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I'm sure everyone has heard of a muse, I tend to refer to them as my source of inspiration even though I'm not sure they exist. I've been doing some thinking on this so I want your thoughts.
Do you believe that muses exist, or do you think that we get our own inspiration? If you believe in them, then what are your beliefs and why?

for awhile the girl i loved was my muse... things obviously went sour, else i'd not use the term "loved". she inspired much out of me... lately my muse has become music... mainly techno or instrumental of any sorts.

It depends I guess I often see or talk to a friend and he constantly inspires me to change my art or add to it, I would say he is my muse as without him I wouldn't have come up with half the crazy stuff I have

I think basically a muse is just something that inspires you in anyway! So I guess yes I believe in them..I just don't think it always has to be the same person, type music, or ect. As you change & grow, things that inspire you will as well!

of course they exist in the sense that inspiration/epiphanies are caused by them. not to say they inspire all, however.

For me my muse is nature. It's what inspires me the most...

as an artist im always searchin for a muse,and altho im not too sure if they re real or not certain ppl do inspire me

well this thread is my muse at the moment it inspired me to write this responce and tell you that the idea of a muse is true. to me it is anything that moves you to action.

Muses are most definitly true. In causing us to extend our comfort zone to explore new areas epihainaies and new learning can occure.

Well I do believe in a "muse" but to me it's nothing in particular. Whatever or whomever inspires you is your muse it can even just be a mood you have yourself.

I thik certain ppl can give inspiration but muse ,I m not sure

My husband and My children inspire me the most....

oh yes, muses are most diffinately around, they help me with my writing and my work at uni.

I believe that all individuals possess ideas of their own without the help of external forces. This being said, I am not stating that there are no such things as muses. If they do exist then they simply help to inspire, they do not provide the inspiration or idea. There has to be some factual basis behind a muse; however, I do not believe in them as stated in legend and lore.

I most definitely believe that muses exist. That they take different forms in our lives and are there to inspire us when we need it most.

I agree with Bandit. I believe that muse is just a synonym for inspiration... a "muse" is just something that triggers an idea in ones subconcious. It could be music, a person, anything.

My two cents...

"Muse" "grim reaper" "sun god"

Those are all our human attempts to find order in chaos. Our way of trying to explain and add reason. Muse is just a term for inspiration, not an actual entity. Human psyche.

People who write, often lose inspiration because of stress or too long periods of concentration. A person one feels comfortable with, one who relaxes you can offer some distancing, or a different perspective, triggering new inspiration.

Muse is a good term for inspiration offered by another person.

Music is another good source, but I think that deserves another term.

from dictionary.com

Muse /myuz/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[myooz] –noun

1. Classical Mythology. a. any of a number of sister goddesses, originally given as Aoede (song), Melete (meditation), and Mneme (memory), but latterly and more commonly as the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who presided over various arts: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (lyric poetry), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (religious music), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), and Urania (astronomy); identified by the Romans with the Camenae.
b. any goddess presiding over a particular art.

2. (sometimes lowercase) the goddess or the power regarded as inspiring a poet, artist, thinker, or the like.

I think the dictionary needs an update.

yes i do belive in muses although i get more insperation from my kids and friends then i think anything else........

People tend to be oblivious to the fact that some things lose meaning when taken so litteraly.

I find this all intgiguing. Everyone has a different view on this. As for me personally, I don't believe in the muses of myth. I am fond of saying "my muse has struck" but when I say this I mean that something in my life at that moment inspired me. In my journal one of my poems has the headline "My muse is in an odd mood" in that instance I refer to myself as a muse.

Yes they exist and are very true and they come in many different ways...

i dont have muse...i think that we have our own inspiration..

ithink muses are many differentthings could be a animal an object a person the artisticmind find influence in everything.
but yes i think in this way the muses arehere with us.

I do believe in muses, they can be found anywhere and In any form (animals, objects, etc) tanginble or not, you can also find your muse deep inside your mind, or in a rainy day sitting next to your window having a cup of coffee, It's strange, but I believe in them, tho I believe they dwell in our heart and mind, sometimes they're sleeping, sometimes they're awaken.

