Stepping through the garden gate

It's time for moving to the next section of the Muse book. I'm re-reading the last pages of the first section, getting my equipment ready. For the Muse journey, the author suggests bringing along several things.

• Faith ("If you absolutely believe that your dreams will come true, they will. . .Know that the choice is between fear and the knowing what is possible."
• Patience ("Creative change takes time, compassion, and perseverance. . .patience is a thread that makes the weaving of dreams possible.")
• Focus ("When you are ardently focused on the next step in your journey, ideas will come to you spontaneously. They are like a reward for paying attention.")
• Enthusiasm ("Enthusiasm will increase your commitment to your dream. . .Think about the joy, discover, and flow of the process.")
• Confidence ("Know that your are doing the right thing and practice that very thought. 'I know I am doing the right thing by doing anything, no matter how small it is, in the interest of my heart's dream.'")

Then there are the essential actions:

• Nurturing ("Care for yourself with grand gestures of pampering. . .As you honor your creative magnificence by honoring yourself as a delicate instrument, the universe will honor you by creating all that you need to succeed creatively.") She has a footnote to this; in part it says, "If you do not feel completely pampered and worthwhile, why would you feel you had something worthwhile to share with the world?"
• Breathing ("An inhale is an inspiration, an exhale is an expression. . .let the breath intoxicate you with the magic of the present moment.")
• Journal Writing or Sketching ("the writing becomes a meditative dialogue unleashing the voice of your higher self.")
• Quick Listing ("When you list, you go past the obvious answers and the usual ideas into the innovative, the illustrious, and compelling areas of thought. . .open the brain's ability to run free without worries or distractions.")
• Speed-writing ("you want to bypass judgment, censoring, and criticism so that new, exciting, surprising information will arise.")
• A Daily Creativity Routine ("You can achieve any creative dream you want by starting for five to fifteen minutes a day.")
• Affirmations ("reprogramming your mind so that it can move you through fear toward the creation of your dreams.")
• Quotes ("You connect with quotes because they stir your soul, and soul-stirring is paramount to healthy creative changes. Quotes are soul medicine. If you saw them as often as you see the billboards or store signs. . .they would dramatically change your belief system [and] dramatically change your life.")
• Meditate
  
• Solitude ("To expand creatively we must be willing to be intimate with ourselves, to release external distractions and to listen to our inner voice.")
• Gratitude and Daily Credit Report

Finally, the quote at the beginning of this section really speaks to me: "When you come to the edge of your reality as you presently know it, and step off into the darkness, faith is knowing that there will either be ground just below your feet or that you shall sprout wings and fly." ~Anonymous