creative soul journal page created by Sherry Smyth October 15, 2009
Using techniques I have been learning from Julie Prichard in the Super Nova Journaling class, and from Carmen Torbus in the Spill It class, I created this page for myself yesterday. I had the painted page ready for journaling and chose to use images and words clipped from magazines rather than my own handwriting.
Creativity...I was expecting something other than what I found in Chapter Four of Martha Beck's "The Joy Diet". I was expecting Martha to describe all of the ways in which I could be creative that would allow me to follow my desire. That's not quite what Martha had in mind. She was thinking more along the lines of creativity as failure; in doing something badly before you can learn to do it well. That sums it up in a very tiny nutshell.
I like some the ideas Martha has to help obtain desires. Some of them I am hard pressed to do. For example, Martha suggests that we name our enemy (it could be one person, a group of people about whom you often brood). Then we name that enemy's "evil deeds" as well as a list of enemy "traits". Once this is done, Martha suggests that "the traits and behaviours that have been listed may be exactly the things you should incorporate into your own behaviour, in order to fulfill your heart's desires." That makes sense to me on this level -- the things we dislike in others are usually the traits that we dislike in ourselves, or as Martha suggests, "that person embodies an aspect of ourselves that we are trying to incorporate or accept." Perhaps.
I couldn't do this exercise because I have spent the better part of the last three years removing "enemies" and "dislike" from my life. I looked at this exercise and couldn't think of a single person or group that bothered me enough to spend the time writing anything down about them. Personally I think that's an incredible accomplishment. So I passed on that exercise.
What I did take from this chapter on creativity is her last suggestion, to do one thing different. Tapping into creativity can happen in many forms and needn't be exactly the same for any two people. If thought is blocked and ideas aren't forming, breaking out of the routine and changing patterns can help to shake things loose. Martha suggests walking a different route to the kitchen, eating spaghetti with your fingers (this is why children have no difficulty delving into their creativity...my comment), walking the cat, etc. You get the idea.
To get the ball rolling, for dinner tonight we shall dine on spaghetti a la "finghu". Right now I must go and borrow a cat...apparently it needs to be walked!!
46 comments:
I’m with you on not taking the time to dwell on enemies – or perceived enemies. If possible, it’s best to work through and ultimately (hopefully) remove the negatives from one’s life.
I’ll think of you tonight eating your finger-lickin’ dinner!
You got me thinking – what should I do out of the ordinary? Different? Not my usual? ;)
(love that journal page - the ripped jeans...)
Interesting ideas. I'm not sure how I Feel about incorporating the traits of an enemy into my own life. I don't think of myself as having enemies, although there are people I have chosen not to allow into my life because they make living toxic for me. Not sure I want to allow their characteristics in, either.
As for doing something out of the ordinary, it takes something like this post to make me realize that I have an "ordinary" to reconsider. I'll be thinking about that today. Thank you.
Beautiful journal page, by the way!
Sherry Lee: I appreciate how you are discerning and make your own judgements about what you will or will not do. And that just because you don't agree with one part of a book, you don't reject everything else it may offer. I am often perplexed by people who reject the 'whole' if they find a 'part' they don't like.
Will you be taking pictures at the spaghetti party tonight?
Sometimes it seems as enemies were everywhere... BUT They do not exist, they are all just here in my mind,I worry and poison myself thinking of them while they are living their happy (?)lives... hummmm.It makes me wonder and think twice.
Good post Sherry dear.
Sweet HUG!
I love finger food !! What did they use before cutlery was invented huh ! ?
Clapping my hands for you on your decision not to do a list of enemies when it didn`t feel right and you justified this for yourself .
Indeed a tiny change can give the mind a rest of creativity blocks - sometimes i put music on or do a chore then i`m usually ready to go again .
Love the journal page - looks like she`s junping with joy and ready to do what`s in her heart !!
LOL on your closing comment :) I enjoy reading your blog. Today you helped to clarufy why she was doing the section on enemies. I skipped over that too for some of the same reasons. Love your pic too.
