It’s been a generation since Julia Cameron’s
The Artist’s Way was published (to immediate acclaim) and now, some three million sold and a 25th anniversary edition published, now is a good time to reintroduce this to a newer generation, many of whom have never heard of it, let alone had the pleasures of working through its exercises and observations on the way to creative self-fulfillment. And that’s a pity: it was an important book when it first came out (there didn’t seem to ever have been anything like it) and that importance stands today. It’s one of those books I kept buying copies of, because I kept finding people I needed to give it to, and still wanted to have it on my own shelves to dip in and out of. In brief, the book is a roadmap to accessing deep creativity, removing blockages to that access, and it is also the place where we all first learned about
morning pages, a daily practice that has become a necessity for a number of writers and creatives I know.
I recommend it: if you don’t already know about it, copies are readily found. If you read it years ago and loved it then, I’d encourage you to read it again. Often the passage of time grants us new eyes to look at a thing, a new way of discernment, a new understanding of what we thought we already knew.
That same year brought the publication of another noteworthy book,
Women Who Run with the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. As with
The Artist’s Way, it is hard to overstate how important this book felt when it came out; again, nearly thirty years on, there is a whole generation of readers who may not have heard about it yet, but should. I think the readers of this blog will find much there that will resonate in their own lives.
I’ve compiled a short list of other titles that all hold significance for me, particularly as it applies to how they connect to soul work and helping us channel into our higher selves. I hope you find something new to love here, too…the subjects range across nature, art, writing, spirit, solace and search, and the nature of reality.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: While this book has its detractors, it’s profoundly helpful to anyone going through a rough patch of their own, and worth taking a look at, especially for those who yearn to follow their bliss, to become free, or to become a nomadic learner.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert: This author’s take on the mysteries of creativity really resonated for me. It’s a compelling look at the way the energies inherent in the soul of what we create reveal themselves to us when we but listen, and how readiness and timing play into that.
Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit: Anyone who knows the secret about walking (it’s pure magic) will enjoy this deep-dive into the history, natural and otherwise, of the great pastime of some of history’s deepest thinkers and most notable creators.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed: Women pulling on boots and walking out their problems is a trope for a reason: it works. It’s invariably interesting to join these authors on their journeys, as well.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard: Equal parts natural history, observed by someone who is not a scientist, and spiritual exploration, undertaken in prose written wholly in a poetic voice, this book is still fresh some forty-five years after its first appearance, and is firmly in my Do Not Miss This reading list, whenever someone asks.
The Dark Side of the Light Chasers: Reclaiming Your Power, Creativity, Brilliance, and Dreams by Debbie Ford: While some human potential models rely too heavily on the (will) power of positive thinking, Ford understood the necessity of engaging the shadow side of the psyche, of the emotional body. Her exercises are a valuable, supportive addition to the journey toward authenticity and freedom.
