Heart Steps: Prayers and Declarations for a Creative Life

by Julia Cameron

In this gift-size book, Cameron shares beautiful prayers of empowerment followed by potent declarations on the nature of creativity that extend beyond affirmations to facilitate a powerful awakening of the artistic child within and revitalize fading dreams, while lending encouragement and compelling reminders that we can all tap into the creative spirit. Heart Steps is certain to ignite the creative spark, drawing readers inward toward the fire of their own creativity. Whether read in one sitting or savored over time, Heart Steps is a book no creative being will want to be without. Index.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Art, Prayer

126 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 1997

About the author

Julia Cameron has been an active artist for more than thirty years, with fifteen books (including bestsellers The Artist's Way, Walking In This World and The Right to Write) and countless television, film, and theater scripts to her credit. Writing since the age of 18, Cameron has a long list of screenplay and teleplay credits to her name, including an episode of Miami Vice, and Elvis and the Beauty Queen, which starred Don Johnson. She was a writer on such movies as Taxi Driver, New York, New York, and The Last Waltz. She wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning independent feature film, God's Will, which premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival, and was selected by the London Film Festival, the Munich International Film Festival, and Women in Film Festival, among others. In addition to making film, Cameron has taught film at such diverse places as Chicago Filmmakers, Northwestern University, and Columbia College. Her profound teachings on unlocking creativity and living from the creative center have inspired countless artists to unleash their full potential.

Reviews

[Karen Shipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prayers of empowerment about creativity and love with quotes from many others. A nice start to your day.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been read one prayer each morning for the past few months. I also have read most of her other book 'The Artist's Way' a few years ago and did the full program with all the exercises, including morning pages. I don't have time anymore to do morning pages before work but my current morning ritual is just as satisfying when I read inspirational material such as this little book. Although I would say sometimes the prayers started to feel the same. My favorite was 'Creativity is my Birthright' which led off with a quote from Nelson Mandela - "We were born to make manifest, the glory of God within us", and contains this thought..."life is energy, pure creative energy. It is my birthright to co-create my life and my experience." And to that I can give a resounding - ‘Amen!’

[Bonita Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

a library find earlier today... a pocket size little daily dose of inspiration fr none other than Julia Cameron!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I refer to this book all the time. It has great affirmations. These are things I already know, but somehow forget in the thick of challenges. These reminders keep me moving forward.

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouragement for living the creative life.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

another helpful viewpoint

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will add this selection to a growing column of books I wanted to love but could not fully embrace. Julia Cameron is great and inspirational to my journaling but the book cover’s promise of “creativity and empowerment” was unfulfilled for me. Taken as a whole, this body of work presents two concerns. First, the repetition of declarations and content. Second, the use of “spiritual realms, scientific inquiry, and the source of creative endeavor” on the book flaps but then the sole and overt inclusion of “God” in the prayers and declarations. Rather than feeling ignited or nourished, I felt religiously triggered based on my conservative religious upbringing.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sort of a mix affirmation/prayer book with thought provoking and affirmative meditations. I've gone through it once as a daily practice, and will probably go through it again -- and then likely focus on some of the declarations as "spot treatments" for areas that bother me. Sometimes comforting, sometimes it blew my mind, some days I lifted statements out to ponder or repeat and savor. Mostly a fairly open god concept that works for me! Indeed, mostly spiritual not religious and that works for me!

[Ginette DiDomenico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

Beautiful encouraging balm for unsettled days. Many times it was the needed prayer for the day and reset my train of thought to encourage love not fear and to tap into my creativity bringing hope and life.

[Lee Ann Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely and empowering. Cameron's prayers and affirmations are packed into small packages, easily absorbed and wonderful.

[Jean-Sylvain · Rating 5 out of 5]

In times of ordeal, this book act as a compass.

[Jennifer Talarico · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart opening book and an inviting way to start the day.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a little book of declarative prayers for those looking for spiritual and creative affirmation. Each page has an inspirational quotation and a brief prayer to say aloud. Although Cameron often references "God," her concepts are broad enough for people from a variety of backgrounds/faiths to feel comfortable with this text. And, whether or not you believe the prayers call forth spiritual aid/universal energy, the text can be used as a daily exercise in positive reinforcement. Cameron herself encourages the reader to seek their own conclusion: "(The creative power of the word) is a stairway to higher consciousness as well. I do not ask you to believe this. Instead, I ask you to experiment and see for yourself whether this is true" (page x).

For some, this book may be as profound/substantive as an internet meme, but there are a handful of concepts she touches upon that interest me. Some of these include viewing money as "supply," releasing others from our preconceived notions about their path through life, and the flexibility of time. My favorite is "gathering your horses" for a creative project. In this illustration, the horses represent our creative energy and, when scattered, we aren't able to produce/progress. In this sense, the text acts as a collection of mantras that allows us to focus (draw together our horses) and consciously release negative or self-defeating thought patterns so that our creative energy isn't hindered or diluted.

This is a good book for those wanting to improve their confidence and influence their perspective in positive ways with short exercises.

[Naturegirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I'd really hoped for more, considering this was coming from the author who wrote The Artist's Way. The book is a collection of affirmations, spiritual sayings you could repeat or verbalize, to encourage the heart...but most of them were lacking luster for me personally. Although a good idea in theory, I probably won't read the rest of this series.

[Sanna]

Rich affirmations from which she attributes her creative life.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this little book full of prayers and declarations. I read every one out loud and always felt uplifted after doing so.

[Barbc]

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