"God does not give us more than we can handle," I am told but I wonder if God doesn't overestimate me just a little. Or perhaps, and this is likely, I underestimate God.
Julia CameronRead
The artist brain is the sensory brain: sight and sound, smell and taste, touch. These are the elements of magic, and magic is the elemental stuff of art. In filling the well, think magic. Think delight. Think fun. Do not think duty. Do not do what you should do-spiritual sit-ups like reading a dull but recommended critical text. Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you; think mystery, not mastery.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of sensory experience and personal delight in the creative process of art.
Julia Cameron's quote suggests that an artist's creativity is rooted in sensory experiences and feelings of wonder rather than obligation or duty. She encourages artists to engage with what excites them and to approach their craft with a playful curiosity, focusing on the joy of exploration rather than striving for technical perfection or mastery. By emphasizing magic, delight, and intrigue, Cameron champions a more personal and fulfilling artistic journey.
Themes
ArtCreativitySensationDelightExplorationMagic
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on creativity, this quote can inspire participants to pursue their true interests rather than trends.
More from Julia Cameron
All quotes →When it was suggested that I write a memoir I said, 'I'm not old enough. I'm not distinguished enough.' But I went home and sat down to write, and the material for the book just came flooding into my hands.
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... success or failure, the truth of a life really has little to do with its quality. The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.
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While there is no quick fix for instant, pain-free creativity, creative recovery (or discovery) is a teachable, trackable spiritual process. Each of us is complex and highly individual, yet there are common recognizable denominators to the creative recovery process.
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In limits, there is freedom. Creativity thrives within structure. Creating safe havens where our children are allowed to dream, play, make a mess and, yes, clean it up, we teach them respect for themselves and others.
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In order to have a real relationship with our creativity, we must take the time and care to cultivate it.
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