Have you ever felt that you needed a boost of creativity?
Ever felt like you needed inspiration?
Have you wanted to start a new career?
Hate the way your life is going?
The book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron will help you! The subtitle is “A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.” I recently took a 12-week journey with a wonderful group of women. We supported each other by coming together at a weekly meeting on Monday evenings.
Each week we discussed the current chapter and talked about our Artist Date and Morning Pages.
The Artist Date is a time that each person dedicates to supporting their creativity. It could be going on a nature walk, visiting an art museum, or learning something new. The Morning Pages give you the opportunity to practice stream of consciousness writing. Every morning the goal is to fill 3 pages in a journal. Both of these actions are integral to the Artist Way journey. Some days and weeks are easier to do than others.
The Artist’s Way and the groups that have formed have helped thousands all around the world. Even Elizabeth Gilbert has said that without the Artist’s Way, there would have been no Eat, Pray, Love.
Artist Dates Are A Must!
Here are some that I did:
-Attended Carnaval Brasileiro
-Bought tropical plants at Tillery Street Plant Co and succulents at East Austin Succulents
-Tried Ecstatic Dance at Ecstatic Dance Austin
-Went to Co-working Event at Tillery Kitchen + Bar
-Created a weaving and sorted all my yarn
-Went to Barnes & Noble and bought 3 food magazines
-Had a deep tissue massage & bought a lotus flower necklace from Satya
-Took a macrame class
-Went to a Baylor alumni event with a guest speaker
-Relaxed on my back porch and daydreamed while eating chips
My Morning Pages went well the first couple weeks as I was fired up to write them every day. When Spring Break arrived, the lack of routine threw me for a loop. Eventually, I went back to writing them 2-3 times a week. By writing my Morning Pages, I was able to release fears, rants, negative thoughts and basically dump out all of my brain clutter. After doing them consistently, you may have a shift and start to write hopes, dreams, and the answers to your own questions. You may start seeing the connectivity of different aspects of your life and the lovely synchronicities that Julia Cameron says will happen for you.
This book is for everyone!
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a so-called creative like a novelist, painter, or film director, because creativity can be found in any job. I found that going through the book has helped me recognize my own fears about success, wealth, and fitting in. Writing a cookbook is probably the scariest journey I’ve ever embarked on! Anyone in the creative food industry will love this book! I suggest being part of a group. Being in one with lots of different kinds of people will bring you varied perspectives and insights. Have a potluck at the end!
Creative Tasks
This book is highly practical and not just theories with no way to implement them. At the end of each chapter certain tasks related to a theme and completing them help you embody creative changes to get rid of artist block. In the chapter on Abundance, you are asked to get yourself a luxury and know that you are worth it. Luckily, a luxury is getting yourself some flowers, eating in-season fruit or high-quality dark chocolate!
I tried to do at least 2-3 Tasks at the end of each chapter. Some are even food related! One task was to list 5 of your childhood favorite foods and to indulge in at least one, even if it was Jello!
I have created 2 files for anyone wanting foodie Artist Date ideas and food-related Creativity Tasks. Feel free to download and share with friends.
Leave me a comment if you enjoyed this post and if you start the Artist’s Way. I would love to hear from you!
I wish you the best on your creative journeys!
Cristina
Click on images below to download a copy!
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