What We Ache For: Creativity and the Unfolding of Your Soul
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Review
"Mountain Dreamer's deceptively simple writing style makes major creativity aids accessible to a wide variety of readers."--Booklist
Product Description
"The creative process," Oriah Mountain Dreamer says, "is essential to human nature." It is essential as spirituality and sexuality, and in fact all three are deeply intertwined. What We Ache For (taken from the second line of the poem, The Invitation) is a practical book allowing readers to embrace the urgency and necessity of their creativity - whether their medium is painting, sculpture, dance, or music. Oriah's passion is writing, and it is that talent that informs the book and its exercises - but the exercises provide readers with a new way to approach their own passions. Following Oriah through this journey, readers learn how to fully embrace their artistic selves as well as forging a new spiritual path. What We Ache For is the practical thread that ties all of Oriah's previous work together - and allows reader to fully participate in an inspiring and revelatory way.
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First Sentence
We ache to touch intimately what is real, to find the marriage of meaning and matter in our lives and in the world. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
We ache to touch intimately what is real, to find the marriage of meaning and matter in our lives and in the world. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The subtitle of this book is: 'Creativity and the Unfolding of Your Soul'. I would add a second subtitle along the lines of: 'What it takes to live a creative life with authenticity and productivity'.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer is well known as a spiritual writer. Her previous books have presented reflections on the path of personal and spiritual development. In this one, for the first time though, she explores what it is to be a writer and the ways in which being a writer can move you along the path of personal and spiritual development.
In some ways you could liken the book to Julia Cameron's classic The Artist's Way. It offers ideas for contemplation and various writing exercises at the end of each chapter. What's different, though, is that Oriah Mountain Dreamer's writing is deliciously poetic and her style more open, more musing... "The artist's life is simply an ordinary human life that is consciously choreographed to support ongoing creativity in both you and those around you."
If you dream of writing and are looking for a book that offers a mixture of practical common sense and creative inspiration, this could be just the ticket for you!
Oriah Mountain Dreamer is well known as a spiritual writer. Her previous books have presented reflections on the path of personal and spiritual development. In this one, for the first time though, she explores what it is to be a writer and the ways in which being a writer can move you along the path of personal and spiritual development.
In some ways you could liken the book to Julia Cameron's classic The Artist's Way. It offers ideas for contemplation and various writing exercises at the end of each chapter. What's different, though, is that Oriah Mountain Dreamer's writing is deliciously poetic and her style more open, more musing... "The artist's life is simply an ordinary human life that is consciously choreographed to support ongoing creativity in both you and those around you."
If you dream of writing and are looking for a book that offers a mixture of practical common sense and creative inspiration, this could be just the ticket for you!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found myself needing some help in moving forward with my artwork and came across this book. Oriah Mountain Dreamer has deeply explored the subject; a well-written book. She provides thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter to assist in exploring what holds us back from engaging more creatively in our chosen field, whether through writing, music or painting. Well worth reading/ working with. Recommended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
9 reviews
48 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Searching to improve creativity
7 April 2005
Format:Hardcover
In her latest book, the author of "The Invitation" encourages readers - no matter their form of creativity - to look deep into themselves to do what they ache to really accomplish. She proposes by searching our soul, our creativity improves, freeing us.
Each chapter shows the reader how Oriah came to these things herself. At the end there are three types of exercises. There is thinking, how, and doing. Some of these I have seen in other books on writing, but the author acknowledges each of us has our own path to unfolding our souls. By doing so, we are able to delve deep within, create, and share.
I really would have loved to give this book the top rating, but I couldn't. To be honest, I felt the author spent too much time discussing her own journey into searching for what she aches for rather than concentrating on helping the reader discover their own way. As a reader if you are wanting a spiritual book on how creative work unfolds the soul - as the title implies - you may wish to look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are looking for ways to think and work on your creativity to accomplish goals, this might be the book for you and I recommend it highly.
Each chapter shows the reader how Oriah came to these things herself. At the end there are three types of exercises. There is thinking, how, and doing. Some of these I have seen in other books on writing, but the author acknowledges each of us has our own path to unfolding our souls. By doing so, we are able to delve deep within, create, and share.
