Week 9
Recovering a Sense of Compassion
“Over any extended period of time, being an artist requires enthusiasm more than discipline. Enthusiasm is not an emotional state. It is a spiritual commitment, a loving surrender to our creative process, a loving recognition of all the creativity around us.”
This week, we learn about creative U-turns, and practice extending ourselves love and compassion as we name and recognize them. We also explore the importance of facing fears, asking for help, and letting ourselves play.
This week we also take on the task of reading our morning pages!
To read: Week 9: Recovering a Sense of Compassion
To do: Blasting through blocks and ALL tasks at the end of the chapter
From last week: If you have not yet done this task, be sure to complete it. It will inform this week’s tasks:
Name your dream. (You could also call this your goal, your desire, your yes, your yearning.)
Name one concrete goal that signals to you its accomplishment.
Name the emotional center of that concrete goal. This is your True North.
(Example: two people may want to be an actress. They share that dream. For one, an article in People magazine is the concrete goal. To her, glamour is the emotional center for her dream; glamour is true north. For the second actress, the concrete goal is a good review in a Broadway play. To her, respect as a creative artist is the emotional center of her dream; respect is true north. Actress one might be happy as a soap star. Actress two would need stage work to fulfill her dream. On the surface, both seem to desire the same thing.)
○ In a perfect world, where would you like to be in five years in relation to your dream and true north?
○ In the world we inhabit now, what action can you take, this year, to move you closer?
○ What action can you take this month? This week? This day? Right now?
○ List your dream (for example, to be a famous film director). List its true north (respect and higher consciousness. mass communication.) Select a role model. Make an action plan. Five years. Three years. One year. One month. One week. Now. Choose an action. Reading this book is an action.