I'm in the same boat with you ... I've spent too much time removing the enemies and dislike, my mother's paranoia (what do they want, etc) to dwell there for any time. Ptuii on that! But doing things differently ... that I can do!
This chapter sounds very interesting... I love hearing your report on each one. I'll have to find time to read the whole thing one day. Congrats on not finding enemies.. Hopefully I may eventually feel the same. I'll try something creative later, just for you! Have a happy, creative day.
Hmmm...a lot of food for creative thought here...I do totally agree that focusing on what is wrong will bring you more of what is wrong, ie: negative "enemies", etc. and I too have let go of so many of my negative people, thoughts, patterns recently that I am so proud of myself.I certainly don't have any enemies on the outside pop into mind !
I do think, though, that the people who we have conflict with are usually there to teach us some big lessons about ourselves. While I really dislike the idea of looking at them as "enemies" in any way shape or form, I do often think of them as mirrors for myself. Mirrors of somethings that I want to change within myself. Ie : The super over-confident, scene stealer type person that drives me crazy actually mirrors for me how much I want to get recognition from outside too. I reminds me (after I release a little and usually get away from the "annoyance for a while !)how I really need to work on giving myself my own, quiet, real recognition for all I have accomplished from the inside, soul part of me instead.
I love the idea of doing something different though. I actually do this a lot - ie take a road I never turn down, deliberately look the cashier in the eye at the register instead of worrying about the bags, choose a different coffee cup "just because". I think it definitely brings you into the moment more and keeps the imagination working well. My routine following, quite predictable Hubby gets driving crazy by my creativity sometimes though !
Ooops, looks like I could just go on and on blabbing today...wish you were here so we could create some joy together in the same room ! At least we can do it together in Blogland ! ;)
Love Ya !
Yah!!!!!!!!! Here's to eating spag with your fingers! Fantabulous idea! It was an interesting take-away to be reminded that it can be as valuable to fail as to succeed sometimes. I forget sometimes that it is okay to fumble and stumble and find our way. Also can appreciate what you wrote about taking the last few YEARS to eliminate "enemy" and "dislike" -- didn't happen overnight, but over time, with practice and intent. Very cool! Miracles! k-
Good for you that you have grown past worrying about enemies! That shows a lot of character Sherry. I have come to understand that I need to focus on fixing my own faults and the faults of others recede into the background, or at least I undestand more fully that others are just as prone to bad judgement and error as I am. Good luck with walking the cat, lol, I suspect it will walk you!
First of all Sherry let me say that I am loving your artwork, it speaks volumes :)
I also enjoy your adventures with Martha as I am following the book only I am just starting the third chapter.
I also have spent years eliminating toxic people from my life and toxic situations too, so I can't see me enjoying this chapter either.
YOu've obviously never tried walking a cat!
Agree with you on the enemies things. I don't want to think about people I hate - I don't use that emotion very often I have to say. I wouldn't say I have enemies.
It's so helpful reading everyone's posts - you realise you're not alone in your thinking!
I love the eating spaghetti with your fingers idea. I started to read her book and got to that chapter and closed the book. I didn't feel as if I was getting what I wanted from the book. Some of her ideals, I could grasp but others, were just not me. I think I came to the conclusion that I find joy when I create in ways that make me feel whole, such a playing with play do or digging in the dirt or trying out a new recipe. There's no right or wrong to creativity.
I would never want to take on attributes of my enemies because ultimately, those characteristics may be why I don't consider them my friend.
Food for thought for sure.
I like how you refused to do it and move on to find something positive in the chapter. I wish IO could have found something too.
I love the spaghetti "ala finghu" idea and good luck walking the cat. Wow, it seems like that enemy thing really gets us going. I like that you have the confidence to say for yourself, it is YOUR TRUTH after all isn't it, that the you'll pass on that one. Brava!
OMG!! I'm in Carmen's Spill IT! class too!! We keep bumping into each other! I love that!
And your image is awesome. Love it!!
I've read that a lot of The Joy Dieters are having heartburn over the enemy exercise ... very interesting ...
