Final Paper—Art Appreciation 12/12/11
At first, the decision to write about Agnes Martin came out of a desire to show respect for an old female artist who seemed to be in absolute agony. You see, after the first night of watching her on video in our Art Appreciation class, with all of her grunting, lip-smacking and issues of old age, I doubted that anyone else would choose her for their final paper. This isn’t meant to be a put down to her; it’s just that Martin was SO real in her interviews and so unconcerned with self and the outer shell, my first impression was that she was a man. Agnes Martin is a woman whose beauty comes from the inside—out; but once her beauty has been experienced—it’s hard to turn away. It’s not just the beauty of her art, but also of her wisdom. It is this essence of her that I will attempt to capture in this paper.
A Snapshot of Her Background
Agnes Martin was born in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1912. She moved to the United States in 1931, and began her college education at the Western Washington College of Education, Bellingham, Washington. She attended three other colleges while teaching art and eventually earning her B.S. in 1942. She became an American citizen in 1950 and received her M. A. in 1952. Both of her degrees are from the Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. In 1954 she moved to Taos, New Mexico and lived there for three years while teaching art and developing her painting skills. Very little art was sold back in those days, but in 1957 Betty Parsons of the well-known Betty Parsons Gallery took notice of her. After helping Martin to sell a few of her paintings, Parsons offered her a solo exhibition, conditional upon a move back to New York. Martin agreed, and was soon living in the Coentis Slip, which was a community of struggling artists—many of whom would later go on to become commercial successes.
Inspired by abstract expressionism, Martin moved away from painting the usual landscapes and portraits, to an abstract style. It wasn’t long before she came into her own, and according to London’s Times (quoted from notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-Le-Ra/Martin-Agnes), it was about 1960 when she reached her artistic maturity. The Times described her work as “a square format; canvas primed with two layer of gesso; hand-drawn pencil lines; thin layers of paint, first in oils, then in acrylic which she preferred because it was much quicker to dry.” It was this work that distinguished her and her style from the other artists in her genre, giving her the ability to command a pretty penny for her works.
Martin grew weary of the attention of the art world and longed for a much more secluded lifestyle. Eventually, in 1967 she made her way back to Taos, New Mexico and put her paint brush down for awhile. The Gale Encyclopedia of Biography (quoted from answers.com) states that, “Her refusal to paint for seven years at the height of her professional success added to her enigma, as though she were choosing spirit over matter.” It was during this time she began to write; giving the world access to her thought process and helping us to better grasp her work. After reading some of her writings, her paintings made much more sense.
Studying an artist a little bit before viewing their work is a good idea if time allows, because art can be hard to understand. An example of this would be one of Martin’s paintings, The Desert (which was expected to bring in somewhere between $4,000,000 and $6,000,000 at Sothesby’s). I tried REALLY, REALLY hard to see what the art critics were talking about with this piece, but I just didn’t “get it.” It could’ve been the fact that the computer screen was not picking it up the detail in the way that it should be viewed, but I couldn’t see where that would’ve made that much of a difference—not for $4 to $6 mil. What I could see was the color. It was, in fact, very representative of the luminescent coloring of a desert sunset. I can appreciate that very much. Martin had the luxury of being able to sit and soak up her environment, which included all those beautiful pastels and sandy colors we see on desert evening. Not only that, but it’s easy to imagine the feeling that goes along with it; peaceful, contemplative, and Zen-like. This is what she captured in this work.
What is hard to understand is the valuation of the piece. It seems obvious to me that there is much more involved here than the artist’s talent. It’s seems more of an attempt to jack up the price of a work so that others can get rich on the backs of the artists, ultimately having the power to taint our perspective. We, the audience, need to appreciate a piece of work not for the amount of money it may command, but rather, for the value of our individual perception. Some of us may need a little help from the artist in order to understand the work, but once we do, it makes the art much more enjoyable.
