The Muse Be Willing

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  • Creative Legitimacy

    I was recently listening to a book by Seth Godin who lambasts Bob Dylan’s description of his creative experience. You’d think that someone who reads a lot and thinks a lot would realize that we are all different, and our differences just might extent into our creative experiences. It would seem to  me that there are as many variations of the creative experience as there are people. If you consider the diversity of experience, upbringing, heredity and training that contribute to making up the unique individuals that we are, it’s pretty obvious that there just may be major differences in the way we receive, get or develop our creative works.

    Sometimes people like to lop off the heads of others to make themselves look taller. Being willing to allow the authenticity of other types or flavors of creative experience may expand one’s mind and heart and, thereby enhance and deepen one’s own creative process. Invalidating what is unfamiliar, strange, weird or dreamy just shows a certain lack of inclusivity in one’s universal mindset. One size won’t fit all. It’s not a bad thing to lack appreciation for diversity, but it is a thoughtless reaction that requires some restraint, contemplation and adjustment. Just as I am lambasting the lambastor, it’s a way of making waves, getting attention but not necessarily presenting one’s brand as superior to another’s. 

    Caveat: It could be that Godin thought that Dylan’s description made it appear that creativity came out of nowhere, rather than as the result of hours and hours of work over a span of days, weeks, years,… which it may have.

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  • In Defense of Pantsers

    I know that someone has probably written about this before, and perhaps has done a better job of describing it than I am. But I don’t care whether I am the first or only person to think of this. If someone is exposed to this idea here for the first time, I’m satisfied. The nature of the world is that many people come up the same idea at the same time, probably because we are so better connected, and know more about what’s going on globally.

    Anyway we are focusing on those writers who write by the seat of their pants. If. You’re not familiar with the conundrum or dilemma for writers, there are two approaches to creative writing. One is based on a formula, preplanning, thinking through the story before you start, knowing before hand what’s going to happen and how it’s going to end. That’s good in a way, because, you’re not wondering what you’re going to come with next, or how is the main character going to get out of this fix, etc. If you like predictability, then formulaic writing is right for you. And there are experts who say those are the kind of stories that sell, are make into movies and so forth. Formulaic writing reminds me of what Seth Godin said about grade school education, something to the effect that it was designed to train people to do what they were told. Grade school did not nurture creativity.  I know what he referring to, but creativity finds a way The goal was to train people to become cogs in a machine society. We either fit in or we dropped out, or became entrepreneurs. It’s complicated. Let’s get back to the writing.

    The other approach to creative writing, is taking the story one step at a time. The writer comes up with an idea, sits down to write, and then just types or writes whatever comes to mind with that seed idea in mind. After having written in this way before, I know, there are times when I was just stuck and not sure where to take the story, so in my mind’s eye I had to evaluate the choices as they came up, and see how I was going to get a result that I wanted. The writing becomes a creative adventure, since you don’t know how the story will end up and who the characters are going to be, the story can take unexpected turns and significant characters can suddenly come from seemingly nowhere, to enrich the narrative, and add to the complexity of the tale. It does take a significant amount of patience, and persistence to pursue the seed idea to its finish.

    I am proposing a new variation on seat of the pants writing, that I believe, will facilitate the development of the story with greater efficiency and confidence. I’m raising the bar. I’m calling it “seat of the spiritual eye” writing. Sitting oneself down, just like in meditation, putting one’s attention at the point between the eyebrows. If knitting the eyebrows does not provide enough pressure at that point for you, or it’s too difficult to feel that point, you can press a finger nail there, and then focus on the sting. 

    The point between the eyebrows is the site of the Spiritual eye, which is a reference to a subtle beyond sense detection metaphysical tunnel to infinite and eternal knowledge. That point between the eyebrows is also the will center, and the physiological center in the body. While concentrating at that point, all distractions of a minor nature can be overcome, making concentration much easier. 

    Since the attention is also in the forefront of the brain, it’s easier to be in the present, sort through ideas, and distinquish memories from reflections. So give it a try, and see how goes for you.

  • Let’s Get Uncomfortable

    I was looking for another podcast today, when I happened upon an audio version of a Google interview with Emmanuel Acho, who I was unfamiliar with. I almost moved past it, because it was between two black men, and although I have listened to interviews between black folks before, in fact recently between Leah Johnson and her black podcast host, I sometimes find their experiences and challenges difficult to listen to.

    Anyway I decided to listen to the interview with Acho, who is a sports commentator, retired football player, very educated, and privileged. He has a mission, and dramatically explains, that in response to the George Floyd incident, he started a podcast called “Uncomfortable conversations with a Black man,” and a book by the same name. Since I had listened to Barach Obama’s book and just finished reading “Becoming” I was now even more aware of the black educated and informed voice. I have a lot of respect for what they have accomplished despite their obstacles and struggles. Mr. Acho is taking the conversation of the black dilemma into an uncomfortable space, hence the name of the podcast and book. I went ahead and listened to another episode of his podcast with four police men and then another with Matthew McConaughey. Acho is working the dream, introduced by Martin Luther King Jr,  by attempting to dismantle the nightmare of the black legacy. I imagine the nature of his conversations will gradually become more comfortable, and bravely expanded upon by a cadre of competent young black communicators.

