Monday, August 8, 2005

Morning Pages ...

  I've written before about my love for the book called the Artists Way by Julia Cameron. I know that some of you are familiar with the book and with the process of The morning pages.

     I've always been a journaler, I kept a beautiful black leather journal with refillable pages for years. Since starting Rain, I no longer have time to coherently journal there, now it's where I practice my morning page exercises.

    I wish I could say I was disciplined enough to write there every morning at the same time as suggested in the book, I'm not. But ... when I  do have time, I jot down what's on my mind in run on sentences in no particular order. After all no one is really going to read this stuff but me.

     If I were a poet or a song writer and had a lot more time on my hands, I would take the words that I write there and turn them into something beautiful. But ... I'm not and I don't so for today I am just going to post some random words about last Thursday night using the apparently pointless process that Julia Cameron calls the Morning Pages.

      

The photo is part of the Muriel on the ceiling at the Cheesecake Factory.

A mad dash between rain drops at high school, with tool boxes on wheels.

A continued pursuit of parallel lines and variegated tulips with a darker behind.

Focused efforts on two renderings, to the rhythm of a storytellers tale.

About the art and life of Andrew Wyeth, in intricate detail.

Factory of Cheesecakes and artichoke leaves, sauces in perfect combination.

And in confidence girl talk over passion fruit tea that no one else could understand.

Then the long journey home one south and one west,  just before the stroke of midnight.

 

     BTW ... the entry last week about crying alone at the beach today, was also sort of random words of thoughts about my day. Words that could become poetic if only I had more time.

     Thank all of you for your comments of concern, it's always as surprising as it is comforting to get hugs from across the country when you find out I'm feeling a little blue. We should all give ourselves permission to cry more, when we feel sad. I've never been really good at expressing those kinds of emotions, I'm learning to be better at doing that here.

                  I love being part of this community!

                                                      

                                

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's OK to cry when you are sad, Coy. xoxo

Anonymous said...

You write beautifully....thanks so much for letting us in.  Nancy

Anonymous said...

you're right coy....it's always better to express our emotions...even the sad ones,t he angry ones, the frightened ones....it's too toxic to keep it all inside...love the photo of the mural from the cheesecake factory  :-)  

Anonymous said...

Morning Coy its 5.35 in the morning - dogs cried to be let outside - so just took a look on my comp. I loved your words - Looking out of the window now - a slight mist hangs just above the crops in the fields - sky is blue with white clouds - and another day is about to begin.  and I cry with Joy tinged with sadness at such a lovely day - Oh that I had the ability to turn back the pages of time - but I cant do that - so will enjoy what I have now.....

Ally x

Anonymous said...

I love The Artist's Way.  I read it last summer for the first time, and it did wonders for me.  I've been thinking about getting it out and working through it again.

Anonymous said...

I love her books. I have the Right To Write & The Artists Way. They're actually what started me writing in J-land. ~ Lori

Anonymous said...

I'd say your more than ready to write and publish something!! go for it girl   Just think of how many books you would have to personally sign here in J-land alone?? lol

Anonymous said...

I heard about Julia Cameron before at a writer's workshop. Never really paid attention to her until I clicked your links to her site. Thanks for the info. I need some motivation to start writing again. Though I do not dream of being published, I want to write because I want to leave my writings to my children. I figured they can not know me within my lifetime so I write mostly about my personal philosophies to give them an idea of who I am...

Anonymous said...

I'm not familiar with the book, but this exercise is interesting. :-)

Anonymous said...

Tears are not always a bad thing.  I don't know why people think so.  Crying when one is sad is like laughing when one is happy ~ natural and cathartic.  Part of being human, and living in this world.

I am very interested in your variegated tulips with dark behinds....  :)

Anonymous said...

This community it something I never would have imagined.  I like the free form thought structure.  Have you ever read "Postcards" by...oh heck, Ican't remember (I am so bad...Anne Pouix or very similiar).  She has several short chapters titled "What I see" a rambling account of what catches the main characters eye. It was fasinating.

Anonymous said...

Hi Coy!  Your random thoughts are poetic.  And if you're going to have a good cry, the beach is the very best place to do it.  I find the ocean to be a good source of inspiration for tears.  I hope you're feeling better!  xxoo, Albert

ps: I don't know if I can explain this well, but when I'm drawing, I always see the light and dark shades in relation to each other.

Anonymous said...

I really need to get that book. I love your random thoughts. They read like a poem. Hope all is better now. :-) ---Robbie

Anonymous said...

More thoughts!
{{{ Hugs }}}
V