The Philosophy of Her Work
“All artwork is about beauty; all positive work represents it and celebrates it. All negative art protests the lack of beauty in our lives. When a beautiful rose dies, beauty does not die because it is not really in the rose. Beauty is an awareness in the mind. It is a mental and emotional response that we make” (Agnes Martin). It became clear to me after further research, that Martin had a way of stripping the illusion away from reality as she spoke in plain terms and revealed to us a much more profound way of thinking. In fact, I feel stupid for having been so superficial in the beginning. This beautiful soul didn’t need anyone’s approval; not mine and not the rest of humanity’s—she had evolved far beyond that. It was her mind, as much as her art, which attracted the appreciation of her followers. While Martin’s uncluttered perspective of life may seem out of the ordinary to the average person, to an artist, it’s about as close as one could get to Nirvana.
While watching her in the video Agnes Martin: With My Back to the World, we witnessed her as she painted and talked about her work. She described a horizontal line in the painting she was working on at that moment, as a line we don’t want to go below because going below that line would take us into the negative. We need to stay above the line in “positive thoughts.” While she was discussing this, I became emotional for some reason. I’m not quite sure what it was that did it. Perhaps it was because I was so into what she was teaching and so aware of the negative thoughts that I have been carrying around with me, that it struck a chord. I must have been thinking, ‘you mean that’s all I have to do is stay above that line?’ Isn’t that what art is supposed to do? Strike a chord with us to the very depths of our souls? Even if only for a moment? She made me want to meditate on her work, in hopes it would help me to rise above the meaningless crap. This woman has a way of mirroring the core of our being and making us aware of what’s possible.
Her artwork reflects a type of repetition and what appears to be a kind of “classicism.” It is in this repetition that we can see a form of meditation. It is predictable and therefore soothing and easy to take in. When practicing Zen meditation, one must focus upon something that is infinite or unsolvable. It is in this visualization of one thing only which helps to free the mind of clutter and better enable us to receive inspiration. Not only was Martin helping us to experience the infinite from our own perspective with the possibility of receiving inspiration of our own; she was also expressing her own internal philosophy. She was a teaching artist, and she wanted to give us all the gift of peace.
Considered a minimalist by some, she referred to herself as an abstract expressionist and rejected the minimalist tag. While it’s not hard to see where someone might perceive minimalism in Martin’s work, our interpretation doesn’t necessarily describe her style. Who are we to tell her what her style is? Maybe it’s the audience who hasn’t taken the time to get to know her that labels her a minimalist. They are not seeing her art the way she is expressing it, they are only judging the work from their own perspective. The audience that has taken the time to understand her and may have more of a feeling towards art will appreciate the abstract expression.
Then again, couldn’t it be both? It could be the minimalism in her mind (the emptying) that allows her to receive and then express her inspiration. She has so mastered the un-cluttering of her mind, that in her later years she said that she didn’t even have to meditate or put effort into it anymore. Martin stated, “I use to meditate until I learned to stop thinking.” All she had to do was determine it, and her mind would remain “empty” and ready for inspiration. She started with minimalism by reducing her thoughts to nothing—a blank slate, which gave her the ability to receive inspiration, which would manifest itself as abstract expression.
I’m going to take it even further. This was a cycle she was creating and I can see it now. After it left her and became art, the general public received it as minimalism. Then what? Once we got to know her we were able to move on to the clearing of our own minds by meditating on her work and giving us the gift of inspiration. It would be up to us to decide where to take it from there. Wow, that’s pretty deep. There is the social construct!
Strong Ties to Modern Art
As we are able to see in her earlier works, Martin leaned heavily towards abstract expression. The Harwood Museum of Art states in an article entitled Agnes Martin: Before the Grid, “The biomorphic piece—involving abstract shapes that evoke living forms—was a serious effort to find a new language and visual vocabulary.” What is biomorphic? According to Encyclopedia.com, it is a “term applied to forms in abstract art that derive from or suggest organic (rather than geometric) shapes.” It is representative of surrealism, and a good example of this style can be seen in the works of Jean Arp, an associate of Kandinsky and exhibitor with the “Blue Rider” group. His painting Configuration would be a great example of this. As Martin began to move away from the biomorphic shapes she began to focus more on linear and grid-like designs in grey tones and other washed-out subtle colors. She eventually got to a point where she couldn’t stand her earlier work and even went as far as to destroy much of it.
