Monday, July 19, 2010

An Artist Date – Fully Connected

Last week, I wrote about Julia Cameron, author of the Artist Way.   One of the exercises, over all these years, that I avoided like the plague, was the Artist Date.  Always armed with the excuse, not a enough time, blah, blah, blah.  Since my theme over the last few months has been, What If I had NO Excuses, it was time to take that leap and give myself a gift.   After my enlightening encounter in the garden this weekend, I did just that.  Not what I set out to do, mind you, but it turned out to be one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life YET.

Yesterday morning, I grabbed my IPOD, set it on Shuffle, and went out for a walk.  I gave myself a goal to walk just a little further than I normally do.  I set the IPOD on shuffle because sometimes I believe that if I let go of the control (a playlist in this instance) and let “random” things happen, I will learn just a little more.

So, I started off on the walk.  The song that kicked in shortly after I started was “The Twist” by Chubby Checker.  That is one of those songs that ALWAYS makes me want to dance.  At first, I thought, okay run.  I did for only a brief moment when something kicked in and said…NO, just walk.  No attempts at running today.  I noticed a “bounce” in my step, my arms swinging while I snapped my fingers.

As I reached my short walk designation, feeling pretty sassy, as I half walked, half danced my way down the road, another favorite came on:  RESPECT by Aretha Franklin.  That song, carried me right around the corner, and onto a different street.  The next few songs, it felt like anyway, had a least one or two lyrics that seemed to speak to me directly.

Oh, another corner.  As I rounded that corner, another lyric came up, and of course now I can’t remember the song or the lyric, but it was something so powerful, that tears just started rolling down my face.  Here I was, smiling, half dancing, grooving with every step, and tears were gliding down my face.

As I was approaching the end of the block, Wildest Dreams by Tina Turner came on.  I thought, Oh how appropriate.  Perfect for this walking journey I am on.  I am headed for my wildest dreams.  As I looked up, I saw a Dead End sign.  A slight moment of Oh No, which way do I go.  I turned to the left and saw that the streets all curled back to where I just came from.  I turned to the right, and saw a Not a Through Street sign. I stood there for just a moment, listening to the Wildest Dreams and said just go with it, Jules.  I went to the right.  As I got to the point of Not a Through Street, just around a little curve, it was another street, that I hadn’t been able to see from the corner.

Hmm.. I took that new street.  It took me straight out to the park that Little Princess and I have been walking to for about a month.  I had connected. TOTALLY connected.  I had, for the first time, connected with my body (after just writing about how I take it for granted) AND I had connected the two short walks I have been taking for months.  The path came together.  It was a true feeling of being whole.  All three parts merged yesterday.  I was in the zone.  What zone was that?  The I am on my way zone!

I walked a total of 2.4 miles yesterday.  (Yes, I went and drove it afterwards just to see).  I know these words don’t give that feeling justice.  For the first time, EVER, I was present, in the moment, all of me, including the feelings in my body.  Yes, it was a moving experience. (PUN intended)

Tomorrow, I have a special guest post coming up, about Living Actively……But for today, I am off for another walk.

Have you ever had an experience like this?  Please share!