In Seeking Wisdom, Julia Cameron teaches you how to unblock and maximize your creativity through spirituality. Cameron explains that creativity and spirituality are inextricably linked—to maximize your creative potential, you must first get in touch with divinity through prayer. Throughout the book, Cameron walks you through each step of your spiritual journey and uses anecdotes from her own life and interviews with those close to her to illustrate her recommendations.
Cameron is a teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, filmmaker, composer, and journalist. Her career took off in 1992 with her book The Artist's Way, which focuses on creative unblocking and gave Cameron a reputation as a “creativity guru.” Cameron’s teachings are based on her own experiences of overcoming alcoholism and learning to balance creativity with sobriety, which she’d previously believed were opposites. Throughout her journey, she discovered that spiritual connection was the key to unlocking her creative potential and has been teaching others how to maximize their creativity ever since.
This guide to Seeking Wisdom will break down Cameron’s techniques to unblock and boost creativity. We’ll discover how you can begin communicating with the divine, the types of prayers you should practice, and how to channel your spirituality into your creative endeavors. We’ll also discuss books from other authors and spiritual guides that supplement Cameron’s advice, such as The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.
Cameron explains that the first step in maximizing your creativity is to find and connect to your own image of God. (Cameron refers to her concept of the divine as “God,” but explains that you can refer to your divine image as anything you like: God, the universe, Allah, the force, and so on.) She elaborates that most people grow up with an image of God that’s imposed on them by their parents or community, but this isn’t always the image that works best for them creatively—especially if this image of God is punitive, is judgmental, or clashes with their identity and values. This section will explore how to develop your own image of God and how to start praying.
(Shortform note: For clarity and consistency in this guide, we’ll use Cameron’s original term and refer to the divine as “God.”)
Thinking About God May Stifle Creativity
Cameron claims that most people grow up with an image of God that’s imposed on them and that this often stifles their creativity. Recent research exploring the link between religion and creativity may support Cameron’s claim. One study found that followers of monotheistic religions, mainly Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, became less creative when instructed to think about God. Researchers believe this is because people feel like passive followers when thinking about God rather than active participants in their lives and creativity. Cameron might argue that this happens because their image of God is pre-ordained and distant rather than personalized and intimate.
To find your own image of God, Cameron recommends first identifying the image you grew up with, then brainstorming what you’d like your ideal God to be like. To identify the image of God that you grew up with, answer the following questions:
Did this God have an image? If so, what did God look like? Describe this God’s characteristics. For example, was God supportive, encouraging, scary, judgmental, strict, comedic, or angry? And so on.
To identify your ideal image of God, Cameron recommends brainstorming a list of characteristics you think a creative, supportive, and benevolent God would have. For example, maybe your God loves to sing, has limitless love and understanding, is wise, gentle, and always listening. Maybe your God has an afro, looks like Harry Styles, or is just formless energy. The most important thing is to build an image of God that you can consider a best friend—one that’s always listening, that’s never judgmental, and that you can be completely open and child-like with.
Cameron explains that doing things you love, like being in nature, reading, or listening to music, can also help you find your image of God. She adds that it’s also ok for your image of God to change over time in order to meet your current needs. Ultimately, your image of God should be whatever works best for you.
Finding God Inside Yourself
Cameron explains that in order to develop your image of God, you should brainstorm your God’s ideal characteristics and use external elements like nature or music to inspire you. In The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer explains that rather than conceptualizing God through external elements as Cameron recommends, you should instead look within yourself to find God.
Singer explains that everyone has an inner connection that gives us access to the divine perspective—seeing the world through God’s eyes. If we can access this divine perspective, we can fully know God. To reach this inner connection, you must disidentify from your body and psyche and connect to the true essence of your soul—your conscious energy. In this state, you can release all the negative energy stored in your body and experience peace and unity with God.