I find it wonderful that you are so full of peace that you can't even name a group or person that irks you. Wow. I want to get there, eventually.
I also like the "do one thing differently" exercise. I've used this before I read it in The Joy Diet -- it definitely works. It's amazing what small shirts in perspecitve and motion can do to shake life up!!
Yeah, for doing something different that helps you step out of your routine and comfort zone. The "Wreck This Journal" book club was a great journey in allowing random, and sometimes sudden, change to occur and be embraced.
Have you ever tried walking a cat - it's hilarious.
I think it's great that you went right past the stuff that didn't work for you and jumped into the stuff that made sense and sounded like fun.
PS: - love the journal page. Aren't you just loving Carmen's workshop?
Hi Sherry,
So glad I found your blog thru the Joy Diet. I agree with a lot of your comments - this was a really tough chapter and I couldn't get thru it all either.
Glad you like the memory cards - did you try to print them - do them come out all right?
I love your blog - and I LOVE LOVE your collage in this post
Nice to meet you let's talk again soon
I agree with you...I did not see any purpose to try to incorporate things we dislike in someone else into our own daily routines and lives and selves.....HOW would that make me a better person??? Reach my goals or desires? I don't get that and never will. Thanks for stopping by!
I so agree with you about many of the things in this chapter - especially about enemies. I too expected it would be about incorporating more creativity.
I couldn't even blog about it - at least not yet!
Take care.
Love your journal page>
Terrific collage piece at the beginning. I found it interesting how you couldn't drum up enough dislike for anyone group. Quite the accomplishment, indeed!
i love coming here, and following along. i must make spaghetti this week, and enjoy, enjoy. i will hop in bed early and read the next chapter. : )
love
love
to
you
Love your post. I too, had problems with my enemies - what I disliked. Bec. I really do not want to be like the.
I also found it a bit odd to be asked to list our enemies and state what we did not like about them. I rebelled at this at first too. However, I picked on someone, actually a group of someones, that I had a pet peeve about - just to see what would come of it. What I took from this is that there are traits that I can use, re-framed in a more positive way, to accomplish one of my desires. It is very interesting to see how we all reacted to this exercise. I love your insightful responses and posts. Thanks for sharing and for commenting on my blog too!
Thanks for sharing your week with creativity. I like you did not do the enemies part, I find I take what works and leave the rest. Did you say walk you cat? I always wanted to walk my cat, but she hated the touch of grass on her feet.
I have compassion for what you're talking about, simply because I too have spent much time letting go of relationships that drained my energy.... while I do think that the word "enemy" is a bit strong, I think we can all be one another's teachers.... it's all about tuning in to ourselves, embracing what resonates with us, and letting the rest go....
What a colorful blog! Cheers for your choices to remove "enemies" {quiet an essential task}.
I elected the "do something different" menu item, along with unifying false dichotomies. (The rebel in me delights in both of these!)
As I was reading through the comments I came across the notion of false dichotomies, either/or thinking,...throwing away the whole because a part of it does not work. I am very guilty of doing this...with books, projects, people, you name it I've easily disgarded it. While The Joy Diet may not resonate with everyone, my hope is that there is a word, sentence, paragraph, or even a whole chapter that brings some insight, hope, or comfort to someone.
Cute post! The doing things differently was a fun part of this chapter.
Wow. Spaghetti with your fingers? How cool is that?
As for the bit about your enemies, I disagree with anyone having dealt with this fully in their lifetime. I think that this is certainly not a "pretty" topic and I think that we all expected to be dancing in the creativity during this chapter and then Matha comes in and blasts us with this ugliness of dealing with our enemies. Like an onion, there are so many layers to this and I believe that when we've gotten to the center, we have evolved beyond the lessons of human form. I'm just sayin. Great post!
One more point on the enemy thing...it has obviously triggered MANY during this chapter. But one thing to recognize is that our relationship to the perceived enemy is our relationship to the things about ourselves that we do not accept. They are truly one and the same and that is what I believe that Martha is trying to get to here. I think that this has been the single most important part of the book up to this point.
