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14 Sep 2003 @ 14:20, by craiglang. Inspiration
Some interesting insights occurred to me last night as I enjoyed one of the more amazing classical concerts I have ever seen. It was the Minnesota Orchestra's season opener, and they were at their classical best - playing Rachmananoff's Piano Concerto #3, and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
These amazing works of creativity from earlier times brought out very different but very complimentary qualities. One was that of the individual prodigy. The "Rach 3" may well be the most difficult piano music known to western civilization - yet the concerto soloist made it look easy. The hypnotist within me marveled at the focused expression on the soloist's face as he seemed to become the music, itself. Although supported by one of the world's best orchestras, this was his moment - a star - a prodigy performer.
The other work was Beethoven's fifth. And here the orchestra itself, together, was the star. Not one person, but all - a synergy of the best and the brightest, combining to produce a work far greater than the sum of its parts. While the Rach-3 was the result of beauty focused primarily on the work of one person, the "B-5" was the result of many egalitarian parts, combined into one magnificent whole.
As the insight popped into my mind, I quickly jotted some notes on the side of my program, and returned my focus to the stage. And then, all too quickly the concert was over. As I was leaving, I wondered - how is this a metaphor for much of what we do each day?
Some of our efforts are individual, and some of our work is collective. While I will never come close to approaching the prodigy levels that I saw on stage (actually, I have no musical talent whatsoever) I still wondered about the many areas of life which can benefit from both individual mastery and collective cooperation. Wouldn't it be nice to feel synergy at the level we heard tonight? And how can we bring our own analog of such mastery - our own gifts - to where they are most needed?
I smiled and folded up the program page with my scrawled. Stuffing it into my shirt pocket we headed home after a lovely evening... Read More
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2 Jan 2003 @ 23:22, by craiglang. Inspiration
Hi All,
I thought that it would be good to have some cheer - especially after arguing with my cousin, who is a die-hard Bush fan... :-)
I did a search of some websites that give me hope for the future. Here are a few of what I found. Read More
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10 Dec 2002 @ 15:53, by craiglang. Inspiration
Reading Shakti's post on the Earth Sanctuary struck a similar chord within me. I awoke this morning with the sense of not being able to see where the next step was.
The most meaningful metaphor I have heard yet, for ones life path is the concept of following the breadcrumbs. The trail will lead you to where God wants you to go. God alone knows how you will fulfill your life purpose, and destiny. Yet today, when awakening, I realized that I was not able to even guess where the next breadcrumb might be. How could I begin to get there? Is it close? Is it far? Does it even exist? Or even, did the birds eat it? There was the sense that life's path is taking me square into a brick wall. The dream that seems so clear on most days, today seemed to be a distant mirage. Somehow, the road had dead ended. Or had it?
As I got ready to go to work, and as I did my morning moment of meditation, What I was reminded of again is that which I am often reminded of during prayer, meditation, and in the events around me. And this is to know that the time when things look their bleakest can be the very time when the hope can be the brightest.
In the Bible is a statement that "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). And on those days when the next step in the road seems to be far away - when the road seems to go nowhere - it is only faith that keeps us moving.
Shakti speaks of persevering through thick and thin (I won't say what the thick and thin material was...). The highest compliment I could possibly pay her is to simply echo what she says. And sometimes it is only faith - the belief in the dream, hope for that which is not seen - that enables us to continue.
In the end - Faith Manages
Namaste,
-Craig
CL Note 12/10/2002 21:45 CST - Added a post-script about living in the NOW. Check out "More", below... Read More
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