A Is for Alphabet -- by Nan Brooks

 

Continuing with the letter A as a prompt for this weekly bloggish contribution, I am thinking about The Artist’s Way and inspiration in general. And art. And prayer, because it all kind of flows together, one way or another. For today, I’m focused on The Artist’s Way.

The book  by Julia Cameron is a guide to a daily practice for people who want to be more creative. The name is kind of misleading because most of us don’t think of ourselves as artists. But we are creative all day long. We create an image of ourselves when we decide what clothing to wear. We create ways to nourish ourselves and the people we love when we create a meal. Even my mom cutting a plain old peanut butter and jelly sandwich into triangles sparked something in me when I was a kid. A new shape was fascinating to me; and the sandwich tasted better.  It's lunch time. Where was I?  Oh, yes.

We are all creative and most of the time we don’t know it. The Artist’s Way changed my life because over the course of 12 chapters and 12 weeks, I formed new habits that helped me believe in myself, in my intentions for my life. I didn’t know they were habits until I finished the book and discovered that I missed the practices Cameron suggests. They are simple, and like many simple ideas, they are powerful.

Morning Pages are simple, for instance. Cameron's instructions are to just write three pages first thing in the morning. Write about anything and everything and nothing. It clears my head, and if I just keep the pen moving, I discover all sorts of things about what I am really thinking as I putter through my days. This journaling and keeping the pen moving thing isn’t new, but it seems different somehow under Cameron’s guidance.

I recommend getting the book, finding a few like-minded folks to meet and talk about the exercises once a week, and sticking with it. Nice thing is that nowadays, Zoom lets me meet with friends across the country.

Cameron has produced a few off-shoots, probably because her publisher recognized a gold mine. Walking in the World is one, so are Vein of Gold and Finding Water. It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again is one I just worked through with friends. It is intended for retired people who get to discover old dreams and ideas and new energy and time to do creative stuff. Seems to me it’s a nice tool for all of us who are newly stuck at home, furloughed, at lose ends or bored.

There is a spiritual aspect to Cameron’s work and the influence of 12-Step practice and knowledge with its depth and sheer practicality is clear. But it isn’t preachy and doesn’t proselytize a religion or sobriety.

I believe that art and spirit/spirituality are connected. Maybe I’ll muse about that next week.

Meanwhile, I hope you will notice what you do to make your life easier and more enjoyable and how you do the same for others. In other words, I hope you notice how creative you are. Rock on!