A Recent Artist Date

On Saturday I took myself on an Artist Date to Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. After climbing down 102 steps (yes, I counted every one of them), I reached an area that offered a spectacular view of the falls. Because of all the rain in June, the falls are enormous this summer. Little did I know that there is a walking path that follows Minnehaha Creek all the way to the river. Can’t believe I haven’t discovered this gem until now. As I walked the path, climbing over rocks and tree roots, I felt like I was up North in Ely along the Echo Trail. It was sunny, no humidity, perfect hiking weather. Even though I encountered other hikers along the way, much of the time I was alone soaking up the wild beauty along the creek. I passed at least 3 stome bridges and as I came to the last one I discovered a sandy beach. The peace and serenity of the scene washed over me. What a great way to fill myself up with the beauty of nature! The photo that accompanies this post was taken on Saturday.

If you are curious about what an Artist Date is, below is a description from one of my April posts.

Julia Cameron’s groundbreaking book The Artist’s Way utilizes two primary tools, the Artist Date and Morning Pages. The Artist Date is a weekly excursion or play date with yourself. It is an hour or longer block of time and it’s all about spending quality time with yourself. It is a listening tool, time spent on yourself and with yourself doing something fun, festive, adventuresome. It is preplanned and does not need to be expensive or elaborate. You don’t take anyone on your Artist Date but you and your inner artist. Julia Cameron says, “You are not after the thoughts and companionship of others. You are after the thoughts and companionship of your soul.” The Artist Date is a time to engage all of the senses, replenish your creative resources, fill the well with new images, perspectives and experiences. The Artist Date is about nurturing and caring for your inner artist. The concept of  a weekly Artist Date with yourself may be hard to grasp since so many people are plugged in 24/7 to one or more devices.  And this is exactly why the Artist Date is so important. By scheduling a weekly date with yourself, you will  get to know who you are, what you need, what makes your heart sing and what you are passionate about.

What about you? When will you schedule an Artist Date with yourself?

I invite you to discover more about the Artist Date at my annual Artist Way Retreat at the ARC Retreat Center near Cambridge, MN, October 19-21. Details are on my Events Page. I hope you can join us!