The Artist's Way (Week Six)
Jun. 28th, 2021 06:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
toricopiesThe Artist's Way: Counting, An Exercise
For the next week you will be discovering how you spend your money. Buy a small pocket notepad and write down every nickel you spend. It doesn't matter what it is for, how tiny the purchase, how petty the amount. Petty cash is still cash. Each day, date a page and count—what you bought, what you spent, where your money went, whether it was for groceries, lunch in a diner, a cab ride, subway fares, or a loan to your brother. Be meticulous. Be thorough. And be nonjudgmental. This is an exercise in self-observation—not self-flagellation. You may want to continue this practice for a full month or longer. It will teach you what you value in terms of your spending. Often our spending differs from our real values. We fritter away cash on things we don't cherish and deny ourselves those things we do. For many of us, counting is a necessary prelude to learning creative luxury.
The Artist's Way: Money Madness, An Exercise
Complete the following phrases.
1. People with money are lucky.
2. Money makes people happy.
3. I'd have more money if we cooked all of our meals at home.
4. My dad thought money was to be spent when needed, always have an emergency supply on hand.
5. My mom always thought money would never stick around.
6. In my family, money caused want.
7. Money equals freedom.
8. If I had money, I'd travel.
9. If I could afford it, I'd quit my job and try to freelance.
10. If I had some money, I'd pay off my debts so I got to keep more of my money.
11. I'm afraid that if I had money I would be a different person.
12. Money is practically everything.
13. Money causes the destruction of the planet.
14. Having money is not naturally required but unnaturally necessary.
15. In order to have more money, I'd need to maybe learn a different skill, find a different job.
16. When I have money, I usually feel more carefree/happier.
17. I think money is the root of all evil.
18. If I weren't so cheap I'd buy the things I need and want.
19. People think money makes the world go 'round - and it does.
20. Being broke tells me I was born this way.
The Artist's Way: Week 6 Tasks
1. Natural Abundance: Find five pretty or interesting rocks. I enjoy this exercise particularly because rocks can be carried in pockets, fingered in business meetings. They can be small, constant reminders of our creative consciousness.
2. Natural Abundance: Pick five flowers or leaves. You may want to press these between wax paper and save them in a book. If you did this in kindergarten, that's fine. Some of the best creative play is done there. Let yourself do it again.
3. Clearing: Throw out or give away five ratty pieces of clothing.
4. Creation: Bake something. (If you have a sugar program, make a fruit salad.) Creativity does not have to always involve capital-A art. Very often, the act of cooking something can help you cook something up in another creative mode. When I am stymied as a writer, I make soups and pies.
5. Communication: Send postcards to five friends. This is not a goody-two-shoes exercise. Send to people you would love to hear from.
6. Favorites: List your "favorites" in the following categories.
For the next week you will be discovering how you spend your money. Buy a small pocket notepad and write down every nickel you spend. It doesn't matter what it is for, how tiny the purchase, how petty the amount. Petty cash is still cash. Each day, date a page and count—what you bought, what you spent, where your money went, whether it was for groceries, lunch in a diner, a cab ride, subway fares, or a loan to your brother. Be meticulous. Be thorough. And be nonjudgmental. This is an exercise in self-observation—not self-flagellation. You may want to continue this practice for a full month or longer. It will teach you what you value in terms of your spending. Often our spending differs from our real values. We fritter away cash on things we don't cherish and deny ourselves those things we do. For many of us, counting is a necessary prelude to learning creative luxury.
The Artist's Way: Money Madness, An Exercise
Complete the following phrases.
1. People with money are lucky.
2. Money makes people happy.
3. I'd have more money if we cooked all of our meals at home.
4. My dad thought money was to be spent when needed, always have an emergency supply on hand.
5. My mom always thought money would never stick around.
6. In my family, money caused want.
7. Money equals freedom.
8. If I had money, I'd travel.
9. If I could afford it, I'd quit my job and try to freelance.
10. If I had some money, I'd pay off my debts so I got to keep more of my money.
11. I'm afraid that if I had money I would be a different person.
12. Money is practically everything.
13. Money causes the destruction of the planet.
14. Having money is not naturally required but unnaturally necessary.
15. In order to have more money, I'd need to maybe learn a different skill, find a different job.
16. When I have money, I usually feel more carefree/happier.
17. I think money is the root of all evil.
18. If I weren't so cheap I'd buy the things I need and want.
19. People think money makes the world go 'round - and it does.
20. Being broke tells me I was born this way.
The Artist's Way: Week 6 Tasks
1. Natural Abundance: Find five pretty or interesting rocks. I enjoy this exercise particularly because rocks can be carried in pockets, fingered in business meetings. They can be small, constant reminders of our creative consciousness.
2. Natural Abundance: Pick five flowers or leaves. You may want to press these between wax paper and save them in a book. If you did this in kindergarten, that's fine. Some of the best creative play is done there. Let yourself do it again.
3. Clearing: Throw out or give away five ratty pieces of clothing.
4. Creation: Bake something. (If you have a sugar program, make a fruit salad.) Creativity does not have to always involve capital-A art. Very often, the act of cooking something can help you cook something up in another creative mode. When I am stymied as a writer, I make soups and pies.
5. Communication: Send postcards to five friends. This is not a goody-two-shoes exercise. Send to people you would love to hear from.
6. Favorites: List your "favorites" in the following categories.
1. Cars
2. Dogs
3. Flowers
4. Trees
5. Fruits
6. Vegetables
7. Desserts
8. Entrees
9. Musical Groups
10. Colors
2. Dogs
3. Flowers
4. Trees
5. Fruits
6. Vegetables
7. Desserts
8. Entrees
9. Musical Groups
10. Colors
7. Reread the Basic Principles. (See page 3.) Do this once daily. Read an Artist's Prayer—yours from Week Four or mine on pages 223. Do this once daily.
8. Clearing: Any new changes in your home environment? Make some.
9. Acceptance: Any new flow in your life? Practice saying yes to freebies.
10. Prosperity: Any changes in your financial situation or your perspective on it? Any new—even crazy—ideas about what you would love doing? Pull images around this and add to your image file.
Saturday Check-In
8. Clearing: Any new changes in your home environment? Make some.
9. Acceptance: Any new flow in your life? Practice saying yes to freebies.
10. Prosperity: Any changes in your financial situation or your perspective on it? Any new—even crazy—ideas about what you would love doing? Pull images around this and add to your image file.
Saturday Check-In
1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? (Have you used them yet to think about creative luxury for yourself?) How was the experience for you?
2. Did you do your artist date this week? (Have you considered allowing yourself two?) What did you do? How did it feel?
3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
4. Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them.
2. Did you do your artist date this week? (Have you considered allowing yourself two?) What did you do? How did it feel?
3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
4. Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them.
