The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)

10 Guides to Creative Inspiration for Artists, Poets, Lovers and Other Mortals Wanting to Live a Dazzling Existence by Jill Badonsky

From the back cover:

Meet Aha-Phrodite, the inspired Muse of paying attention to possibility and new ideas. And Audacity, the uninhibited Muse of the courage to take risks. Lull gives you permission to let go of the process and take a break; Marge brings common sense and a call to action; while nurturing Muse Song sings you praises. No-nonsense bodyguard Arnold acts as protection against such intruders as discouragement, creativity blocks, and mindless TV. Creativity coach and seminar leader Jill Badonsky takes the nine classical Greek Muses and updates them for our time, personifying ten principles designed to overcome creative blocks and embrace the wonders of self-expression. Each Muse will take you on a journey and share with you:

• Empowering exercises to awaken creativity

• Brainstorming

• Muse rituals to inspire faith and confidence

• Muse walks

• Spiritual affirmations

• Quotes from Mortals who've been inspired by the Muses

• Journaling, and much more.

Book Excerpts & Creative Inspirations from The Nine Modern Day Muses on Creativity Portal

Revised & Expanded 2010 Edition! The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)
Now the third edition is out with a Bea Silly touch-of-fun new illustrations, Albert’s new applications of creative principles, and something special from the rest of the Muses (which are 10 dynamic creative principles in the guise of nine Muses and a Bodyguard).

Excerpts from the Expanded Third Edition of The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)
The Muses wanted to add something new, so they got together and brainstormed how their principles could be applied to areas where mortals want and need more creative inspiration.

Another Fine Myth: Meet the Modern Day Muses
By Jill Badonsky
An introduction to the Nine Modern Day Muses and their Bodyguard. Meet Aha-phrodite, Albert, Marge, Bea Silly, Spills, Audacity, Lull, Shadow, Muse Song, and Arnold. After you've met them all, navigate into their territory using the illustrious Muse Map.

Interviews with The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)
This collaborative series by Jill Badonsky and Molly Anderson-Childers is full of aMUSEing insights and humor to help support and inspire your creative life.

Meet the Modern Day Muses: Profiles
Get more acquainted with the origination and personalities of Aha-phrodite, Albert, Bea Silly, Spills, Lull, and the others in this Muse-by-Muse profile feature.

Creative Solutions and Inspirations from the Modern Day Muses

The Muses Hire a Bodyguard | Previously on The Bodyguard ...
By Jill Badonsky
Arnold, the Muses Bodyguard, protects you from all of these adversaries of the creative process — the traitors to your unfolding as a creative possibility in self-realized splendor.

The Just-Get-Started Muse | Previously on Marge... (Marge Reloaded)
By Jill Badonsky
Marge is all about beginning the creative process — often the hardest part. This two-part feature will help you take that first step.

The Shadow Muse — Gifts of Your Dark Side
By Jill Badonsky
The shadow side of a mortal provides an incredible amount of creative energy.

Doing Nothing with a Muse called Lull
By Jill Badonsky
You know how we are always doing … well, something? I have it from some excellent sources that doing nothing is actually going to get you somewhere.

Romancing the Lull: Creativity’s Pause Button
By Jill Badonsky
Creativity is a cycle. There is a part of that cycle that requires no activity and sometimes is not voluntary.

When the Pause is Part of the Process
By Jill Badonsky
Do you ever beat yourself up because you keep putting off your creative pursuit?

Five Ways to Believe in Yourself: From the Muse, Audacity
By Jill Badonsky
The talented artist, writer, or musician who does not show belief and confidence can flounder, when someone less talented but with assertive belief can flourish.

The Beauty of ImperFection
By Jill Badonsky
This month the modern day muse, Spills will share her powers of being the Muse of Process, Practice and Imperfection.

Muse Song, the Muse of Pampering, Encouragement and Good Company
By Jill Badonsky
Nine ways to nurture yourself and your creativity.

Fun is an Elixir of Spontaneous Ideas
By Jill Badonsky
On Bea-ing Silly: Solutions that seemed so evasive earlier appear effortlessly in the midst of play.

Albert, A Muse with an Attitude
By Jill Badonsky
Try this fun imagination/innovation exercise to get a good sense of Albert’s powers.

Paying Attention to Possibilities with Aha-phrodite
By Jill Badonsky
What does paying attention mean to you in the creative process?

Exposure Realms (Part 1) | (Part 2)
By Jill Badonsky
Exposure to fields we normally do not venture into jiggles the controls on our minds so ingenuity leaks in.

From Snakes to Delight (Illusion of Fear)
By Jill Badonsky
The illusion of fear is banished with the light that comes when you trust the process enough to embark upon it with wild abandon at the beginning.

Self-Sabotage: 8 Ways to Stop Creative Neglect
By Jill Badonsky
Realize that patterns like procrastination, self-sabotage, and fondling your remote control are not often broken with the initial enthusiasm and infatuation you experience when you embark upon a creative endeavor.