I Go Alone

Every evening it’s the same. I feel the pull--feet need to walk. Sometimes my boys go with me, sometimes a friend. But sometimes…I go alone. These are the times I feel the breath of God, the times my restless heart feels peace. During these solitary walks I collect treasures untold--feed my muse. Some gems from this week’s cache:

• Streets glistening with memory of rain.
• Air heavy with scent of spring.
• Whispering creek threatening to spill.
• Solitary feather floating on breeze.

In this week’s readings from The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life, Julia Cameron encourages “Artist Dates”-- a once-weekly solitary expedition to something festive that interests us… We must go alone, she says.

We go alone because an Artist Date is half “artist” and half “date”. You are romancing, wooing, courting your creative consciousness. This is something that requires you and your inner artist to spend time alone…

These Artist Dates replenish our store of creativity—what Cameron calls the well. The well needs regular tending, she says.

…care and maintenance of our writing muscles are necessary for our writing stamina. This means that we must take the time and attention necessary to fill the well instead of drawing on it unrelentingly and without consciousness of our inner limits. While this may sound difficult or onerous, the payoff in terms of our writing lives is enormous. Even the smallest amount of self-nurturance will have an immediate and beneficial impact on our writing. A regular and gentle program of self-care will result in a level of ease and authority in our writing that is often astounding.

If I don’t go, my well will eventually run dry. If I don’t go alone, I don’t see. I don’t see the feather drifting on the wind. I don’t feel myself lifted with the breeze…see the world beneath me passing by. I miss the chance to shed gravity--feel the burden of earth’s bindings slip away and take flight. I become the feather when I see this way. I am cupped by the Invisible Hand that ushers the wind. My well is filled to overflowing. This week we learned about the Artist Date, about writing as a physical act, and the importance of sketching. What spoke to you in this week’s readings? Three more chapters for next week…In the meantime, remember to fill the well. Related posts: Lyla's Two birds, one stone. Both dead. L.L.'s Finding Your Words nancy's the right to write and buying work Nancy's Enter the Body Monica's Sketching Melo's Day 12-16: Slip, Slipping Away Glynn's An Artist Date Cassandra's Walking and Writing Marilyn's You Never Take Me Anywhere Anymore Erin's Tending To My Creative Well Jezamama's Mom Date Photo by Ann Voskamp, used with permission. Post by Laura Boggess.