Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance

Having read and loved Julia Cameron's THE ARTIST'S WAY, I wanted to see what else she had to say on the subject. Unfortunately, I found FINDING WATER challenging to slog through. While the lessons contained within are relevant and helpful, the book was quite repetitive. As well, the constant commentary on New York's weather patterns seemed excessive. I started skimming the beginning of each essay, knowing I was only going to miss a weather report.

I also found the tone of this book to be quite self-absorbed, unlike THE ARTIST'S WAY. So much misery around not getting the response she wanted to her musicals and her novels. There was a feeling of self-pity that permeated everything, which also soured me on the book.

I made a handful of notes show more and used a few of Cameron's exercises to serve as prompts for some of my Morning Pages sessions. Still, unlike THE ARTIST'S WAY, this will not be a book I return to again and again. show less

Mixed feelings: Her writing sometimes feels forced. Her particular approach to spirituality is often personally offputting for me, and occasionally politically offensive, and it is far more intrusive in this book than in earlier ones. Yet she has significant insight into how writing happens and how writers work, and reading what she has to say often brings me a sense of expansive possibility, which are worth the other stuff.

This is not the first time I have read one of Julia Cameron’s books. They are good for my spirit. I would love to read, or reread one a year, just to check on my process.

Update of Artist's Way

Nieuwe loot aan de Artist's Way stam, weer inspirerend, ditmaal met nadruk op "hoe hou je het vol"?
(zie mijn cursus: http://heldenreis.nl/online-cursus-the-artists-way)