Welcome to Litsy!

Follow-up to my last post:

"Reading deprivation casts us into our inner silence, a space some of us begin to immediately fill with new words---long, gossipy conversations, television bingeing, the radio as a constant, chatty companion. We often cannot hear our own inner voice...above the static...If we monitor the inflow and keep it to a minimum...[o]ur reward will be a new outflow. Our own art...will begin to nudge aside the sludge..."

I forgot that Week 4 of The Artist's Way includes a week-long "reading deprivation." I didn't plan ahead, or I would have been working on books I don't mind putting off for a week instead of two I REALLY want to keep reading.

I've managed to avoid reading (print and audio) for nearly 5 hours. Surely this counts as enough deprivation?

My first Artist Date since starting the tagged book again. It's been more than a year since I stopped taking voice lessons, and this morning before work I gave myself the time to spend just singing. It was cathartic and, I like to believe, occasionally melodious. My home-from-college kid woke up to my singing and said it was a great way to wake up, so there's that.

@Texreader Table of contents, part 2.

@Texreader Table of Contents, part 1.

Lately I've been feeling a little mid-life-crisis-y and decided I wanted to do The Artist's Way all the way through again, something I haven't done for 20+ years. Try as I might---I even had my family search---I could not find the copy I've had since 1996, so I ordered a new one. When it arrived today, I unpacked it, turned to the bookshelf to put it away, and put my hand immediately on my 1996 copy. So. The system works.

Why do i get my best ideas in the shower? An exasperated Einstein is said to have remarked. Research shows that this is because showering is an artist-type activity.

Showering, Swimming, Scrubbing, Shaving, Steering a Car. So many S-like yes words! All of these are regular but repetitive ideas that may tip us over from a state of logicalness into our creativity.

You must not take anyone on this artist's date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a your creative child. In its most creative form, the artist's date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend....

...is our creative holistic sense which usually works its way out in patterns and shadings. it sees a Fall Forest and thinks 'Wow! Leaf Bouquet! Pretty! ...

.....An artist's mind is both creative and free-wheeling, it is akin to making new connections, yoking together new images to evoke meaning. Like the Norse myths calling a boat: A wave horse. In Star Wars, the name Skywalker is a lovely artist brain-type flash.

There is no wrong way to do morning pages, as these morning meanderings are not meant to be art. Or even writing. I stress that point to reassure the non-writers working with this book. Writing is simply one of the tools. Pages are meant to be simply, the art of moving the hand across the page and writing down whatever comes to mind. Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included.

In movie terms we simply pull focus, lifting up and away from being embedded in our lives, until we attain an overview. This overview enables us to make valid creative choices. Think of it as a journey with difficult, varied, and fascinating terrain. You are moving to higher ground. The fruit of your withdrawal is what you need to understand as a positive process, which is both painstaking but exhilarating.

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

“We are out to woo our own consciousness.” 🌟

And my list of date 💡 ideas for myself to do this wooing!

Am giving serious thought to “awakening my creative spirit” through Cameron‘s toolkit. I am thinking other big things for this fall… wish me GODSPEED.

3/5⭐ The aggressively Christian framework being passed off as general spirituality bothers the shit out of me. The author clearly comes from a privileged perspective that's often out of touch with reality. She relies on the problematic law of attraction and other woo-woo (e.g. just plan to travel the globe sincerely enough and the money to do so will appear for you!). However, her tools and reflective tasks are incredibly effective. #bookspinbingo

My Jan update + Feb goals. Making progress!

Thanks to all who answered the Jan #BFC2022 question. I loved reading your answers! What an awesome group we have! You can still answer: https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2346747

Posting goals/updates is OPTIONAL. If you do post goals/updates or answer the monthly question, you get an entry into the quarterly drawing. If I don't comment on your post/answer, please retag me! I found one I missed earlier.

#blameitonlitsy Many thanks to @Charityann for bringing this book to my attention. (I broke my book-buying ban to purchase this set. 🤭🤫)

I made my 12-week calendar, scheduled my morning pages writing, artist dates, and time to work on the weekly exercises. 🗓📝🖌 I‘m starting this Friday & will incorporate TAW into my #BFC2022 goals.

I forgot to share this on here, but I‘m starting out the year working through this book! I‘ve heard so many good things about it. If anyone wants to join in comment below! 😊 #writersoflitsy #creativelife

@kspenmoll I love the little people, the message, and the stickers!! @DebinHawaii love love love! I‘m going to frame for next year! @Catsandbooks You are so talented!! @Crazeedi so cute!!! @cwarnier Such an adorable ginger person! Thanks to all the #litsycardswap participants!! I can‘t believe how beautiful, unique, and joyful they all were!! (And no repeats! 😱)

“The Artist‘s Way” by Julia Cameron is a great way to unpack one‘s creative self using practical tools. This self help book , which could have just easily been just vibes and nice words, demands
for true reflection, accountability, and action towards one‘s artistic journey and creative process.

Finally! Ordered this is December. Finally picked it up today. Can‘t wait to crack into it

Thanks to covid lockdown I have rediscovered my love of painting and creating art so I am combining that with my love of books to go through this one. It‘s a book with workbook elements and one of my personal goals right now is finishing what I start. So I‘m holding myself accountable for finishing the 12-weeks of work in this book without quitting! I‘ve heard great things about it and I hope it brings me some clarity!

I love this book! I‘m not sure if this quote is from this book or another one, but I wanted to share anyway. :)

Three longhand Morning Pages a day to bring creativity to your life is Julia Cameron‘s claim to fame. By the way, I had no clue she‘s one of Martin Scorsese‘s former wives — just some unrelated trivia!

