It's so interesting because almost everyone is glad to get on board with the idea of intuition, but then many balk at the idea of "Guidance," considering it too "woo-woo," but in my experience these are essentially the same thing, and l think Julia is in essence saying that here. Of course many people have had painful experiences with religion (thus have negative associations with the idea of "God") and there is also the fear of the "quackery" of psychics or mediums as being a "departure from reason" -- so from both those places comes hurt and fear. But l strongly believe Julia knows what she is talking about. l grew up as an Evangelical -- finally escaped it in my mid-thirties -- tossed God and religion out completely for many years -- now have come to the place where spirituality (no religion involved) is where l indeed find comfort, help, and guidance. Both my daughter Ivy Sunderji (The Happy Medium, here on Substack) and l have written about this. Thanks for this, Kirsten! l love that so many people have found The Artist's Way to be life-changing.
Yes I think that religion has ironically (and tragically) driven so many people away from having any kind of spiritual life. Also, I think that ppl *should* be skeptical of so-called 'psychics.' What Julia teaches is about listening to yourself, not seeking guidance from other people who claim to have a special spiritual power or connection to God/Source, etc. I'm glad you escaped that world intact--I had my own brush with it, and the damage was enormous, but I've managed to 'transcend and include' as Richard Rohr says. Take what was good (and there was some good) and create my own spiritual life minus the dogma and dysfunction.
Sure, l clearly recognize that Julia is talking about listening to yourself. But it's all part of the same spectrum, likely. Have you ever had a moment of intuition about another person when you meet them or a feeling of insight about another person? Most people have experienced that. That's "psychic" intuition. The problem with psychics as an "industry" is that it's unregulated. Yes, there are some who are just in it to make money and are "quacks" - but the same can be said of any career. There are bad doctors, lawyers, teachers, therapists, etc, but we don't label them as all quacks. We just regulate them more, which we should do with psychics and mediums as well. In my opinion, it's good to be skeptical of things we don't know much about, but not to use skepticism as a wall to refuse to learn or be open-minded. Most people aren't aware of all the rigorous scientific research that has been done concerning mediums and psychic-type knowledge or that major universities have whole departments dedicated to the study of non-local consciousness. Overall, as mentioned above, I'm just glad more people are able to access guidance by way of Julia's wonderful books.
You have my attention. With Farscape on Netflix it takes something good to prick my curiosity. I was a Lutheran in my childhood. Never really got into the orange people but hung out at a few hippy festivals. Now Im Catholic. Im going into dangerous territory, publishing my book but I'll take the good and create a spiritual life that puts me in direct contact with my destiny.
super interesting to learn about Julia Cameron’s new book — I did not know that she is merging creativity with spirituality (or perhaps has done this all along, without being explicit about it - ?). I’m one who doesn’t talk about God in my daily life (or thoughts). So I’m ever so slightly put off by this. But I am open to learning and thinking in new ways. Thanks, Kirsten, for this!
Yeah, I feel like this is all implicit in the artist's way, and she’s just being more explicit about it. In the artist's way, she does talk about the great creator or some sort of outside force that works through us, so you should just be aware of that before you do the artist's way. She just asks people who don’t believe in it to suspend belief while they do the course; she doesn’t ask them to believe it.
I certainly believe in a higher power "who" can help us and have experienced sudden clarity about something troubling me when I wasn't even thinking about it at all. Sometimes a thought will come over and over until I "get it." Some times this has been life changing. I love Julia Cameron's books. Great article Kirsten.
I'm very keen to try the 12-week challenge. I'll be one of the folks suspending disbelief, though the older I get, the more open to uncertainty I am about all the things I used to have strong opinions about.
I do know that when I do daily pages, I feel better than when I don't. I also have this weird part of me that kicks up resistance (don't have time today, it's boring, etc.). I want to be more consistent with it. I look forward to seeing what happens with some accountability and community around the practice.
I really enjoyed this distinction of implicitness versus explicitness in her teachings and guidance (and how she receives guidance). Loved your clarifying and direct questions too. I’m really interested in reading and working my way through her latest book. Listening to my Intution and guidance has been a process… an unwinding process so I can actually listen and trust it for me too.
I first got The Artist’s Way out of the library first, and when I discovered I wanted a deeper dive, I bought the hard copy. I diligently did morning pages for most of last summer, but fell off the wagon…. Perhaps it’s time to get back on.
Julia’s story is moving. The fact that she got sober in 1978 and worried she wouldn't be creative without alcohol, blows my mind. Friends suggested she let a higher force write through her, and to her surprise, it worked. Her prose improved, and she gained new insights into her creativity. Personally, I haven't tried her specific exercise because I already engage with my intuition regularly, and it works wonders for me.
