Meditations of an Artist I
Recently, I discovered a book entitled The Artist's Way by writer, director, and creative-workshop spearhead Julia Cameron. First published in 1992, the subtitle on the cover states it's intent is to lead artists on "A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity;" a number of successful musicians, actors, writers, and artists hold the text and it's message in high regard.
I've decided to take the plunge into this journey to get further connected to my highest creative self and am looking forward to recounting the experience here. Not only do I think it will be beneficial to return to these posts years from now, when my practice has evolved - but, perhaps you are a creative in a similar position, looking for the push to get in touch with your deeper creative self.
27 April 2025
Week one. This week's topic is Recovering a Sense of Safety which essentially explores the connection between one's inner child and the experiences of creatives which impact how they approach their creative endeavors (whether they be positively or negatively) in the future.
The exercises for this week center around recounting those who have supported and nurtured our creative-selves, while also taking the time to recount and honor those who have negatively impacted it. Going into this section of the text, we are given multiple instances of Cameron's previous students experiences which have created the blockages preventing creative fulfillment. We are also warned of the ways this process will evoke vulnerability. It will evoke anger. It will evoke sadness. Most importantly, it will evoke one's inner critic (referred to as our Censor).
28 April 2025
Often when we receive negative responses to our creative endeavors, the impulse is to internalize and "forget" what was said to us. An exercise this week urges us to think back to specific individuals and to recount the specific details of the interaction with those individuals that has been suppressed.
I will admit, it was cathartic to allow those feelings present themselves in a calm and healthy space. In allowing myself to recall the times when an outside influence made me feel unsure of my creative-self, while also allowing myself to meditate of the times I have proved those judgements wrong was an incredible feeling.
1 May 2025
While, at this stage of my life and career, I feel secure in my creative practice and ambitions as a professional artist, this first week served as a great way to ease into the routines of this course while getting a sense of the types of introspection that will be required of me in the the weeks to come.