CREATIVE LIVING

My current journal (handmade), memo pad for daily gratitudes, and fountain pen.

Years ago, I received a book from a close family friend, someone I consider my creative guardian angel, titled "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. It is a beautifully written (work)book on the subject of creativity. I didn't actually read it the whole way through until this year. I finally stuck to the 12-week regimen (which I extended beyond the 12 weeks in order to fully absorb and practice some of the weekly lessons) and completed reading the entire book last month.

The book introduced me to something called the morning pages. It is a daily morning ritual wherein the first thing you do each day is complete three pages stream-of-consciousness writing about anything and everything that comes to mind. Now, I have kept a journal for almost 20 years on and off, and I usually write after waking up. But I have to admit that I fell prey to the idea of "being in the mood" to write for most of those 20 years.

Anyway, the morning pages have changed my life, in that pretty much every day, for the past 6 months, began with this ritual. It has become a lifeline to my inner well-being. I feel so much more alive creatively and am gaining confidence as a writer each and every morning that I devote to writing my morning pages. Most of all, I'm grateful for the idea and the journey that this book guided me through, because by committing myself to the morning pages each and every day, I finally gave myself permission to be an artist and to call myself one.

Loengard, O'Keeffe Taking A Morning Walk, 1968

Another important tool for creativity that Julia Cameron writes about in her second book on creativity called "Walking in this World" is, as the title suggests, walking. In addition to completing daily morning pages, she asks that her readers walk for 20 minutes at least once per week. This was music to my ears. I have been a devoted walker for a couple of years now and find it lovely beyond expression. Nevertheless, I was astounded and delighted to read Julia's rationale and emphasis on the impact that walking can have on our creative capacity and output.

The last important tool that I discovered over the last couple of years, which has done wonders for my well-being, and thus my capacity for creative output, is the practice of thinking about and writing "gratitudes" on a daily basis. Typically, my morning creative routine starts with writing gratitudes on a notepad (seen in the picture at the top). I then fold the piece of paper and put it in a jar where I keep all my gratitudes for the year. I will unfold all of them and read them one by one at the end of the year. I've been writing down gratitudes on a regular basis for some time now, but I only recently discovered this idea to place the daily gratitudes in a jar and read them all at the end of the year. I'm excited for when that time comes!

And lastly, in the spirit of synchronicity, right after I completed "The Artist's Way" I read Elizabeth Gilberts' "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" book, which talks at length about the importance of "doing the work/one's creative calling" on a regular basis, ideally daily. This book came at the perfect time for me, because it reinforced what I was already practicing with the morning pages, gratitudes and daily walks in an attempt to live more authentically, creatively and slowly.

Happy creative living!
~Modern Akhmatova

SPRINGTIME

Our front door decoration in honor of the Spring season. 

It's only now, after 29 years on this planet, that I am becoming fully aware of the infinite beauty and wonder that the Spring season gifts us with. During my walk today around the neighborhood where we live, I encountered life springing forth all around me and was overcome by the magic of it all. Here is a poem I recorded and some of the photos I took to capture the feeling.

A Magical Dance

The branches dance in the crisp April wind

While the sun shines bringing the colors forth

The flowers and the leaves slowly open up

Embodying the creative genius of the universe

Leaving the observer in awe of their intricate beauty, vulnerability and resiliency 

A magical dance unfolds

Between the wind, the sun, the flora and my being

it is Spring,

full of Promise

full of Beauty

full of Light

full of Wonder 

 

A mystery at once inexplicable and yet so satisfying.

~Modern Akhmatova

TO BE WHOLE

Source: http://www.mysticmamma.com/we-must-speak-for-the-earth/ 

I listened and heard

The Great Mother 

"We all have the story of Mother deep within us."

"We are all one in our suffering."

Collect and tell women's stories

Alleviate suffering

Speak for our Great Mother

Could it be that all those dreams are connected?

It could...

It's synchronicity.

It is,

the Way. 

~Modern Akhmatova

Simplicity

A small candle in the room - 

all the light we need.

A clean bed for us to make love in - 

all the comfort we need.

A rain-filled evening or snow falling from the sky -

all the romance we need.

A sunlit morning with birds chirping us awake -

all the peace we need.

A day spent outside among nature's magic -

all the wisdom we need.

A memory made with our loved ones -

all the joy we need.

A moment spent in your arms -

all the love I need.

~Modern Akhmatova

Motto for 2016: 

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing [at all]. ~ Helen Keller

Last year near Anchorage, AK. 

Happy New Year!

~Modern Akhmatova

On a walk this morning in Victor, NY.

Welcome 2016

Winter magic everywhere
A white wonderland surrounds

All is still
but the snowflakes falling

An apple tree embraces the snow
"Welcome" it says to the New Year...

"2016 will be magic."

Happy New Year!
~Modern Akhmatova

Panorama shot of the sunrise that we enjoyed from
the top of Old Rag Mountain's first peak.

time to breathe 

the holidays required of us to "engage with the world"

we are blessed with a big family

blessed with togetherness 

but our minds and souls needed rest

we needed quiet

and that required of us to "be away from the world"

we sought fresh air, open spaces and closeness with the earth

we found these, and much more, among the Shenandoah mountains

everything gave us time to breathe - 

the foggy trails

the mist covered rocks

the glistening tree bark

the squishy mud beneath our feet

the sound of rain falling on our tent and the forest around us throughout the night

and then there was that magical sunrise

as it came up over the horizon

and we stood on top of Old Rag Mountain

I realized that everything that breathes, moves and is alive was focused on that light.

Happy breathing!

~Modern Akhmatova