The Artist's Way

Has anyone tried to use this book for blocked creativity?

• Heard of it. Never read it. I heard it was good, actually.

• It's based on the 12 Step Program and makes you face issues about what you really want, in terms of creating. Most people don't get past the fourth step, but I think the second step is good -- you make a date with yourself to go out once a week to look at things. All the steps have writing exercises.

• We can discuss this at Michfest in the 'nurturing the creative womban inside' tent.

• Recovering a Sense of Safety Recovering a Sense of Identity Recovering a Sense of Power Recovering a Sense of Integrity Recovering a Sense of Possibility Recovering a Sense of Abundance Recovering a Sense of Connection Recovering a Sense of Strength Recovering a Sense of Compassion Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection Recovering a Sense of Autonomy Recovering a Sense of Faith

• Well, I just tried the morning pages exercise and it was amazing. I feel great.

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• Strictly for the uninspired and talentless!

• OP, I completed the 12-week course a couple of years ago and it really did bring positive results. I didn't get through all the exercises, and the "artist date" became increasingly challenging as the weeks went on, but I finished the program. Oddly enough, just last night, I picked up the book (after not having looked at it in nearly two years) and will be doing the entire course again.

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• Was it week 4 or 6 ? I found it particularly challenging - the one when you cannot read anything else, nor watch TV/films. How is it possible in these days to avoid emails /internet for one whole damn week?

• OP, there's no such thing as writer's block. That's silly. Maybe there's just other things in your life that need attention.

• I did, OP, some years ago - the full 12 weeks or however long you are supposed to do it. I have to say I had some pretty insightful revelations. In some weird way, the morning pages can work similar to meditation and bring out unconscious thoughts to the surface. I became very intuitive. For example, I was unemployed when I did TAW (a good time to do TAW, as it requires time) and one morning while I was doing my morning pages I knew exactly when my next job was going to begin (and it did). I started TAW this morning, so thanks for the inspiration OP.

• I did the morning pages for a long time and it helped, but then I thought about it and Julie Cameron really has no significant work to her name and it kind of pissed me off and made me feel misled. If she can't even use her own program to create work that merits public appreciation, how will it help the rest of us?

• It's kind of like someone who is still drinking telling someone how to successfully quit.

• The AW is SOOOO 1999.

• Does it really matter, R11, if it helps you in some way? Julia Cameron was married to Scorsese. I think she hoped to have a film career alongside her husband, but once their marriage fell apart she may have lost some of her ambition. They have a daughter, Domenica.

  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0131762/

• I'm happy to see this thread. Three people last week recommended I get the book. I ordered it on amazon a few days ago. This must be an omen.