I have recently read the book: The Goddess Path by Patricia Monaghan. This is a book that was designed to help the reader to help nurture your own connection to the goddess and to share in her wisdom. Within each chapter that is dedicated to a specific goddess there is history about the goddess, myths involving the goddess, invocations for the goddess, ritual suggestions and questions to aid the reader with exploring their relationship with her.
There will be a few blog posts with my personal responses to some of the questions found in each chapter of this book. I urge you to follow along with me as we experience the Goddess within.
The seventh chapter is about The Muses and you can find the questions I will be answering in this post on pages 110 – 111 of the book.
There will be a few blog posts with my personal responses to some of the questions found in each chapter of this book. I urge you to follow along with me as we experience the Goddess within.
The seventh chapter is about The Muses and you can find the questions I will be answering in this post on pages 110 – 111 of the book.
Close your eyes and picture a spot from your childhood that was very special to you. Recall it in as vivid detail as you can. What feelings do you remember having in that special place?
The place that comes to mind is the backyard of the house that we lived in on Nash Road in New Bedford, Massachusetts. We lived in that house from 1969 until 1973 around my sister’s birth. In our backyard we had a weeping Willow tree that had branches that almost touched the ground. Beneath the tree was a metal bench swing. I would play beneath that tree in its shade. The tree was magickal to me and I loved it as much as the stuffed purple bear I had.
Remember what kind of activities you enjoyed a child. Were there types of art that especially called to you? Do you still practice them?
As a child I enjoyed drawing and coloring. I loved singing but once I was taught how to write sentences I began writing stories. In the sixth grade, I must have been around twelve years old I began writing short stories and haven’t stopped since then. Currently I write pagan poetry.
Remember a piece of art you started to create but didn’t finish. Why didn’t you finish it? Where is it now? What happened to make you stop?
Sometimes when I begin writing a story or poetry that I don’t finish it is because something about it doesn’t ‘fit’ right and it frustrates me. Instead of trying to work it to fit I just walk away from it. Usually those pieces end up getting deleted or thrown away.
Make a list of words you associate with the word “artist”. Circle all the negative words. Do you see a pattern in your attitudes? What is it?
Creative, original, imaginative, inspired, muse, inventive, innovative, resourceful, unique, open-minded, flowing, disciplined, irresponsible, non-committed
I generally associate positive qualities with artist other than the irresponsible and non-committed words although I find that these qualities can be positive qualities because the artist is then not stuck or stagnant.
Make a list of artists you admire. What is it about them that draws you? In what ways do you want to be like them?
Luis Royo, Randal Thurston, Jennifer Galasso, Annika Garratt, Jenny Electric, Peter Hollens, Madonna, Diane Sylvan, Sylvia Platt
I think each of these artists are passionate and inspired in their creative endeavors be them in music, painting, writing or dancing. I want to be inspired as they are and move with their muse and not resist.
Think of an artist or performer that you don’t like. Make a list of words describing him or her. Look at that list and imagine those words being applied to you. How do you feel? Why do you feel these qualities are frightening?
I cannot think of one specific artist or performer that I didn’t like. I can think of times when I watched someone or looked at a piece of artwork that I didn't particularly like.
uninspired, stagnant, forced, mechanical, dead, unimaginative, unoriginal, fake.
If any of those words were applied to me I would be crushed. These qualities reinforce the idea that the artist is not inspired and disconnected from their internal source of inspiration or Spirit. I believe that once an artist or performer no longer enjoys what they do or is able to find pleasure in their work - they should stop.
The place that comes to mind is the backyard of the house that we lived in on Nash Road in New Bedford, Massachusetts. We lived in that house from 1969 until 1973 around my sister’s birth. In our backyard we had a weeping Willow tree that had branches that almost touched the ground. Beneath the tree was a metal bench swing. I would play beneath that tree in its shade. The tree was magickal to me and I loved it as much as the stuffed purple bear I had.
Remember what kind of activities you enjoyed a child. Were there types of art that especially called to you? Do you still practice them?
As a child I enjoyed drawing and coloring. I loved singing but once I was taught how to write sentences I began writing stories. In the sixth grade, I must have been around twelve years old I began writing short stories and haven’t stopped since then. Currently I write pagan poetry.
Remember a piece of art you started to create but didn’t finish. Why didn’t you finish it? Where is it now? What happened to make you stop?
Sometimes when I begin writing a story or poetry that I don’t finish it is because something about it doesn’t ‘fit’ right and it frustrates me. Instead of trying to work it to fit I just walk away from it. Usually those pieces end up getting deleted or thrown away.
Make a list of words you associate with the word “artist”. Circle all the negative words. Do you see a pattern in your attitudes? What is it?
Creative, original, imaginative, inspired, muse, inventive, innovative, resourceful, unique, open-minded, flowing, disciplined, irresponsible, non-committed
I generally associate positive qualities with artist other than the irresponsible and non-committed words although I find that these qualities can be positive qualities because the artist is then not stuck or stagnant.
Make a list of artists you admire. What is it about them that draws you? In what ways do you want to be like them?
Luis Royo, Randal Thurston, Jennifer Galasso, Annika Garratt, Jenny Electric, Peter Hollens, Madonna, Diane Sylvan, Sylvia Platt
I think each of these artists are passionate and inspired in their creative endeavors be them in music, painting, writing or dancing. I want to be inspired as they are and move with their muse and not resist.
Think of an artist or performer that you don’t like. Make a list of words describing him or her. Look at that list and imagine those words being applied to you. How do you feel? Why do you feel these qualities are frightening?
I cannot think of one specific artist or performer that I didn’t like. I can think of times when I watched someone or looked at a piece of artwork that I didn't particularly like.
uninspired, stagnant, forced, mechanical, dead, unimaginative, unoriginal, fake.
If any of those words were applied to me I would be crushed. These qualities reinforce the idea that the artist is not inspired and disconnected from their internal source of inspiration or Spirit. I believe that once an artist or performer no longer enjoys what they do or is able to find pleasure in their work - they should stop.
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