  • Happier than yesterday?

    Are you happier today than you were yesterda

    Why not? Is there a way to become happier everyday?  

    There must be. Whatever it is that we must do to become happier each day, will it eventually be all that we have time for? If we must increase the time we do that thing, it would make sense that we would have to do more and more of that thing each day, to be happier than we were the day before. Unless, the thing we must do everyday doesn’t have to take very long to do, say an hour at the most, and it could build incrementally on the happiness we established the day before. 

    I could compare it to practicing piano, or playing tennis. I don’t do either one of those things now, but I know that daily practice will enable one to improve on one’s performance. And I believe the real improvement comes when one has a coach or teacher who will give the student or practitioner feedback so that they will know what they can improve on. In a vacuum or on an island, we have no one to evaluate our performance, except ourselves and it’s almost impossible to give oneself honest, and constructive feedback. If the feedback is constructive and given with empathy, the recipient of the feedback needs to be open, willing and prepared to take the feedback to heart, and change one’s behavior in order to improve on one’s performance. 

    The same goes for increasing your happiness day after day. Lets’ say for instance that you write a blog everyday and it gives you some satisfaction to type up your thoughts and get clear about them, while maybe going into a topic and finding some angle, depth and insight about your subject that delights you. It’s the constructive feedback that you receive from others that can give you an objective perspective on just how clear your writing is, or the validity of the logic of your thinking, or the importance or relevance of your topic to anyone else’s life.

    If other people resonate with your thinking and take the time to give feedback that can be a source of happiness. The difference of course with a blog post, is that the feedback usually comes from readers, who may or not like the subject matter, the way it’s written or the author, whereas a piano or tennis teacher is an expert in the craft and is invested in helping the practitioner to improve. Of course we are all practitioners, even so called experts. I was listening to an interview with Hilary Hahn, the talented child violinist, with her childhood instructor. The teacher stated that he also learned something while teaching. 

    So whatever it is we are doing, hopefully something constructive, and instructive, to increase our happiness each day, our success will be more likely guaranteed with a competent, patient, and compassionate teacher to help guide our efforts.

    One impactful way that people today are building on their happiness, is through practicing meditation, especially and more effectively when they have an enlightened spiritual teacher to provide meaningful feedback and encouragement.

  • Rime of the Bachelor Party

    About a forty years I belonged to a small spiritual community in California

    A acquaintance of mine planned to be married, and someone organized a bachelor party. There were at least a dozen men attending. The scene that comes to mind was in a living room space. The men were seated around the perimeter, and some on the couches and chairs in the middle of the room. One of the men, a very talented vocalist, sang an aria. Very impressive. I forgot exactly what he sang but that it was not the highlight of the event, at least, not for me. The other men brought packaged gifts, none of which I remember. However one memorable guest offered an unusual presentation, that was very unique. I don’t know why I suddenly remembered this event after so many years, while I was listening to an episode of Hidden Brain,but it is what it is. The unique presenter, who was about 6’6” tall, sat the groom down in an easy chair, and then he sat on one of the padded arms of the chair. 

    The presenter put his left hand on the groom’s right shoulder and proceeded to recite without notes, from memory,  the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge : The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    Looking the poem over today, I wouldn’t be surprised if the presenter hadn’t recited the entire poem and, I recall, with impressive confidence and calmness. He didn’t falter or hesitate amidst the mixed, although respectful reactions from the other men. The groom’s face was a study in amazement, incredulity, and amusement. Need I bother to say, that the recitation altered and deepened the depth and nature of the bachelor party.

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  • Climate Quandary

    Recently, yesterday in fact, I was listening to the Daily podcast, The NY Times investigative online news outlet.

    The topic was the effects of climate change around the world, from rampant wild fires in the western US to air pollution from  those fires traveling to the skies of New York City, to unparalleled flooding in other parts of the world. Extreme climate conditions look very bleak. 

    The bottom line is that although many coping mechanisms are being put into place, they are only bandaids for this climatology nightmare. Unless we, as a global populace, work together to mitigate the causes of global warning, we’ll never get on top of it. The absolute bottom line is, we are not prepared for what’s happening globally, and no one’s willing to change enough to make a significant difference in preparing for and proactively altering our mind sets and lifestyles to slow down, if not stop and reverse the disastrous effects of climate change.

