The Artist Way by Julia Cameron

The inner critic, the censor, the monkey… call it what you want, it all boils down to one thing!

As I read and go through more and more art books about discovering or rather recovering my creative self. I find that they all emphasize on one thing. YOU being your own self worst enemy. If you are blessed with a creative soul and are attempting any kind of artistic endeavor then you my friend are also cursed with the curse of self-destruction being your own most harsh critic, crippling yourself along the way but you already knew that. Julia in this book is trying to help you with this.

While it is early for me to say, and give an insight to the whole program; for the book, has just arrived few days ago and I am reading through my first week’s task (it is a twelve-week program). I found myself drawn to it even though I did not expect that. I tend not to like books that give me tasks and require me to work through them, often I just read the book without attempting the tasks or not even finish it.

I have a good feeling this is not going to be the case and hoping so. The first two chapters grabbed my attention and left me wanting for more.

The book is set in a way that on the sidebar of every page there are these little quotes which are relevant to the topic on that page. They are like those fancy chocolates one finds on a pillowcase in a lush hotel room and I find myself looking forward to them. Even more, what really strikes me is how often in life when we go through different things trying to work through their emotions, suddenly we find that everything we do, read or come across is related to that. That’s what these little quotes did for me. Gentle reminders and eye openers.

The concept of morning pages and artists dates that Julia requires you to do as a must are appealing to me in a strange way since I never thought myself doing them, especially the morning pages. Today I did my first ones and to my surprise the words were pouring out of me faster than I could write. I could have easily gone beyond the three pages she prompts us to do. It is too early for me to say how they may work or impact me and my path, even more how long I will keep this up or will I keep the habit up? I hope so!

All I know that I am thoroughly enjoying it for now and am open to this journey willing to learn anything and everything that comes along the way.