I always love listening to JC, so thank you for this. She is a true living gem! I was a member of an Artist Way group while pulling together my first book, and yes, that was 5 books ago!. Suffice to say, I am so grateful for you, Julia, and to you, Kristen, for bringing her work to your following.
Btw, I didn’t see in the comments, or hear either of you mention this: (and I’m about halfway thru so maybe you get to it, forgive me if so) The Listening Path is a fantastic resource, really, for tuning into your own channel. I just recommended it to someone trying to find closure with a loved one. In that book Julia “talks to” dear friends and notables who have crossed over. I found this fascinating! 🙏
As I've matured I've become less skeptical about the power of practices like Julia's. It's hard to be skeptical of something that works well for many people. That said, I have so far lacked the combination of discipline and confidence in the practice to follow through with Julia's program. Perhaps this interview will get me there.
Kirsten, thanks for your intro to Julia Cameron and sharing your own experience with her work. Although I’ve worked through the artists way back in the 90s, it was really interesting and refreshing to hear your own experience of a “higher power“ and how you relate with her suggestions and work. Thanks! 😊
Thanks for sharing. I’m not currently a paid subscriber so I couldn’t comment on the last post and I don’t read in my email so I couldn’t respond that way but I would very much be interested in doing a guided 12-week course on the artists way and would upgrade for it!
I do have her new book, but stopped reading it this past week since I want to first go back through The Artist's Way. Thank you for sharing the interview!
Thanks for your great article Kirsten. I'm a huge Julia Cameron fan. About 20 years ago, I read her lesser known book: The Right to Write and had the jaw-dropping (sounds dramatic, I know), realisation that I had a right to write and didn't have to be a 'special' person or have super powers to be a writer. Since then, I have read several of her books including The Artist's Way and Seeking Wisdom and went to one of her live events in London about 10 years ago. She is wonderful and her wisdom is eternal.
Loved this conversation so much! I appreciate that you keep the conversation short and ask good questions to help clarify the points being discussed.
thanks tracy!
It's so interesting because almost everyone is glad to get on board with the idea of intuition, but then many balk at the idea of "Guidance," considering it too "woo-woo," but in my experience these are essentially the same thing, and l think Julia is in essence saying that here. Of course many people have had painful experiences with religion (thus have negative associations with the idea of "God") and there is also the fear of the "quackery" of psychics or mediums as being a "departure from reason" -- so from both those places comes hurt and fear. But l strongly believe Julia knows what she is talking about. l grew up as an Evangelical -- finally escaped it in my mid-thirties -- tossed God and religion out completely for many years -- now have come to the place where spirituality (no religion involved) is where l indeed find comfort, help, and guidance. Both my daughter Ivy Sunderji (The Happy Medium, here on Substack) and l have written about this. Thanks for this, Kirsten! l love that so many people have found The Artist's Way to be life-changing.
Yes I think that religion has ironically (and tragically) driven so many people away from having any kind of spiritual life. Also, I think that ppl *should* be skeptical of so-called 'psychics.' What Julia teaches is about listening to yourself, not seeking guidance from other people who claim to have a special spiritual power or connection to God/Source, etc. I'm glad you escaped that world intact--I had my own brush with it, and the damage was enormous, but I've managed to 'transcend and include' as Richard Rohr says. Take what was good (and there was some good) and create my own spiritual life minus the dogma and dysfunction.
Sure, l clearly recognize that Julia is talking about listening to yourself. But it's all part of the same spectrum, likely. Have you ever had a moment of intuition about another person when you meet them or a feeling of insight about another person? Most people have experienced that. That's "psychic" intuition. The problem with psychics as an "industry" is that it's unregulated. Yes, there are some who are just in it to make money and are "quacks" - but the same can be said of any career. There are bad doctors, lawyers, teachers, therapists, etc, but we don't label them as all quacks. We just regulate them more, which we should do with psychics and mediums as well. In my opinion, it's good to be skeptical of things we don't know much about, but not to use skepticism as a wall to refuse to learn or be open-minded. Most people aren't aware of all the rigorous scientific research that has been done concerning mediums and psychic-type knowledge or that major universities have whole departments dedicated to the study of non-local consciousness. Overall, as mentioned above, I'm just glad more people are able to access guidance by way of Julia's wonderful books.