This is a good article from Vogue about Artist‘s Way and her new book Listening Path: https://apple.news/A4WtxT7DsSIemrKE1KG99Vg

I‘m posting one book per day from my ever-increasing TBR. No description. No explanation. Just books to read. Join the fun if you want.

Day 13.

#fromthetbrstacks

#3Books that have been recommended to me that I haven't read yet (but own).

The Color of Magic recommended by @Laalaleighh (Thank you!)
Devil in the White City recommended by multiple people.
The Artist's Way recommended by my photography mentor Nancy Rotenberg (I miss you).
@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

American writers & artists are losing as much as 50% of their income due to the affects of COVID19 this summer. I bought a book from Interstellar Flight Press. If you can afford to buy a book from a small press or indie author, or a print, photo, scarf, painting or pottery, now is the time! #supportart #readindie #helocreatives

#joyfuljune 18
Artist‘s Date in my backyard.

👍❤️🙌

#joyfuljune 12 (a day late)
I‘m reading The Artist‘s Way with a group online. I think the next weeks will be good for my creativity and confidence!

#joyfuljune 5

#manicmonday #letterA

American Gods
Douglas Adams
Angel (oh yes, those were the days!)
Tori Amos
Angie - Rolling Stones

Good times! Happy Monday 😁

#weekendreads

1. Tagged above. Started as a project/distraction because I couldn‘t get into anything else for the moment.
2. Same. But also The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, The Fifth Doll, The Wolf in the Whale and The Vine
Witch.
3. Making headway on The Artist‘s Way, family Zoom brunch, and figuring out what my daily bake is going to be!

Happy Sunday all!
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Artists are visionaries. We routinely practice a form of faith, seeing clearly and moving toward a creative goal that shimmers in the distance - often visible to us, but invisible to those around us.” ― Julia Cameron #Visionary #QuotsyJan20

My morning tea reminds us that “you don‘t need love, you are the love” Agree? disagree? I do agree that we are love but...we also need love. Because if you don‘t know Love, how can you be love? #earlymorningdeepthoughts #yogitea #24b4Monday #MrBook1inaMillion @MrBook @Andrew65

Apparently I‘m an oddball: This book is super popular, but I found it sloppy and often frustrating, an inconsistent mix of control-freaky negativity, fluffy handwaving and filler, and occasional deep insights. Some of the good ideas were very good, though, and some of the moments of clarity rang very true, so I have to give this a mixed rating. I‘m glad I read it, but am dubious about reading it again. 😆 Power to those who love it, though!

This is one of those books that I continue to come back to. It's been years since I first read it, and I still do morning pages religiously as suggested by Julia Cameron. This is a wonderful book for artists of any and every medium. She helps you take care of yourself and your craft, showing you that art and spirituality are intertwined.

I just finished the 12 week program set out in this book on creativity. I confess I have owned it for many years and, after a New York Times profile on Julia Cameron I picked it up and decided to go through the 12 weeks- I enjoyed it ( all but the reading deprivation week😱) and it taught me alot about creativity. Recommended for creatives or those who want to be.

Thanks so much, Littens, for spreading the word about good books & art! #yourock #grateful #thanksLittens #creativecommunity

I wasn't sure if I was depressed or not, so I flipped a book over to seal the deal.

I turn into my father so fast when I see the difference in the US price and the Canadian one.

It took me 7 months to get through the 3 month program, but I didn't give up! Transformational experience not only on my creativity but also how I want to prioritize all of my passions in life. Can't recommend this program enough!

Day 15 #emojinov #🎨 Years ago, I read The Artist's Way and The Artist's Way Workbook using many of its principles for unblocking & fueling creativity and I still practice some of the tasks/activities today. I got It's Never Too Late to Begin Again as a NetGalley #ARC months & months ago but I have not managed to read it. I think I am in denial that I am in 'midlife!' 😆🤣😱😭

Still gushing over my awesomely gorgeous #new bookmarks, custom made by one of Litsy's creative rock stars: @BookBabe 🤗🎨🙌🏻
One of these will help keep my place during @DeweysReadathon this weekend. I'm saving the rest for birthday and holiday gifts for my bookish friends.
You gotta check out BookishArt.com for more cool items and stunning designs by this gifted artist.
Thx @BookBabe
#30daysofreadathon

@Mrs.AntonacciReads #bookcolortag-ged me, and I didn't forget. A request from such a superb Litten cannot be forgotten 😊👍🏻. She tagged me and @readsusieread with red. So here ya go. Hope that's enough red for you 😆. As you can see, I had to get up on a couple chairs and still didn't quite fit it all ☺️😁. Any titles stand out?

I cannot stop admiring these absolutely beautiful bookmarks that @christineandbooks sent. Her mother is the artist. Thank you so much! I shall treasure these!

So, I got to a part in The Artist's Way where Cameron endorses a week of reading deprivation. I thought I'd try it, and I did very well actually. But then Wednesday afternoon I sprained my ankle. I thought I would read in the ER waiting room, but the property brothers were on, so I had to watch. 🤣Yesterday I started reading The Possessions, and I don't care if I ended the reading deprivation a day early. It was so hard to do!

My friend and I have a long tradition of taking selfies of ourselves in books

Currently reading Julia Cameron's Supplies: a troubleshooting guide for creative difficulties.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find it in the litsy system, so I had to tag her other book, The Artist's Way.