Saint Kate

 

Musing...
“Let me fall into rebirth with wonder.” Joyce Rupp
 
Charise’s Turn: 

Kate passed away last December. What continues to be miraculous about her is that she never missed a beat to live a creative life throughout her cancer treatments. We carried on with our work together, laughed, cried. She generously sketched and painted all the art for our book (including the front and back cover). 

Kate sold every author copy of Meet Your Muse: The Dance of Creativity that she had pre-ordered (I’m lagging behind on that accomplishment). She hosted a celebration of life at her home the month before she died. “I want to hear what you all have to say about me before I go,” was her delightful rationale. It was extraordinary to be at this gathering, and more extraordinary to know her, a heart-light lit human being.  

 
Get Fired Up: 

Last night I dreamed we were doing a book launch event where Kate told everyone, “You’re not asking as much of yourself as you could.” 

So, from her and me, here’s a message: are you asking as much of yourself as you could?

https://www.springtimebooks.com/meet-your-muse.html

The Book has a Birthday

Happy birthday to Meet Your Muse:The Dance of Creativity!

 Get Fired Up: Do you have your copy yet? 

Meet Your Muse Book!

Dear All,

We are thrilled to announce that Meet Your Muse: The Dance of Creativity is now available to order! The gorgeous cover you see is original art by Kate. Inside, you'll find practices to tap into your creative nature, more of Kate's art, writing prompts, poetry, food (well, a "menu for rituals of self-care"). We've had a wonderful experience working with our publisher, Springtime Books. Here is the link: https://mybook.to/MeetYourMuse. If you prefer a signed copy, leave a comment and one of us will reply. 

From the foreword by Jeff Kaplan, PhD: “What sets this book apart is the authors’ ability to combine the concepts of Eastern philosophy, Greek mythology, and modern psychology to create a holistic approach to creativity.”  It’s not stuffy—it’s spacious, in a zen and heartful way. 

Cheers,
Charise & Kate

Wrapping Up

Musing...

 "All our projects are like fabulous expeditions."  Christo

 

Charise's Turn:

This is the 250th post of the blog that began January 30, 2010. Mindful of all the material that exists in the archive, I'm amazed. The amazement is twofold: first, for the discipline of writing this way for twelve years; second, for the vast amount of things to say about meeting your muse. There's really no end to the things to say. As soon as you take the perspective that creativity is happening all the time, both at the center and at the edges of your life, you can document this.

Kate and I have continued to do exactly that––document how creativity shows up in our humble lives. For a while now, we've also been distilling and expanding upon these inspirations to write a book. Our next, final, blog post will occur when we can announce the book's publication. We are wrapping up one endeavor to launch another.

 

As we round the corner from 2022 to 2023, take good care of yourselves, look for sparks of creativity, find light-hearted moments, and turn to any of the posts in our twelve year archive for inspiration. While they are dated in time, none of them are dated in terms of relevance. 

Get Fired Up:

Thank you for being our fellow musers here! Carry on, keep kindling your creativity. 

Join us in 2023 for our book launch. 🌟

www.charisehoge.com

Mystery Abides

Musing…  

“Creativity lives inside each of us, and, collectively, we create our world. It comes from the cellular level, part of our most essential survival machinery. We are creativity machines."   Matt Richtel, Inspired: Understanding Creativity

Kate’s Turn: 

I have been inspired in reading about the research this author has done on creativity. He consolidates findings on the brain science of creativity, insights from creators across many disciplines, and practical strategies that contribute to creative expression. There has been much scholarship studying creativity, trying to demystify and discover its workings. It seems like searching for the God particle, which is said to cause the Big Bang that created the universe. Scholars offer ways to access and leverage this innate power within each of us. This is the intent of this blog as well. Some of the points commonly made about traits, talents and qualities correlated with creativity are: 

1) getting more comfortable with uncertainty, instability and letting go will support creativity 

2) doubt and perfectionism undermine creativity while openness and curiosity enhance creativity 

3) creativity is essential in our evolutionary development, each creation building on previous creations, all towards human progress.

However, creativity ultimately remains a mystery. We embody this innate power and instinctively draw upon it, using the guidelines and strategies identified. Even so, at times, engaging and co-creating with this mystery, this powerful essence within, seems like coincidence, like serendipity, like magic. We are left in wonder. The outcome is greater than one can imagine. Wonder-full.

"Albert Einstein called creativity ‘intelligence having fun.’ He also said that ‘Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ It’s clear Einstein believed creativity was among the most essential of human traits.”     Matt Richtel 

Get Fired Up:

Be willing to jump into the unknown. Amid uncertainty, trust your authentic voice. Engage with the power of mystery. 

“You do not need to believe in magic. You are magic. Believe in yourself.” Author Unknown

www.kroskalifecoaching.com 

Inaction or In Action

Photo by Esteban Abalsa

Musing…

“If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself.”     Rollo May

Charise’s Turn:

How much to venture and how much to stay rooted at home is a current quandary. The thick of the pandemic took the venturing part out of this equation (other than humble walks and drives) and allowed for a hunkering down. For me, this lifestyle led to a collection of poems for publication––my most recent book, Muse in a Suitcase.

I have the makings of another collection, and the list of poems has been sitting on my desk for months on end. Am I waiting for another shutdown to get this off the ground? How do I pick up the renewed rhythm of life, with its social gatherings, events, and in-person work routines while also fulfilling a creative project? I’ve had a fantasy of going on a writing retreat in France but haven’t been able to realistically plan for this trip. My sensible side believes it’s possible to tackle the writing project at home. Meanwhile, home has its own demands of fresh paint here and refinishing floors there, etc. etc.

My pledge, at this moment, is to create a title page for the poetry book I have in mind––such a simple step that I hadn’t even thought of until writing this post. It will be a start as well as a place to put a manuscript into form. Voilá! I’m off to France––figuratively speaking.

“The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing.”     Edith Wharton

Get Fired Up: 

What pledge can you make at this moment that will put a creative idea into action? 

 

www.charisehoge.com

 

Begin Again

  

Musing…  

“Drink from the well of yourself and begin again.”  Charles Bukowski 

 

Kate's Turn: 

After a summer hiatus: a break from the routine, travel, outdoor adventures, easy summer living; the fall season seems to be a call back to work again. You can return to your craft when summer weather activities no longer compete for your focus. Autumn (and certainly winter) becomes a seasonal invitation to look inward. And to begin again.

I first heard this phrase when learning meditation. When the mind distracts, the practice is to begin again by returning the focus to the breath. This wise suggestion is used in many different arenas: clarifying communication, practicing a skill, designing a project, etc. The willingness to follow this suggestion depends on the commitment to what it is you are returning to. The passion found deep within will drive the energy to begin again. 

 

“Go within every day and find the inner strength so that the world will not blow your candle out.”  Katherine Dunham

 

Get Fired Up:  

Take this opportunity to reflect, regroup, and recommit to begin again. 

www.kroskalifecoaching.com