A Crossroads of Synchronicity and the Blues

Resurrecting the magic of the muse

Symbolism and memories seem to feed my conscious recognition of synchronicities that occur daily. Maybe it’s my age, or perhaps, I’m just an old soul, but I am enamored with the correlations, an intertwined storyline of evolution, between history and current interests.

As my aging moves me beyond the midlife crisis phases to a place of peaceful remembrance, I begin to fill my bucket with missed experiences. Questions of mortality and legacies propel a review of our life’s timeline with a reality of the shortness of our earthly stay approaching. Instead of questioning what’s missing and trying to fix it, I now search those memories for recollections of things that brought me joy.

Last week, I was scheduled to see my favorite Bluesman, Buddy Guy. I purchased the tickets with an underlying sense that it may be the last time to share the live in-person experience with him. Buddy is 85 years young, still traveling on his mission to keep the blues alive. Mixed emotions of disappointment and understanding rose when he canceled his tour’s first leg due to that nasty black cloud virus that lingers over us all. Yet, it is rescheduled for March, and now, I can attend with my long-time friend who first introduced me to Buddy Guy and blues music.

While perusing my bookshelves today, my history of the blues book jumped out at me. Inside contained two bookmarks, one from the bookstore, the catalyst of the start of my spiritual path, and the second, an old type-written note, printed from an old terminal screen from work, dated 4/21/1995.

The pages marked were a Charlie Musselwhite — Elvis Presley comparison, and the second contained a Stevie Ray Vaughn reference in the songster to soulster chapter. My story, Death at the Crossroads, an intersection of choices and consequences, lingered heavily on my mind as this coincidence occurred.

In that story, I said that a piece of you dies at the crossroads based on your choices and their consequences, good or bad. But what if those choices are a form of delayed gratification? Or divine timing? Or an awakening, not of sorrow or joy, but peace and balance?

Music is a form of recorded moments of events and experiences shared with an underlying intention to inspire, motivate, or spark something in the recesses of your senses. It’s not common sense but soul sense- a creative release for both the artist and the listener in a shared moment of escape from our current thoughts.

Euterpe, Goddess of music is one of the nine Muse Goddesses. Yet, within any muses, we find a creative release for our morals and values to be uncovered, unleashed, and shared with the world.

Empowering Magic of the Muses

The Miz Mindful tagline is to empower your mind and muse. My journey of changing my mindset with mindfulness has done just that-empowered me. Before delving deep into the practice of mindfulness and the law of attraction, muse simply meant following my heart with my art. I have always believed in the power of imagination and creativity. However, as I have grown my mindset, I discovered that it is only a part of the story.

History, tragedy, and our thoughts and misconceptions, all play a part within the magic of the muses.

I — The History

In Greek mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus (Lord of the Gods) and Mnemosyne (memory). The Muses represented a blend of art and science. In essence, a mixture of practicality and spirituality.

Calliope was the Muse of epic poetry. Clio was the Muse of history. Erato was the muse of love poetry. Euterpe was the Muse of music. Melpomene was the Muse of tragedy. Polyhymnia was the Muse of sacred poetry. Terpsichore was the Muse of dance. Thalia was the Muse of comedy. Urania was the Muse of astronomy. (2)

II — Tragedy

Each and every one of us experiences tragedy. Thoughts, triggers, and trauma are a part of life that cannot be dismissed. But the thing about tragedy is it brings people together, in one way or another. When we move into awareness, it is like taking the blinders off and moving into action. It cracks open limiting beliefs and our self-harming thoughts and awakens the soul inside of us.

Just like music.

To me, the muses are the quickest way to connect and be in the present moment. They represent all forms of poetry, history, music, tragedy, dance, comedy, and astronomy. Art and science all rolled into a balancing act of humanity.

III — Our thoughts & misconceptions

Developing awareness provides magical links in the chain of time; seemingly unrelated things merge into a group that makes sense — logically and mysteriously at the same time in the present moment.

A lesson in the blues, a music that is raw and real, opens a door of mindful thinking. Simple chords played with soulful energy that goes straight from the heart to fingers, bypassing all thoughts and landing directly to conjuring a feeling. The lyrics are poetry in motion. The instrumental vibrations make your body want to dance. Some stories will make you laugh while others transport you to another time and space.

Synchronicity

Looking from a vantage point and bringing it all together, the blues mean different things when viewed differently. Zeus, the father of the Muse Goddesses, is said to have created the link of colors and feelings. When angry, he made black and gray storms; when sad, he created blue rain. In terms of energy chakras, the color of the 5th chakra is blue. Placed in the throat, it represents our voice and communication. In art, it represents calm and serenity.

We all get the blues sometimes, and in the words of Buddy Guy, “Damn Right!” The blues need to be kept alive, and yes, I’ve got them. My mindfulness path matches me with the history of blues music — wanting to be someplace else but making the best of where you are. Intuitively knowing, it will eventually reach everybody sooner or later. (1)

So, as I stand at the crossroads today, I honor my history, embrace my tragedies, and continue to change my thoughts and misconceptions. I will use my voice in attempts to stir other souls while my actions follow a path of my truth rather than my ego, to the best of my abilities with the tools and gifts I possess. That is the reward of the blues and my contribution to keeping them alive. A resurrection of the magic of the muses!

(1) The History of The Blues, The Roots, The Music, The People from Charley Patton to Robert Cray — Frances Davis

(2) Wikipedia