Art Cluster group-Week 3

After having an exhausting week as i mentioned in my last post i had my artists cluster group this morning. i was so exhausted after getting 4 hours of sleep that i overslept and was 30 min late to the cluster group which actually worked out in my favor cause only 3 people out of 9 showed up today so i think they were happy another person came. These clusters group are AMAZING!I feel more encouraged each time I go. We are on Chapter 3 "Recovering a Sense of power" which i identified with so much. i liked as much as the 1st chapter. The thing that spoke to me in this chapter is the inclusion of God. It says: "God knows that the sky's the limit". "Ask and you shall receive. knock and it shall be opened to you. "God helps those who can help themselves ...theres an amazing number of small free gifts the creator showers on those who are helping themselves to a little bounty. If you do one nice thing a day for yourself. God will do two more. Be alert for support and encouragement from unexpected quarters. be open to receiving gifts from odd channels: free tickets, a free trip, an offer to buy you dinner. practicing saying yes to such help. "(This all so beautiful and encouraging and reminding us that in order to recover a sense of power we must recognize who gives us the power....who aligns things in our life for his will. we must remove shame, what we think is "synchronicity", and how we deal with criticism but now its time too explore this creative person i am..the strengths and gifts and remember who gives it to us). i also liked how the chapter talks about anger and how its meant to be listened to and be respected because anger is a map. i never really looked at anger. I was actually one of the people that the book mentions stuffs it or denys it. I liked how the book says anger is is a sign of health ..anger points the direction ..we are to use anger as a fuel to take the actions we need to move where our anger points us.

I found a quote i love in the book that i put on facebook "I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues."-Duke Ellington
I mean how many of us would take that advice..stop pouting, saying that we cant do this or fill in the blank and just do it.

p. 62 Answered prayers are scary. They imply responsibility. You asked for it. Now that you've got it, what are you going to do. Answered prayers deliver us back to our hand.
(Love this. I know i could raise my hand on that)

pg.65 I have learned, as a rule of thumb not to ask whether you can do something. say instead you are doing it. then fasten your seat beat. The most remarkable things follow. (Lord help me to receive this because i know this is true.

I identified with the book when it says "making art may feel like telling a family secret". Because my art is so vulnerable to me...its so raw...what will they think of me if i share this. The book says "art brings things to light. it illuminates us. It sheds light on our lingering darkness. it casts a beam into the heart of our darkness ans says "see?" ( I love that)


I could point out a few more things about this chapter but alas i'll leave that to my journal. the point of writing this is the things above is what i need to nurture my inner artist. i realized how gratifying these sunday cluster groups but the problem is i leave the rewarding experiences, thoughts, feelings, lessons on sunday. i dont carry these things daily and i need to do that. Just as joyce devotional gets my day started right and just sets the tone for my day when i read it before I leave for work...I need to read the companion book hubby got me for Christmas "the artist way to every day...a year of creative living). I need to do this. my soul needs it.

I have been resistant to the morning pages..ive done them maybe 4xs 2 weeks ago and it was good and fulfilling but everytime i go to write i dont see it as a point nor do i see the priority. But i need to get over that because it not about what i see ...if i went by that I wouldn't be here..its about whats necessary. the tools im using to get unblocked. learning things about myself. After all i think thats what the cluster group is doing by being with like minded individuals reading the artists way. I'm unearthing things about myself and i love it.