While Singer’s recommendation to find God within yourself contrasts Cameron’s recommendation to find and conceptualize God with external elements, this doesn’t seem like a strategy Cameron would disagree with. She emphasizes that above all, your connection to God should be whatever works best for you. If your ideal image of God is simply a feeling of connection and unity within yourself, so be it.
Cameron explains that once you’ve created your image of God, you must figure out how to address and pray to God. We’re often instructed to address God formally, using phrases like “Dear Lord,” and to pray with rigidly prescribed words or hymns. However, Cameron says that you should address and pray to God in whatever way makes you feel most comfortable.
You can speak to God with formal titles and prayers, or you can call God “Dude” or “Mama,” for example, and speak to God conversationally. Maybe you pray while driving, hiking, or cooking. Maybe you pray best while connecting with nature or singing. There are endless ways to pray. Explore and do what feels best.
Is There a Wrong Way to Pray?
While Cameron says that your concept and name for God should be whatever feels comfortable for you, Rick Warren seems to disagree. In The Purpose Driven Life, Warren explains that one of the most important aspects of conceptualizing and praying to God is accuracy—adhering to the image, characteristics, and name of God that’s prescribed in the Bible. He explains that to do otherwise is false worship, since your image of God may not match what God is actually like.
However, Warren’s recommendations for how to pray are very similar to Cameron’s. He explains that you should worship God in a way that feels good to you and reflects your personality. The strategy you use doesn’t need to be from the Bible—the only requirements are that you’re passionate and authentic. For example, Warren says you can sing, dance, confess, kneel, shout, or make music.
Cameron explains that in addition to your own unique prayer, there are four techniques that you should use regularly to most effectively harness God’s creative energy:
1) Morning Pages—write three long-hand pages every morning within the first 45 minutes of waking up. These pages can be about anything—last night’s dreams, your plans for the day, things you’re excited or worried about, and so on. Don’t worry about making these coherent or well written—just consider them a “brain dump” before your day begins. This will clear your mind, give you direction, and increase your productivity.
(Shortform note: Since the publication of The Artist's Way in 1992, Cameron’s concept of Morning Pages has become a common practice for those in the spiritual and creative communities, even among people who haven’t read Cameron’s books. Despite the term being coined nearly 25 years before the popularization of TikTok, the platform’s “Morning Pages” hashtag has over 8 million hits. Many prominent blogs and social media pages specializing in creativity or spirituality have recommended the practice as well. Many renowned artists like Martin Scorsese also use and endorse Morning Pages.)
2) Writing—once a day, sit down and ask for guidance through writing. You can ask God a question or for advice and simply write down the reply you hear in your mind. While the answer you receive might be simpler than you think, trust your intuition. Cameron warns not to get too caught up in whether or not you’re truly hearing God—whatever reply you hear was sent for a reason.
(Shortform note: Experts explain that writing can help you connect to God and your spirituality because it’s a form of spiritual renewal. They elaborate that writing is a time of reflection that can help you determine whether you’re on a positive, life-enhancing spiritual path, or if there’s something getting in your way. Further, writing gives you a break from your busy day which allows you to get in tune with your actions and intentions—if you feel like your day is lacking meaning or impact, you can alter how you view and spend your time. Finally, writing functions like taking a spiritual breath—it helps you become aware of the divine presence in your body and soul and brings you closer to God.)
3) Solo Adventures—take yourself on at least one solo adventure a week. For example, you can visit a new place, take yourself to lunch, or visit a pet store. Cameron recommends planning these activities in advance so you don’t forget and can look forward to them. Solo adventures are the perfect opportunity to connect with God, receive signs, make personal discoveries, and find creative inspiration.
4) Walks—take a solo walk without any distractions like music or pets, and try to do this at least twice a week for 20 minutes each. This is the best time to be alone with your thoughts and to connect with God. Cameron says that she often goes on a walk with a question or topic to discuss with her God, and by the time she returns, she’s received an answer.
