I've settled down into a daily routine here at Anam Cara, which means soul friend in Gaelic. There is no doubt this writer's retreat outside of Eyeries, Ireland on the Beara Peninsula is a place to reconnect with your soul and creative spirit. The book is evolving according to plan. I've rewritten and edited fourteen chapters (stories) so far and now am heading into new uncharted territory. Now the hard part begins!

Anam Cara has met all my expectations and then some. Spent most of the morning writing and transposing journal notes from the past few days and then bike riding down the narrow roads of the Beara way along the ocean. I started at the little village of Eyeries and then headed down the Strand which is a narrow, roughly paved hikers path along the water. I stopped and made a series of photographs along the way. I must scrutinize my subject matter carefully because the landscape is so majestic and photogenic - I'm tempted to make photographs at every turn. When the light is right the Irish landscape glows in a mystic green glow which begs to be photographed and savored.

  

This part of Ireland is enveloped in a mysterious ancient history that teems with a deep spiritual tranquility. The land and the elements force you to slow down and live in the moment.

September 4, 2002 7:30 am

I made my first colored sketch yesterday afternoon. I hope to do one per day. This retreat center is so very conducive for creativity. We have been very lucky with such good weather - sun has been shining since I arrived in Ireland one week ago.

I am making headway with the memoir writing and editing. I'm going to rewrite, revise, edit and tighten my stories in addition to writing new ones. The main agenda for me right now is to slow down and write! Get it all down. I can sort it all out later. One way or the other, I will have something to show for all my efforts and discipline. Yes...writing takes discipline. All art forms take a great deal of inner fortitude and discipline. It is crucial that I allow the writing to evolve - just work at my own pace. I believe the journals themselves are viable forms of writing. The photographs visually compliment my daily observations and introspection's.

Riding around the scenic region of Ireland is so very therapeutic as well. Majestic green hills and mountains surround me as I pedal down narrow country roads, through green meadows accented by purple heather into quaint multi-colored villages. What really makes it nice is the friendliness of the Irish people I meet along the way. Wherever I go I am greeted with a smile and a wave. Every mile or so I have to stop and take photographs of the breathtaking landscape - so lush and green, dappled with colorful little flowers. A sea of glimmering orange, reds and yellows amidst the blanket of lush green. How can I take a bad photograph in such a scenic place as this? Life slows down here as I meander around the Irish countryside. I can feel my natural rhythm changing - what I thought was once important seems meaningless; breathing in the crisp clean air and saturating myself in the visual majesty of these scenic vistas.

I can hear my heartbeat, my breathing, and inner voice. Every once in a while we must step off the train - stop the train - or jump off the train. Whatever it takes to look inward and re-evaluate one's life; goals, objectives, concerns, agendas and dreams. You just may realize those concerns that you hold so dear - those thoughts, dreams, worries and/or desires are needless baggage - dead weight - wasted energy. You can't truly see yourself, your REAL self without stopping the run-a-way train long enough to get off and re-evaluate everything you hold sacred and true in your life.

    

The creative process is supercharged in an environment such as this. No matter what I do or where I go there are creative opportunities to explore. This morning I found myself making photographs of the kitchen table activated in early morning light. Wonderful shapes, shadows and colors created by ceramic plates, bowls and silverware juxtaposed in my viewfinder

Afterwards I experimented with some of my drawings and colored sketches on the computer - experimenting with a variety of digital translations in order to capture what I had initially saw and experienced at the moment I made the drawing.

Angela (writer for the BBC) and I drove to the Stone Circles in Argroom later in the morning. Took some photographs, video and even created a small expressive sketch of the ancient stones in my little blue notepad. These experiences are life changing This region, this landscape is impacting me emotionally and spiritually. The Irish landscape has an ancient soul - its spirit seeps into my heart...my very inner being. It is hard to believe I have only been here a few days. There is so much to write about - photograph - sketch - absorb and see. Ireland is capturing my heart.

Worked on some travel photographs - tweaking them in Photoshop. I also feel like I made some headway rewriting the opening chapter of the Memoir. I feel good about the writing one day and discouraged the next. I'm exploring a variety of creative directions while here at the retreat. It is important for me to keep an open mind and let the writing flow naturally and honestly. After all, I am going to be here a month.

Ireland is a magical place! An ancient place. A place where the standing stones call out to you...their strength and mystery comfort and calm you.

It's a beautiful afternoon here on the southwestern coast off Ireland. Sun is shining while I sit on a picnic table outside O'Donoghue's Bar on the corner of the little town square I am starting to feel good about all of my creative endeavors. The key is to work incrementally - a few disciplined hours each day. Write, photograph, sketch and be open to the creative process. Just let it all evolve naturally.

I really love Ireland. It is like a second home to me. I revised and tightened the opening chapter for the memoir (again) yesterday before riding the 7 kilometers to Castletownbere.

Writing the memoir about growing up in New York is helping me put it all in perspective. I am beginning to accept and synthesize the pains and joys of the past into the core of my being and the writing. It was definitely time for me to jump off the train.

Continued 10:00am Sitting on the Bridge at the bottom of the hill behind Anam Cara.

The sun just broke through the clouds. As Angela the British writer staying at the retreat would say, "Brilliant!" The light makes everything seem better - more upbeat and positive. This is such a wonderful secluded nook I found. There is no doubt that I am slowing down and becoming more "in tune" with myself and the surroundings. I can hear the wind through the trees - the gurgle of the stream as it meanders through the rocks and the constant drone of the waterfall behind me. Yes...this is certainly a magical place a mystical environment embedded with ancient Celtic spirits. Years of anxiety pour out of my body as I sit quietly, reverently and write. Light dances across the little orange flowers throwing shadows across the soggy damp ground.

There are so many creative things I want to accomplish while I am here - yet...right now, all I want to do is sit, gaze at the deep green landscape and BE. Just be still and savor each and every moment I am here in Ireland. Listen to nature's symphony...the wind and water enveloped by the light.

I don't remember experiencing anything so purely relaxing and meditative since my childhood days hiking and fishing in the woods behind my old neighborhood. It's funny that I traveled to Ireland to write about my childhood experiences and this place replicates the inner peace and anxiety free tranquility I experienced as a boy.

It's amazing how the act (process) of writing brings out new thoughts - buried memories deep in my sub-conscience. The memories are all there - it's just tapping into them - letting myself go - finding a special (quiet) place to sit - dream - contemplate and write. The writing itself is a journey towards self-discovery. Sometimes it takes us to places we don't want to go or had completely forgotten about A more sensitive introspective place conducive for building on those little visual nuggets buried in the deep recesses of my brain. The nuggets get bigger and more descriptive as I journey deeper - further into the writing process.

Writing can be draining, emotional and scary at times. There is no road map - no set of directions for how to get to "that place" in your heart, mind and soul. You just have to trust your instincts - your gut and throw caution to the wind and get it ALL on paper - no matter how painful it is. Nobody ever said it was easy being a writer or any type of serious artist for that matter. It takes real courage - inner fortitude to lay it all bare - to explore the deepest places of your soul. It is what one must do to get to the other side.

I find it interesting how location (environment) are major factors (at least for me) in the creative process. When I am home in familiar surroundings I don't always have the passionate desire to create - at least not with the enthusiastic intensity I have here in Ireland. I suppose part of it is being in a new and fascinating almost magical place - the ideas, memories and creative ideas keep coming out of me like a natural spring

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