Mindful Book Club Picnic: "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron

This book is going to take us in a different direction. I know people who have read this book and have been transformed, and changed their lives to let more creativity and art in. They speak about this book gushingly, and have even formed groups based on the book.

I remember in the Meetup we had for The Body Keeps the Score, someone shared a brilliant idea, that creating art is the process of healing our traumas, when we’re transforming these traumas into something meaningful to us. I loved the idea, and I can see how it ties into other ideas from other books we’re covering here, like Man’s Search for Meaning, and in Fromm’s call to action to get us to treat love like an artist treats their craft. Does that mean that the craft of loving is really just the process of healing ourselves more? 🤔

So, I’m inspired and curious here. I’ve been working for myself in the creative field for 15 years now, and I didn’t have any books like this that got me into it. Art is just something that’s a part of me, but it’s not something that I’ve really spent much time in explaining to others. I wonder how this book is going to resonate with me.

Have you read it? What’s changed in you since you put it down? I know the Morning Pages are something my friends love doing now, and - interestingly - it’s something I’ve been doing for a very long time on my own!

Let’s get together and talk about this over a book club picnic at Linha da Agua, not at the cafe, but on the grass across the pond. I'll bring a big white blanket and a few snacks (definitely not enough to feed a crowd). Feel free to bring your own blanket, and snacks as well if you'd like. And let's enjoy the park, the sun, and some great ideas.