Alone Time Increases Creativity
Psychologists agree that getting out of the house and doing something on your own, like walking or taking an adventure, is excellent for your creativity and well-being. Like Cameron, they explain that taking a question for a walk is a great way to find answers and inspiration that will boost your creativity. And they provide a few suggestions that might make for interesting solo adventures:
Get lost. Usually, when we go out by ourselves, we try to avoid getting lost at all costs. However, experts explain that getting lost and following a new direction can actually encourage you to follow a new creative direction internally as well. You can even write out instructions in advance, such as first turn right, then take the second left, and explore the first open area you see.
Go on a treasure hunt. This is a great way to have fate guide you to some unknown destination. For example, you can do an alphabetical hunt in nature, looking for something starting with “a” and going down the alphabet. Or, you can do a wabi-sabi-inspired hunt—search for things that have gotten more beautiful through age and wear.
Look for joy while you walk. Like a treasure hunt, keep your eyes open and observe things that give you joy. Maybe it’s a dog running after a ball, a squirrel digging for nuts, or a mother playing with her baby. This can give you a feeling of appreciation for the simple things in life and enhance your creativity.
Now that we’ve explored how to pray, we’ll discuss what you should pray about. Cameron explains that there are two main types of prayers we should recite regularly to most effectively harness God’s creative power: prayers of request and prayers of appreciation. This section will explain what these prayers are and how to practice them successfully.
(Shortform note: In the book, Cameron divides the types of prayers into three categories: petition prayers, gratitude prayers, and praise prayers. For clarity and concision, we’ve rephrased “petition prayers” to “prayers of request” and combined “gratitude” and “praise” into “prayers of appreciation.”)
A request prayer is when you ask God for something: for example, inspiration or a new friend. Cameron explains that request prayers are crucial because they’re how we receive God’s guidance—we ask and listen for the response. But Cameron warns that you must accept God’s response without resistance to increase your creativity and spiritual connection.
Cameron says that you must keep God’s goodwill in mind when you pray—ask God to work with you and through you, rather than for you. For example, you can pray, “please send me a new friend when it’s the right time,” or “please guide me to the career that’s right for me.”
Cameron says that God’s responses can come in many ways, such as a gut feeling, a new opportunity, or an abrupt change—you must listen to the signs and trust your intuition. Sometimes, God’s response won’t be what you wanted or expected, but above all, you must trust God. Cameron stresses that God is benevolent and will guide you in the right direction at the right time.
Trusting Your Intuition
Cameron says that when we ask God for guidance, we must use our intuition to discern God’s response. However, accessing your intuition can often be difficult. Experts provide a few actionable tips to help you connect with your intuition (and in doing so, connect to God).
Don’t mistake fear for intuition. It’s easy to confuse fear and intuition, as they’re both internal instincts that influence your behavior. However, experts typically advise against following fear, since it urges you to protect yourself even if it means compromising your values. To differentiate fear from intuition, listen to your body—do you feel tense, constricted, or panicked? If so, you’re likely following fear. Instead, follow gut feelings of excitement, contentment, and anticipation—these feelings are your intuition.
Practice following your intuition. If you’re not used to listening to God’s guidance through your intuition, start by making small decisions based on your intuition. For example, rather than spending time considering what others will think of an outfit, just pull whatever feels right out of the closet and get dressed. This will help you start to recognize and trust your intuition so that when God sends bigger decisions and opportunities your way, you’re comfortable letting your intuition take the reins.
Take a snap judgment test. Write down a question on a piece of paper with yes or no below it. Go about your business for an hour or so and randomly come back to the paper, read the question, and write your immediate response. Similar to Cameron’s recommendation to ask a question to the page and write the response that you hear, you’re letting God’s guidance flow through you without overthinking it.
While making personal requests to God is most common, Cameron explains that asking God for humility and help with bad moods will also strengthen your spirituality and creativity.
Cameron adds that when you’re denied what you ask for in prayer or don’t receive the answer you want, you must resist the urge to become resentful, disappointed, or frustrated. These negative feelings can weaken your connection with God and your creative energy because you’re resisting the path that’s meant for you. If you find yourself resisting God’s will, you can use another type of request prayer: a prayer of humility.
