“One reason I don’t suffer writer’s block is that I don’t wait on the muse. I summon it at need.” Piers Anthony

If we were to invite a colleague or other esteemed person to be an honored guest in our home or workplace, there are some things we would probably do; tidy up the place, make it a comfortable to hang out in, have some light refreshments on hand, and perhaps put out some fresh flowers. If that person were someone we wanted to meet with on a regular basis, we would do our best to entice that person into wanting to return.

So it should be with our Muse. She has valuable gifts to share with us and it behooves us to use whatever means we have at our disposal to woo her and charm her into wanting to return, again and again.

Here are some suggestions for you to try. As always, use what works for you and let the rest go.

Create an inviting space in which to meet. Most of all, this space needs to be comfortable. A good chair with adequate light and lighting. An orderly surface is important; a place where you can spread out your work for good overview and perspective. And finally, if at all possible, the space should be protected from other users. This insures that it is available for you at scheduled and unscheduled times, that it is not changed or ‘vandalized,’ (children, as much as we love them, can wreak unintended havoc in a trice), and that the energetic vibration that you create there, remains unaltered. (If it works better for you, your space could also be a favorite café or park bench.)

Schedule protected times in which to meet. These meetings need dedicated and protected blocks of time. This is time that cannot arbitrarily be used for some other urgent or important demand. This is time that you will protect from all usurpers, time that will not be subject to negotiation. And if there is some emergency situation beyond your control that arises and interferes, reschedule this time at the earliest possible date. In addition, protect this time from interruptions so that your creative flow will not be endangered. If your Muse knows that your time with her is honored, she is more likely to show up.

Show up at the required time. Bring your cup of tea or whatever it is that comforts and supports you. It is good to have water to drink. (Keeping up the body’s water level is essential for the body to maintain health and function at maximum efficiency, and increases energy, clarity and a sense of well-being.) Then get comfortable and settle in to work.

Create a ritual space and invite your Muse to join you. Light a candle, put on some music that will inspire but not distract. Breathe deeply. Come to the present. Gather all your worries and concerns and put them in a basket, real or imagined, for a later time. Set your intention for this session of work and visualize the way you wish to see the time unfold. Then, call upon your Muse and invite her in. If you do not yet know her name, ask her to reveal it to you. Visualize her. (At some point, look for pictures that represent her. Put them up in your space.) Ask her for inspiration, clarity, support, and whatever else you need that day to help you. Invite her to participate in conversation!

Reconnect with the work. Each time you leave the work, leave yourself a simple note saying where to begin and perhaps a short list of things to do next. Each time you come back to the work, read your notes. If you are inspired to digress, honor that inspiration. If not, simply pick up where you left off. But above all, Begin!

Persevere. Keep remembering what you are devoted to, what you have dedicated yourself to. (See also Discipline as Discipleship.) This deep dedication is the antidote to our fears and uncertainties. It is the vehicle that carries us through frightening and tiresome landscapes. Remember that through the Laws of Resonance, what we are longing and searching for is also longing and searching for us.

Close your meeting. Leave your work with some notes for yourself about where to begin when you come back to it; an unfinished sentence or paragraph, a short list of to do’s, an inspirational thought or quote.

Say Thank You! At the end of your time, acknowledge your Muse and yourself, and say thank you for what you accomplished that day, whether it seems like a little or a lot. Don’t pass judgment on your project when you are still in the middle of it. Then, predict positive things for your next meeting!

This practice of preparation, protection, dedication and appreciation transforms us from disciplinarians into stewards. It helps us more easily enlist our Muse and quiet our Critics. We become our own best friend and supporter and enter into a cooperative, co-creative partnership with our own best interests at heart.

Here are two inspirational talks that you might find helpful.

Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity

http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

John Cleese on the Origin of Creativity

http://www.openculture.com/2010/09/john_cleese_on_the_origin_of_creativity.html

I wish you well!

© 2012 Anacaria Myrrha ~ All Rights Reserved

 “Self-discipline and contentment are useful.” The Dalai Lama

When we hear the word discipline, the first thing that usually comes to mind is that someone is going make us do something we don’t want to do. Self-discipline often means that we are going to try to make ourselves do something that we don’t want to do.

Our Independent Spirit or Rebel Dragon is immediately on alert and moves into action to prevent this act of will being imposed upon us. We answer email, take out the garbage, feed the cat, get online — anything to keep from doing what someone else (in this case ourselves) has decided we should do. In the process, we lose the power to show up for ourselves. We lose the power to further the evolution and happiness of our piece of the life force with which we have been gifted and for which we are responsible.

Try this. Think of discipline as a derived from the word discipleship, which means to dedicate or to devote oneself to a chosen idea or movement. In this context, we act as free agents making choices about who we are, what we do, and how we do it in order to move toward a higher purpose or goal.

