Hello! How are you? I’ve been stuck: stuck in a snowstorm; stuck in mid-semester grades, tasks, and the sense that I could have done it all better; stuck in the challenges of parenting a middle schooler at the end of 8th grade, which in itself is a time of being stuck. And yes, stuck on what I could possibly write here about week 5… and then week 6… of The Artist’s Way, where we get into some very deep ideas around creativity as a spiritual process with god as our co-creator.
The idea that making art and living as an artist comes in part through a power greater than ourselves is fundamental to The Artist’s Way. On the very first page of the book, we learn Cameron believes that “Creativity… is a spiritual practice.” In short, if we can open ourselves to a greater source, creative energy flows through us; it plus our own unique energy equals art.
On one hand, I believe this wholeheartedly. Some of my best poems have felt like arrivals; I sat down to write and the poem came. This idea of co-creation with a higher power isn’t just Cameron’s, either; here’s a great Ted Talk with Elizabeth Gilbert about the ancient Greek idea of “genius” as a spirit that lived in the walls of artists’ studios. On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about some of what Cameron says in these chapters about god, creativity, and abundance. My hang-up is touched on in this recent NYT article about the darker political implications on the idea of “manifesting” (which I have gifted here so you should be able to read for free). Does the idea that believing what you have (money, ideas, fame) comes from being open to receiving it inherently blame people who don’t receive these things for not being open enough? Sorting through all this on this blog is too much for me right now (maybe ever), so I’m going to get unstuck from this complicated spiritual question by smiling at it and walking around it, like an icy patch on an otherwise clear sidewalk.
Instead, let’s focus on a few gold nuggets from other parts of these chapters. One of my favorite recurring ideas from The Artist’s Way is about clearing out the old and ratty parts of your life, both physical and metaphorical, to make room for the new and luxurious. Cameron often urges us to clear out and clean up. Often the things like cleaning out a closet, throwing out worn or stained clothing, or rearranging a room show up on the list of weekly tasks. Into the cleaned-up space comes new things: “a little authentic luxury can go a long way.” A dozen roses, a carton of raspberries, or a soft new blanket are some of the small gifts we can give to our artist-selves to add a sense of abundance and pleasure to our lives. After all, Cameron says, “Making art begins with making hay while the sun shines. It begins with getting into the now and enjoying your day.”
I see this truth in action in the after-school creative writing club I am currently leading at an elementary school with Lighthouse Writers Workshop. A basket full of scrapbook paper, some glue, and saying “yes” to almost every question I am asked is all I need to bring a sense of joy and abundance to a room full of rambunctious children. Our sessions are chaotic, and the end products are unpredictable, but the creative energy is real. As an INFJ, leading this workshop stresses me out, because I like calm environments and planed outcomes, but every week, I am inspired by these kiddos’ sense of possibility.
So! Let’s get unstuck. The first day of spring is almost here: time to clean up, buy yourself flowers, and keep on trucking though the second half of The Artist’s Way. If you have questions about the book you’d wish I’d write about, please let me know in the comments!
Kimberly O'Connor 
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