(Shortform note: In The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale agrees that resisting God’s will decreases your creative energy. While Cameron sees this lack of creative energy as a sign of disconnection from God, Peale argues that people who resist God lose their energy because they choose to waste it trying to force something that would never happen since it’s against God’s will.)
Cameron explains that there are many different formal prayers and informal prayers you can use to ask for humility. For her, the formal Serenity Prayer often helps—“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
(Shortform note: The serenity prayer is an extremely common prayer of humility used in Alcoholics Anonymous. Experts explain that many alcoholics have an extreme need for control that prevents them from achieving peace and sobriety—the serenity prayer is a way of remembering acceptance on a minute-by-minute basis.)
But there are many informal ways of praying for humility. Cameron notes that going into nature is a great way to remind yourself of God’s goodwill and orderly direction. You can observe how the sun and rain feed flowers so they fulfill their purpose of blooming and remind yourself that just like the flowers, God will give you what you need to fulfill your purpose as well.
(Shortform note: In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen recommends a more active strategy to increase your humility. She explains that if you make a point to serve God and others through your actions, you will grow closer to God and be more willing to accept his will when things don’t go your way. For example, when someone is rude or offends you, remain silent and take it rather than fighting back. Further, try reducing egotistical thoughts by identifying them when they happen and humbling yourself instead. Ultimately, you should try to see life from God’s perspective—love everyone and approach them with compassion and understanding.)
Cameron cautions that it can also be hard to accept God’s guidance when you’re dealing with a bad mood. Bad moods happen to everyone sometimes—if you find yourself in a bad mood, you can use a prayer of request to ask for God’s help. Cameron reminds us that God is a friend that’s always listening and supportive.
There are a few ways you can pray for your mood. You can simply check in with God and say, “God, I’m feeling grumpy”—God’s always watchful, helpful, and accepting of your emotions. Or, you can ask for God’s help, saying “God, please help with my mood.” Cameron says that whenever she asks for help with her mood, she always receives a small pick-me-up that she knows is from God. She says to look out for God’s help; it can come in many different ways.
Fixing Bad Moods
While Cameron recommends praying to improve your mood, psychologists explain that there may be more effective methods to climb out of a rut. They explain that there’s often a reason why our moods go rotten and that getting to the bottom of it can make us feel better and prevent the bad mood from returning. They explain that there are a few common causes of bad moods and offer specific strategies we can use to make ourselves feel better:
You’re feeling guilty. Maybe you did something you feel bad about, like forgetting to meet your friend for lunch. Even if you already apologized, reach out and let them know that you’re very sorry and didn’t mean to hurt them.
You have outstanding tasks. Maybe there’s something you need to get done but don’t want to do. Even if you can’t do it immediately, making a plan for when and how you will accomplish the task can make you feel better.
You’re brooding over a past situation. Maybe someone did something yesterday that made you upset and you keep playing it over in your head. Instead, try to remain in the present moment rather than dwelling on the past. A two-minute distraction like doing a crossword or playing a game can refocus your attention on the present.
Prayers of appreciation are when we express gratitude for the things we have, the guidance we’ve been given, and God’s gifts. Cameron explains that these prayers are important because they bring us feelings of prosperity and abundance that will attract even more positivity and abundance back to us. She elaborates that praying about the things you appreciate helps you believe in the innate goodness of the universe, and the more positive your image of God and the world is, the more positivity and goodwill you’ll receive.
(Shortform note: In The Secret, Rhonda Byrne explains that this premise is called the Law of Attraction: the energy you emit into the universe will be returned to you. But while Cameron says that practicing gratitude will help improve your life and creativity, Byrne emphasizes that not practicing gratitude will actively set you back in life. She elaborates that if we want something new but aren’t grateful for what we already have, we’ll end up emitting negative emotions like a sense of lack, envy, self-pity, or resentment (often unknowingly). Consequently, we’ll attract negativity and stagnation into our lives.)
