This week in The Artist’s Way, I am exploring how I can recover a sense of autonomy. Cameron covers ideas on acceptance, creative credibility, definitions of success, how movement and exercise bring us into the present, and the importance of building your artist’s altar. In today’s post, I’m sharing an overview of the chapter and will dig into more of these topics throughout the week.

---

100 Liminal Days is an experimental project of embracing my current transitional season after exiting my business by sharing an honest, real-time account of my self-initiation experience in daily posts. I’m using The Artist’s Way as a guiding tool, and sending shorter weekly recaps only via my newsletter. Visit Day 1/100 to learn more and sign up to get the weekly recaps delivered to your inbox.

---

Julia Cameron on Acceptance

As we focus on nurturing conditions that create space for our artistic autonomy, Cameron starts by reminding us that as artists, our credibility lies only with ourself, God, and our work. Sometimes we will feel deeply that we must create a piece of art – even when it is not for profit. We must always answer this call from our soul – not creating only for the sake of financial gain, but creating for our spirituality.

But doing this requires us to accept that our inner artist is a child, and children do not care about timing. We can still be responsible with hitting deadlines and other expectations, but we must also make some concessions for ourselves. We must recognize that giving our inner artist space to “mess around” and just go wild is not just fun, it’s critical. We make a deal with our inner artist. Give her what she needs to express herself freely, and she will cooperate with you when you have something you must get done.

At the end of the day, creativity is like oxygen for our souls, and if we withhold it from ourselves, we will feel as if we are choking to death. We must stay flexible with ourselves, giving space for free expression, exploring, and finding inspiration in all kinds of places. As creatives, our self-respect comes from doing the work, so we must make art!

As it has been said in various ways throughout the book, it is actually irresponsible to set aside your artistic dreams because they are “irresponsible.” Once again worth stating, Cameron continues to emphasize that creativity is our gift from God, and using our gift is our gift to God.

Cautionary Tales of Success As An Artist

One of the things I see Cameron saying that is similar to what Amie McNee had to say in We Need Your Art is that artists can sometimes get pigeon-holed into a specific form or style of their art because it becomes successful. It can be tempting to create “for the people” once you have discovered something that resonates with others, but trying to replicate success on past success isn’t the way to go. Cameron says this:

Those who attempt to work too long with formula, even their own formula, eventually leach themselves of their creative truths. ~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

I feel really thankful to hear this repeated before I encounter success as an artist. It makes me think of social media influencers or content creators who have had a video go viral. Maybe it was a comedy sketch with a new character that everyone loved, so now that creator keeps making more of the same for months or years on end. I can imagine that it becomes mundane and boring to do this after awhile, but there is pressure to keep the algorithms happy, right?

Artists can’t fall into this mindset of playing it safe and focusing only on pleasing others or acquiring financial gain, or we will lose our edge.

Getting Out of Our Head and Into Our Bodies

This is my favorite part of the chapter because I’ve been in this mode of embodiment – physically moving my body versus only using my mind to create or change my life. Cameron says:

In order to effect real recovery, one that lasts, we need to move out of the head and into a body of work. To do this, we must first of all move into the body. ~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

It is the very act of motion that brings us into the present – using our awareness and movement to get into our bodies helps us to feel stable and grounded. I can’t tell you how many times I have felt stuck in a mental loop, decided to go for a walk with the dog, and halfway through the walk, a flood of creative ideas comes through breaking me out of that loop. Moving our bodies is always about more than fitness. Our bodies have wisdom that we only tap into when we move!

Building Your Artist’s Altar

This last part of the chapter talks about how in order to stay creative, we must stay spiritually centered. It can be helpful to create a little space of our own to offer our inner artist (the child!) some objects for inspiration and affection, a space to remind us that our creativity is a spiritual practice. Later this week, I’ll share more about a special shelf in my studio that is meant to do just this.

Having an altar or visual reminder of the spirituality that exists – no, is necessary – for creativity to thrive can help us keep creative blocks at bay and invite God into our creative process.

I’ll elaborate on some of these topics throughout the week, keeping things lighter for the Thanksgiving week. I have lots of baking to do!

---

Weekly recaps of 100 Liminal Days are emailed on Tuesdays only to my newsletter subscribers. If you want the summaries, share your email here to get on the list. You’ll also instantly receive a free Notion template I use every single day to track my habits and reflect on the day.