Tag Archives: creative recovery

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 30, 2013 Edition

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Greetings Writers!

Most times you get this directly to your Email. This week, I sent you simply a link to our web site, to get the information there. Please feel free to comment there, as well, on the information contained therein.

When was the last time you positively affirmed either “I am a writer,” or “I am an artist?”

Don’t know?

Well say it with me now. Out loud. Doesn’t matter where you are.

“I am a writer.”

“I am an artist.”

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So it’s Artist Way Check-In Time.

Look folks, it’s been more than a year that we’ve been working on The Artist’s Way. I’m really hoping that you’re beginning to do some of these “habits” to nurture your “inner artist child” and find your path to creative recovery. It’s a long and arduous journey. The abuse to our inner child was long in the making. We’re not going to fully heal over night. So, don’t just think you can give up on these habits. They are life long.

If you’ve truly been doing these habits and have no sense of recovery, I’d really like to know. For those who have been doing these weekly habits, the exercises, the tasks, tell me how you’re doing. Answer the questions below in the comment section:

1. How many days this week (since last Wednesday) did you do your morning pages? Regarding your U-turns, have you allowed yourself a shift toward compassion, at least on the page?

2.  Did you do your artist date this week? Have you kept the emphasis on fun? 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.

Again, please answer in the comment section below.

And now your Moment of Writing Zen:

“When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines the kind of men we are.” ~Cesar Chavez

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — April 25, 2012 Edition

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Writers:

Ah, the rains have return. Our sun sickness that has us fleeing from our desks into the light is now over. But hopefully not for long, yes?

I’ve attached (below) the Detective Work Exercise we did during the Sunday Workshop so you can catch up to the rest of us.
For those who attended Sunday, you will already have these next exercises (as well as the Detective Work). This is part of the work we’re trying to accomplish to obtain creative recovery via The Artist Way (2002). So, I implore you to actually do this work. It’s fun. It’s a self-discovery. And it works. So don’t be shy.
1.  Describe your childhood room. If you wish, you may sketch this room. What was your favorite thing about it? What’s your favorite thing about your right now? Nothing? Well, get something you like in there — maybe something from that old childhood room.
2.  Describe five traits you like in yourself as a child.
3.  List five childhood accomplishments, (straight A’s in seventh grade, trained the dog, punched out the class bully, short-sheeted the priest’s bed). And a treat:  list five favorite childhood foods.  Buy yourself one of them this week. Yes, Jell-O with bananas is okay.
Now, the below will be new for everyone, but this absolutely should be done before we meet next,  which may not be until June due to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekend (more on that later).
4.  Habits:  Take a look at your habits. Many of them may interfere with your self-nurturing and cause shame. Some of the oddest things are self-destructive. Do you have a habit of watching TV you don’t liek? Do you have a habit of hanging out with a really boring friend and just killing time (there’s an expression!)? Some rotten habits are obvious, overt (drinking too much, smoking, eating instead of writing). List three obvious rotten habits. What’s the payoff in continuing them?
Some rotten habits are more subtle (no time to exercise, little time to pray, always helping others, not getting any self-nurturing, hanging out with people who belittle your dreams). List three of your subtle foes. What use do these forms of sabotage have? Be specific.
5.  Make a list of friends who nurture you — that’s nurture (give you a sense of your own competency and possibility), not enable (give you the message that you will never get it straight without their help). There is a big difference between being helped and being treated as though we are helpless. List three nurturing friends. Which of their traits, particularly, serve you well?
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So, our workshop meetings in May:  The 13th and the the 27th are both holidays, Mothers Day and then the Memorial Day weekend. Historically both of those days are very low attendance. If you’re interested in still doing a workshop on those days, please let me know and we’ll make a decision based upon interest.
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And now for your moment of Writing Zen:
“Creative work is play. It is free speculation using the materials of one’s chosen form.” ~ Stephen Nachmanovitch
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DETECTIVE WORK, AN EXERCISE (From The Artist’s Way, 2002, pg 73-74)

 

“…A little sleuth work is in order to restore the persons we have abandoned – ourselves. When you complete the following phrases, you may feel strong emotions as you retrieve memories and misplaced fragments of yourself. Allow yourself to free-associate for a sentence or so with each phrase.”

  1. My favorite childhood toy was…
  2. My favorite childhood game was…
  3. The best movie I ever saw as a kid was…
  4. I don’t do it much but I enjoy…
  5. If I could lighten up a little, I’d let myself…
  6. If it weren’t too late, I’d…
  7. My favorite musical instrument is…
  8. The amount of money I spend on treating myself to entertainment each month is…
  9. If I weren’t so stingy with my artist, I’d buy him/her…
  10. Taking time out for myself is…
  11. I am afraid that if I start dreaming…
  12. I secretly enjoy reading…
  13. If I had had a perfect childhood, I’d have grown up to be…
  14. If it didn’t sound so crazy, I’d write or make a…
  15. My parents think artists are …
  16. My (spiritual center – God, Buddha, The Universe, etc.) thinks artists are…
  17. What makes me feel weird about this creative recovery is…
  18. Learning to trust myself is probably…
  19. My most cheer-me-up music is…
  20. My favorite way to dress is…

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — April 11, 2012 Edition

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Greetings Writers!

We will depart, as they say, from our regularly schedule program today to allow those who participated in or attended Word Jazz to reflect on the experience and provide feed back. It will also give everyone a chance to actually catch up on work we’ve been doing on our creative recovery journey ala The Artist’s Way. There were a good chunk of exercises in last week’s prompt, so I hope everyone will go back and work on those exercises.
So today’s prompt is to do a check in:
1.  How many days this week did you do your morning pages? How as the experience for you? I’m bad this week — yes I have bad week’s, too. And I notice my creativity suffers for it. I’m 3/7 this week. I could blame illness (2/3 kids sick this week), crazy schedule (conference, Word Jazz), but they really aren’t barriers, when I think about it; I’m just being lazy. But today is a new day.
2.  Did you do your artist date this week? What did you do? How did it feel? I had three artist’s dates in a row, since I went to NorWesCon. I love conferences, it always fuels the creative fire, even if physically they wear me out.
3.  Affirmative reading? Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. As for me, I’ve had two separate epiphanies as it were this week. I will blog about my thoughts later today and you can read them there, if you’re interested.
Now onto comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. for Word Jazz.
Please tell us (via email here) what you liked. Please tell us any suggestions for improvement you may have. Those who keep blogs, I encourage you to write about your experience either as participant, volunteer or audience member.
Our next regular work session will be April 22 at the North Bend Library Meeting Room at 3 p.m.  Until then …
Friday:  DayTripper’s @ Toad’s in North Bend 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. (ish) (if you’re the first one there, please secure the large table in the very back).
Monday:  Midday Muse @ Toad’s in North Bend 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. (ish) (if you’re the first one there, please secure the large table in the very back).
Tuesday:  Writers’ Cafe @ Carriage Insurance House – 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. (byo-beverages and snacks)
Keep writing and send it out!

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron