Goddess of the Week: The Muses

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Got muses?

The muses are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (goddess of memory), and they are the sources of inspiration. Traditionally, they are called upon to help artists, but I like to think that they'll help anyone who is ready to live and think more creatively.

The Greek poet Salon thought so too. He said that the muses brought "prosperity and friendship" to people who honed their skills and always tried their best, which is why, of course, people loved the muses. Who doesn't want to party with someone who'll bring you prosperity and friendship just for being exuberant about the thing you love?

These are Greek goddesses, however, so, of course, there must be a caveat. Here's the thing: Do what you love, commit to it fully, but don't make the mistake of thinking you're walking around with Einstein's brain. The muses inspire. You create. Which is just another way of saying give credit where credit is due. Even the greatest artists and inventors did not work in vacuums. They lived in the world. They did their homework. They met and talked with like-minded souls. If you're are thinking about making a change, you need to be out in the world too.

This one king guy, Pierus, didn't give credit. He had nine daughters. He named each of them after a muse, and then he went around telling everyone that they were as good as the muses. The muses challenged the daughters to a contest. The daughters accepted, which was really stupid because you cannot beat a god. Ever. They are omnipotent. You are human. Deal with it. Anyway, the daughters lost and the muses turned them into magpies, where their creative choices were reduced to warbling and choosing which tree branch to sit on.

Channel this goddess: In this economy? Are you kidding? Channel the muses constantly! If you are re-thinking your career, if you are re-thinking your home, if you are re-thinking your meals, if you are re-thinking your relationship, you need muses. You also need muses if you're re-thinking who you want to be and how you want to live your life. So go! Find your muses! They're out there in the world, and they're waiting for you.

Rois: I know your situation has changed, but maybe you still need a sisterhood of lovely ladies. Will these do?

Need a goddess: So easy! Just leave me a comment. I'll see what I can do.