Living the artist’s way of life

Henriette Lamprecht
It’s a journey to your authentic self, an intensive step-by-step process of releasing the blocks that stop you from being your true nature: a fulfilled, creative being.
Karen Powell took “The Artist’s Way” and during her journey, found long-buried passions and interests and a new strength and bravery.
The Artist’s Way is a book by Julia Cameron that takes you through the creative recovery process. It is divided into 12 chapters, each focusing on specific concepts and tools for unblocking your creativity.
The outcomes of doing “The Artist’s Way” is as varied as the goals of each participant, says Karen.
“In general, people feel a greater sense of personal power. They feel more courageous to pursue a more creative and purposeful life as a result of releasing the fears and blocks that were holding them back.
“The programme is extremely powerful for those who are ready to unblock, let go, and move to greater heights. No one can be forced to do that. You must want it. It’s totally up to the individual what they want to get out of it. What you put in will determine what you get out.”
Despite the name, “The Artist’s Way” is not just a course for artists, but for anyone that wants figure out what’s holding them back from pursuing their dreams and then actually releases those blocks, Karen explains.
“We all have defence mechanisms to help give us a sense of ‘safety’. After a while, all that safety can become stifling and life starts to feel stale, boring and lacking passion and joy. The programme helps you to reclaim that excitement and fulfilment in your life.”
Although she doesn’t consider herself ‘artsy’, “The Artist’s Way” totally changed the way she sees her own creativity.
“You don’t need to draw or paint or perform to be an artist. The way you live is your art.”
The 12 chapters in The Artist’s Way are designed to be carried out over 12 weeks. Karen facilitates “The Artist’s Way” workshop with small groups in her studio over 13 weeks (adding an introduction week), with a meeting once a week.
Two important aspects of the workshop are the Morning Pages and Artist Dates. The Morning Pages tool is the practice of writing three pages of streams of consciousness first thing every morning.
“This is not journaling, it’s more like dumping and releasing anything and everything that’s sitting in your brain. I even recommend that people burn or shred the writings rather than keeping them around.”
This tool probably gets the most amount of resistance, says Karen, but turns out to be the most important one in helping to release the blocks.
The Artist Date is simply “taking some time for yourself each week to do something you enjoy doing”.
“We’re so busy doing things for others, whether it’s our kids, our spouses or our careers, that we often put ourselves last in line. The Artist Date helps you start focusing on yourself and your own interests, and when you do that, you find that very interesting ideas and opportunities start to appear in your life.”
Unfulfilled
Her own journey with “The Artist’s Way” began many years ago when she was feeling “stifled and unfulfilled” in the corporate world in Chicago.
She was successful and climbing the proverbial ladder but was literally dragging herself out of bed each weekday.
“On top of that I had been secretly suffering from anxiety attacks for years, as well as low self-esteem. I knew something wasn’t right but I didn''t know what.”
She started working through the book’s chapters, doing the exercises, using the tools and staying committed to her vision.
Old ideas, limiting beliefs, fears and blocks of all kinds were moving up to the surface. She admits at times it was confusing and extremely difficult, but it also felt liberating, exciting and expansive.
“Looking back now I can see it as a healing force.”
Karen discovered long-buried passions and interests and a new strength and bravery that would give her the courage to leave Chicago and start a completely new life in Namibia.
In Windhoek, she opened her own training company and developed a workshop that would help people work through Julia Cameron’s book together.
“I create a safe and comfortable space and then facilitate a natural process that unfolds. It’s different for everyone, as everyone is unique, but there are common elements and being in a safe and supportive space together can be incredibly healing.”
At times it was a very emotional and difficult journey, Karen admits.
“As I remained committed to my healing, there was a strange momentum or force that took over. It was as if I was being led to everything I needed, when I needed it. I never could have figured it all out in my head.”
The Artist’s Way stretches over three months, creating time and space to delve into what’s blocking you. The deeper you go, the more resistance you’re going to feel, Karen says.
Exhausting
“There were times during my journey when I felt like I didn’t have it in me to continue. Even though I really wanted whatever was causing the anxiety attacks and low self-esteem to be released, sometimes it was exhausting.”
However, the lessons and rewards were plenty.
“I learned that I’m capable of doing anything I want to, and that my dreams and passions matter in this world. By following those dreams and passions, I’ve been able to create a life and lifestyle beyond my wildest dreams.”
She was also able to heal the fears, blocks and limiting beliefs that were the cause of her anxiety attacks and low self-esteem.
“I discovered that my ‘art’ is helping others heal, and teaching people how to do impossible things.”
Through her voyage with The Artist’s Way, Karen discovered that “we’re all connected to a Source of goodness that provides everything we need”.
“I was shown first-hand that when you make a commitment to your own healing, the means for that healing will come to you. I now know that our emotions need to be expressed, not suppressed. I now feel far more comfortable feeling all of my emotions, and know that they’re there as messengers, not enemies.”
She recalls a time not long after completing The Artist’s Way of being stuck in traffic in Chicago.
Healing
“Suddenly I felt a deep sense of integration come over me. It’s hard to explain, but I had a very deep sense or understanding that some kind of healing had occurred. All that hard work had paid off and something felt different.”
Karen continued doing the Morning Pages for many years after she completed the course. Now she uses it from time to time when she needs clarity on something.
“I always burn or shred my Morning Pages immediately after writing them these days. It feels incredibly freeing.”
She emphasizes that The Artist’s Way is a way of life, not some book one reads and never applies.
“What was once an impossible thing to even consider is now easily part of the way I make daily choices. It may be because you don’t just read this book, you DO this book.”
Karen believes one’s creativity is who you truly are deep in your core. “It’s never gone anywhere, it’s only been covered up.”
She feels she needed to experience the ‘rushed’ and ‘superficial’ aspects of life to know that she is done with them.
“I truly believe the saying, ‘When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.’ When you’re ready the path will appear. When are intent on what you really want for yourself and your life and stay committed to it, whatever you need to get there will begin to show up in your life.”
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