Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The Creative Courage List

After a couple of days away, back to my list of rediscovered treasures. Number Three (not in order of importance) is Julia Cameron's seminal, world-changing, now-classic The Artist's Way.

The book is inspiring and encouraging in ways all its own. And at the same time it delivers two ideas that are bold in both their simplicity and their effectiveness.

Morning Pages

Every morning on awakening dash off three pages in handwriting at top speed not for publication. The idea is to clear the pipes and get to the good stuff. It has worked well for me, when I've gotten myself to do it.

The Artist's Date

An artist's date is when we each go alone out into the world--at least once a week for two hours--on a refreshing excursion to see or do something new. This is to refill the pipes. This one works too. Though I don't have to be encouraged to go out exploring.

Personal update: I was back in my hometown of Wilmington, NC, for the last couple of days, visiting my mom and the ocean and by chance seeing 4 people from my high school class (1966!) who all happened to be eating Sunday lunch at the same place. The others were visiting from Virginia and Philadelphia. Such trips seem to stir an ever-deeper pot of memories and connections. It all added up to a sort of artist's date.





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