As I was reflecting on art and World Art Day I had this memory: one day, in 2011, I walked into a bookstore and the first book I saw (and then bought) was Julia Cameron’s “The Complete Artist’s Way”, a collection of her three creative programs - The Artist’s Way, Walking in This World, and Finding Water.

2011 was a stressful year as it was a year of completing my Master’s Degree, my mom not doing so well (cancer, again) and being unhappy at the job I was in. I spent some time going through this book, exploring the words and activities that are a part of it. At the end of The Artist’s Way I found this prayer and, though I did not at the time consider myself an artist, it helped me to settle into my own space, to not feel quite so frazzled, and to work on what needed working on. I share with you for when it is needed.

An Artist’s Prayer by Julia Cameron

O Great Creator,

We are gathered together in your name

That we may be of greater service to you

And to our fellows.

We offer ourselves to you as instruments.

We open ourselves to your creativity in our lives.

We surrender to you our old ideas.

We trust that it is safe to follow you.

We know you created us and that creativity

Is your nature and our own.

We ask you to unfold our lives

According to your plan, not our low self-worth.

Help us to believe that it is not too late

And that we are not too small or too flawed

To be healed ---

By you and through each other - and made whole.

Help us to love one another,

To nurture each other’s unfolding,

To encourage each other’s growth,

And understand each other’s fears.

Help us to know that we are not alone,

That we are loved and lovable.

Help us to create as an act of worship to you.

peace,

Renee Arundhati