's your prefered model.

I guess I am half ridiculing, half embracing the ideas of metaphors and images, and my apologies to the writer of the paper, but the real question is, do they actually help my researching and learning?  Maybe I need to get out more!