N.35 The fire inside

There are no good or bad artists.
We express ourselves.
We let ourselves go. We don’t judge.
We celebrate the freedom that is ours.
We sing for the life that breathes into us the visceral energy that drives us forward.

We won’t be here for very long.
We break down the barriers. We mustn’t let ourselves be brought down.
The strength within us is stronger than all conditioning.

We live in a crazy society. We are both colonizers and colonized. We are shaped by an oppressive system that diminishes the potential of the human soul. So we take everything that has been given to us, imposed on us, and violently instilled in us, and digest it in the unquenchable fire of our guts. We spit it back out into the world, one artistic expression at a time.

We break our chains, then we help others free themselves as well.
We change the world one action at a time.

What we say, what we do, how we do it, and why we do it is paramount.
The evolution of a race plagued by a spirit of war and division inevitably comes through awareness of our daily actions.

We must not underestimate the impact of our actions.
Kindness will defeat all the tyrants of this world.
Cooperation shall bring our oppressive systems to ashes.

The path is endless.
It is up to us to leave a better world behind when we depart.
It will be up to future generations to carry the torch.

And then, when paradise becomes a reality in the minds and hearts of every being on this planet, another mountain will rise before us. There is no end.
Life flows and expands regardless.

When maturity sinks deep into our bones, working toward a more compassionate, humorous, and authentic world becomes a given.
We must plant trees, knowing full well that we may never get to relax in their shade.

That, to me, is what it means to be an artist.
That, in my view, is what it means to be alive.

Sunday Chronicles n.82 As fierce as a morning sunrise

Just the other day, on the balcony, as I was soaking in the warm sun whilst being tickled by the frisky springtime wind, I realized something.

Everything is a teacher.
Each and all little situations, people, objects, landscapes, emotions, thoughts and all the rest has something to teach.

One only has to bear witness, pay attention and provide the password that opens all doors:
‘’Thank you’’

I used to believe I had to work harder.
But no matter how hard, I never seemed to get where I wanted.
On the off chance that I got there, I got there at the end of my energy, unable to truly enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I grew up in a society built on fighting and competition.

Us against them.
Winners and losers.

Being endlessly judged if we are worthy enough to get to the next level.
Having to sit for long hours to gorge on information in order to regurgitate it on an exam paper.

Taken out of ourselves most of our youth to pay tribute to a soulless machine out of control.

Some of us get scared by the ordeal.
Some of us tune out.
Some of us dissociate.
Some of us thrive
Some of us remain lost in the fog for the rest of our lives.

The man I am today knows.
Everything is a teacher.
Everything can be used for growth.
It is up to me to find out the lesson.
No one can decide how I am within myself unless I give my permission first.

My life is my own.
I am free

And so are you.

Through authentic presence and tender surrender of simply being can the strongest of chains evaporate. The way is not without pitfalls but the journey towards true freedom is one of the greatest treasures we can offer ourselves and share the fruits with our fellows.

Nothing on this path is perfect but through acceptance of what we can change and what we cannot change, can clarity blossom as fiercely as a sunrise on the ocean’s horizon.

Have a great Sunday my friend!