To begin expressing your appreciation through prayer, Cameron suggests observing the beauty of nature. When you observe nature—green grass, vicious snow storms, rumbling rivers—you often enter a state of awe. Cameron says that awe is a great starting point for prayer. Use the energy of awe to express your gratitude for God’s beautiful gift of nature.
(Shortform note: Cameron says that nature can increase your creativity by providing a topic for appreciation prayers. However, other experts explain that nature can increase your creativity alone—without having to pray. They explain that walking in nature can decrease stress levels and rumination while increasing positive emotions and attention—these physiological changes are the brain's natural way of recovering the prefrontal cortex. And when our prefrontal cortex recovers, we get bursts of creativity, problem-solving, and feelings of well-being.)
Once you’re in the practice of expressing your appreciation, Cameron recommends tying a few specific topics into your regular prayers of appreciation: other people, miraculous events, and experiences of serendipity.
Cameron recommends regularly expressing gratitude for the people in your life. These people can be casual acquaintances or your intimate support system. Ultimately, she says that God sends people into your life for a reason. For example, maybe the cashier at the grocery store this morning complimented your eyes and changed your mood from bad to excellent. You can thank God for that person.
Cameron adds that it’s especially important to express your appreciation for the intimate support system of people in your life—the group of people that you’ve chosen as your family. Some may be from your biological family, and some may be people you’ve met in different stages of your life. These people all have unique gifts that have helped you grow as a person, and they’re people that you can always turn to for support or advice.
(Shortform note: In How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Dale Carnegie says that in addition to praying on your gratitude for others, you should show your gratitude to them as well. Acting on your gratitude will help train your brain to be more thankful all the time. For example, you could surprise your local barista with a small Christmas gift to show your appreciation, or write a handwritten note to each member of your support system telling them how important they are to you and what you find amazing about them.)
Further, Cameron says that you should thank God for miraculous events—experiences that teach you an invaluable lesson or change how you see the world. While it might be easier to identify positive events that have helped you grow, Cameron notes that miraculous events can be tragedies sometimes as well.
She elaborates that tragic events often represent significant milestones in our lives. For example, many people have had life-changing epiphanies after traumatic events like losing a loved one, going through a breakup, or becoming seriously ill. Cameron explains that even when we struggle, God provides guidance to help us in the right direction. Cameron recommends writing about an experience that hurt you—what happened, how did you feel, what did you learn from this experience, how did God help or support you, and what can you be grateful for?
Stoic Problem-Solving
Cameron explains that appreciating miraculous events—good and bad—will help you uncover the lessons and inspirations sent by God. However, when a traumatic event happens, it can be hard to immediately look for the positive side of things. Luckily, in The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan Holiday explains that the Ancient Greek Stoics’ problem-solving mindset can help you see the positive side of any situation while avoiding the stress and anxiety that come with seemingly “bad” experiences—ultimately allowing you to uncover God’s guidance as the event unfolds and helping you better understand God’s will.
We can condense Holiday’s perspective on the Stoic problem-solving worldview into two basic truths: (1) no event is inherently good or bad, and (2) you can choose to see every problem as an opportunity. He elaborates that if you interpret all events neutrally, you’ll avoid the anxiety and negative emotions that “bad” situations tend to bring. Then, the absence of negative emotions will give you a higher capability to learn from and overcome the obstacle. If you’re able to change your mindset to integrate these two truths, you’ll have a clearer perception of God’s gifts and guidance when trying events occur.
Finally, Cameron recommends thanking God for experiences of serendipity—when things in your life seem to randomly fall perfectly into place. For example, imagine you decide that you want to learn to sing but can’t find an available teacher in town. The next day at the grocery store, you reach for the same carton of milk as a stranger who you learn is a singing instructor, and she invites you to her last open lesson. Cameron says that these events are acts of God—God’s always listening and will send you exactly what you need at the right time.
