Rituals: I took 12 weeks to rediscover my creativity
My takeaways from following The Artist's Way
For the past 12 weeks, I’ve committed to “The Artist’s Way.”
This is a method made popular by the 1992 book of the same name, written by Julia Cameron, which you can find here.
Cameron explains she wrote the book as a result of her time as a “creativity teacher,” and while that might sound quite lofty, she spent years helping students renew their own faith in their creative selves.
For those who pick up the book, it’s a 12-week process where each week represents a chapter.
It requires commitment and loads of self-discipline once you see what’s in store.
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I’d always wanted to try it, and because goals are easier to achieve when you assign a time element, like a deadline, and when you’re telling and working with others to achieve them, I jumped at the opportunity to join an Artist’s Way group. Sign me up!
The cohort started back in February, and was announced in a Substack post by Dianna Cohen:
Cohen is founder and CEO of Crown Affair (they make those cute, thin, mint green it-girl scrunchies, and I also happen to love their leave-in conditioner and air dry mouse for “no make-up hair”).
I first met Dianna in New York City around 2015 through a mutual friend.
This was well before Crown Affair, even before she worked at Away luggage.
And because it’s interesting to see someone revisit The Artist’s Way after building a huge beauty brand from the ground up that’s now in Sephora, I figured she must be on to something.
And I felt it was the right time to re-tap into my creative energy.
What did I have to lose?
What is The Artist’s Way
Each week for 12 weeks, a new chapter guides you through a theme, for example:
Week 1: Recovering a Sense of Safety
Week 4: Recovering a Sense of Integrity
Week 7: Recovering a Sense of Connection
Week 10: Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection, and
Week 12: Recovering a Sense of Faith
During and after each chapter you’re asked to complete short exercises, writing prompts, and tasks, mostly to get your brain going, thinking, and working through creative blocks and possibilities.
But perhaps the two most important aspects of TAW are the daily “morning pages” and weekly “artist’s dates.”
Morning pages
TAW is not the first place I’d heard of morning pages.
It was Tim Ferriss whose blog first mentioned this practice, which involves writing 3 pages every morning, longhand (yes, you read that right).
Morning pages are a meditation. — Julia Cameron
This is a deliberately analogue practice that forces you to put pen or pencil to paper; the manual, slower movement of hand-writing is what helps to slowly, over time, recalibrates your creative brain.
Though TAW was first published 32 years ago, morning pages are even more important now that everyone reaches for their phones first thing in the morning, or turns on screens to listen to people yapping at them.
To achieve your morning pages, you do what it takes: wake up earlier, force yourself to stare at the pages and write, until you’re done with 3 pages.
It doesn’t matter what comes out: ramblings, rantings, grievances, to-do lists, ideas, totally scattered monkey brain thoughts — what’s more important is getting it done.
Some days, this felt like an absolute slog.
I struggled to complete the pages, staring at them blankly.
Other days, the words flowed freely.
I’d recount a dream, or feelings of happiness, sadness, gratitude, grief.
Of course, while I did my best to complete them daily, it’s only natural to skip a few days here and there; it’s all self-discipline, but you can also extend self-compassion if there are valid reasons to skip.
I’m happy to say I completed them most weekdays, but took most Saturdays and Sundays off.
Artist’s dates
The other significant part of TAW is committing to weekly personal outings known as “artist’s dates.”
You are meant to take yourself on solo outings intended to expose you to new environments and experiences…again all in the deliberate effort to reawaken your inner artist.
I took myself antiquing, thrifting, trying new cafés I hadn’t been to before, driving around and finding new parks, and sitting at a nail salon for the first time in months.
The artist’s dates felt like alternate forms of self-care, and were actually super fun.
I quite enjoy sitting at restaurants and eating at the bar by myself, chatting up bartenders and learning more about the restaurant, food, and drinks on the menu.
And perhaps unlike many people, I really enjoy my solitude and peace and quiet.
I can be alone, without being lonely.
12 weeks later: I am an artist!
Week 11 begins with this bold statement: I AM AN ARTIST.
After 12 weeks of morning pages, artist’s dates, and tasks, I do feel re-energized and good about nurturing my inner creative spirit.
Speaking of “spirit,” the book does make reference to spirituality and God, but not a religious God, per se.
Cameron doesn’t serve any particular religion. God in this context can be an acronym for “Good Orderly Direction.”
I consider myself slightly woo woo; I embrace mysticism, follow astrology, read tarot, and believe I have an undeveloped psychic/clairvoyant intuition, so the spiritual aspect of TAW appealed to me.
But if the word God is triggering, then readers suggest subbing it for “higher power” or “creative spirit” or “great spirit” or whatever you want to place instead.
By the end of this exercise I’m grateful to have experienced it all and with a group.
I can’t say I would have been as enthusiastic about doing it on my own, which lends to the power of community and accountability when you tell others you are doing something alongside them.
My takeaways:
You will suffer…in that you will be forced to evaluate some negative things about your ego and creative blocks
You will balk…and resist and try to make excuses for putting off your daily morning pages and weekly tasks
You will heal…ultimately, after a lot of reflection and renewed faith in your creative self, you’ll feel energized. Perhaps about something you're already working on, or something you’re thinking about starting.
And if it’s the latter, all you have to do is…start!
What about you? How have you gotten rid of creative blocks?
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Until next time,
Shindy
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Rituals is a section where on the first week of every month, I’ll cover a regular daily, weekly, or monthly personal habit. It may be a lifestyle, wellness, or work practice that has become a valuable and beneficial part of my life. Enjoy!
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STELLAR! I learned so much. Very interesting…….