The Artist’s Way Week #3 *Recovering a Sense of Power*

QUOTES

“A discover is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.” -Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

“Did you ever observe to whom accidents happen? Chance favors only the prepared mind.”
-Louis Pasture

“Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast, in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.” -Ovid

“Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame.” -Erica Jong

“Whenever I have to choose between the two evils, I always like to try the one I haven’t tried before.” -Mae West

PASSAGES

“I can’t believe it! I had this idea for a play three years ago, and she’s gone and written it!” (This anger says: stop procrastinating: Ideas don’t get opening nights. Finished plays do. Start writing.)

“That’s my strategy he’s using This is incredible! I’ve been ripped off! I knew I should have pulled that material together and copyrighted it.” (This anger says: it’s time to take your own ideas seriously enough to treat them well.

Anger is not the action itself. It is action’s invitation.

SYNCHRONICITY!
Answered prayers are scary. They imply responsibility. You asked for it. Now that you’ve got it, what are you going to do? Why else the cautionary phrase “Watch out for what you pray for; you just might get it?” Answered prayers deliver us back to our own hand. This is not comfortable. We find it easier to accept them as examples of synchronicity.

The jig, in short, is up. God knows that the sky’s the limit. Anyone honest will tell you that the possibility is far more frightening than impossibility, that freedom is far more terrifying than any prison. If we do, in fact, have to deal with a force beyond ourselves that involves itself in our lives, then we may have to move into action on those previously impossible dreams.

From the Scottish Himalyan Expedition…
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (or creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment on definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of evens issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have believed would have come his way.

The act of making art exposes a society to itself. Art brings things to light. It illuminated us. It sheds light on our lingering darkness. It casts a bean into the heart of our own darkness and says, “see?”

Many artists begin a piece of work, get well alone in it and then find, as they near completion, that the work is mysterously drained of merit. It’s no longer worth the trouble. To therapists, this surge of sudden disinterest (“It doesn’t matter”) is a routine coping device employed to deny pain and ward off vulnerability. Adults who grew up in a dysfunctional home learn to use this coping device very well. They call it detachment, but it is actually a numbing out.

Many blocked people are actually very powerful and creative personalities who have been made to feel guilty about their own strengths and gifts.

Growth is an erratic forward movement: two steps forward one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself. A creative recovery is a healing process., You are capable of great things on Tuesday, but on Wednesday you many slide backward. This is normal. Growth occurs in spurts.

TASKS

1. Describe your childhood room. What was your favorite thing about it? What is your favorite thing about your room right now?

2. Describe 5 traits you like in yourself as a child.
*Smart
*Leader
*Talkative
*Friendly
*Active

3. List 5 childhood accomplishments
*Graduated with honors from High School
*Won coloring contest
*Performance in the musicals/madrigals
*Made many lifelong friendships
*Believing in myself despite word falling apart around me

List 5 childhood foods.
*Jello Juice
*Homemade Donuts
*Parsnips
*Cucumbers and Mashed Potato Sandwiches
*Popcorn made over the stove

4. Habits. Take a look at your habits. List three obvious rotten habits.
*SLEEPING IN TOO LATE- not able to walk to work, rushed, not looking good, late to work
*Napping- missing out on time to do things for myself!
*Not journaling/taking quiet time out for reflection

3 subtle foes?
*Not getting exercise
*Not eating healthy
*Not believing in myself

5. Make a list of friends who nurture you…give you a sense of your own competency and possibility

6. Call a person who treats you like you are a really good and bright person who can accomplish things.

7. List 5 people you admire.

SECRETLY admire?

8. List 5 people you wish you would have met who are dead.

5 people who are dead that you would want to hang out with for eternity?
Dad, Gma Smith, Gpa Smith, Gpa Baker, Aunt Sylvia, Uncle Bill

Compare the two sets of lists. Take a look at what you really like and admire- and look at what you think you should like and admire. Your shoulds might tell you to admire Edison while your heart belongs to Houdini. Go with the Houdini side of you for a while.

MORNING PAGES?
🙁

ARTIST DATE?
Went through many, many notebooks and scraps of papers of to do to blog to write to…to…to…and reread old journals.

SYNCHRONICITY THIS WEEK?

Other issues???