    Another podcast I listened to last week shared the thought that only when the climate catastrophe directly affects those individuals standing in the way of global warming legislation, only then will they concede and cooperate with restrictions on fossil fuel use. And by the time the upper crust is severely feeling effects of fires, heat, and flooding, the rest of us will be beyond caring. Revolution won’t help. They are ready for that. Peaceful protests make a difference. Gandhi had the right idea. We don’t have to sacrifice ourselves, but peaceful persistent protests will get some meaningful attention.

    High minded spiritual organizations realize that all of us, good, bad, rich, poor, victims and perpetrators need to look within themselves and do some positive inner work that will, with a critical number of participants, create a ground swell of good will, understanding, peaceful appeals, and creative collaboration. This in turn will move the needle. When we redirect our energies from pointing the finger of accusation and criticism at those who are purportedly dragging their feet on acknowledging the consequences of global warning, and creatively redirect our minds and intellect toward solutions and patiently emphasizing common grounds, goals and needs, only then can we collectively address the consequences of our collective neglect. 

    I’m not sure what good this blog post will do. However, I do know that although the EU has disclosed some proposed legislation that will restrict pollution. But I believe that their timeline is too long. We need to move fast within this decade. I understand why they think it will take into the 2030’s to secure drastic changes in pollution policy. But whether we like or not, if Al Gore’s prediction of decades ago, the conditions are changing faster than we are comfortably prepared for. And it won’t be long, within a year or two, that the opposition will notice the sizzle under their feet, instant sunburn, and their unconscious prayers that the air conditioning system in their house or automobile doesn’t break down. 

    Elon Musk’s tunnel drilling equipment could be used create underground refuges for the homeless, who are growing in number because of fires, and flooding. If he helps save humanity, there’ll be more of us around to buy his products. 

  • Minds in the moment

    How to get into their heads. If you know a person so well, sometimes you feel as though you’re in their head. That is, not exactly, you know their thought processes, you know your thought processes, you know when and where in their habitual thinking an alternative decision or course could be chosen, rather than the familiar, habitual way. You know that we all probably share similar thought processes in a culture, environment, social group, gender, age group, professional setting. If you are sensitive to a person’s mental state of mind, and you know what dictates their decision making, you can be aware of how and when to nudge them to follow their good sense rather than a sentimental obligation. Something like this can most likely be used for good or ill, but I envision multi-level protection against unethical efforts.  dsd

    Even if you thought you could influence the decision making process of someone else, and their behavior changed, how could you be sure you had any thing to do with it. Maybe you were aware of the process, and it’s something you wanted to see happen, you had been thinking about mental manipulation, but these are coincidental features of the situation, that may happen independent of your effort but in concert.

  • Swimming with Reality

    When I identified with intellectuals, I thought that life and its situations were adequately handled by juggling a couple of variables. For the most part, things worked out. But even if we covered most of the bases, and lined up most of the ducks, occasionally a few loose strands tended to get tangled up and our intentions were misinterpreted, perceptions were faulty, and we missed nuisances of seemingly trifling significance, that inevitably resulted in minor disasters. It’s hard to be perfect in this world and probably not possible.

    The popular view of being with reality is learning how to dance with it. I think the best analogy is swimming with it, because when you’re swimming resistance is everywhere.

    You don’t have to be swimming constantly. Floating, relaxing, letting go completely will rejuvenate and regenerate, while still aware of the pulse of life beneath.

  • Creative Detachment

    If we find that the answers to some of our problems seem to defy solution, how can we ever solve them? One approach might be: think of our problems differently, so differently that they bear no resemblance to how we thought of them before. Let’s for the moment, not get sidetracked into asking how that approach could possibly work.  The truth is: if we have persistent problems that do not submit to a satisfactory solution, perhaps it may be because of rigid thinking that never varies because of a consistent context, justification or character that we have become attached to out of sentiment, anger or resentment. 

    Sometimes opening ourselves up to a different perspective may help to shed some light on how the problems can become opportunities to adopt different attitudes about who we are, why we are, and how we are responsible for our situation and whether we want to let go of them, and why we don’t.

    Our problems are temporary, just as we pass away, they will also pass away. That’s a clue, our problems are attached to or symbiotically dependent on who we think we are. So if we were to think that we no longer existed, then our most cherished issues or problems would no longer exist. Perhaps we could imagine a new life or identity for ourselves. This alternate self, would embody all the strong, positive traits, behaviors and attitudes that we admire in others. We must feel that we deserve to have the best, be the best, and exhibit the best. Fake it until we make it. 

  • It has been said before….

    And it shall be said again, that there are many opportunities to excel in life. The problem and the imperative is to expect those opportunities to appear and to pray that one be prepared to take advantage of them. Use every appropriate occasion to connect and unite with other like minded seekers after truth. These opportune incidents will provide the mutual support we all need to make significant advancements in our understanding of the path we are on , and how best to deepen our determination to tune into the divine purpose for which we and everyone else exists. Go forth then in a natural way, expecting to meet and resonate with fellow travelers on the path to the ultimate fulfilling accomplishment.

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