continued from muses3.htm
 

Who are the Muses that awaken my life energy? Tia is my personal
Mnemosyne, the mother of my Muses; their father was Philemon (phile =
love). Istara, her eldest daughter, the Muse of creative writing, and now
creative expression in all forms, was my greatest source of joy as a child
and adolescent. Shantih, the Muse of the Ocean was also present early in my
south Florida childhood, as was Shoshannah, my Muse of wisdom. Shoshannah
has fueled my lifelong quest for understanding and insight, and has
expressed herself at times in an interpersonal context, through the meeting
of minds; I also call her Keldri when she is joined with Istara in the
creation of psychological and spiritual articles and books.

Desiree was my primary Muse during my 20s; she is the Muse of lovemaking,
of the joining of hearts and bodies. Early in my 30s, she began to lose
significance as Willow appeared, who has for nearly a decade now been my
primary Muse. Willow is heart-to-heart communion, the tender, empathic and
loving connection between persons able to connect on a soul level and honor
each other's essential being.

Tammany has also become an important Muse for me in recent years  - so
significant that I have recently named her nine ladies-in-waiting. Tammany
rules the appreciation of beauty and the arts. Her ladies-in-waiting, whom
I also honor, are Timothea (film/video), Allesandra (live theater), Larissa
(literature), Elysia (music), Alyssa (classical dance), Kelsey (modern
dance,acrobatics), Katya (sculpture), Elena (the visual arts) and Mirra
(costumes, physical beauty).

Katrie, my Muse of group inspiration, is present whenever I participate in
or lead a group in which members are closely bonded and sharing personally,
or are united in a meaningful task. Kirra rules play and laughter, and
appears in moments of joy and delight, when we let go of our roles and
controls and express the spontaneous exhilaration of our inner child.

Finally, Natasha, my youngest Muse, rules body aliveness and dance, and
is introducing me finally to the experiences of self-fulfillment and
self-transcendence which accompany surrender to my own bodily rhythms.
 
My Muses also have relatives whom frequently join their gatherings.
Their aunts Bethany (inner peace), Tori (empower- ment) and Analise
(inspirational service to others) are often present. Shantih of the ocean
frequently is accompanied by Maia, the nature Muse, and Tara, Muse of
travel; Willow is often associated with Eleni, who is present in the open,
substantial and caring interactions of longterm friendships.

For me, a result of naming my own Muses has been increasing my capacity to
invoke them daily into my life and to create circumstances in which many of
them are present simultaneously. I also find myself more able to let go of
attachments to some of the Muses who are not accessible for varying periods
of time, while trusting that others are nearby, and still others are yet to
appear. I have not experienced Desiree for many months, and for years I
lost Istara. But having nine Muses rather than one enables me to let go of
an identity forged around one particular kind of satisfaction, and to know
that when one Muse turns away for a time, others may be accessible. I need
only to invite their energy, to look for them, to listen, to encourage
their presence, and to trust.
 

 continue to muses5.htm