Hey, my blog is 3 months old today! I actually have a lot more people reading it than I would have thought when I first started it - even more than I imagined when I joined the artist's way group. For me, it really isn't so much about how many are reading it - it's about putting myself out there and feeling a connection. I feel more connected to myself and more connected to other bloggers than I ever would have thought possible three months ago. And the journey so far has been really good for me. I'm on a creative upswing.
In these three months I have genuinely begun playing in ceramics again. I also realized how important writing is to me on a daily basis. Neither of these things have formed themselves into a goal - but I feel like I am on a creative track. I have faith that if I can just go steady on - enjoying my daily clay lumps - prioritizing and finishing some specific clay projects and just writing, writing, writing I will find out where this track is leading me.
In chapter 12 Cameron states that "Life is meant to be an artist date." Yes, that's why I'm very loose about my artist dates. I feel like what the artist date is about is in seeking out inspiration - catching trout to stock the pond - finding little glimmers of awe and in general filling yourself up. I read a quote today -
"Be more splendid, more extraordinary. Use every moment to fill yourself up.” -Oprah Winfrey
This is the spirit of the artist date and I will keep prioritizing some time to spend and be mindful of the need for this process. That may mean I will go on artist's dates with other people and I may even do tiny little things that are spontaneous and not all planned out. In my opinion it all counts. I won't continue with all the rules Cameron gave us about them - but I will continue to ask myself - does my artist's pond need trout and where shall I go to find them? I have learned there is a connection between how stocked the pond is and how creatively fertile I feel.
The morning pages are a habit now. I will keep doing them. I think I may start calling them The Daily's or my pages. I like The Daily's - sounds like news - my news. My own personal spin on what's happening in my life. A way of saying to myself - Extra, Extra read all about it! Only I am the reporter too. It also sounds like a flower to me - like a lily or dahlia. Each morning I get to bloom into a new day.
I forgot that Week 12 has the God Jar. I thought that was only in Cameron's Vein of Gold book. She explains it more in that book. Here is a picture of a jar I made in 2002. I made it in clay and later decided to paint it with acrylic paint rather than glazing it. It has copper paint too. On the lid - I put my thumb print in copper paint. For some reason I saw it as a jar that stands tall and tells me to follow my heart - and I wanted my most personal identifiable mark on it. I've used it to store various things in it - little slips of inspiration - sometimes new moon wishes - etc....Today I found info about the Goddess Lakshmi stuffed within it. I realized that in a way it is a god jar. I've never liked that name. What does that say? Would Cameron say I'm resisting God's help in creating? Something to explore. I have this quote from Wayne Dyer that I read each day because it is on a post note on my computer monitor's edge - it goes -
"This is God,
I will be handling
all of your
problems today.
I will not need
your help, so have
a miraculous day."
This makes me think of the god jar - it's a way to give God your worries so you are free to find awe. For me a god jar is a place for creative seed storage. All I really know is that I need to use this jar more. If only as a more conscious reminder to let go of trying to control it all and rest my creative seeds in a safe place until it's time to plant them.
One thing that seemed to come up so strong during this AW journey was an increased attraction to crows. And I had some synchronicity that guided me to finding this book Animal Speak by Ted Andrews. In it he says, "Wherever crows are, there is magic. They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength. They remind us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive within our world everyday and available to us."
So, I send out my "caw caw caw" to all my fellow artist way's travelers......may the magic continue for all of us - each in our own most divine and magnificent ways - as we fly on beyond the AW journey........
