The Big Peace

I have done The Artist’s Way a few times now and every time I seem to learn something new about myself – and become more creative. Last year, with the Artist’s Way bubbling away in the background, I wrote and finished writing my Big Peace book in 3 months.  Without The Artist’s Way, I’m not sure I would have made it intact.

I was joined by over 250 of you last year – and it was a brilliant, challenging and creative time. Not all of us finished, many of us resisted, all of us laughed, cried, and some of us punched through some old thinking in order to become more creative, (others melted resistance with a gentle sigh.)

Last year, we communicated via my blog but this year I have invested in a new membership site where we will able to communicate better together, support each other, share our thoughts and journey. Because of the investment, I’m charging a small fee of £3 a week. (Think of it as your bus fare to your class)

But be assured, you’re paying for the room, you’re not paying for me as your ‘self-appointed’ guru. I’m going to facilitate, invite guest bloggers, interview a few artists about their processes but I’m not going to be the expert here.

Cameron says: “If there is any emissary, it is the work itself, as a collective composed of all who take the course, at home or otherwise. Each person is equally a part of the collective, no one more than another. While there may be ‘teachers’, facilitators (that’s me!) who are relied on during the 12 week period to guide others down the path, such facilitators need to be prepared to share their own material and take their own creative risks.”

Be assured, I intend to do that.

I was lucky enough to go and see Julia Cameron live in London last year and got to interview her too. Here’s the interview:
http://www.bigleaplife.com/audios/juliacameron.mp3

If you wish to take part in the Artist’s Way, click here:

The warm-up week starts March 1st. You need to buy The Artist’s Way, if you haven’t already got it. We start week 1 on March 8th.

I look forward to walking this 12 week journey with you,

Suzy x

Join The Artist’s Way now:

We all did Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way last year, with me championing and cheering from the sidelines. I want to do it again in 2010 starting week 1 on March 8th (warm up week 1st March) – via my lovely new membership site. If you’re interested in receiving more information, sign up here.

I ended up at the kind Dr David’s book launch last night at Alchemy, in Camden. (the best venue ever – do check it out if you’re in London)

Once again, he was inspirational, fabulous and rather gorgeous. He also explained how kindness affects the body – makes you look young, thin and makes you feel happy.

I’m now on day 14 of the 21 day kindness challenge that I’m writing about for the Daily Mail on the concept of being kind for 21 days – and although I’m not sure if I look younger, or thinner – I’m definitely feeling rather ecstastically happy. Maybe because I’ve been doing the loving kindness meditation every day that he recommends on page 21 (strangely enough). I’ve just launched The Big Love Experiment (do join us!) and I’ve made it a basic tool of the programme, I’m so impressed with it.

If you’re still not convinced meditation is for you -  listen to the interview I did with David on how and why meditating – especially on loving/kindness will build a citadel of feel-good in your brain and get rid of your wrinkles (better than botox, says David!).

Here’s the interview:

www.bigleaplife.com/audios/davidhamiltonlove.mp3

And here’s how to do it:

HOW TO DO A LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION (From David’s book)

Start by sitting or lying comfortably. Relax and pay attention to your breathing, breathing in a slow and comfortable rhythm.

Now bring your attention to your heart and say, either out loud or mentally, ‘May I be well. May I be happy. May I be loved.’

Now think of someone you love or care about. This time say, either out loud or mentally. ‘May you be well. May you be happy. May you be loved.

Do this for all of your loved ones. You can name them individually if you like by inserting their name in place of ‘you’.

Now move to other people in your life – friends, work colleagues, people whom you see from time to time and repeat the same process, inserting their name.

The move on to people you don’t get on with.

Keep going in an ever widening circle until you wish wellbeing, happiness, and ease for the whole world, including people you consider to be your enemies.

You don’t have to do all the circles in one go. A shortened version is just to wish wellbeing, happiness and love for your loved ones. You can take the circle as wide as you wish.

At the beginning of this year, I was devastated by an email that someone sent to my Big Peace blog. A keyworker at a charity that I had been championing (but who we no longer support) via Big Peace had been accused of child abuse charges.

It would be an underestimation to say that I have been devastated and at a loss of how to process this.

It felt that my Big Peace work had been duped by some kind of evil force. That something so pure and loving that I had created (that had been such a massive part of my own self healing process) had been corrupted and defiled by the darkest of forces. It’s taken me a while to process this all. And I’m not there yet.

But what I do know is that there are people in the world that do terrible, terrible things – but there are others who don’t.

I refuse to lose faith in people that do good.

Love and healing needs to win.

I will always champion love over hate and abuse.

This is all I know for now.

Here’s a peaceful 2010.

x