You have my attention. With Farscape on Netflix it takes something good to prick my curiosity. I was a Lutheran in my childhood. Never really got into the orange people but hung out at a few hippy festivals. Now Im Catholic. Im going into dangerous territory, publishing my book but I'll take the good and create a spiritual life that puts me in direct contact with my destiny.
super interesting to learn about Julia Cameron’s new book — I did not know that she is merging creativity with spirituality (or perhaps has done this all along, without being explicit about it - ?). I’m one who doesn’t talk about God in my daily life (or thoughts). So I’m ever so slightly put off by this. But I am open to learning and thinking in new ways. Thanks, Kirsten, for this!
Yeah, I feel like this is all implicit in the artist's way, and she’s just being more explicit about it. In the artist's way, she does talk about the great creator or some sort of outside force that works through us, so you should just be aware of that before you do the artist's way. She just asks people who don’t believe in it to suspend belief while they do the course; she doesn’t ask them to believe it.
"suspend belief" or, rather, "suspend disbelief"
The suspension of disbelief being one basic criteria of the true reader (of fiction/art)? :-)
I certainly believe in a higher power "who" can help us and have experienced sudden clarity about something troubling me when I wasn't even thinking about it at all. Sometimes a thought will come over and over until I "get it." Some times this has been life changing. I love Julia Cameron's books. Great article Kirsten.
Thx Linda!
I'm very keen to try the 12-week challenge. I'll be one of the folks suspending disbelief, though the older I get, the more open to uncertainty I am about all the things I used to have strong opinions about.
I do know that when I do daily pages, I feel better than when I don't. I also have this weird part of me that kicks up resistance (don't have time today, it's boring, etc.). I want to be more consistent with it. I look forward to seeing what happens with some accountability and community around the practice.
I really enjoyed this distinction of implicitness versus explicitness in her teachings and guidance (and how she receives guidance). Loved your clarifying and direct questions too. I’m really interested in reading and working my way through her latest book. Listening to my Intution and guidance has been a process… an unwinding process so I can actually listen and trust it for me too.
I’m so grateful
Thank you!
I first got The Artist’s Way out of the library first, and when I discovered I wanted a deeper dive, I bought the hard copy. I diligently did morning pages for most of last summer, but fell off the wagon…. Perhaps it’s time to get back on.
Julia’s story is moving. The fact that she got sober in 1978 and worried she wouldn't be creative without alcohol, blows my mind. Friends suggested she let a higher force write through her, and to her surprise, it worked. Her prose improved, and she gained new insights into her creativity. Personally, I haven't tried her specific exercise because I already engage with my intuition regularly, and it works wonders for me.
I always love listening to JC, so thank you for this. She is a true living gem! I was a member of an Artist Way group while pulling together my first book, and yes, that was 5 books ago!. Suffice to say, I am so grateful for you, Julia, and to you, Kristen, for bringing her work to your following.
Btw, I didn’t see in the comments, or hear either of you mention this: (and I’m about halfway thru so maybe you get to it, forgive me if so) The Listening Path is a fantastic resource, really, for tuning into your own channel. I just recommended it to someone trying to find closure with a loved one. In that book Julia “talks to” dear friends and notables who have crossed over. I found this fascinating! 🙏
I haven’t read that one —I’ll check it out
Meant to write “Kirsten” eek- sorry!
No problem 😍
As I've matured I've become less skeptical about the power of practices like Julia's. It's hard to be skeptical of something that works well for many people. That said, I have so far lacked the combination of discipline and confidence in the practice to follow through with Julia's program. Perhaps this interview will get me there.
Kirsten, thanks for your intro to Julia Cameron and sharing your own experience with her work. Although I’ve worked through the artists way back in the 90s, it was really interesting and refreshing to hear your own experience of a “higher power“ and how you relate with her suggestions and work. Thanks! 😊
Thanks for sharing. I’m not currently a paid subscriber so I couldn’t comment on the last post and I don’t read in my email so I couldn’t respond that way but I would very much be interested in doing a guided 12-week course on the artists way and would upgrade for it!
ok just stay tuned and keep an eye out on future posts for the announcement that it's happening and when.
I do have her new book, but stopped reading it this past week since I want to first go back through The Artist's Way. Thank you for sharing the interview!
Super keen to join - and finish (!) The Artists Way x love Julia she has such a wise presence
Thanks for your great article Kirsten. I'm a huge Julia Cameron fan. About 20 years ago, I read her lesser known book: The Right to Write and had the jaw-dropping (sounds dramatic, I know), realisation that I had a right to write and didn't have to be a 'special' person or have super powers to be a writer. Since then, I have read several of her books including The Artist's Way and Seeking Wisdom and went to one of her live events in London about 10 years ago. She is wonderful and her wisdom is eternal.
I still need to read that one!
Can't stop reading
Thanks for the like. It's 9am in Rotorua, New Zealand whats your time?