Re-source, Re-Kindle, Re-muse

Ah, my fellow Creative Souls – and we are all Creatives, are we not? Do you feel side-tracked by a global pandemic? Has your quiet, inspirational source been drowned out by the drums of war? Have your bills and fears been piling up so high that you can no longer reach your guitar in the corner of your room?

Each and every crisis is real and requires your attention.  If you, like me, feel overwhelmed, or that you have lost your momentum, you are not alone. While we respond to the world outside of our core, our intuition and inspiration grow ever silent.  We lose our focus on our truth, and we lay fallow and disconnected from our Muse.

I have been in this bereft heart-space quite a few times in my life. Once upon a time, I did not sing a note for almost a full year. But that is a story for another post. The point is, I was able to reclaim my Muse, my purpose and my creativity every single time.  I’d like to share with you some of the practices, both practical and magical, that made it possible.

Fallow and Broken Serves a Purpose

Farmers leave fields fallow so that the land may Rest and Recover from cycles of production. If it seems you are doing nothing creatively, consider that this downtime may be absolutely necessary to your creative process. Several weeks after surgery on my very broken left arm, I was struggling, not only because I could not play guitar, but because I was not inspired to write at all. A friend reminded me that healing often looks like doing nothing. But healing IS doing something.

Clean, De-clutter, Clear

When you are ready, clean and de-clutter your living space, your studio – anywhere you rest and/or create. Enlist help if you need it. Dust, vacuum, donate and trash what no longer serves you.  Then ritually cleanse and clear according to your magical practice. A combination of elemental cues is perfect for rededicating both your physical and head/heart space.

• Black candle (to burn away all that does not serve you)
• White candle (to inspire and kindle the creative spark)
• Cup or cauldron of water (to cleanse and reflect upon your purpose)
• Feather (to lift your consciousness to better hear your Muse)
• Stone or bit of heavy bread (to manifest your creation in the physical plane)
• Picture, statue, or other representation of your Muse

A heartfelt prayer to remind you that physical space IS sacred space, in your own words, or perhaps:

Light the candles, drink the cup
Lift the wings, open me up
Hold the stone, palm of hand
Guide me that I understand

Now, sit in your space, cleared of distractions, and listen for the voice of your Muse.

Who’s Your Muse?

What’s that? You just get inspired, and you’ve never thought about where that spark comes from? This might be a good time to consider working with a Creative Entity. I strongly urge you to be clear about why you create, and then do your research before connecting with a specific deity. I have found that these are some of the more gentle options:

• Brigid
• Nut
• Calliope
• Kokopelli
• Sophia
• Saraswati

The Hindu Deity of music, art, and learning, Saraswati, has long been a force in my own creative path. Ganesh, who removes obstacles, and usually reminds me to get out of my own way, is often my first stop before beseeching Saraswati to open me up. 

Here is a quick story of how I came to work with Nut, the Egyptian Deity of the Night Sky, and the invocation that I wrote. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6bK8x452fM

Social Media Fast

Disconnect. Do it for a day, a week, a month.  Break this habit, and you will find so much more time every single day. De-clutter your TIME and your MIND.  ‘Nuf said.

Change of Environment

If your Muse is still silent and you live in a quiet place, go to a busy coffee shop. If you live in a noisy place, go to the woods. A simple change in environment and the transitions that you experience along the way may trigger unexpected surprises.

Selah is a word found in between each of the Psalms – not as a title or ending, but BETWEEN. Some say that Selah translates to “Amen” or “So be it.” My favorite translation is “Place your attention here,” and “here” is in between all the prayers and activity and teaching. Wherever you go, no matter your environment, seek the liminal and listen in between the spaces. That is where you will find your Muse. That is very often where I find mine.

Play Every Day

15 minutes each day, pick up your pen, your guitar, your clay and PLAY! Don’t think or compare or project into the future. If you really feel blocked, write “I can’t think of a thing to write” and fill the page; or strum the same chord over and over again; or push your thumbprint into the clay, clear it, and do it again. If you happen to create something that makes your heart beat stronger, celebrate that success, set it aside, and continue to play.

Accountability

As you re-establish your connection with your Muse and begin to create purposefully, you may want to build upon your momentum by engaging with your fellow Creatives and your community. Join a group that meets once a month. Connect with an accountability partner for weekly check-ins on your respective projects. Set deadlines on your project so that your community can provide support and encouragement along the way.

I hope that you will find some of these practices useful in re-connecting with your source of inspiration. I would love to hear what has worked for you, and what you might struggle with as a Creative amid so many distractions. You may always reach out to me through mamaginamusic.com or e-mail me at “mnemosyne7 at hotmail.com”.

All photos by Adrien Converse, macrophotograper of water

For more information about Mama Gina, including her collected articles here on Pagan Song, her bio, and links to Gina’s sites on the web, check out Gina’s page on Pagan Song.

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