My Morning Pages "experiment"

This pile of wonky words is the result of my 16 weeks (and counting) commitment to the practice of Morning Pages. Handwritten, and often on the back of?random bits of paper (equivalent to 3 Foolscap pages) written every morning before absolutely anything else, for about 15-20 minutes.?

It’s a practice created by the author Julia Cameron and outlined in her 1992 book, “The Artist's Way.” Last year I lost count of the number of times I either read about this book or heard it referred to in conversation and finally decided it was an omen: time to get stuck in.?

Cameron discovered the art of Morning Pages as a screenwriter recovering from burnout in mid 1980’s Los Angeles. She took up the practice after giving up alcohol and toxic relationships, two of her known blockers to creative success, and was encouraged by her husband to share what she’d learnt with others.?

Now that was some great advice!?

To date she’s sold approximately 5 million copies of The Artists Way with “followers” (me included) swearing by its ability to awaken your true creative nature; clarity, alignment, joy and transformation via better and more honest relationship with self.

All hallmarks of an excellent experience of human life, not just a creative one.?

“There is no wrong way to do the Morning Pages,” Cameron writes. ?“Just put three pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

Which means, in short, that everybody (yes, even you) will benefit from this practice whether you consider yourself “a creative” or not.?

I’ve journaled since a teenager so am no stranger to the "sound" of my voice as it hits a page - I’m definitely comfortable there. But Cameron’s Morning Pages are distinctly not a journal. They’re a brain dump, a personalised compilation of life’s detritus, written first thing every morning when you're barely awake and writing into the nothingness.?

After 16 weeks I’d say the amount of sleep I’ve had the night before determines the pleasure of this practice. The first two pages come somewhat easily, but the third is often tricky.?

Why the third page, Julia? I’d grumble inwardly, often while watching the clock in a panic. Twenty minutes is a commitment on an already full school/work morning.

On better days, and as the weeks have gone on, especially the recent ones in holiday mode, I’ve leaned into a new slower pace. Even my handwriting looks different.?

So what comes next??

Cameron is pretty clear on two things: you don’t read back your Morning Pages and you never share them. She also gives permission for many pages to just be a scramble of “I don't know why I am doing this” or "f^&*k this" type expletives.?

With 16 weeks under my belt I now have no intention of stopping. And I’ve found true delight in observing the subtle but very real invitations this process seems to ignite to a greater personal awareness and honesty.

Cameron calls it “spiritual chiropractic":?

"The Morning Pages ... realign our values… We discover our boundaries… we clarify our perceptions, we lose our misconceptions.. We lose illusion as well. We arrive at clarity, and clarity creates change.”?

For myself I’ve noticed increased levels of concentration throughout my work day and that my focus is more pronounced.?

I’ve also had some incredibly lucid memories from childhood and my thoughts about life, even on stressful days, have been deeper, more reflective and intentional.

I guess I feel more “me”.?