Every journey begins with the first step; this is what Anthony my husband said to me earlier over breakfast. It stuck a cord and I am now all of a sudden ready to take my first step in a 12 week course discovering and recovering my creative self. Whilst, at the same time sharing with you my journey in expressing my creative self.
It all started a number of weeks ago when chatting about our plans to offer Creativity Weekends on our smallholding in the mountains bordering the Knysna Forest in South Africa. Anthony and I have been living here now for the past nine years and during that time I have been blessed to have the freedom and time to explore my creative side through pottery, painting, yoga, gardening, cooking and so much more. I am also surrounded by extremely creative people with many gifts to offer. Hence the idea of weekends where others would have the opportunity to enjoy these activities in a space where they can reconnect in nature.
When I heard about the The Artist’s Way book by Julia Cameron I immediately felt there was a connection between this course and why we were now focusing on Creativity Weekends. I was excited to explore where this may lead and straight away looked to get this book. Little did I know that a friend had just taken it off her bookshelf again and when I asked her to pick me up a copy she said funny I have it here in front of me! True what they say a book finds you when you need it. But was I ready for it that’s another question.
I started reading what the course involved and very early on it mentioned The Morning Pages, yes you had to get up every morning and write three pages long hand about whatever came to mind or how you were feeling. Shock, horror I didn’t think it was about that, thought I would get to paint or do something creative. So the book has sat in front of me for the past month willing me to pick it up and start but not knowing how to start or feel comfortable expressing my self in that way. What you resist persists right? Funny after all that time shying away from it when I decided today was the day I sat down and wrote my first three pages in minutes!
Last week I got to the start of week one of the book and already realised that creativity comes in many forms and expressing yourself either verbally or in writing is being creative. Over the next 12 weeks I am committing to explore this side of me and use the exercise to tell you Our Story and what happens here at Tree Spirit. I am no longer going to hide behind no one would be interested, I cant write or simply have anything interesting to say.
I am living my dream on a beautiful farm, interacting with nature and animals on a daily basis. I have had the opportunity to experience what it is like to live off the grid, grow vegetables, deal with alien vegetation, keep animals and take on many tasks with no experience in what so ever. This journey started nine years ago and along the way there have been many challenges, happy and sad times, periods of immense growth but also of self doubt. When we came here it was to embark on a journey From Seed to Table. Today is my first step in telling you what that has involved along the way. Thank you to Deborah for recommending The Artist’s Way and Michelle for the book. Let the journey begin.