a time to grieve; a time to dance

Have you ever found a glistening coin on the bed of a flowing stream? You point at it but your friend isn't quite able to see it. Or maybe your friend is pointing at something at a short distance and, for all your neck-craning, you can't quite see what it is.

This blog is exactly that. This is me pointing at something that I know is there and hope you'd see, too. Whether it's at a golden mask at the bottom of the well or an eagle soaring high in the sky, I wish you Happy Looking!

22 November 2015

Revisting TAW, a letter to a friend

Ina-acknowledge ko na plinagarize lang ni Julia Cameron ang AA, si Dorothea Brande, at si Ernest Holmes.  Hindi siya original, tulad ni Natalie Goldberg, na super aminado naman na ang kanyang writing practice ay rooted sa Zen meditation at hindi niya personal invention or bright idea.  In contrast to Julia Cameron who wants to credit herself for divining and devising Morning Pages, Artist Dates, and Walks.

Nung 1930s palang practice na pala ng mga artists ang morning pages, artist dates, at pagwo-walking, hindi lang siya na-trademark-an like Cameron did.

Pero heto, balik review ako sa TAW.  Siguro ang isa lang na gusto ko talaga ay yung attitude ni Julia sa life.  Si Natalie kasi, bilang Buddhist atheist, medyo Zen at sparse ang pananaw sa buhay at sa
creativity.  Aminin ko na, mas maganda ang nag-iisang nobela na sinulat ni Natalie kesa sa nabasa kong nobela ni Julia (isa lang nabasa ko sa mga nobela niya).  Isa pa, kahit yung writing books ni
Natalie (Writing Down The Bones, Wild Mind, True Secrets, Thunder and Lightning) ay mas honest kesa sa The Right To Write ni Julia.

So bakit ako nagbabalik kay Julia?  Siguro iyon lang talaga, ang kanyang positive, even sometimes Pollyanna view of artist, her faith in the Creative God, ganun.  Gusto ko rin basahin yung sinulat ni
Elizabeth Gilbert tungkol sa creativity.  Pag may pera ako extra bibilhin ko iyon.

So, heto, I intend to benefit sa pagko-codify ni Julia ng Alcoholics Anonymous principles at teachings ni Dorothea Brande into a workable twelve-week program.  Gusto ko lang i-share at i-announce.

Isang often neglected truth na binulatlat ni Julia sa kanyang creative process, na hindi masyado pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng mga TAW-ists ay ito: Julia gave up her alcoholism to pursue spirituality.  Hindi madali iyon, ah.  She just quit drinking cold turkey.  Walang tikim-tikim.

So, sa round na ito ng TAW, anong addictions ang iiwasan ko?  Sugar addiction.  No more doughnuts, softdrinks.  Madali na iyan iwasan. Adult na ako.

Heto ang struggle: sexual addiction.  Kasi aminin ko na, kinikilig pa rin ako pag may nagpu-pursue o nagfli-flirt sa akin, pag may nakapansin ng aking alindog.  At hindi naman laging in the mood si
Mrs, so prone ako to masturbation.

So, am I willing to give up masturbation and cruising to fully embrace The Artist's Way?

Game on!
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