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| julie and i want you to join us in becoming unblocked. . . . |
to celebrate six months of being in a tight place and trying to love it, trying to create more space in our lives, GITP is giving away a copy of julia cameron's the artist's way to a reader who leaves a comment in the comments section of this post. we will randomly select a winner and post the winner's name on july first, the day of our six month anniversary.
Julie: Lara, I'm on Week Two of The Artist's Way and I want to corner everyone in the playground about it. I can't stop thinking about it, especially because the reason why I'm doing it is because the friend I know who did it changed her life in a radical way after eight weeks of "morning pages." And I need something on the same level and scale of rad to happen to me. So this is my way of willing it to happen and/or figuring out what it is I really should be doing to enact the kind of change I need.
Does this sound too "infomercially" already?
The summer solstice is tomorrow, too. So I'm thinking of writing a very short story for the shortest night of the year. I also need to start assessing the last six months. Re: the video, Lara: Like morning pages, this is annoying (the graphics, particularly) in a lot of ways, but also enlightening in a lot of ways in light of tightness. Gemini New Moon is good!
lara:
i'm half-way through week 2 of morning pages. i've been wanting to try the artist's way for over five years, but never felt i had the wherewithal to do any kind of program. julie inspired me to try it though, and it feels like a great companion to daily blog writing.
summer is always a tight place for me, so i'm hoping julia cameron will help me through it.
also hoping that someone out there will be inspired to join me and julie on our path to becoming "unblocked creatives."
(and that we don't sound like an infomercial, julie!)
so far i'm loving what cameron has to say about "shadow artists" (those who support other artists in doing their work when they really wish they were doing their own work), "synchronicity" (the coincidences that happen when you set intentions), and her insight that "blocked creatives" fantasize about the work they will do rather than actually doing it. that one has been especially true for me over the years.
so, leave a comment. and if you've already done this program, let us know what it was like for you. if you're blocked or unblocked, we want to know more!
Oh wow...The Artist's Way has been sitting on my bookshelf, terrifying me, since about 1995. Blocked? That's me. GITP...help!
ReplyDeletebig brown, i highly recommend you do the twelve-week program in the book on your shelf. if you win the giveaway, maybe we can give you the follow-up book, too. would love to hear more about what you're doing!
DeleteHappy Six-Month Anniversary, guys! I've been curious about The Artists' Way since you first mentioned first mentioned it, Julie—I know my life kind of fits into the general "artists' way" mode or at least it has in the past—but I'd love to see if there is something in there that I'd benefit from too!
ReplyDeleteIt just occurred to me—I've been quiet with posts because I read your daily email and I'm never on the actual site. But you guys have inspired me with so many of your daily doings. Still thinking about poetry addressed to inanimate objects!
kim! so awesome to hear from you! i want to read your poem addressed to inanimate objects some day. . . .
DeleteMaybe it's unfair of me to enter into this contest because I have access to this book anyway, so I'll just comment to voice my support!
ReplyDeleteSeconded! Although, on second thought, who knows where I'll be in 2 weeks... It'd be nice to have a travel companion.
DeleteMa, are shadow artists a necessary component of the non-shadow-artist's lifestyle? Or does Cameron advocate self-sufficiency in art making?
And Julie, you've re-inspired me to start on my pages again. Although I've only read a tiny bit of the book. Do you think practicing without understanding is efficacious? Krishna of the BG says no, but I suspect he might be wrong.
eva, can practicing without understanding lead to understanding? i believe so. don't know what the BG krishna thinks.
Deletealso, eva, i think cameron means that if you've put yourself in a position to help other artists, i.e. edit them, promote them, etc. RATHER than doing your own work because you're too scared to do it, that situation needs to be remedied. i don't think she's saying no one should be an agent or an editor, but if you feel your true calling is to be a novelist but instead you're an agent of novelists not doing your own writing, then you're a shadow artist. does that sound right, julie?
DeleteI could definitely use some inspiration in the creativity department, but as a quintessential night owl, am worried about the concept of "morning pages." Does she let you work with your biorhythms or is the disciplinary aspect part of the coming to the artist's way?
ReplyDeleteI thought I commented here already. With five, no four, minutes to spare, I toss in my name, for luck.
ReplyDeleteI am already casting about for an Artist's Way partner. MInute and a half. Fingers crossed. Happy anniversary, again!
ReplyDelete& the winner is. . . . GEO!!!
ReplyDelete