With her strong ties to the Modern Art genre, she has definitely made her way into the world of Contemporary Art. It is her ability to transcend her audience into a deeper realm of thought. She moves us from the canvas and into the mind with both her philosophy and her paintings.
A Peak into the Mind of Martin
For the sake of representing Martin more accurately, I’ve gathered together some of her own words and will use this section to convey as much of her essence as is relevant to this paper. This came from an interview done with her at her studio in Taos, NM in 1997 by Chuck Smith & Sono Kuwayama.
She believes that (paraphrased):
· Once she gets an inspiration she makes up her mind not to interfere.
· The artists of today have the inspiration, but before they can get it on canvas, they have about fifty ideas, and that is when the inspiration disappears.
· Ideas are separate from inspiration; i.e. inspiration comes from the universe and ideas come from us.
· The best art is music; that it is the highest form of art because of the emotion it invokes.
· Artists don’t deserve the credit for their work because the inspiration comes to them and tells them exactly what to do. Even when they’re painting it tells them exactly which strokes to make. She says that they have to take the blame if they get shaken between the inspiration and the finished product.
· Competition clouds inspiration.
· The worst thing you can do when creating art is to think about one’s self.
· The happiest moment for her with her art is when they go out into the world.
· The pursuit of knowledge is futile and is not conducive to inspiration.
Summary: My Opinion
I’m going to be honest here and tell you that I haven’t quite grasped all of her work and maybe that is simply because I’m not in a position at this point in time to be able to really sit and meditate on it. I will say however, that I understand the woman and her philosophy. I admire her for forcing me to think about what’s real. Life shouldn't be about all of the “stuff” we tend to get so entangled with. We need to take time out and go deep.
I believe that her work is classical in its striving for mathematical perfection. It allows us to focus on what needs not be thought about too much, clearing the way for inspiration. After meditating on her gridlines we are overcome with a feeling of infinity, which is an integral part of Zen meditation. This helps me to understand that she is ultimately striving for truth in herself and what she presents to the world. I feel safe with her because of that.
Having grown up with a mind full of self my entire life, I feel almost ashamed at some of the stuff I continue to think about—over and over again; constantly allowing the negativity of this world to enter into my mind. I have lived a life “below the line” and she makes me more aware of it. I see her as a kind of guru, one that I want to study more.
Agnes Martin is the Nirvana of the art world.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Beauty of Our Human Potential
Final Paper for “Survey of Humanities”
15 November 2011
When discussing the topic of “Human Potential,” there are three main types of people: Those who are realizing their potential; those who are battling to realize it; and those who go through life oblivious to what is going on in the world around them, as well as, inside of themselves. These people who have got their head in the sand are really missing out. There can be such beauty associated with the human need to express, invent, create and serve others.
The extent to which we become successful in life is determined by how profoundly we affect the lives of others. If we aren’t doing that, we are simply moving through life like a hamster on a wheel, never really utilizing our gifts and talents to bring about better living conditions for ourselves and the rest of humanity. This study is intended to address the subject of “human potential” and distinguish the root factors that set these groups of people apart.
To make reading a little easier, I am going to abbreviate these three main groups of people. The group that is continuously realizing their potential is: Group-A “Realizing”; the group that is working towards realization is—Group-B “Battling”; and the group that doesn’t seem to have a clue is—Group C “Oblivious.” Believe it or not, many of the people in Group-C are really quite content. But we’ll discuss that later.
Groups Explained
Which group appears to be the best representation of where we as individuals, are living at the moment? Which group is it that we aspire to? Some people dream of living a life of luxury; while some are born into it. Some people have a tendency towards minimalism and service to others; while some are waging a constant battle just to have the freedom of mind to be able to choose. Then there are the people who are content to live one day at a time, and to just wait and see what life throws at them.