The willingness to discipline ourselves, to dedicate ourselves to a certain behavior, arises from the desire for a particular result or state of being. This willingness is supported by our morning spiritual practice during which we remember what is essential to nourish our lives; where we gather the strength of purpose to persevere. Where we fill our tank, refuel, for the journey of the day.

Self-discipline enables us to choose and work toward what is healthy and good for us and for our work in the world.

Remember, however, to be patient with yourself. Sometimes you will show up and sometimes you won’t. Be kind, be compassionate, but persevere. Keep turning your attention toward that which matters most to you. The rest will fall into its appropriate place, or it will fall away.

Excerpted from An Invitation to An Extraordinary Life
© 2011 Anacaria Myrrha ~ All Rights Reserved

“Happiness is available. Help yourself.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

I recently came across this Charles Darwin quote: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” And it occurred to me that the way for us to move forward in these challenging times is to be open and receptive to new ways of doing things.

Here are a few ideas for us to consider to support that quest.

• Set aside a sacred space at home where, for a few minutes each day, we can connect with our Source. Then, give ourselves the gift of time to do that. Ask for guidance and grace.
• Engage our imagination. Use this time to consider new possibilities – ways to re-balance our lives and shape new opportunities for the future.
• Review our values and priorities to remind us of our path, and the true definition and sources of our wealth.
• Make a list of all our talents, skills and accomplishments to remind us that we are empowered.
• Join or initiate a focus or support group of like minded people with whom we can brainstorm, share ideas and obtain feed-back.
• Do a little house and office cleaning and organizing. Clearing out and ordering our physical environment shifts the energy and makes room for what awaits us.
• Take a walk and take in the beauty of the season. Some of my best ideas have come to me while in motion in fresh air.
• Hold positive thoughts and smile. Research shows that smiling causes positive changes in the body’s chemistry.
• Give thanks. To everyone for everything.

I wish you abundant peace and good health, and a generous sufficiency of all good things. And most of all, the ability to be open, receptive and empowered to change.

As our grandmothers knew, chicken soup has great healing properties. When we are tired or unwell, however, we are sometimes unable to do much in the way of preparing food for ourselves.

This recipe is easy, simple and nourishing. Most of the ingredients can be kept on hand in the pantry, fridge and freezer so that we can easily feed ourselves something good and good for us.

• 1 – 32 oz carton chicken broth (preferably an organic brand)
• 1 cup or less thin carrot slices
• 1 cup or more chopped fresh spinach leaves or arugula
• 1 or 2 chopped scallions
• 1 handful fresh cilantro (if you like it)
• A little lemon juice

Put broth and carrots in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and stir in spinach, scallions and cilantro. Cover and let sit 2 or 3 minutes until greens are wilted. Spoon into a bowl and add a little lemon juice.

Some chicken meat can be added if you wish. If raw, cut into small pieces and add with the carrots. If cooked, cut into small pieces and add with the greens.

Enjoy.

• Slice a some fresh ginger into a pot or cup.
• Pour boiling water over it
• Let it steep 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add fresh lemon juice and honey to taste.
• Drink and enjoy.

Aids digestion and warms the body and soul.

Sometimes all it takes is a change in attitude to deliver us from difficulties.

Some years ago, I found myself in an internal conflict over a situation with one of my  clients. Although I cannot remember what it was about, at that time it was of such importance that it was holding my attention and imagination hostage. What I do remember is, whatever it was I wanted was not available to me at that time.

So there I was, rolling down the freeway in the clutches of the aggravation and attachment to my desired outcome. Having worked myself up into a froth of frustration, I finally remembered I could ask for help.

“Please,”  I assailed my Source, “Help me! I can’t figure out how to resolve this. What am I supposed to do? Give me a sign!”

Just then, my exit presented itself and I as I veered off the freeway and around a sweeping curve to merge into a boulevard of traffic, there to my right was a red and white triangular sign that simply said . . . Yield.

It was another block or two before the full impact of the message blossomed in my mind. Stunned into stillness by the subtle simplicity of its wisdom, I was able to let go of the way I thought things should be and be with the way things were. As my mind floated free from resistance, my whole body relaxed and a sense of relief and hopefulness flooded through me. Yield! Ah so.

To this day, I am unable to remember the factual content of this conflict to include in this story. But as it turns out, the story is not about the content. The story is about the process. Once I was able to yield my position as an opposing force, of pushing against the other person’s position, I was free to consider other possibilities. Those included a number of different solutions and outcomes and also the option of simply waiting until a resolution I hadn’t thought of came my way.

The esoteric science of Alchemy offers us the principle,  “Tertium non datur,” which translates as “The third thing is not given.” I interpret this as meaning that on the level at which a conflict or opposition arises, the solution is not available. One must step aside, yield as it were, to release the pressure of pushing against the other, to release the need to defend or aggress.

