You may have seen mention of the Creative Recovery Circle forming here at Owl Create–12 weeks of creative nurturing & recovery within an intimate circle co-facilitated with Alysa Escobar & yours truly – seasoned & devoted students of The Artist’s Way. Circle members get weekly virtual support, accountability & connection as they design their Artist’s Way journey and practice with morning pages and artist’s dates and experience creative recovery and empowerment.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron has been a catalyst for massive transformation in my life. Over the years, I had several false starts, or Creative U-turns as Julia calls them, abandoning the book when anything ruffled my feathers, but in early 2021 I had a couple of courageous friends who said “sure why not?” when I suggested we pluck at it together. I had also made huge strides in my creative recovery through certification as Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach. There I mastered Kaizen (small) steps as an effective and efficient means to overcome creative blocks, which made it seem possible to dive into The Artist’s Way course again, and it was also through KMCC that I began to reawaken to the knowing that creative pursuits thrive in healthy community.

So, we formed our little creative cluster and took on this journey. We did it imperfectly and half-assedly, but we did it. One out of 3 took a creative U-turn and opted out of the quest around week 5. Still, we had a pair, and a little good company goes a long way when the path is hard. We made it through all 12 weeks, and we both were living more fully in collaboration with Inspiration by the ‘end’ of it.

It doesn’t end there though. “The Artist’s Way is a spiral path,” as Julia says, and I joined another group the following year upon Alysa’s invitation where we worked through one week of The Artist’s Way per month of the calendar year. I had met Alysa through another creative community space where we both landed as a result of inspired action, and we sparked a side conversation forging a connection that has influenced all areas of my wellness as a human being. I am well: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, creatively.

Since that first full run with The Artist’s Way, I’ve contributed to two international Amazon best-selling multi-author books. I applied for an artist fellowship as an emerging writer. I am able to identify as a writer in the first place and share my work however vulnerable it feels. I make pretty things often because it feels good and I want to, and I take myself on artist’s dates because we enjoy them. I write my morning pages because they provide essential nutrients to my creative life and livelihood. And I’m getting bolder and offering more opportunities to connect others with this transformational work.

I have full faith that The Artist’s Way is worth the attention of any creative artist. No matter how experienced or polished. There’s more to recover. 

Yesterday I heard a story about a guy that fell into a hole. A doctor walks by, and the guy calls out for help. The doc stops, writes him a prescription and throws it down to him and keeps on walking. A priest walks by, and the guy calls for help to which the priest offers him a prayer and keeps going. Then along comes a friend who knows this guy, so he calls out “Hey Joe, man, I’ve fallen down here, can you help me out?” Joe jumps into the hole with the guy. Guy says, “what are you doing? Now we’re both down here.” Joe says, “yeah man, but I’ve fallen down here before and I know the way out.”

Julia has been jumping into holes and leading artists out now for over 30 years with The Artist’s Way, and she encourages us to pass it on. This upcoming Creative Recovery Circle is our way of jumping into the hole to show the way out. If you’ve been stuck in the pit or know someone who has, please pass along the invitation. Here’s the link to register. We have members participating asynchronously too, if the schedule is of concern. 

If you have any further curiosities, schedule a chat here and let’s see what’s getting in the way. Hope to see you in circle. 

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