Obviously, there are many more examples, but the point is, we all tend to see the world from our own perspective, so we can’t judge others for what they aspire or don’t aspire to be. As writer of this paper, I need to keep this in mind for myself. My tendency is to wonder why everyone wouldn’t want to be the best they can be using all that is available for a better life. Is it possible that people remain “oblivious” for a reason? Couldn’t it be that our existence is much less painful if we are never risking anything? Such is life on the old hamster wheel, living the forty-year plan, where we work four decades for someone else and end up with absolutely nothing to show for it at retirement—especially at this economically unstable point in time.
In one of my favorite books, “The Dream Giver” by Bruce Wilkinson; he tells a story of “a Nobody named Ordinary” who “lived in the land of familiar.” (13) With just those few words we are able to tell where this book might be headed. It is beautifully written and extremely thought-provoking in its simplicity. The introduction goes on to describe the average life of most “Nobodies,”
Group-C “Oblivious”
Is Group-C really oblivious? I believe some are and some aren’t. Human beings often have a way of de-sensitizing themselves or going to great lengths to avoid the discomfort of pain and fear, but life is full of pain and fear, so really—is it that much easier? Why not take that energy and move through it? For those who are truly “oblivious,” could they possibly be blessed to live their lives like that? Where’s the struggle?
I believe there are three types of people who represent the truly oblivious category: the people who were born into a life of luxury and never had to struggle for it; the people who were raised with that particular mindset and who’ve never been exposed to any other way (conditioned thought), and people who may be mentally challenged in some way. There are however, instances where people who have been born under these circumstances have risen up and done something really great for humanity. These are the people we tend to hear more about—as it should be.
This is a good time to use T. Harv Eker’s book, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” as an example. This book describes how our conditioned thoughts determine our wealth. When I say wealth, I’m not just talking about money. To me wealth is the measure to which a person is comfortable in every area of his or her life, and it is different for everyone. Although T. Harv Eker’s focus is more on the financial arena; his principles still apply. In his book he states that “Your financial blueprint consists primarily of the information or ‘programming’ you received in the past, and especially as a young child” (18). To figure things out, we must take a look at the sources of our conditioning; who did it come from? Parents, teachers, extended family, religious figures, the media, and one’s own culture are who influence us most. T. Harv Eker goes on to say, “You were taught how to think and act when it comes to money. These teachings become your conditioning, which become automatic responses that run you for the rest of your life. Unless, of course, you intercede and revise your minds money files” (19); which leads us into the next study group.
Group-B “Battling.”
During this time of such economic hardship and uncertainty, we are seeing an unprecedented rate of financial failure in many different arenas. Most Americans are struggling—including those who before now have felt financially secure. But this isn’t the type of battle I’m talking about. The battle I’m referring to is the battle of the mind. It is the person who believes with all of his/her heart that there is something more to life, who has the greatest challenge. This person may have seen what success is through others, but has never experienced it personally and is not really sure how to go about it. So, in the meantime he/she keeps going through a frantic search, looking for what it is that will quench this desire. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about—and the clock keeps on ticking.
The big question for the people in Group-B is; “What can I do right now that will get me to the place I need to be?” This group is constantly dreaming of a life that will SOMEDAY be, and never really happy with the way life presently IS. Never enough time; never enough money, and with that, discouragement often sets in and manifests negative thoughts.
How do we go about changing these thoughts and the blueprint of our conditioning? How can we move into Group-A, where we can continuously be realizing our potential? It is by changing our reaction to these thoughts that will eventually attract the good things we yearn so tirelessly for.
I have studied a plethora of success gurus in an attempt to find my key to life, and believe one of the best to be Jack Canfield; well-known for his “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series of books. He is a world renowned speaker and motivator who also wrote a book called “The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” In it he outlines a success formula that is extremely do-able for those who can stick to it. The challenge is in committing to it and making it a priority. We can tell from the dedication of this book that not only does the author give us guidelines; he also cheers us on. He writes: “This book is dedicated to all those men and women who have ever dared to step out of the dominant culture of resignation and mediocrity and endeavor to create the life of their dreams. I honor and salute you!” This is exactly what the “Battling” Group-B is living for.
