Lather. Rinse. Repeat

“Your identity is not equivalent to your biography.

There is a place in you where you have never been wounded,

where there is still a sureness in you,

where there is a seamlessness in you,

and where there is a confidence and tranquility in you.

And I think the intention of prayer, and spirituality and Love is now and again to visit that inner kind of sanctuary.”

--John O’DonoHue

 

I was reminded this week of Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, which speaks of taking yourself on regular ‘artist dates’ as a means to bolster your heart's creativity.

"An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist.  In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against all interlopers.  You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child.  That means no lovers, friends, spouses, children--no taggers-on of any stripe.  If you think this sounds stupid or that you will never be able to afford the time, identify that reaction as resistance.  You cannot afford not to find time for artist dates.  Your artist needs to be taken out, pampered, and listened to."

Recently, a friend sent me a link to listen to American Public Media's radio show, “Speaking of Faith”.  In it, host Krista Tippett interviews John O'Donohue, an Irish poet, philosopher and Catholic scholar, who died in his sleep January 3, 2008 at the age of 52. The interview is entitled, "The Inner Landscape of Beauty".  Listening to the lilt and cadence of John’s voice was soothing, and the content of his words nourished me deeply. The words of Julia Cameron came drifting back to me as the interview ended.  My heart had been gifted Refreshment. I realized that in investing the time to stop and listen, I had taken my inner artist on a little date, and it hadn't cost a dime.

In taking time to produce your art, likewise nourish your Self in the process so you have something to produce art from.  What are you doing this week to feed your heart? It is an exceptionally self-nurturing act to spend time in solitude with the sole purpose of building up your inner artist. 

What could that look like?  Take a long walk, listen to “The Fountains of Rome” by Respighi, eat ethnic food, look at art, watch a great film, meditate on one facet of God’s character, take a hot bath, read a classic, get still enough to really listen.  You know what you need.

In short:  Intentionally take time to stop.  Take a true moment for yourself.  Relax in the moment and just BE.   See how visiting this ‘inner kind of sanctuary’ affects your heart and the art that flows from it. 

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Link to the John O’Donohue interview:  http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/john_odonahue/index.shtml