On a previous post I talked about doing The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron. I had intended to update each week, but I only updated for two weeks. Then things got busy and I didn't get posts up. So I thought I'd do a quick update on weeks three through five.
Each week has a different general goal. Week 1 was Recovering a Sense of Safety and week 2 was Recovering a Sense of Identity.
Week 3 was Recovering a Sense of Power. The chapter spoke of anger, synchronicity, shame, growth, and dealing with criticism. One of the exercises involved some free association with childhood and things I'd do if I'd "lighten up" and "if it weren't too late." Childhood was a big theme, but so were habits and people in my life. An exercise that fell flat for me was to list five people I wish I'd met. When it comes right down to it, I can name people because I get the idea of it, but I'm not sure I'd actually want to meet them. An activity that stood out was one involving looking at my habits and then having to quantify what payoff I'm getting from the bad ones. These were basically my secret foes. I can tell you one is shutting off my brain and doom-scrolling Facebook. I'd like to regain that time for myself.
Week 4 was Recovering a Sense of Integrity. This chapter focused on making honest changes and seeking out my buried dreams. I was supposed to practice reading deprivation, but I can't fall asleep without reading first, and as an insomniac since I was twelve, I DO NOT mess with my nighttime routines that help me at least get some sleep. I did practice it during the day by not reading at any other time than bed time, but I think this exercise greatly overestimated how much reading time I usually get, considering the list of things the author felt I could do instead involved time I didn't have, such as painting a room, rewiring a lamp, and repotting plants. It's not reading that is keeping me from these exercises. Also, I felt this deprived a specific group of people more than others. Specifically, writers. And the book is about the ARTIST'S way, not the author's way, so why is it just readers/writers that have to give something meaningful up? I realize all manner of people read; I just think this lacked balance. I think a more effective exercise would have been to make a list of things that take up time and to choose one to give up that week. This would have been more fair.
My current week, number 5, is Recovering a Sense of Possibility. This week is for me to look at my limits and open myself up to the universe. Something that stuck out to me and that I'd already been thinking about a lot with my work hours increasing well beyond where I'd wanted them to go was the following passage:
"An artist must have downtime, time to do nothing. Defending our right to such time takes courage, conviction, and resiliency." And "For an artist, withdrawal is necessary. Without it, the artist in us feels vexed, angry, out of sorts. If such deprivation continues, our artist becomes sullen, depressed, hostile. We eventually become like cornered animals, snarling at our family and friends [...]." Now, she was implying it was family and friends making the artist feel this way, but it's me. It's work and it's me. My family and friends give me plenty of space.
The exercises this week had to do with wishes and writing letters to myself from different ages (80 and 8).
I haven't figured out my artist's date for this week, but for dates I've so far gone for a hike with a camera (it was a double date!), taken myself out to a smoothie cafe to relax with a book while having a smoothie and a matcha latte, lying out in the grass in my front yard and reading a book, and things like that. My goal has been more downtime than more involved dates. I have ideas for more involved dates in the next few weeks, though. It comes down to finding time to do it.
Now for some news! Patricia Josephine Lynne has a new book of micro shorts out.
A Quick Test
A Quick Tale #4
Aliens
Outer Space
Experiments
These mysteries fascinate our minds.
Explore the unknown in this exciting collection of tales. Each story is told in exactly 200 words and
designed to stimulate your brain no matter how busy your day is.
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.
AUTHOR BIO:
If you asked Patricia J.L. to describe herself, she’d tell you, “Too creative for my own good.”
A paranormal and fantasy junkee, she loves to craft fantasy and paranormal stories about vampires,
mermaids, angels, demons, zombies, and other mythical creatures. Aliens might even appear in her
stories. No matter what mythical beast you crave. Patricia J.L. has a fantasy for every imagination.
Patricia J.L. official started writing in 2012. She was bored and since she was always day dreaming
fantastic stories, she thought, “Why not write them down and share them with people?” She's still
deciding if that was a mistake or not. Since then, she has finished a dozen stories and has no plans to stop.
When she’s not lost writing in fantasy worlds, she relaxes with knitting, drawing and art, and jigsaw
puzzles. And of course, good paranormal fantasy books. Patricia J.L. currently lives with her husband in
Upper Michigan. One day, they both hope to have enough pets to resemble a petting zoo. (Until then, can
she pet your cat or dog?)
FOLLOW:
If you did The Artist's Way, were there exercises, chapters, or pieces that stood out for you? How about ones you were resistant to? What were your favorite types of artist dates?
May you find your Muse.
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