Don't Forget to Ask Your Spirit Guides for Help and Strength

A few years ago, on a regular school day before winter break, I strode into my fourth-grade boys’ class and asked, “Who believes in Santa Claus?”

One kid raised his hand. The class cracked up. They always had my back when I was in my weird teacher vibe. "Alright," I continued, "You know the Christmas story, how many of you believe in angels?" Five hands went up.

"Who believes you have a soul?" Half the class raised their hands. 

"Who believes in God?" One (very courageous) person kept his hand down.

The point being that there is always a spectrum of beliefs in a given room. Yet, the conversation reminded me that spiritual beliefs are not driven by consensus. They’re something to be respected and explored.

So why are we so I sheepish? When we approach spirituality with curiosity rather than fear, horizons widen no matter what conclusions are drawn. And I dare say that most people who’ve worked on a creative project have engaged in some sort of dance with divine guidance or a muse. So, let’s take a deeper look. Together.

If you’re curious about the nature of a muse, I’d love to share my experiences based on in-depth practice and study. Perhaps you’ve had an experience that you don’t understand and are longing for context. (That was my situation for a long time.) Or maybe you’re already knowledgeable on the topic of spirit guides and are excited to get a new perspective and compare notes. Great!

Some people have a natural aptitude for intuition (just like writing or sports) and as a teacher, I would have loved to explore this area more in school. Kids with these talents are often misunderstood. However, intuition is a craft to be developed. And it’s incredibly useful for writers.

So, let’s start with frequently asked questions:

1.      What happens when you work with a muse?

You get help. Synchronicities pop up to help move you forward. Metaphors, images, and poetic phrases get introduced as if out of nowhere. Perhaps more than anything, it’s knowing that you’re not alone. These small symbols and strokes of insight remind you that you’re on the right path. Then someday you look back upon your manuscript and think, “I never could have done this without all that help.” Thank you, thank you thank you. Everybody has their secret tricks for moving the ball forward, this is mine.

2.      How do you work with a muse?

Receiving guidance from a muse is in many ways an extension of the practices outlined in developing synchronicity: 1) Meditate, 2) Live the Questions, 3) Look for Signs and 4) Express Gratitude.  That’s how it happened for me. Synchronicities started to coalesce into a discernable path.

Just like any other practice involved in making art everybody becomes acquainted with their own process step by step. But we can always learn from positive habits that have worked for others.

First, don’t be scared.  This isn’t Poltergeist.  It’s more like Alice in Wonderland. We’re pulling back a curtain, getting curiouser and curiouser. Stay loose. If it’s surprising and unexpected you’re on the right path. Do whatever you do to release tension and fear, which can build up like film on your perception. It closes you off. This was a big learning curve for me, you’ll see in my personal accounts that whenever I took myself to seriously (which is a form of fear), I risked missing out on extremely valuable opportunities and guidance.

Also, align with something larger than yourself. Keep returning to that soul purpose, no matter what you’re called to write. This is neither selfish nor selfless; it’s the expression that only you can put out into the world. Does your romance novel inspire women to express their emotions, pursue their fantasies or enjoy sex? Does your historical novel shed light on the same human problems we struggle with today?

Dig deep into your why, and you’ll find yourself connecting with help that’s larger than yourself. Zoom out in terms of the greater arch of your life or the wider mission you’re serving. That’s where you’ll find more support. Spirit guides, much like normal people, don’t follow you around attending to your whims. IT-s more like a collaboration toward a common purpose. There’s always a bigger picture. Viktor Frankl taught me that.

Explicit exercises provided at the end.

3.      What are muses?

I don’t know. A lot of people have a lot of different opinions. They’re represented in all world religions in different ways, as spirits, angels, souls and sprites. But here’s where can entertain you with stories that’ve happened to me so you can draw your own conclusions.

It’s not easy to surrender to something you can’t calculate or don’t completely understand. Your intellect can get uncomfortable. I’ve been doing this for years with excellent results and my intellect still gets uncomfortable. Therefore this chapter may run a little long because I’m going to be very specific. Specificity gives the intellect something to grasp, which calms it down and lets the spirit soar. At least that’s how it’s worked for me.

Whenever teachers have shared their direct experiences with me, it’s been clarifying, encouraging and strengthening. Saying exactly what happens on the path to developing your intuition demystifies a very mystical subject, and yet doesn’t take away any of the charm.

Writing a book isn’t easy. The journeys we’re called to carry out can bog us down. We’re not alone in our desire to make a difference in the world and live a fulfilled life. Muses lighten the burden. You deserve guidance.

If you would like to read about my experiences with Spirit Guides, you can read more here:

How to Use Gratitude to Connect with Your Muse

If you’re more interested in exploring your own intuitive talents, take a look here:

3 Simple Exercises that Develop Your Intuition

Hope you have so much fun with this!