Notes from Julia Cameron's "Walking in This World"

My copy of Julia Cameron's Walking in This World arrived about a week ago, so far I've read the Introduction and Basic Tools. In the Introduction Julia seduces us into participating in a 'creative practice' sure to fuel our inspiration and art just as it did during the 18 weeks we worked throughThe Artist's Way last Spring. In Walking in This World Julia teaches us to put our dreams and the negative stuff too, our fears, resistance, rebellion, anger, pride, self-criticism, self-sabotage, whatever is blocking us, and then take the time to listen for guidance. Remember, what is hidden blocks us.

The Basic Tools remind us about the value found in our Morning Pages, Artist Dates, and Walks, and we are asked again to use these tools while studying Walking in This World. Although these tools are time consuming, I've discovered that my investment in time earns creative dividends that I have found in no other creative practice. When I am using the Basic Tools I am also a working artist, without them my enthusiasm dissipates, and once again what is most important to me slides to a back burner in my life.

Julia beautifully describes Walks as a source of our artistic inspiration. She quotes St. Augustine's remark, "Solvitur ambulando"-"it is solved by walking." And what is to be solved? Ah, those cluttered messy thoughts we have spilled into our Morning Pages. What to do, what to do? The answers will come in our meandering wandering Walks, and our Artist Dates, those small adventures, forays into unknown territories. I have noticed that by asking and writing down questions before sleep, powerful answers also come through in my Morning Pages.

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Affirmation: I am a working artist.

Tip: Turn your negative thoughts into positive affirmations. Use the last 15 lines of your Morning Pages to write three affirmations, five times each. Remember those great Creative Affirmations found in The Artist's Way, pages 36 - 37, and page 146, (these are the short ones in Week 8), that can be added to your own short affirmations, for example, [I am a working artist, and "I am a talented person."]

Quote: "The best thoughts most often come in the morning after waking, while still in bed or while walking." - Leo Tolstoy