Poetry Dowsing Week Twelve: Uncovering a Sense of Perseverance
This is a weekly exercise for a 12 week program for creative exploration and self care. A new exercise will be posted each week for the duration of the program. All post titles are matched up to the chapter names in Julia Cameron’s book “Finding Water”, which is our source text. Please read Poetry Dowsing: A Path to Your Creative Well for more information.
Week Twelve Intentions
Everything we have been working so hard to cultivate culminates in this important vision for a creative future. Do not think of this as the end. This program has been designed to help us find and fill our creative wells. We will draw on these for some time to come. When the well feels like it is running dry, challenge yourself to go back to the method of combining self care with your creativity and gently shepherd yourself back to your path.
A personal note about perseverance
Beginning the year with this program has been a big help for me. At times, it is easy in the depths of winter to feel like my creative ground has frozen and to give into the idea of hibernation. While it’s important to rest, it’s also important to recharge. This year my focus word is “nuture”. I’m pretty good at caring for those around me and encouraging their work, but I’m not always so great at doing it for myself.
These twelve weeks have allowed me to refocus and remember that I am important. They’ve also given me the tools that I need to persevere. I expect that I will fall off my path from time to time. I wander. Knowing that about myself is key. Understanding that I can use some of these tools to get myself back on track and persevere creatively is comforting.
I now have a better understanding of my believing mirrors. There are people I can turn to in a time of creative struggle. I also know that I have the ability to keep a slow and steady pace and that as long as I commit to that, something will come out of it. My censor is no longer controlling what I do or how I do it. It is clearly in my rear view mirror as I continue my journey.
I’m pulling water from my well and I’m drinking deeply.
I will persist and I believe you will, too.
This week’s dowsing exercise
The last week is only the beginning. Now we’re going to take what we’ve learned about ourselves and the tools we have utilised into the future. This is all about perseverance. You are important and your poetry is important. Take some time this week to think about all of the different tools that we’ve been using. You may have even developed some own tools or habits along the way that are unique to your process.
Whatever those things are, commit to continuing to use them. For extra credit write them down to formalise your commitment. You may even want to consider looking into more of Julia Cameron’s creative programs to further your exploration such as:
This week’s quote:
“It’s the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.”
-Marlene Dietrich
Important reminders
- This process centers on recovery and self care in regard to your creative self. Be gentle!
- Make adjustments as needed, you know yourself best and your positive mental health is paramount.
- Commit to using your basic tools of Morning Pages, Artist Dates and Walks.
- Sharing is not mandatory, but we’d love to share the journey with you! Tag all posts regarding these exercises as #PoetryDowsing so we can support you within the Twitter community.
