Dreams are illustrations… from the book your soul is writing about you. — Marsha Norman (American playwright) While it is true that the real artist’s adventure begins with our being able to admit to our inner dream, it is also true that we can almost instantly react with resistance to it. Julia writes, “This resistance … Read more
Most people die before they are fully born. Creativeness means to be born before one dies. – Erich Fromm First, thanks for your patience while I took a much-needed break over the Imbolc period. I know that I was, in some ways, not as available to you as usual, which may have been a bit … Read more
You knew I couldn’t totally stay away, didn’t you? So here is an offering for today, as a sort of Artist Date. Yes, another 20 minute investment, for our Artist Self, but very well worth it. Found earlier today from Sia Vogel on the Full Circle Blog. (My deepest apologies for neglecting to ascribe the … Read more
After giving it a lot of thought, including my own Imbolc Tarot reading yesterday, I am taking the advice of the Hermit. Instead of starting our exploration of Chapter Twelve today, I am going to allow myself a much-needed retreat for the rest of the week. I would suggest that you use this time to … Read more
The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web. – Pablo Picasso Today, we complete the second-to-last chapter, Recovering A Sense of Autonomy. We have some exercises to finish, and I … Read more
None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone. — Ralph Waldo Emerson In considering the perils of success, Julia reminds us that creativity is not a business. It certainly has business closely tied to it, as it can generate income … Read more
No one man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one. — Nathaniel Hawthorne As we continue the final stages of The Artist’s Journey, we encounter a challenge we’ve maybe never considered. This challenge that will come, … Read more
To accept the responsibility of being a child of God is to accept the best that life has to offer you. — Stella Terrill Mann More directly from Julia today. “There is a connection,” she writes, “between self-nurturing and self-respect. If I allow myself to be bullied and cowed by other peoples’ urges for me … Read more
Listen. Make a way for yourself inside yourself. Stop looking in the other way of looking. – Rumi You may begin to notice that I am directly quoting Julia more and more. Frankly, the previous several chapters have felt slow and heavy at times. But clearly, she was patiently laying the groundwork for this. Now, … Read more
Nobody knows where you are How near or how far Shine on you crazy diamond. — David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Rick Wright (Pink Floyd) As we recover what Julia calls “A Sense of Autonomy,” we step it up, and embrace our very own, unique, quirky take on what Artist means. This is deeply individual, like … Read more