The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, is a non-traditional self help book for anyone who desires more creativity in their life. It isn’t just for writers, painters, and sculptors. It is for anyone who wants to empower their creative side.

The basic tenant of the book is that a person needs to get in touch with themselves in order to be more imaginative. Everyone wants creativity in his or her life. Some of us have just forgotten how to access this inner part. The book helps individuals tap into their inner desires and solutions through writing and other activities.

The writing portion consists of something called “morning pages.” Morning pages are three hand-written pages of whatever comes into your head. Another term would be “brain drain.” These are done first thing in the morning. Morning pages are never shown to anyone, ever. These pages seem silly at first; until you observe the power of them coming into your life.

I am a writer, so of course I expected to see a difference in my writing. This happened as ideas flowed more freely and I became more productive. However, I didn’t expect the morning pages to have an effect on other problems; particularly with managing my time. After writing morning pages for several weeks, it was as if a large log in the stream of my time floated away. I hadn’t even been aware of the log, just that there was a jam somewhere.

Besides morning pages, Julia Cameron uses affirmations, a weekly artist’s date, and other tools to help our artistic souls find their way. She notes at the end of the book that our paths are spiral in nature; like climbing a tall mountain. “As we pursue climbing it, we circle back on the same views, over and over, at slightly different altitudes. ‘I’ve been here before,’ we think, hitting a spell of drought. And, in a sense, we have been. The road is never straight. Growth is a spiral process, doubling back on itself, reassessing and regrouping.” (page 203)

This is a book to confer with over and over again; just like the spiral path. Each time I proceed through its pages I learn more about myself.

Everyone knows, “taxation without representation,” is the rallying cry that caused the American Revolution. Now that we have “taxation with representation,” are we really better off? Do we really have a voice and a way to change how much we are taxed?

Yes we do. We can attend a tea party! Tomorrow, April 15, 2009, there are tea parties being held all over the country to “protest high taxes and fiscal irresponsibility.” The goal is to “put a stop to the excessive debt, spending, and centralization of power by cynical politicians and put forth a clear and decisive alternative.”

You can find out more about a tea party in your area by going to: www.AmericanSolutions.com/TeaParty.