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fandom4ever's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
The Listening Path is another six-week program book by Julia Cameron. This one focuses on improving one’s skills at listening and keeping your attention. And this doesn’t just mean when you’re communicating with others but also listening to your Environment, Higher Self, Heroes, and to Beyond the Veil, and Silence. The Listening Path is about improving your own life through these things; when you really tune in to the world around you and listen to your heart and others, you can find a more fulfilling and freeing life. I loved the idea of when listening to others we should be mindful of our blinking. If we’re actually involved in hearing what others are telling us, we will blink at regular intervals, while if we’ve tuned out or are just waiting for our turn to speak we will hardly blink as we’ve completely zoned out.
Like the Writer’s Path there is a lot of description of her day to day activities, things her dog is doing, where she’s going out to eat and who’s she’s meeting with that feels unnecessary but overall, I enjoyed the numerous looks at what listening means to people and how it helps us function for a better life. Listening to Others is the longest section in this book but I enjoyed the sections on Higher Self and Silence best. I intend to now try to be more mindful of all forms of listening. This was another good book by Julia Cameron, though this one is probably best borrowed from the library.
melinda_and_her_books's review
3.0
This book was part of the Libro FM ALC program. It is about listening not only to others but to your self and your surroundings. It made me think but it was just okay.
eghimire_'s review
2.0
My favorite part were the quotes on the side. Other than that, I think her main activities of morning pages, artist dates, and walks are the main takeaways. Didn’t need a whole book of pointless stories to tell me that. But here we are.
ninakeller's review
5.0
This book offers three main tools for active listening for discovery, reflection, and insight, as well as a 6-week plan for practicing a disposition of listening. The process of reading it was resonating, peaceful, and empowering, but if you want the tl;dr version I took notes on the morning pages, artist dates, and walks as well as synopses of each of the six weeks~
[]Morning Pages- journal 3 pages every morning “Sending”
[]Artist Dates- “beauty over duty” solo once a week curiosity assigned play (pet shop, bookstore, garden, art supply store, fabric store, theatrical show, bakery, florist, dance class, farm)
“Receiving” alter perspective
[]Walks- 20 minutes, alone, daily
notice surroundings, write an observation and an aha!
*Believing mirrors- people with whom you have mutual trust and emotional support
***Week 1– Listening to our environment
- [ ] Observe & adjust your sonic environment
- [ ] Try: For one day, keep a log of your “soundtrack.” Note your reactions and your discoveries.
- [ ] Try: Quickly jot 3 sounds in your environment that you cannot control. Note your feelings. Think of how you might change or avoid them, beyond simply tuning them out.
***Week 2– Listening to others
- [ ] Practicing listening without interrupting or rehearsing your own response
- [ ] Lots of people only pretend to listen. They are waiting with the intent of what they will reply. This is an attempt to control.
- [ ] Try: Call 3 people daily (!!!) and ask them about themselves. Practice listening this way.
- [ ] Listening to friends as a sorting process: some will be sounder listeners than others
- [ ] Try: For the next week, listen carefully and with full attention to conversations with your friends. You may wish to keep a log of your reactions. Some friends are better listeners than others. Record a note that tells you “good, bad, medium” about your friends’ reciprocity. You are on the hunt for a believing mirror—a friend who reflects back your strength and possibility. Note who leaves you with a feeling of optimism. That person is invaluable.
- [ ] Try: Collect a beloved photo of a beloved. What personality traits are apparent in the shot? Is there a song that resonates with the photo? Buy a card and send it to your beloved. Write: “I heard this song and thought of you.”
- [ ] Many people are lonely. Take the time to place a phone call to a far-flung friend. Be patient and listen to them. Ask them how they are and allow them the time and space to really answer. After the call, mail them a card. Tell them, “I really enjoyed hearing about X. Thank you for sharing that.”
- [ ] Body language, especially eye activity, as indicator of listening
- [ ] Listening to self and intuition also
***Week 3– Listening to our higher self
- [ ] listening to our higher selves. We have all had the experience of knowing something was right for us—or knowing that it was not. The tools of this week will help us learn to tune into that greater, knowing part of ourselves, and to access it whenever we need to—for decisions big or small.
