Welcome to The Artist’s Way!
I hope the journey in this book meets you at the right season in your life. Even more, I hope that it speaks to the alive and dormant parts of your creative heart and awakens what’s stirring or dusty.
At the beginning of the year I read The Artist's Way. Sometimes it's a complete reread and working through the exercises. Other times it's a skim to find what I need in that season.
It helps me to refocus, clear the air around my creativity, and expose, once again, any limiting beliefs I've fallen prey to.
It's a weird, playful, and enlightening book that also gets up in your business. There's never not been a time The Artist's Way hasn't helped me or unlocked my creativity in my writing process in some way.
I'm starting my reread on Monday, January 15th 2024 and I'm inviting you to join me.
Follow @jesslynnbooks on Instagram and tag me to let me know!
You can also post with #theartistsway and see all the other creatives who are reading and practicing.
Introduction & The Basic Principles
This week we’re reading:
Introduction
Spiritual Electricity: The Basic Principles
The Basic Tools
Don’t be overwhelmed that this week’s reading is three chapters. They’re not long, but they’ll get you ready to dive into the coursework of the book, as well as give you an overall picture of what we’re doing.
Introduction
In the Introduction Julia Cameron gives an overview of how this book came to be and her experience as a creative writer, screenwriter, and person, as well as how she came to be a teacher and guide to other creatives.
Spiritual Electricity: The Basic Principles
This is where it starts to get a little weird. Maybe. But if you’re a creative person you’re likely already in touch with the idea that creativity is not just physical, it’s an all encompassing act.
Be open. Be willing to take off blinders and protective stances. There is a deeper connection in our creativity—to ourselves, nature, others, and our spirituality.
The Basic Tools
Here is where Cameron breaks down two of the main practices we’re going to work on over the next 12 weeks. Morning Pages and Artist Dates.
Morning Pages are three stream of consciousness pages hand written first thing in the morning. Or when you get to them. (Cameron is a bit more staunch than I am about the flexibility of morning pages.) The Artist Dates are dates with yourself—not to work on your art, but to fill your creative well.
I’ll be sharing more tips on Morning Pages (and building the practice!) and ideas for Artist Dates in a future post.
Come along and join!
Follow @jesslynnbooks on Instagram to read and discuss TAW.
Alright, Wildflowers, I’ll see you in between morning pages and artist dates as we recover our creativity and let it unfurl.