Although I believe the “dream life” to be something different for everybody, there are certain issues that if were no longer were a concern—would free us all to focus on the things that matter most; love and humanity. Think about it; if money was no longer an issue, what could we do? We could enter into Group-A, and spend the rest of our lives there.
Group-A “Realizing”
For Group-A, those who are “realizing,” life means fulfillment. Obviously there are many under-handed, slime-balls, who somehow manage to become successful. But they aren’t reaching their “human” potential, and they aren’t becoming fulfilled. The good ones are the people who have worked smart and with integrity to get where they are. These are the people we see as inspirational and with whom we can relate to. We think in our minds, “If they can do it—so can I,” and after studying these individuals I have zeroed in on some consistent traits that I believe have gotten them to where they are now. These traits are: courage, vision, tenacity and service to others.
“Courage” was placed first on the preceding list because it appears to be the number one most important trait. It is the catalyst for freedom of thought and ability to visualize. Without courage we can get nowhere. “Vision,” establishes our plan and reason for living out our dream. It is the driving force and motivator for what we are about to undertake. Our vision is what fuels our “tenacity,” which is what moves us through the many obstacles that will inevitably come our way. The last, and most important piece to the puzzle, is how we use these other traits to “serve” others. It is our legacy and the impression in time that will witness for us that we took part in something important and much bigger than ourselves. It is the measure to which we profoundly affect each other (serve others) while we are here in this life that will determine our ability to reach our own human potential.
Bottom line, if we aren’t affecting humanity—then no one will notice us; and when it comes down to it, we rely on other human beings to bring us success. It may come off sounding superficial at first until we really think about it. Life has got to be about improving the human condition, what could be more important than that? It just so happens that our compensation is based on how effective we are at doing that. It’s not selfish or superficial; it’s just the way of the world. Group-A “Realizing,” has mastered the art of serving others. They have established their niche and are utilizing their gifts, talents and strengths to the best of their abilities to help others get what they need or want. Although I feel I must add here, that if it isn’t a genuine attempt at creating at the very least a “win-win” situation for all parties involved; it isn’t going to last, and it isn’t going to be fulfilling. Eventually, over time, the truth is revealed (look at “Occupy Wall Street”) and the riches comes tumbling down.
In summary, I would like to say that this paper is not meant to be an exhaustive study on the subject of “Human Potential.” I am not an expert. What I am is a student of life. I have spent much time observing the people around me, reading books, going to seminars, and experiencing some of this stuff for myself. It is the truth as I have come to know it. I believe in the laws of attraction and in a Creator God who has created humankind in His image. As it states in the bible; “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our Image, according to Our likeness’ . . . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (NKJ, Gen. 1.26-27). What does it mean to be created in God’s image? I believe it means we haven’t even come close to understanding our potential. There is something inside each of us that tells us we are meant for great things weather we choose to acknowledge that voice or not.
I would like to wrap up with my favorite quote by Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles,
That is the beauty of our Human Potential.
Canfield, Jack. The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. Print.
Eker, T. Harv. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2005. Print.
The Holy Bible; Wide Margin Reference Edition; NKJV, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994. Print.
Wilkinson, Bruce. The Dream Giver. Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2003. Print.
Williamson, Marianne. A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles. Internet Resources. SKDesigns, 2011. Web. 1 May 2011.
15 November 2011
INTRODUCTION
When discussing the topic of “Human Potential,” there are three main types of people: Those who are realizing their potential; those who are battling to realize it; and those who go through life oblivious to what is going on in the world around them, as well as, inside of themselves. These people who have got their head in the sand are really missing out. There can be such beauty associated with the human need to express, invent, create and serve others.
The extent to which we become successful in life is determined by how profoundly we affect the lives of others. If we aren’t doing that, we are simply moving through life like a hamster on a wheel, never really utilizing our gifts and talents to bring about better living conditions for ourselves and the rest of humanity. This study is intended to address the subject of “human potential” and distinguish the root factors that set these groups of people apart.
ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM
To make reading a little easier, I am going to abbreviate these three main groups of people. The group that is continuously realizing their potential is: Group-A “Realizing”; the group that is working towards realization is—Group-B “Battling”; and the group that doesn’t seem to have a clue is—Group C “Oblivious.” Believe it or not, many of the people in Group-C are really quite content. But we’ll discuss that later.
Groups Explained
Which group appears to be the best representation of where we as individuals, are living at the moment? Which group is it that we aspire to? Some people dream of living a life of luxury; while some are born into it. Some people have a tendency towards minimalism and service to others; while some are waging a constant battle just to have the freedom of mind to be able to choose. Then there are the people who are content to live one day at a time, and to just wait and see what life throws at them.
Obviously, there are many more examples, but the point is, we all tend to see the world from our own perspective, so we can’t judge others for what they aspire or don’t aspire to be. As writer of this paper, I need to keep this in mind for myself. My tendency is to wonder why everyone wouldn’t want to be the best they can be using all that is available for a better life. Is it possible that people remain “oblivious” for a reason? Couldn’t it be that our existence is much less painful if we are never risking anything? Such is life on the old hamster wheel, living the forty-year plan, where we work four decades for someone else and end up with absolutely nothing to show for it at retirement—especially at this economically unstable point in time.
In one of my favorite books, “The Dream Giver” by Bruce Wilkinson; he tells a story of “a Nobody named Ordinary” who “lived in the land of familiar.” (13) With just those few words we are able to tell where this book might be headed. It is beautifully written and extremely thought-provoking in its simplicity. The introduction goes on to describe the average life of most “Nobodies,”
Every day was pretty much the same for Ordinary. In the mornings he got up and went to his Usual job. After work, he ate almost the same dinner he’d eaten the evening before. Then he sat in his recliner and watched the box that mesmerized most Nobodies on most nights. Sometimes, Best Friend came over to join Ordinary in front of the box. Sometimes, Ordinary went to his Parents’ and they watched it together. For the most part, not much happened in Familiar that hadn’t happened before. Ordinary thought he was content. He found the routines reliable. He blended in with the crowd. And mostly, he wanted only what he had (13).This section of the book is describing Group-C and it is urging us to examine our lives so we can move out of mediocre thinking and through fear, to live a more fulfilling life.
Group-C “Oblivious”
Is Group-C really oblivious? I believe some are and some aren’t. Human beings often have a way of de-sensitizing themselves or going to great lengths to avoid the discomfort of pain and fear, but life is full of pain and fear, so really—is it that much easier? Why not take that energy and move through it? For those who are truly “oblivious,” could they possibly be blessed to live their lives like that? Where’s the struggle?
I believe there are three types of people who represent the truly oblivious category: the people who were born into a life of luxury and never had to struggle for it; the people who were raised with that particular mindset and who’ve never been exposed to any other way (conditioned thought), and people who may be mentally challenged in some way. There are however, instances where people who have been born under these circumstances have risen up and done something really great for humanity. These are the people we tend to hear more about—as it should be.
This is a good time to use T. Harv Eker’s book, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” as an example. This book describes how our conditioned thoughts determine our wealth. When I say wealth, I’m not just talking about money. To me wealth is the measure to which a person is comfortable in every area of his or her life, and it is different for everyone. Although T. Harv Eker’s focus is more on the financial arena; his principles still apply. In his book he states that “Your financial blueprint consists primarily of the information or ‘programming’ you received in the past, and especially as a young child” (18). To figure things out, we must take a look at the sources of our conditioning; who did it come from? Parents, teachers, extended family, religious figures, the media, and one’s own culture are who influence us most. T. Harv Eker goes on to say, “You were taught how to think and act when it comes to money. These teachings become your conditioning, which become automatic responses that run you for the rest of your life. Unless, of course, you intercede and revise your minds money files” (19); which leads us into the next study group.
Group-B “Battling.”
During this time of such economic hardship and uncertainty, we are seeing an unprecedented rate of financial failure in many different arenas. Most Americans are struggling—including those who before now have felt financially secure. But this isn’t the type of battle I’m talking about. The battle I’m referring to is the battle of the mind. It is the person who believes with all of his/her heart that there is something more to life, who has the greatest challenge. This person may have seen what success is through others, but has never experienced it personally and is not really sure how to go about it. So, in the meantime he/she keeps going through a frantic search, looking for what it is that will quench this desire. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about—and the clock keeps on ticking.