- [ ] Try: Choose a topic on which you need guidance. Pose your question and then listen for a response. Do not discount what you hear as “just your imagination.” After all, your imagination is a wonderful thing.
***Week 4– Listening Beyond the Veil
- [ ] Practicing spiritual openness in connection with ancestors
- [ ] Try: I invite you to try woo-woo. Select a friend or family member to whom you felt particularly close during their lifetime. Ask the simple question, “Can I hear from X?” Be prepared for a quick response that yes, you can hear from X. Listen for what X has to tell you. Very often, you will find it reassuring, as though you were picking up the thread of a cherished conversation. The message may be brief but direct. In all likelihood, it will leave you feeling loved. Thank your correspondent for getting in touch with you. If you wish, promise to be in contact again soon.
***Week 5– Listening to our Heroes
- [ ] Identify your personal heroes, reach out to them.
- [ ] Try: Take pen in hand and address a personal hero. Ask to be guided and write out the guidance that you hear. Do not be surprised by the ease with which guidance comes to you. The listening path builds upon itself. You are led carefully and well.
***Week 6 — Listening to Silence
- [ ] Learn how to create silence around you and gain insight from it
- [ ] Try: Create—or find—the quietest environment you can. Perhaps it is a church or a library. Perhaps it is at home, with devices turned off. Whatever you choose, allow yourself to seek it out—and then enter it. Note your resistance, if you feel it.
[]Morning Pages- journal 3 pages every morning “Sending”
[]Artist Dates- “beauty over duty” solo once a week curiosity assigned play (pet shop, bookstore, garden, art supply store, fabric store, theatrical show, bakery, florist, dance class, farm)
“Receiving” alter perspective
[]Walks- 20 minutes, alone, daily
notice surroundings, write an observation and an aha!
*Believing mirrors- people with whom you have mutual trust and emotional support
***Week 1– Listening to our environment
- [ ] Observe & adjust your sonic environment
- [ ] Try: For one day, keep a log of your “soundtrack.” Note your reactions and your discoveries.
- [ ] Try: Quickly jot 3 sounds in your environment that you cannot control. Note your feelings. Think of how you might change or avoid them, beyond simply tuning them out.
***Week 2– Listening to others
- [ ] Practicing listening without interrupting or rehearsing your own response
- [ ] Lots of people only pretend to listen. They are waiting with the intent of what they will reply. This is an attempt to control.
- [ ] Try: Call 3 people daily (!!!) and ask them about themselves. Practice listening this way.
- [ ] Listening to friends as a sorting process: some will be sounder listeners than others
- [ ] Try: For the next week, listen carefully and with full attention to conversations with your friends. You may wish to keep a log of your reactions. Some friends are better listeners than others. Record a note that tells you “good, bad, medium” about your friends’ reciprocity. You are on the hunt for a believing mirror—a friend who reflects back your strength and possibility. Note who leaves you with a feeling of optimism. That person is invaluable.
- [ ] Try: Collect a beloved photo of a beloved. What personality traits are apparent in the shot? Is there a song that resonates with the photo? Buy a card and send it to your beloved. Write: “I heard this song and thought of you.”
- [ ] Many people are lonely. Take the time to place a phone call to a far-flung friend. Be patient and listen to them. Ask them how they are and allow them the time and space to really answer. After the call, mail them a card. Tell them, “I really enjoyed hearing about X. Thank you for sharing that.”
- [ ] Body language, especially eye activity, as indicator of listening
- [ ] Listening to self and intuition also
***Week 3– Listening to our higher self
- [ ] listening to our higher selves. We have all had the experience of knowing something was right for us—or knowing that it was not. The tools of this week will help us learn to tune into that greater, knowing part of ourselves, and to access it whenever we need to—for decisions big or small.
- [ ] Try: Choose a topic on which you need guidance. Pose your question and then listen for a response. Do not discount what you hear as “just your imagination.” After all, your imagination is a wonderful thing.