I really would have loved to give this book the top rating, but I couldn't. To be honest, I felt the author spent too much time discussing her own journey into searching for what she aches for rather than concentrating on helping the reader discover their own way. As a reader if you are wanting a spiritual book on how creative work unfolds the soul - as the title implies - you may wish to look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are looking for ways to think and work on your creativity to accomplish goals, this might be the book for you and I recommend it highly.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Great Concept and Exercises, but Difficult to "Translate"
13 Jan 2006
Format:Hardcover
As someone who is lucky enough to make my creative work my life's work, I was very interested to see what this book had to say. The concept of being true to one's creative process is important to me and I liked the idea of this book, but the execution was somewhat lacking. The narrative was interesting, but often I had a hard time connecting with her experiences and translating them to my life. The exercises at the end of each chapter, however, were very useful and thought-provoking. A good book to help restart or rejuvenate anyone's creative process, and an interesting way to look at what creativity means in a person's life.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Muse
18 July 2006
Format:Hardcover
One of the problems for an artist who wants to develop his or her creativity is knowing what creativity is. Some hope to lure a bolt from the blue that will change their view of the world. What they are probably looking for is inspiration.
Most of the books on creativity don't even notice the difference between creativity and inspiration. Add to that that many of the creativity books seem to believe that artists are not creative because of psychological hang-ups and you begin to see the problems an artist may have in working on creativity.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer is a writer who also has spent time as a facilitator and workshop instructor. I was a little reluctant to read this book because the title sounded so mystical. Well, the book is a bit mystical because the author believes in the strong connections between our sexuality, spirituality and creativity. But, surprisingly to me, the book is filled with practical information to help artists explore their creativity.
To the author creativity is finding the way to look at what we know from a new direction or without our preconceived notions. Or to quote a wonderful expression that overuse has turned trite, "thinking outside the box." It means trying to expand the way we see the world, by exploring our experiences at a deeper level, or even more playfully. For example she describes seeing a sign saying "Angels Flight Railway" and wondering where angels would flee and what they would be fleeing from. The author doesn't give us a key to a door in our mind but suggests that we may be able to find a lever.
The book is full of good practical advice, like telling the artist to find a special place to do his or her work, or learning to put aside time that is unscheduled. Some of these elements seem obvious but for me it was useful to hear her suggestions.
Each chapter includes exercises to do. The reader may shy away from them, but they are worth trying. Thinking about which year of your life you would wipe out and why and what the effects would be can provide you with an insight into yourself that can help you shape your art.
This is not a great book, but it is full of useful, practical advice. The artist in search of improved creativity will benefit from reading it.
Most of the books on creativity don't even notice the difference between creativity and inspiration. Add to that that many of the creativity books seem to believe that artists are not creative because of psychological hang-ups and you begin to see the problems an artist may have in working on creativity.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer is a writer who also has spent time as a facilitator and workshop instructor. I was a little reluctant to read this book because the title sounded so mystical. Well, the book is a bit mystical because the author believes in the strong connections between our sexuality, spirituality and creativity. But, surprisingly to me, the book is filled with practical information to help artists explore their creativity.
To the author creativity is finding the way to look at what we know from a new direction or without our preconceived notions. Or to quote a wonderful expression that overuse has turned trite, "thinking outside the box." It means trying to expand the way we see the world, by exploring our experiences at a deeper level, or even more playfully. For example she describes seeing a sign saying "Angels Flight Railway" and wondering where angels would flee and what they would be fleeing from. The author doesn't give us a key to a door in our mind but suggests that we may be able to find a lever.
The book is full of good practical advice, like telling the artist to find a special place to do his or her work, or learning to put aside time that is unscheduled. Some of these elements seem obvious but for me it was useful to hear her suggestions.
Each chapter includes exercises to do. The reader may shy away from them, but they are worth trying. Thinking about which year of your life you would wipe out and why and what the effects would be can provide you with an insight into yourself that can help you shape your art.
This is not a great book, but it is full of useful, practical advice. The artist in search of improved creativity will benefit from reading it.
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