FEATURE SECTION HEALTH ON AGING
Julia Cameron : Yes , exactly .
The second tool was something that I called the artist ’ s date , which was a once-a-week solo expedition to do something that was fun or interesting to sort of fill our souls .
Julia Cameron : Well , when I wrote The Artist ’ s Way , I said there are two basic tools : they are morning pages , which are three pages of longhand morning writing about absolutely anything , and you do that every day . The second tool was something that I called the artist ’ s date , which was a once-a-week solo expedition to do something that was fun or interesting to sort of fill our souls . And I found that when people did artist ’ s dates they often came back and said , “ Oh , now I get it ,” that they had a sense of the benevolence of the universe that came to them from doing something as simple as assigned fun .
I also found that when I assigned the tools , people would eagerly undertake the work of the morning pages , but they would find themselves balking at trying artist dates . I think that it was because they intuitively sensed that if they took an artist date , their consciousness was going to contact them with a lot of dreams .
Miriam Knight : Give us some examples of artist ’ s dates .
Julia Cameron : Well , I live in Santa Fe . So , I might go to the Georgia O ’ Keeffe Museum , or go to a glass-blowing studio and find myself making paperweights . Or you could go simply to a flower shop and enjoy the many different kinds of flora . I love going to children ’ s bookstores for artist ’ s dates because I find that a children ’ s book usually has just about the amount of information you want on any new topic .
Miriam Knight : That ’ s wonderful--a digestible bite .
28 | New Consciousness Review
Miriam Knight : I loved the tasks that you assigned . Let ’ s explain that this book is actually intended to be a 12-week process . Julia gives you tasks to fulfill over each week--and questions to review your progress at the end of each week , so , you ’ re holding people accountable for adhering or not adhering to the process . I can sense the experienced teacher behind all this .
Julia Cameron : Thank you very much . Yes , I do think this book reflects my 30 years of teaching .
Miriam Knight : It certainly does . So let ’ s get onto the next element , which is the memoir . Tell us about that .
Julia Cameron : Well , a lot of times when I say to people , “ Now , I want you to look back over your life for clues as to what you want to do next .” People will say , “ Julia , my life was so boring .” And I ’ ll say , “ I don ’ t think so . I want you to try writing a memoir .” So I will have 10 questions at the end of each week , that are coaxing people to try and recall simple things , like a smell that was particularly potent for you during this period ”
I also found that when I assigned the tools , people would eagerly undertake the work of the morning pages , but they would find themselves balking at trying artist dates . I think that it was because they intuitively sensed that if they took an artist date , their consciousness was going to contact them with a lot of dreams .