Week 7: Recovering a Sense of Connection
Listening
This section describes that the art we are seeking is about letting it out of us, and we do not have to think in high lofty concepts for great art.
We are told to be ready and just listen to the creative impulses and urges, they are there, we just need to follow them.
We are also told to remember that the universe wants us to create, we are to put our faith in the universe that it will give us what we want.
Perfectionism
The correct way to approach perfectionism is to allow for the unfinished details to be worked out later with time, not to stay stuck reworking things over and over and over.
We are told perfectionism is the logic side of the brain, and represents the critic, or censor.
We are given the advice that no piece of art is ever truly finished, but rather it reaches a place where it is okay to move on, to move forward.
Risk
"The success of a creative recovery hinges on our ability to move out of the head and into action."
By avoiding risk, we avoid the actions of the art itself - to do art, is to take risks. And although we protect ourself in one way, we harm ourself in many other ways.
Cameron tells us that we don't risk, because we fear that we won't do something perfectly - and that is unhelpful and unnecessary. Thus, we must accept doing things poorly. "You have to be okay with sucking for a while" Michael Joseph Harris.
One more piece of advice she gives us is that, we are always better off taking risks in endeavors. We win, even if we loose. The risk enlivens us, it presents us with energy and freedom to move forward and even non artistic things support our artistic endeavors.
Jealousy
Jealousy is the opposite of abundance. Our jealousy often goes away as we achieve in the similar way. We are told to find how wecan be proactive, do something to move us along to the similar aim/desire.
There are two wonderful fill in the blank exercises around acknowleding childhood lackings, and acknowleding our gifts and bounties that we have now.
Tasks
"Treat myself like a previous object will make me strong" - we are to reflect and meditate on this idea
Listen to one side of an album
Spend time in a sacred space, traditional or non traditional.
Create a wonderful smell in your house.
Wear your favorite item of clothing for enjoyiment, not for a special occasion.
Buy yourself a pair of really great socks, or gloves.
Create a photo collage from magazines that represents your past, present and future.
List your five favorite films and reflect on their meaning and find connections.
Name your favorite topics to read about
Post your collage in your house.
All pages were done across the week. I daydream of advertising myself at an ice cream truck or food stand down the streets of a third world country. What does Julie Cameron mean by childhood loves? I saw childhood peers in my dream, and consciously ran away from them at Balboa park in Los Angeles.
I hope practicing accordion suffices as an artist date. Most of the time, I think about how to make money or changing jobs. SpAnish for DUmmies showed me how to speak with Accents.
I binge videos, but when I study anything, situations regarding the topics I study come to my awareness. For example, after finishing SuperAdobe home building class at CalEarth, I see people interested in homebuilding.
I get urges to play Spanish, but express it through spoken language instead. I have haters for being myself, and I know that I better change departments. I don't want to play music around haters, but I can make space to play it away from them. Far away.