(Shortform note: In The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck echoes Cameron’s point that acknowledging moments of synchronicity and serendipity is key to finding grace, or in other words, recognizing God’s gifts. Unlike Cameron, he adds that dreams can also be serendipitous gifts from God—sometimes we may receive warnings, guidance, or confirmations in dreams that we find to be accurate and helpful in the waking world. Further, if you ever find yourself doubting God’s presence, Peck says that you can use these dreams as evidence that God is always watching and helping.)
Cameron explains that once you’ve found and connected to your God, you should absorb God’s messages, gifts, and signs and channel them into your creative endeavors. This section will lay out Cameron’s recommendations for how to fuel your creativity through spirituality.
Cameron says that above all, you must maintain your faith in God and the future. When you believe that the future will be good and that God will guide you in the right direction, your creative work will flourish. Cameron says that your faith will provide answers when you need them and ideas when you lack them—all you need to do is ask God and have faith in the signs you receive. Faith is the foundation of creativity, and without it, you’ll struggle.
Cameron adds that a crucial way you can show your faith is to regularly dedicate time to your creative endeavors, even if you don’t know what you want to create. If you have faith and ask for God’s help, ideas will come to you as you work. She adds that when she asks God for guidance on what to write next, she’s often directed just to write. As she begins, she feels God's creative power flow through her and ends up satisfied with the result. So pick up your paintbrush, instrument, or tools, set to work, and listen for God’s signs.
The Ingredients for Creative Success
In The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale agrees with Cameron that having faith and dedicating time to your endeavors are vital ingredients for creative success. However, he adds an important third ingredient to this formula that Cameron doesn’t discuss: knowing what you want.
Peale explains that while committing your faith and time will allow you to overcome obstacles and achieve tremendous things, a lack of clearly defined goals will send you in circles without a satisfactory end result. For example, you may know that you want to paint, and you may put time and faith into your painting, but you should ask yourself why you want to paint in the first place—is it to acquire new skills? To overcome trauma? To open your own gallery? Without having a clear goal in mind, your work may become meaningless and unfulfilling. And in the end, these emotions can take a toll on your creativity.
Similarly, Cameron warns that when you’re facing a “creative block,” it’s often an issue of faith—instead of trusting the process, you believe that you lack good ideas, that ideas won’t come, or that others can do it better. If you let yourself continue down this path, you’re likely to end up in despair—the total opposite of faith.
If you reach a point of despair, you ignore the positive things in life, focus on the negative things, and see more negativity coming your way. You become resentful toward life and God and ultimately block yourself from creativity.
The Risks of Losing Faith and How to Restore It
In The Secret, Rhonda Byrne elaborates on Cameron’s point, explaining that losing faith and wallowing in a negative mindset not only diminishes your creativity but also attracts negativity into your life. When you lack faith and start thinking thoughts like “someone else is better than me,” or “I can’t do that,” your negative thoughts are emitting a negative frequency that the universe will return to you. In other words, if you tell the universe that you can’t do it, the universe will believe you, and reality will start to reflect that belief.
Byrne also provides a few recommendations for how you can quickly turn your negative thoughts into positive ones and restore your faith:
Close your eyes, relax, and smile for at least one minute.
Make a list of thought lifters that you can reflect on: for example, storms on the ocean, puppies playing, and traditional dancing. When you feel down about yourself or about life, reflect on a few things from the list and focus on how they make you feel.
Cameron explains that God provides multiple forms of inspiration if we’re able to recognize them. As we discussed previously, God’s gifts include experiences of serendipity, miraculous events, other people, and even the beauty of nature.
Reflect on the recent gifts God has sent you and consider what you could learn from them—have you made a discovery about nature, about people, about a certain topic, or even about yourself? Have any of these gifts encouraged you to pursue a new creative endeavor? Is there anyone you know who specializes in a topic you’re interested in or who you think could help you develop an idea?
Cameron explains that you should always be on the lookout for signs of inspiration and keep these questions in the back of your mind—sometimes God’s signs are big and flashing, pointing you in a very obvious direction, but other times they’re subtle and only obvious if you’re looking for them.
