A Muse For Life

The joy in finding creative inspiration

In Greek mythology, ‘Muse’ was referred to any of the nine goddesses who ruled over songs, poetry, arts, and sciences. Ancient Greeks looked to them as sources of inspiration.

Do you have a muse? Have you been called a muse by someone who believes that you are their creative inspiration. I love the word muse and the meaning of muse. I struggled for a long time to find my muse. Now I have one. But mine changes with my mood. I guess I have a muse for every mood.

Today and for almost a year now, my muse has been the British novelist, playwright and poet Deborah Levy. I’m sure she is a ‘muse’ to thousands of other writers and creatives. In my humble opinion, Deborah is a goddess of literature. If you haven’t yet read any of her books, check out my previous article ‘One More Chapter’, where I’ve recommended her trilogy of living autobiographies.

Whenever I struggle with a creative block, and there are many, I return to reading a chapter from one of Deborah Levy’s books or I download a **podcast she was interviewed on - they are all superb listening. There is something about Deborah’s voice and tone that ignites something within. Her voice is like a calming balm. Soothing and seductive, she draws you into every word she speaks. A mesmerising human being.

To have a muse, is like having a comfort blanket. Something that grabs your attention, supports you and nurtures your creativity whilst the hum drum of daily life becomes too boring to deal with.

Everyone should have a muse.

Craving the coast to be closer to my muse

Based on my past experiences, here are my top 5 tips on how to find your muse:

1. Read a new book - start with ‘Things I Don’t Want to Know’ by Deborah Levy and read regularly, even if for just 20 minutes each day. One of the best ways to find inspiration is from fellow writers. They don’t have to best selling authors. For example, I highly recommend the Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati, trust me, you’ll find a whole load of inspirational vibes in this delightful publication.

2. Be inquisitive. Ask more questions. There are so many untold stories, waiting to be shared by some remarkable local characters. When was the last time you spoke to someone sitting next to you on the train or in your local cafe? Imagine the stories they have to tell and how inspirational one of them might be to you.

3. Take a walk. Let the path take you. Destination unknown. See where it leads. Maybe you’ll stumble upon a bookshop or a library, go in. Be curious. Your muse might be sat amongst the books or within the pages.

4. Do nothing. Have you ever taken 10 minutes to actually sit down and do nothing? Try it. Focus on being alone with your thoughts. No phone. No distractions. Shut that inner voice down, if you possibly can. It might take a few attempts. Dare to daydream. If you think about anything, try thinking about the people in your past who inspired you, it could have been a teacher, a grandparent or a pop star. How did they inspire you? How did they make you feel? Embrace those memories. You probably had more than one muse.

5. Look within. Maybe YOU are your own muse. Ever thought about that? You probably inspire some many others without even realising. Ask a good friend what the word ‘muse’ means to them. Start a conversation about this topic. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised about the discussions you’ll have.

I dearly hope you find your muse, or if you have one, lean in more to it, I promise you that your creativity will be ignited.

Until the next time, take care and stay safe

Tanya xx

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

** Deborah Levy and Shahidha Bari: ‘Real Estate’
London Review Bookshop Podcast - available on all podcast platforms

Deborah Levy completes her ‘Living Autobiography’ trilogy – the first two volumes, Things I Don't Want to Know and The Cost of Living, won the Prix Femina Etranger in 2020 – with Real Estate, (Hamish Hamilton), a profound meditation on the things, both physical and psychological, that a woman might own. Levy herself writes ‘It was as if the search for Home was the point, but if I acquired it and the chase was over, there would be no more branches to put in the fire.’ She was in conversation about her work with Shahidha Bari, academic, critic, radio presenter and Professor of Fashion Cultures and Histories at London College of Fashion.