No I do not believe in a muse. I think that sometimes a thought comes to you and it makes great sence and then you are inspired to write or do what ever, Not that a muse isnpired you to do so,

For me, Music combined with one of my best friends are my muses.

i agree anything can be a muse. so i believe that a sorce of insperation exists but not the greek/religouse term of muse.
(sorry its late cant be bothered spelling)

For some reason this seems to me to be in the wrong place....

I think a muse is what one makes of it. If something inspires you more then other things and it always is that way then yes I think a muse can exsist. There is no boundaries to art of inspiration in my eyes.

Yeh,they are all around,my friends on vr,my training.are my muses,they prove to be our guide to inner sanctum

I summoned my muse early today. Needed help with my writings. Always found it helpful. This is one of the rituals that can be done for creativity. Surprised more members don't know of this.

My muse is definitely on strike. I haven't been able to create since god knows when...

my muse is as wicked as she is kind. there are times when she gives me the words straight from the Gods other times it is as though I have angered her and she dosent speak to me.

i suppose on the sense that certains always make me feel inspired to good bigger and better things or create something or do something...but i dunno if i would go as far to call it a muse
dara

It's hard for me to say that I have any one, specific 'muse.' I find inspiration in all sorts of places, deriveing it from just about anything and everything. This happens more easily, as I am a songwriter, a poet, a writer, a phtographer, and occasionally a visual artist. (ie: drawings, paintings, etc) I suppose if I were to give credit to something for a gerneral source of where I get alot of from, not necessarrily inspiration, I would have to give that credit to the random impulses of my everyday life. Thats how I come up with neraly half of anything of mine. (As I stated before, I draw from nearly everything around me)

music... it just really helps me tap into the creative aspect of living and organize things.
i've actually written movies purely pulled together by playlists i've created...

I don't think muses exist in the mythological sense. I think people fins inspiration in many places any of which could be considered a "muse."

When I write, I often feel as though the work is writing itself...it edits and edits in my mind until it is ready for me to record it. I often look back over my works and wonder where they came from.

CTyler got me thinking about creative energy already being in existance and humans drawing on it. (Check out his article under "Member Articles") Could that be a "muse?" I certainly like the idea of tapping into an ancient and constant source for inspiration.

But Tyler is also right about the individual who can relax you and inspire you to be creative and he has been my muse (hope that's not too feminine for a mean old viking) more than once as several haiku and tankas in my journal will testify.

I personally believe in muses, but also that inspiration can take on many forms. Sometimes it is nature, other times friends, or other times it is just an epiphany in the middle of the day.

i think there can be different types of muses personally...for one I know music helps me a lot and inspires me...then I know my family does and my friends...I dont think there is just one set muse..i think we have many

I agree. There can be many types of muses. We all have them because they are what inspire us. Those of us who take the time to notice beauty, love, hate, pain, happiness, fulfillment, and joy. all the things that we experience in our everyday lives can be a muse and the ppl in them.

My muse is what ever inspires me at a given moment. As for the mythological muse... I have no idea; but it's a nice idea.

I did have this fantastic book on summoning ones inner muse, it was filled with really great writing processes. My dog ate it. I'm not joking or being sarcastic, my dog actually ate it.

The muses are quite real to me. They do as they want tho and are not summoned, but gently coerced. I often wish for Calliope to help me write something. Most of the time Erato is the one willing.

I do believe in muses , and that everyone has one in one way or another. Have you ever been had something just pop in your head , that gave you the urge to follow through with it . ( eg: to write a story , poem , song ).

Yes, I do believe in muses, but not in the mythical sence as was mentioned earlier. For me muses are what and/or who inspires you.
My family, my students, my friends both here and those more physically close by. My cats, poetry, and music are some of the things also.
I think we should strive to inspire others also.

As a standup comic, sometimes older comics are my muses.. when I hear some of the greats ,it inspires me to write..