Julia Cameron - The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart

Also by Julia Cameron

NONFICTION

The Artists Way

The Artists Way Morning Pages Journal

The Artists Date Book

(Illustrated by Elizabeth Libby Cameron)

The Right to Write

God is No Laughing Matter

Supplies

(Illustrated by Elizabeth Libby Cameron)

God is Dog Spelled Backwards

Heart Steps

Blessings

Transitions

The Artists Way at Work

(with Mark Bryan and Catherine Allen)

Money Drunk, Money Sober

(with Mark Bryan)

FICTION

The Dark Room

Popcorn: Hollywood Stories

PLAYS

Public Lives

The Animal in the Trees

Four Roses

Love in the DMZ

Avalon (a musical)

The Medium at Large (a musical)

POETRY

Prayers for the Little Ones

Prayers for the Nature Spirits

The Quiet Animal

This Earth

(also an album with Tim Wheater)

FEATURE FILM

Gods Will

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

375 Hudson Street

New York, New York 10014

First trade paperback edition 1997

Copyright 1996 by Julia Cameron

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

Lyrics to My Green Heart, In the Center of Your Heart, Just Trust Your Heart, and Avalon copyright Julia Cameron, 1996. Avalon music and lyrics copyright Julia Cameron, 1996. All rights reserved.

TarcherPerigee with tp colophon is a registered trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

Ebook ISBN 9781101666821

The Library of Congress has cataloged the paperback edition as follows:

Cameron, Julia.

The vein of gold: a journey to your creative heart / Julia Cameron.

p. cm.

ISBN 9780874778793 (pbk.)

1. Creative abilityProblems, exercises, etc. 2. Self-actualization (Psychology)Problems, exercises, etc. 3. Inner child. I. Title.

BF408.C177 1996

153.3'5dc20

Cover design by Mauna Eichner

Cover illustration: Waterfall by Yanagisawa Kien (17041758), eighteenth century, color on silk, 96.1 cm x 35.4 cm. Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

Version_2

This book is dedicated to

Domenica Cameron-Scorsese,

my artist-daughter,

and

to the creative spirits

of her beloved grandparents:

James William Cameron,

Dorothy Shea Cameron,

Luciano Charles Scorsese,

and Catherine Cappa Scorsese,

whose artistry

runs in her veins.

For their help in incubating and supporting my work, I would like to acknowledge the following people:

First of all, I wish to thank Mark Bryan for his innovative thinking, compassionate teaching, and creative support. He has been for me a believing mirror.

Additionally, I want to thank the Cameron clan, especially Elizabeth Cameron-Evans, for her artistry and inspiration.

The Cameron clan: Mom, Dad, Connie, Jaimie, Libby, Chris, Lorrie, Pegi, for their artistry and inspiration.

And then, my soul clan:

Mitchell Canoff, for his eye and his I.

Rosario Carelli, for the drumbeat of his consciousness.

Armando Casillas, for his travels and sense of direction.

Alexander Cassini, for his eyes and ears.

Miel Castagna, for her fiery heart.

Jim Casteel, for his experienced ears.

Sonia Choquette, for her wisdom and generosity.

Kathy Churay, for her help and clarity.

Jay Cocks, for his I and his eye.

Richard Cole, for his chivalry and creativity.

Mauna Eichner, for her incomparable eye.

Rhonda Flemming, for her festive friendship and inspiration.

Natalie Goldberg, for her example and generosity.

Rosemarie Greco, for her wisdom and warmth and music.

Erin Greenberg, for her deft, intuitive, and intelligent support.

Jennifer Greene, for her artful heart.

Gerard Hackett, for his friendship, logic, and loyalty.

Martha Snyder Hamilton, for her friendship and gentle guidance.

Pam Hogan, for her courage and spiritual generosity.

Anthony Hopkins, for his spiritual and creative principles in action.

Michael Hopp, for his healing music.

Elberta Honstein, for her lantern heart.

Be Hubbard, for her compassionate help.

Ezra Hubbard, for his creative help and spirit.

Jo Ann Iannotti, for her I and her eye.

Aloma Ichinose, for beauty and the eye of the beholder.

Chris James, for voicing peoples dreams.

Ellen and Derek Jameson, for their kind and festive hearts.

Jan Johnson, for her editorial guidance.

Arnold Jones, for his wisdom, wit, and compassion.

David Koral, for service above and beyond the call of duty.

Bill LaVallee, for his irreverent spirit.

Michele Lowrance, for her clarity and creativity.

Laura Leddy, for her loving friendship and fine mind.

Larry Lonerghan, for his kindness and insight.

Ellen Longo, for spiritual (and fiscal) clarity.

Howard Mandel, for his vision and commitment.

Billy May, for blazing a trail of (grace) notes.

Julianna McCarthy, for her fire and her ice.

Joseph McClellan, for his sublime ears and a musical heart.

Kekuni Minton, for living sound, body and mind.

Karma Nabulsi, for her spiritual hospitality.

James Nav, for his art and his heart.

John Newland, for his passionate clarity.

David Nichols, for his discerning heart and art.

John Nichols, for his art and his example.

Al Okas, for excellent ears and generous guidance.

Birgitta Royall. Name tells all.

Susan Schulman, my beloved friend (and agent), for her discernment, acuity, compassion, and vision.

Martin Scorsese, for his creative DNA.

Gayle Seminara, for her dynamic leadership and artistry.

Sambhu, for his compassion and music.

Tami Simon, for her service to the healing world of music.

Terrell Smith, for her compassionate heart.

Jeremy Tarcher, my beloved friend (editor and publisher), for his inspired guidance and artists soul.

Jo Dean Tipton, for her creative example and loving heart.

Ed Towle, for his friendship, compassion, and creativity.

Jenny Trindel, for her support and calm administration.

Patrick Tully, for his protective and artistic heart.

Chris Vinella, for his friendship and artistry.

Dori Vinella, for her friendship and spiritual support.

Robert Welsch, for his inventive, committed, and creative work.

Tim Wheater, Imagemaker, Magellan, for his mission, his music, and his magic.

Jacqueline Woolsey, for her wit and her witness.

Peter Ziminsky, for his strength, clarity, loyalty, and humor.

Zuleika, for her heart.

Finally, I wish to thank those I have omitted and those who have chosen to help me anonymously.

Wherever you are is