I’m in the perfect cult, hbu?
and NO I'm not talking about Christianity!!! (hahaha just kidding👀…chill…👀)
but for real I have found myself in a cult and I've never been happier.
The cult consists of one leader, though she is not who we worship per se, she is more-so the messenger, and she goes by the name Julia Cameron.
I won't lie I hated her guts when I first decided to join her cult, which promised CREATIVE DISCOVERY & RECOVERY and I hated that just like most other cults she seemed to possess a knowledge and secret key that — though the door was “open” for all to enter — I could not access it. and that’s because I couldn’t mentally GET there you know?
but see the thing about joining a cult is you gotta be ALL in.
there is no room for hateration, holleration or half-assery (or whatever mary j. blige said)
“it's balls to the wall, or it's nothing at all”
-me
the one thing that separates US and THEM, the culties and non-culties, is BELIEF. it is the faith and trust that this thing is going to do what it needs to do.
and in a way we are all in a cult whether we like it or not.
whether it be a cult of thousands or just one, whatever it is that you build your self-concept and views upon is the pillar in which you believe things are or aren't going to happen for you.
if you're in the cult of Victimism (BIG cult, approximately 40 million strong in US/Canada alone according to me and google's scientific calculations) then your dogma is that everything is hard for you, EVERYBODY else has it easier and no matter what you do things just never work out and even if they do work out, it was still just so so so much harder than it would have been for someone else and that sucks!!! you never have nor are you enough. why anybody joins this cult is unbeknownst to me BUT as a Defector myself I hypothesize that most are born into it like I was.
plus, when you think of all the cults in the world that there are to join (including the ones you maybe haven't made up yet!) I fear we are not exercising our use of free will NEARLY ENOUGH by choosing good, fun, whimsy ones!!!!!
Which brings me back to the cult that I'm in now;
I am commencing my final week of a 12-week cult initiation into the one and only: Artist's Way Family
As an initiate about to become a Cameronian I can't tell you how shocking of a journey this has been for me. I purchased The Artist's Way book over 3 YEARS AGO, and whenever I tried to access the knowledge I could not make it past WEEK 1.
But 11-ish weeks ago I knew I was ready to defect from my old cult Hard-Knockism**
I showed up to the pages as a creatively blocked, lost individual with a toxic concept of God and what spirituality could mean for me and am starting week 12 as absolutely NONE of those things.
Since starting my journey here are a few of the many, MANY miracles that have happened for me:
I am CREATIVELY UNBLOCKED
I write 3 pages of literally anything every morning
I go to the gym 3 days a week (I have not been to the gym consistently in many years)
I started gaining followers again (after close to a YEAR of losing them consistently)
I have a relationship with God (and it's NOT the one you're thinking of I promise)
I have created my OWN concept of God, one that is supportive of me as a CREATIVE
I am CONFIDENT
I find synchronicities every day as proof that the universe is supportive of my creativity
I have made music for the first time ever (its on my ipad Garageband app and I love it)
I have dyed my hair HOT PINK (something I've wanted to do foreverr)
I finally am able to take time to rest without feeling so guilty for doing so
I love myself more than ever!
I treat myself ALL THE TIME and enjoy doing so!
I am not concerned with how my content "performs" anymore, I create whatever I feel called to create (and whaddya know, the people love it!!)
I am no longer scared of being the main character haha look at me!!!! (srsly, look)
I have attracted a DREAM opportunity (gotta be quiet on the creek right now but it will be announced in October hehe)
and so much more….. JUST IN THESE PAST 11 WEEKS DUDE.
I'm grateful to myself for never having mailed those nasty letters to Julia in week 1 because by week 3 I was taking it all back.
but enough about me and my cult, what has your cult done for you?
*Cult: Historically, the word "cult" had a completely neutral, academic, and non-threatening meaning. When historians and anthropologists talk about "ancient cults," they are referring to established systems of religious veneration, ritual, and worship, not psychological manipulation. these are the kinds of cults I'm talking about joining, though you are free to do as you please, my hearty!!
**Hard-Knockism: If you're in the cult of Hard-Knockism (another massive, mainstream cult holding millions of people captive across the US and Canada), then your dogma is that everything must be suffered for, value is only earned through blood, sweat, and absolute exhaustion, and if a victory came easy to you, then it doesn't count and you are a fraud!!! Your sacred ritual is the 4:00 AM alarm and competing with your fellow grinders over who slept the least and bled the most, because to you, a smooth road triggers deep, existential guilt. You believe with absolute certainty that anyone who prioritizes their mental health or takes a vacation is just a soft, lazy parasite who hasn't paid their dues, and even when you finally achieve the exact dream life you broke your back for, you aren't allowed to actually enjoy it because resting means you're getting weak—so you immediately find a new, heavier rock to push up a hill because you never have nor are you enough.
