In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield talks about ancient warriors who would invoke the gods to intercede on their behalf. “I do the same thing,” he says. “The last thing I do before I sit down to work is say my prayer to the Muse. I say it out loud, in absolute earnest. Only then do I get down to business.”
With this in mind, I composed my own prayer to the muse:
come closer, dear one
oh muse, oh creator, oh lover
step into me–
breathe my breath, scratch my skin
guide my ambling feet
even as the way grows dark
remind me this journey must be taken
one step at a time
blot out my fear, my doubt, my censorship
devour all that prevents me from arriving at myself
from ripping your seeds from my belly
and placing them in the soil at my feet
tear my from my indifference, my apathy
insist i embrace that which i cannot change
prepare me to enter my heart’s darkest corners
to touch the peeling wallpaper and whatever lies beneath
tend my wounds with the work
steer me from self-flagellation
help me surrender to the gentle I am…I am…I aming of my own heart
keep me ever aware the work is play and the play is work
glory to the creator and the created and the holy creation
ink and glue without end
amen
joshua chamberlain 