Back to Basics

I haven’t exactly been silent on the subject of my father’s death. He was hospitalized on July 1^st, passed on the 9^th and we finally had his memorial this past weekend. According to his doctor, he lived 5 years beyond his expectancy. Consequently, his death was expected and hung morosely in the air for a long time. It is safe to say that for all of us, his family, July was a tough month.

One of the effects it had on me was to knock my muse, Shirley, on her tushie and I’ve been trying to nurse her along. Today, I went back to basics and I feel much better.

“Basics” for me is re-reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way.  First published in 1992, this book has helped many artists in any number of disciplines find their paths back to their inner artist. I know because I bring this book up often and so many creatives rave with me about how it helped them. I’ve given the book to several people over the years, especially those who were trying to find their muses for the first time.

What Cameron does in the book is layout a simple but effective plan for tuning in to your own music. The method requires only two activities of the reader – daily journaling and artists’ dates. Now, this will seem very simple to many, but if you read the book, you’ll be guided to the right way to journal for this quest and how to give yourself the freedom to mentally play. 

There are a number of questions to be asked. I still have the original answers I gave ten years ago tucked into the book, but I’m coming at it fresh this time. It will be fun to compare my answers from back then to those I give now.

At the time I purchased the book, it was $14.95.  I just checked Amazon and they offer the book and a workbook (which I’ve never had) for $19.57 and a Kindle edition for $13.99.  Either one is a bargain.

I hope anyone who is trying to find their way artistically will give this book a try. Shortly, after reading it, I wrote a short story and sold it to Woman’s World for $1,100. 

I’m just saying.