***Week 4– Listening Beyond the Veil
- [ ] Practicing spiritual openness in connection with ancestors
- [ ] Try: I invite you to try woo-woo. Select a friend or family member to whom you felt particularly close during their lifetime. Ask the simple question, “Can I hear from X?” Be prepared for a quick response that yes, you can hear from X. Listen for what X has to tell you. Very often, you will find it reassuring, as though you were picking up the thread of a cherished conversation. The message may be brief but direct. In all likelihood, it will leave you feeling loved. Thank your correspondent for getting in touch with you. If you wish, promise to be in contact again soon.
***Week 5– Listening to our Heroes
- [ ] Identify your personal heroes, reach out to them.
- [ ] Try: Take pen in hand and address a personal hero. Ask to be guided and write out the guidance that you hear. Do not be surprised by the ease with which guidance comes to you. The listening path builds upon itself. You are led carefully and well.
***Week 6 — Listening to Silence
- [ ] Learn how to create silence around you and gain insight from it
- [ ] Try: Create—or find—the quietest environment you can. Perhaps it is a church or a library. Perhaps it is at home, with devices turned off. Whatever you choose, allow yourself to seek it out—and then enter it. Note your resistance, if you feel it.
hatrireads's review against another edition
3.0
Read with a group. Good discussions. Builds on her earlier work with morning pages and artists dates.
sheesalt's review
4.0
I think this was a great way to get familiar with work of Julia Cameron. Having not read The Artist Way, I really appreciated the refresher content from her previous work. It was an important foundation for the rest of the book.
caitlin_89's review
1.0
I wanted to read this book because it was mentioned in an article I read recently on creativity. The practice of Morning Pages came up, and I was intrigued. But I just can't. I wanted to stop reading as soon as I started. I made it to page 80 by allowing myself the mercy of skimming, but... It's just so boring.
I realize I'm doing it wrong: it's a 6-week program. I wanted to zoom through and glean. But it reads like a personal diary — and, though I assume it's meant to promote a meditative mindset, comes off like Ms. Cameron loves to hear herself speak. Excruciatingly. Slowly. And with lots of name-dropping. It's like being trapped in a classroom with a self-indulgent old writing professor who loves nothing more than to drone endlessly about her personal life and wisdom with generous numbers of boring little exemplary anecdotes. Perhaps this is unfair. But it's how I experienced this book.
Ms. Cameron also believes in using straight up too many words. In describing an interview with a friend: "John continues thoughtfully"... "John pauses after this confession"... "He comments further"... "John has a final, rueful thought." Again: perhaps this is unfair. How else does one narrate an interview? I don't know. All I know is I hated reading this.
NOTE TO SELF: Since I didn't finish it, I'm not marking dates read to count toward my 2022 Reading Challenge.
I realize I'm doing it wrong: it's a 6-week program. I wanted to zoom through and glean. But it reads like a personal diary — and, though I assume it's meant to promote a meditative mindset, comes off like Ms. Cameron loves to hear herself speak. Excruciatingly. Slowly. And with lots of name-dropping. It's like being trapped in a classroom with a self-indulgent old writing professor who loves nothing more than to drone endlessly about her personal life and wisdom with generous numbers of boring little exemplary anecdotes. Perhaps this is unfair. But it's how I experienced this book.
Ms. Cameron also believes in using straight up too many words. In describing an interview with a friend: "John continues thoughtfully"... "John pauses after this confession"... "He comments further"... "John has a final, rueful thought." Again: perhaps this is unfair. How else does one narrate an interview? I don't know. All I know is I hated reading this.
NOTE TO SELF: Since I didn't finish it, I'm not marking dates read to count toward my 2022 Reading Challenge.
emilyamills's review
3.0
Chapter 2 and 6 were my favorites, and I found them the most practical and valuable.
sarah_grey's review
2.0
I like the idea of morning pages and artist dates. The rest was an echo chamber of ways she gets reassurance that she is a good writer and giving her dog salmon treats.