(Shortform note: Many experts claim that a helpful way to identify opportunities and inspiration in life (what Cameron calls “God’s gifts”) is to cultivate a pronoia mindset. Pronoia is the opposite of paranoia—the belief that the universe and everyone in it are conspiring in your favor. When you believe that there’s some magic force turning the gears of life in your favor, you can more easily recognize opportunities and inspirations because you’re expecting them. You can start to develop a pronoia mindset by not taking offense to things, avoiding negative conversations, and always believing that something amazing is waiting for you right around the corner.)
Cameron says that taking good care of yourself and treating yourself sometimes can boost your creativity. Take care of yourself by removing unnecessary anxieties from your life, having reasonable expectations for yourself, trusting yourself, and doing your best. For example, don’t force yourself to do housework on your days off unless you’re feeling up to it—doing so may cause unnecessary stress that will hinder creativity. If you think a personal goal or deadline you’ve set is stressing you out, extend your deadline or break your goal up into a few smaller pieces.
She adds that treating yourself can make you feel more creative as well. For example, you could make your favorite dessert, get your nails done, or take a trip to the beach. Cameron adds that this is also partially the point of solo adventures—to be on your own doing something you enjoy without any stress or expectations.
(Shortform note: In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown seconds Cameron’s point, explaining that play (treating yourself) and rest (removing anxieties) are necessary ingredients for creativity. She defines play as engaging in activities for no other reason than to enjoy yourself, and she defines rest as getting the proper amount of sleep and time away from external pressures. She explains that the combination of play and rest increases your empathy, ability to navigate social situations, and overall happiness, in turn, increasing your creativity. If you lack adequate play and rest, not only will your creativity decline, but you’ll also increase your risk of depression, drowsiness, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.)
Last but not least, Cameron says you must create a regular prayer routine to maintain your spirituality and creativity. You should continue your routine of writing Morning Pages and writing for guidance every day, taking solo adventures every week, and going on walks twice a week, but you should also create your own routine for prayer.
Cameron recommends praying every night as a starting point. However, she emphasizes that prayer is a unique experience, and you should do what’s right for you—maybe you pray when you wake up, before or after you eat, or just whenever you feel the urge. Follow your instincts, but make sure prayer is a daily occurrence in your life.
(Shortform note: While Cameron explains that you should pray every day to increase your creativity, psychologists add that praying daily also increases your overall well-being. A Harvard study found that young adults who pray daily tend to have lower levels of depression and higher levels of life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive affect, compared to participants who never pray. And research on mental illness recovery has found daily prayer is a major part of the recovery process for many patients. So while praying will increase your creativity, it can also improve your mental health and happiness.)
Cameron explains that the first step in your spiritual journey should be coming up with your image of God. If your image of God isn’t an entity you can trust and love, it’ll be difficult to reach your full creative potential.
Describe the image of God that you grew up with, or that is dominant in the society that you live in. List the characteristics that describe this God—its appearance, attitude, behavior, name, and so on.
Describe how you feel about this God—what characteristics do you like and dislike? If there are any aspects of this God that you strongly disagree with, explain what they are and why.
Now describe your ideal image of God. If it has a physical form, what does it look or smell like? If it has a voice, what does it sound like? What are the characteristics of its personality? How would you feel if you were in the presence of this God?
Cameron explains that writing a question down and then writing whatever response comes to mind is one of the most effective strategies she uses to receive God’s guidance. Use this technique to ask your God for help with something that you’re struggling with in your life.
Think about something you need guidance on in your life—for example, you can ask what to do about a certain relationship, whether you should give up on a project you’re working on, or what you should work on next. Write your question below.
Now read your question back to yourself and write whatever advice or solution comes to your head.
Read your responses to the previous question. In the box below, make a list of anything that doesn’t sound right or that you still have questions about. Once your list is complete, take each question to a new page and follow the same process of writing whatever answers come to mind.