I participated very recently in a tea ceremony and while some in the room were able to sing their hearts out, I just couldn't. I was stuck. And I remembered that when I was a pre-teen I was the lead singer of a rock band. We actually played decent sized shows and appeared on TV at one point. What a shift from having once belted it out to then be completely shut off in the throat even amongst a group of gentle, loving individuals. Well, their example (when they sang) had such a profound effect on me, I have been practicing some of my personal favorites at full vocal projection for the next opportunity to share my imagination, playfulness and spirit. Nice one, David.
J in his singing of the song, lost his innocence and discovered his imagination. He intuitively knew that there was many versions of the song, and one of those had captured his appreciation. His joy came in discovering the song can have many expressions that rewards his love of it. Maybe he can say why he feels this now, or maybe not. The innocent joy he felt in that moment is hard to maintain as we seek to climb the mountains of imagination and ambition. Kierkegarrd wrote, "Purity of the heart is to will one thing." The question is how do we arrive at that point, if we are not willing many things as a process of discovering the life that we want. The beauty of this very human phenomena is that we get to experience it throughout our whole life.
This is beautiful, David. I have had almost the precise same moments with my sons, and same fears and epiphanies. For consideration only: about "losing portals to..." I believe "portal" is buying into a misinterpretation. That our seminal innocence, our authentic self, etc., is something to be gotten to, something to be achieved again, something separate from us. When in fact, we could no longer be separate from it--neither you nor your son-- than a golden ring could be separate from gold. It's our true and innate nature. We can forget that, and live in the illusion that we are something other. That's probably what we actually bought this ticket to experience. But the end game is not climbing some ladder back to it. It's one-by-one letting go of the illusions we've chosen to be momentarily duped by to gradually wake up to what we actually already are, and always have been. No matter how much we may insist or believe we're not. :-)
Love how you state this man :) I feel we are saying similar things. Trying to reconnect to the inner boy - is more about excavating and awakening something already there!
Another cracking post David, I find imagination, play and experimenting are spaces that are integral to me feeling alive.
Thanks man! Excited to talk about this when we chat :)
I participated very recently in a tea ceremony and while some in the room were able to sing their hearts out, I just couldn't. I was stuck. And I remembered that when I was a pre-teen I was the lead singer of a rock band. We actually played decent sized shows and appeared on TV at one point. What a shift from having once belted it out to then be completely shut off in the throat even amongst a group of gentle, loving individuals. Well, their example (when they sang) had such a profound effect on me, I have been practicing some of my personal favorites at full vocal projection for the next opportunity to share my imagination, playfulness and spirit. Nice one, David.
Man - this is so beautiful. Seeing other sing with wreckless abandon has awoken that wondrous voice in you. That's awesome. Keep singing!
J in his singing of the song, lost his innocence and discovered his imagination. He intuitively knew that there was many versions of the song, and one of those had captured his appreciation. His joy came in discovering the song can have many expressions that rewards his love of it. Maybe he can say why he feels this now, or maybe not. The innocent joy he felt in that moment is hard to maintain as we seek to climb the mountains of imagination and ambition. Kierkegarrd wrote, "Purity of the heart is to will one thing." The question is how do we arrive at that point, if we are not willing many things as a process of discovering the life that we want. The beauty of this very human phenomena is that we get to experience it throughout our whole life.
As always Ed, I have much to sit on with your words. What’s strangely synchronistic is that I just started reading that Kierkegaard book yesterday!
Yeah, I’m known for that.
This is beautiful, David. I have had almost the precise same moments with my sons, and same fears and epiphanies. For consideration only: about "losing portals to..." I believe "portal" is buying into a misinterpretation. That our seminal innocence, our authentic self, etc., is something to be gotten to, something to be achieved again, something separate from us. When in fact, we could no longer be separate from it--neither you nor your son-- than a golden ring could be separate from gold. It's our true and innate nature. We can forget that, and live in the illusion that we are something other. That's probably what we actually bought this ticket to experience. But the end game is not climbing some ladder back to it. It's one-by-one letting go of the illusions we've chosen to be momentarily duped by to gradually wake up to what we actually already are, and always have been. No matter how much we may insist or believe we're not. :-)
Love how you state this man :) I feel we are saying similar things. Trying to reconnect to the inner boy - is more about excavating and awakening something already there!
Thanks for sharing.