Discovering a Sense of Dignity: Walking in This World — Week 12

This week I completed Julia Cameron’s Walking in This World. I’ve been reading a compilation of three of her books, beginning with The Artist’s Way. About halfway through the first book, I decided to document the second one here on the blog—not only for myself, but also for anyone interested in the book and in following along with my personal creative journey.

I started my creative journey a little over six months ago, and these books have been an invaluable tool in expanding my creative practice. More importantly, they have guided me in my understanding of myself as a creative person.

The final chapter of Walking in This World focuses on sustaining a creative life, with a large emphasis on faith. Faith here isn’t necessarily religious. Instead, I approach it as something more spiritual—an ability to trust, stay grounded, and believe in the creative process even when we can’t necessarily see where it’s leading us.

While on one of my walks this past week, this feather fell from the sky directly into my hand. I took it as one of many signs I’ve gotten along my journey.

Tasks

1. Scaling the Glass Mountain

Metaphorically, the Glass Mountain represents a quest—perhaps one only visible to us—that can be hard to reach because of the slippery slope we have to climb.

The first task is a short series of questions about the importance of listening to the creative call and gently acknowledging the Glass Mountain phase. It asks us to recognize when we’re in the midst of a creative climb and to nurture ourselves along the way, rather than allowing ourselves to slide backward.

I’ve become increasingly aware that the creative process isn’t always about moving forward. Sometimes it’s about staying with something long enough to understand where it wants to take you.

2. What Makes You Feel Grounded

After we’ve scaled the Glass Mountain, we may need time to come back down into the real world after the highs of creating. The second task in the chapter asks us to list some grounding practices that can help us acclimate after completing a large project or experiencing an especially productive creative period.

Grounding is something I already value in my life—not only in relation to creating, but for my overall well-being. I have plenty of things that help me feel grounded, but actually naming them as grounding practices felt different. It made me think about the importance of having ways to return to myself anytime I feel disconnected, even with my creativity.

3. The Communion of All Saints

This task may seem a little strange to some, but for me, it was spot on.

In many ways, this has quietly led me to where I am now, even before I fully understood it. My creative exploration over the last six months began with my meditation practice. A little over a year ago, I began meditating regularly, and along the way I started feeling a persistent pull toward creating.

This particular task also happened to align almost perfectly with a new meditation practice I had been experimenting with. Since incorporating it, I have felt incredibly inspired.

Opening the channels to my creativity through meditation is something I feel strengthening every day. I’m beginning to see that creativity isn’t something I need to force or manufacture, but something I need to find through listening.

4. Beauty Is Truth and Truth, Beauty

We all find beauty in different things, and through beauty we find connection, love, and wonder.

The final task asks us once again to connect with our inner child and acknowledge the creator inside us by going to a children’s bookstore and choosing a children’s book about something we love.

It’s a simple exercise, but I love the idea. It isn’t only about celebrating something we love; it’s about celebrating the person who loves it. It allows us to reconnect with that childlike sense of wonder and curiosity that can so easily get buried in adulthood.

It feels like that’s what this entire journey has been about for me in one way or another—finding my way back to the parts of myself that were always there.

Six Months Later

When I started The Artist’s Way a little over six months ago, I didn’t know where this journey would take me. Honestly, I still don’t.

I left my job without a real plan and gave myself permission to explore. Since then, I’ve painted, taken photographs, written, experimented, questioned, started things, abandoned things, and started again. I’ve had moments when I felt completely inspired and others when I wondered what the hell I was doing.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out what my creative life is supposed to look like, but beginning to understand that I don’t need to know yet.

These books have been a continuation of all that I’ve been learning and leaning into. A reminder to listen to the things that make me curious, and being ok with having no idea what comes next.

A few new things I’ve created this week.