NEW book!

hello everyone!
it's been awhile, but real life has an uncanny way of catching up and for one reason or another, things got lost by the wayside...

anyhow, i'm back with a vengence to work on a new book and finally settled on this one...
i plan to start working through it on 28 june 2009
and i really hope you are still up for joining me!

the new blog can be found here.

xo

{the home stretch: week 12}

when i first started reading about week 12, i noticed how relevant elizabeth gilbert's words from my previous post is. if you haven't had a chance to watch it yet, i urge you to grab a cuppa and settle down for the next 20 minutes or so and take a look. i'm pretty sure you won't regret it. particularly in light of this weeks recovery. our final week (or two!)...

the mystery of the universe, god, was something which triggered thoughts at the start of our journey, where do you views lie now, nearly 24 weeks later?

it would appear the humble ability to release ourselves to something greater is a common theme amongst our creative minds of today. do you agree? has synchronicity blessed your life during this journey?

and as we face the final steps together, where do we find ourselves looking into the future? are you stepping forward a different person?

for me personally these last days feel like yet another new beginning. i have not completed this course the way i had initially hoped and imagined, but i have completed it. that's not to say i won't be revisiting it; but i feel it is important to acknowledge what we have achieved, no matter if or how it falls short of our high expectations.

i am definitely planning to work on a new book, starting on march, 22 2009. i hope you will join me. in the meantime, good luck with this final fortnight, and i can't wait to hug you at the finish line!

{genius}

i came across this following TED talk via a visit to gems blog and it just talked to me. it might just be what you need to ponder today. enjoy!

{week 11: recovering a sense of autonomy}

our penultimate week and it's about recovering autonomy. reminding us who is really in charge of our creativity journey.

"as an artist my credibility lies with me"
i adore this line.
i'm going to make it my mantra, and remind myself every day.

it is so easy to get carried away sometimes.
to create for a goal that is so far ahead in the horizon, you forget the real reason why: the inner need. calling. desire. the now.

there was a lot in this chapter to think about, from the zen of sports to building your artist's altar. how much of this do you incorporate in your life?

nb: my apologies for the delay in this post. helen is away, and she left the blog in my trusted hands. but unfortunately i've had pc problems and other excuses i could use, but the bottom line is i dropped the ball. sorry. but i am back! and will be here promptly to lead us to the finishing line... can you believe it? we're nearly there!

and yes, we plan to continue with another book after a short break. some possible titles include: what we ache for by oriah mountain dreamer, life is a verb by patti digh, or the sound of paper by julia cameron.

i've learnt a lot from this experience here, and also by partaking in the fabulous book blogging group hosted by jamie ridler at the next chapter, and hope to pull it all together for a more personalised (and organised!) experience next time round. hope you will be joining me!

Welcome to Week 10

I bet hardly any of you can believe that we're only two chapters away from completing TAW. I certainly can't. It seems like such a mammoth task at the beginning and yet if you just stick at it and silence the perfectionist in you it really can be done!

So a huge WELL DONE to all of you for getting this far! Yay!!!

So what does week 10 bring us? Ah yes, those wonderful "blocking devices" need to be looked at. Gulp. They can be such seemingly ordinary things, a bowl of ice cream, an hour in front of the TV, constantly finding something that "needs doing". I am especially good at this one.. "I can't possibly do my morning pages, this morning, I have shopping to get, appointments to get to, phone calls to make..." the list is endless. And they seem such a valid excuses! Yet I know deep down, that it's avoidance behaviour.. I know that I'm not doing my MPs because on that day I don't have the courage to face myself and see what's there: the demons, the insecurities, the fears.. And yet by avoiding this, I'm also avoiding: the lightbulb moments, the insights, the soul part of me that is only love.

However, remember that even just knowing that we're doing it is already halfway there.. Now, we just have to recognise it, send it love, and try turning the other way instead. So next time I feel the same pattern of "I can't possibly do the MPs this morning because....." I shall stop, take a breath and think actually, yes I can.. and face my demons and receive my delights.

So have courage fellow artsit's wayers, and use this chapter to really conquer your demons!

Good luck!

Fxxx

A new day dawning..

It seems everything has been against me in the last few months and it's been one of those times where finding time for creativity has been especially difficult. First illnesses that lasted for weeks on end, then an internet connection that has been down for weeks on end.. not to mention my phone line. It seems I am being deliberately cut off from the outside world in order to look within! A great opportunity you might think but not so great when you're trying to write TAW posts!!

The illnesses have put paid to any kind of artist's dates or anything that necessitates going outside but as I am now feeling about a thousand times better I hope to reclaim that part of the process. Pen has been very understanding and it is her computer that I am actually now sitting at.

I think the greatest gift that TAW gives us is shining a great big spotlight on what isn't working in our lives, in order for us to then shift the spotlight onto what is working. Rather than driving myself mad with frustration at the situation I was in, I decided to look at what was good. For one, I spent a lot more time reading books, a very peaceful thing to do that brought a lot of joy. I have also had much more time to question myself; a la Dr Phil "How's that workin' for ya?" only to discover that whatever I was looking at, actually wasn't working!

So, I start this new year, full of health again (yippee!) and renewed vision with which to look at my artist self. I love Chapter 9 for what it says about not expecting to make some huge fantastic work of art in order to validate your artist status. I realised I had been doing this, and it had been keeping my stymied. If I couldn't create something amazing, then why create anything at all! Thankfully as ever, JC has shown me the way and I am now fully content with my first commitment of the year to creativity - an artist's crop once a month. AND, in the first month, which is this coming Sunday, I'm going to create my own special Secret Wish Jar!!!

So thank you to all of you who sent me kind thoughts whilst I was a little bit off the radar.. as you can imagine I haven't had much chance to look at your blogs for ages.. :-( but my provider assures me that I will be back online on the 19th, or the 20th, or the 21st.. (!!!!)

Happy New Year!!

Fxxx

{happy new year}

good job week 9 is all about recovering compassion, so hopefully you will show me some and not hold it against me for this terribly tardy post!

first things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR wonderfully gorgeous, creative, fabulous and talented kindred spirits. may this be the year all your dreams start manifesting.

this week we kick start the programme again with week 9. remember: be gentle with yourself. there is no right or wrong way to complete the week. whether you do all the tasks or none, you are a valued member of this group. just commit to read the chapter and let the words marinate, the rest will follow... naturally, however that is.

and if you have a spare hour on your hands, you must check out this tele-seminar hosted by christine kane in the last week or so. it's excellent and inspiring. sets the perfect tone and intention for the new year.

updated: hmmm... for some reason the link won't work. if you do have an hour to spare (i think it's 1 hour 20 minutes long) email me at theartistswayblog@gmail.com and i will send you the email link i have.