 Februray,
2004
 
The Sound of Paper
The Sound of Paper is a
book for artists in midstream; for those who have hit dry patches
and “creative droughts,” as
writer Julia Cameron calls them.
The latest book from the
author of The Artist’s Way focuses
on creativity and art as life process. In essays on topics ranging
from “Befriending Time,” “Remembering Who We
Are,” and “The Longer View,” Cameron deals
with the dailiness, the ongoingness of life as an artist. The
focus, she contends, should not be on the final product, but
rather on simply doing the work with present awareness and attention—that
is what makes an artist truly an artist.
As part of her own personal
and professional life path, Cameron now spends part of each
year in Manhattan and part
of the year
in Taos, New Mexico. Her colorful rendering of the differences
between the two locales informs this book with a potent sense
of the life choices one can make as an artist, choices that are
part of the artist’s freedom. The Sound of Paper reminds
us that we can have that freedom, too.
— Jan Suzukawa
 www.spiritatwork.com
Most of us have to work, but too often
we find ourselves in a sterile, confining atmosphere that can
be both physically and
emotionally draining. Describing itself as “a professional
association for people involved with spirituality in the workplace,” the
Association for Spirit at Work seeks to bring a new sense of
being into our workaday world. The association was founded in
1993 by Judith A. Neal, who formulated the idea at a conference
at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. She discovered that many
attending the conference felt a need to apply more spiritual
principles in the work environment. The organization has now
expanded to several thousand members, with chapters in many other
countries.
The association sponsors meetings throughout the United States
and abroad that encourage companies to apply spiritual practices
at their work sites. These may include meditation, periods of
silence, or other activities that help to deepen the value and
importance of our work. Their website features discussion groups
and articles on the topic of spirituality in the workplace, as
well as information on joining the association.
—
Cliff Johnson
 
Let Go, Let Miracles Happen:
The
Art of Spiritual Surrender
Personal stories are
our most effective teachers. This book is
chock-full of them and that’s the source of its great
appeal. Kathy Cordova starts off by telling her own story of
surrender, which she admits is an ongoing process. She views,
and defines, surrender not as giving in or up, but rather as
a self-affirming, creative response to life’s possibilities.
It’s an approach to living that Cordova says “frees
us from fear and anger, gives us answers to difficult dilemmas,
points us in the right direction, and grants us peace.”
Three basic steps are involved: pray,
let go, listen. “Pray” means
stating our intention, expressing clearly what we want to achieve
or experience. “Let go” means opening up to something
new in our life rather than continuing to expect the same old
thing, and “listen” means paying attention to what
we feel guided to do. Cordova suggests that surrender is easier
to grasp when it’s broken down into four different types,
and her elaboration of these types, using brief stories and
examples, forms the heart of her book. The stories are compelling.
They are what make you keep turning the pages, or to open the
book at random, because you enter into the immediacy and reality
of people living and learning.
Are the things that happen to these
people “miracles”?
If you are not one who resonates to words like miracle and
surrender, then think of this book as being about getting freer.
The stories are powerful proof that every life has amazing
potential.
— Kathy Juline
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