It's great that we can agree to disagree on any subject in life, including this book. Including enemies. For clarification on Amy's comment...I have worked through the issue of enemies. I've faced breast cancer which is probably the most daunting thing I've ever had to face in my life. And I'm still alive. One thing I credit to that is that I spent years working through all the negative emotions in my life. I did feel the pull of enemies and things I ranted and disliked in my life. For too many years. And in order to move beyond cancer, stress and the things that I felt were holding me back I had to accept the things that I disliked, I had to remove them from my life -- like an onion (yes Amy, I agree with that) and in order to be "whole" myself, I am fully beyond that...which is why the enemy exercise wouldn't work for me. Which is why I chose something else to find from the chapter. Just to be clear -- I don't throw out anything from what I work with -- I pick and choose what is going to work "for me".
I used to read a ton of self help books and I seem to remember this very topic. If you hate something about someone, it's usually a trait in yourself that you hate and have buried deep and wont admit you have. Or either you try very hard not to show this trait. It's sort of thinking your better than that person but really your just like them.
Oh what fun to discover these things about ourselves lol.
And I do like the idea of breaking the routine. That is something very hard for me to do. I kick and scream all the way. I'm so set in my ways.
Your journal page is beautiful - love the image of jumping - it's just so freeing.
So interesting to see how these exercises affect people differently - I am in envy that you cannot think of anyone that bothers you enough to write about them -and yes this is a true accomplishment!
Your journal page is beautiful!
I love your perspective on this - I was also somewhat surprised at the perspective from the book - I was expecting something so different.
I am trying to find the gems in the book and twist the items to my own purposes. I'm glad to read others who are doing the same.
Couldn't do the enemies pages either, didn't see the benefit of this requirement and don't really have anyone I truly hate, such a harsh word. But some other exercises were fun and I interpreted them in my own way, right or wrong I don't think it really matters as long as I feel I am gaining something from it, and it helps answer some questions for me.
You go girl! I always love your posts!
On the contrary, I did do the enemies exercise just to see where Martha was going. However, it didn't resonate with anything that I felt was related to my desire and I abandoned it. It was an interesting chapter, but at least you found something to take from it! Kudos!
I agree - this was a weirdly tough chapter to digest, but also excitingly different just for that reason!
Thanks for popping into my "Desire" post too!
Kathy C.
http://SoulReaderBlog.blogspot.com
I love that you connected to doing one thing different. I breezed right through that thought. I will revisit it now!
I also did not connect with the enemies exercise. Traits of my enemies are not traits I want to bring into my energy field. I would rather focus on traits of people I admire. People who follow their dreams.
I am looking forward to exploring Risk! This will be my challenge.
I couldn't focus on enemies either so I did what you did, I chose the things I could agree with and worked on them. thanks for sharing your journey and here's to next week's risk. Take care.
Thank you so much for sharing your week with creativity and for the way that you articulated your expectations with this chapter. I also decided in the end to refrain from doing the enemy part of the chapter. I think it is oh so important when we can realize what works for us and what absolutely does not. I hope your next week with the Joy Diet goes well.
Great post, Sherry-Lee! I haven't posted on the Creativity chapter due to dealing with sickness at this time but I did read it. Like you, I feel like I've let go of the negative emotional baggage from my past and present so the enemy task wasn't for me either. Through self-help books, I've already analysed and re-analysed myself so many times over the years, and I really feel like I'm at a happy place in my life now. I did like the idea of doing one thing differently which seemed to coincide perfectly with The Artist's Way chapter I did last week too.
HI Sherry,
As I read one of your responses to someone and also your post the thought came to mind that not only do things work for one person and something else for the other - but over time, one thing will work for me, another it may not. We are at least 4 dimensional, so timing is such an important factor.
For myself, I've seen that sometimes I'm not ready to hear something or work with something - later it is exactly what I need. I've learned to trust that to some extent. There are other things that may never particularly speak to me - or as in your case, the work may be complete and your challenges will come in other forms.
Always love your posts and your great images.
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