Niki

The Basic Tools

"There are two pivotal tools in creative recovery:  the morning pages and the artist date.  A lasting creative awakening requires the consistent use of both."   Julia Cameron

The Morning Pages  are three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream of consciousness.  There is no wrong way to do morning pages.  Morning pages are nonnegotiable.  "..they are a pathway to a strong and clear sense of self.  They are a trail that we follow into our own interior, where we meet both our own creativity and our creator."

With the Artist's Date - you are receiving - opening yourseslf to insight, inspiration, guidance.  An artist's date is time set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist.  "Your artist needs to be taken out, pampered, and listened to."  Your artist is a child.  Spending time in solitude with your artist child is essential to self-nurturing.

"Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."  Pablo Picasso

Before Week 1

I love all the side quotes - they are inspirational.  And of course, the BASIC PRINCIPLES:

1.  Creativity is the natural order of life.  Life is energy:  pure creative energy.

2.  There is an underlying, in-dwelling creative force infusing all of life--including ourselves.

3.  When we open ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator's creativity within us and our lives.

4.  We are, ourselves, creations.  And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves.

5.  Creativity is God's gift to us.  Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

6.  The refusal to be creative is self-will and is counter to our true nature.

7.  When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God:  good orderly direction.

8.  As we open our creative channel to the creator, many gentle but powerful changes are to be expected. 

9.  It is safe to open ourselves up to greater and greater creativity.

10.  Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source.  As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.

New at Blogging

The main purpose of my blog will be to participate in the blog class/discussion on the book, The Artist's Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron.  The book is set up in a 12-week course format.  I actually purchased this book several years ago, read through it and put it on a shelf.  Now I revisit it, reading only a week at a time and doing most of the exercises - as I should have done.

I am excited about art, creativity, and spirituality - so what a great combination presented to us in the Artist's Way.

Gus

Leo

Creativity

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.  Ralph Waldo Emerson