This yielding is not a giving up or resigning ourselves to loss or failure. It is a position of fluidity that allows us new perspectives. This in turn allows us to access our Fair Witness, who, free from judgment, is able to entertain all possibilities and who has the broad vision to help us seek a wise resolution.

Once there, we can feel safe enough to open our hearts to compassion, for ourselves and the other, and to access the courage to change. Once there, we can give up our small desires for some larger solution, something with benefit for all.

As we enter the 21st century, riding high on the edge of the Information Age, we find ourselves in an era of unlimited possibilities. We have access to more information than at any other time in history. We receive daily communications from all over the world, many of them contradictory. We receive offers on radio, television and the internet, in the mail and in the mall, most of them unrealistic.
We are exhorted to purchase, to consume, to give, to join. We are offered beauty, status, riches and pleasure. We are told that with the right toothpaste, designer suits and cellular phones, we will acquire power, success and love. The message is, whatever we can imagine, we can have . . . somehow.

In my years as a professional organizer, I have observed that human beings are not well suited to unlimited possibilities. Living without boundaries on a daily basis produces anxiety, insecurity and frustration. Without a clear definition of how we choose to spend our time, we fall prey to every interesting outside stimulus, and are easily caught in the ‘webb’ and flow of the urgent but not important. We are spread too thin, often practicing crisis management, and everything never gets done.

Recreation becomes another thing to do and is quickly set aside when deadlines demand. We get to rest if we get the flu. And spending time doing nothing is often viewed as suspicious if not downright immoral. Even when we manage to steal a few hours for ourselves, we are pursued by anxiety and guilt. When all options are constantly available, little can be accomplished in depth or with a sense of well being, and over a period of time depression and exhaustion can result.

When I sit with clients as they look over their lists and schedules, struggling to select their priorities, I realize that our choices are no longer between good and bad, want and don’t want, or even better and best. Most of the things we want are the best, but are simply too much and too many for a single lifetime.

I believe that we can derive satisfaction and contentment from our lives only if we set limits for ourselves. If they are natural and comfortable, compassionate and realistic, they will produce results and will be easy to endure. If they arise from a value system which honors those things which fulfill us in the deepest sense of our being, they will inspire us and bring us joy.

The paradox is that by choosing limits, we can experience a measure of freedom not possible when all possibilities are constantly available.

© 1990, 2009 Anacaria Myrrha ~ All Rights Reserved

Sometimes there are days when we simply don’t feel well. When we are restless, tired, depressed. When we are suffering from undefined, random discontent.

Here are lists of some of my remedies. Different approaches work at different times. When I am in a funk, I look them over and choose, not what I think I need, but rather what will nourish me at that time.

To Reduce Stimulation

• Turn off the TV, radio, computer.
• Turn down lights.
• Turn up candles.
• Seek solitude.
• Get quiet.

To Increase Stimulation

• Play music.
• See a movie.
• Call a friend or friends.
• Get together.
• Laugh, sing, dance.

For Nourishment

• Take a warm bath.
• Eat something both good and good for you.
• Read something funny, interesting, inspiring.
• Take a walk.
• Take a nap.
• Get a good night’s sleep. Get two.
• Extend a kindness to someone else.

And Always

• Breathe deeply.
• Pray.
• Ask for guidance, & listen.
• Give thanks to everyone for everything.

Start a list of what works for you. Then, when you forget, you can get it out and be reminded. Remember, our forgetting function is very highly evolved!

Excerpted from An Invitation to An Extraordinary Life
© 2009 Anacaria Myrrha ~ All Rights Reserved

From time to time, we may get caught up in a cycle of regret, remorse or resentment. These states of being drag us into the mire of negativity and drain our resources.

Here’s a simple affirmation to help free you up. I don’t know where it came from but I thank those who created it and those who made me aware of it, for I find it has fierce healing power.

I forgive myself  for all those things for which I need forgiveness.

I forgive all those who need my forgiveness.

I ask forgiveness from all those whose forgiveness I need.

Repeated in sets of three, it gains power and momentum.

When you are saying it, allow transgressions to arise and be forgiven. Visualize those with whom you are in resentment or remorse and open yourself to mercy, for yourself and for them. Be willing to allow forgiveness to happen. If your heart will not yet open sufficiently to allow it, ask your Source to allow the forgiveness for you until you are able to do it.

Notice what happens. Notice the feelings that arise. Notice where you close, where you are able to open.

Breathe.

Keep making space for it all.

Keep letting go.

Regular practice of forgiveness increases our capacity for happiness.

Excerpted from An Invitation to An Extraordinary Life
©  2009 Anacaria Myrrha ~ All Rights Reserved