The big question for the people in Group-B is; “What can I do right now that will get me to the place I need to be?” This group is constantly dreaming of a life that will SOMEDAY be, and never really happy with the way life presently IS. Never enough time; never enough money, and with that, discouragement often sets in and manifests negative thoughts.
How do we go about changing these thoughts and the blueprint of our conditioning? How can we move into Group-A, where we can continuously be realizing our potential? It is by changing our reaction to these thoughts that will eventually attract the good things we yearn so tirelessly for.
I have studied a plethora of success gurus in an attempt to find my key to life, and believe one of the best to be Jack Canfield; well-known for his “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series of books. He is a world renowned speaker and motivator who also wrote a book called “The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” In it he outlines a success formula that is extremely do-able for those who can stick to it. The challenge is in committing to it and making it a priority. We can tell from the dedication of this book that not only does the author give us guidelines; he also cheers us on. He writes: “This book is dedicated to all those men and women who have ever dared to step out of the dominant culture of resignation and mediocrity and endeavor to create the life of their dreams. I honor and salute you!” This is exactly what the “Battling” Group-B is living for.
Although I believe the “dream life” to be something different for everybody, there are certain issues that if were no longer were a concern—would free us all to focus on the things that matter most; love and humanity. Think about it; if money was no longer an issue, what could we do? We could enter into Group-A, and spend the rest of our lives there.
Group-A “Realizing”
For Group-A, those who are “realizing,” life means fulfillment. Obviously there are many under-handed, slime-balls, who somehow manage to become successful. But they aren’t reaching their “human” potential, and they aren’t becoming fulfilled. The good ones are the people who have worked smart and with integrity to get where they are. These are the people we see as inspirational and with whom we can relate to. We think in our minds, “If they can do it—so can I,” and after studying these individuals I have zeroed in on some consistent traits that I believe have gotten them to where they are now. These traits are: courage, vision, tenacity and service to others.
“Courage” was placed first on the preceding list because it appears to be the number one most important trait. It is the catalyst for freedom of thought and ability to visualize. Without courage we can get nowhere. “Vision,” establishes our plan and reason for living out our dream. It is the driving force and motivator for what we are about to undertake. Our vision is what fuels our “tenacity,” which is what moves us through the many obstacles that will inevitably come our way. The last, and most important piece to the puzzle, is how we use these other traits to “serve” others. It is our legacy and the impression in time that will witness for us that we took part in something important and much bigger than ourselves. It is the measure to which we profoundly affect each other (serve others) while we are here in this life that will determine our ability to reach our own human potential.
Bottom line, if we aren’t affecting humanity—then no one will notice us; and when it comes down to it, we rely on other human beings to bring us success. It may come off sounding superficial at first until we really think about it. Life has got to be about improving the human condition, what could be more important than that? It just so happens that our compensation is based on how effective we are at doing that. It’s not selfish or superficial; it’s just the way of the world. Group-A “Realizing,” has mastered the art of serving others. They have established their niche and are utilizing their gifts, talents and strengths to the best of their abilities to help others get what they need or want. Although I feel I must add here, that if it isn’t a genuine attempt at creating at the very least a “win-win” situation for all parties involved; it isn’t going to last, and it isn’t going to be fulfilling. Eventually, over time, the truth is revealed (look at “Occupy Wall Street”) and the riches comes tumbling down.
CONCLUSION
In summary, I would like to say that this paper is not meant to be an exhaustive study on the subject of “Human Potential.” I am not an expert. What I am is a student of life. I have spent much time observing the people around me, reading books, going to seminars, and experiencing some of this stuff for myself. It is the truth as I have come to know it. I believe in the laws of attraction and in a Creator God who has created humankind in His image. As it states in the bible; “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our Image, according to Our likeness’ . . . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (NKJ, Gen. 1.26-27). What does it mean to be created in God’s image? I believe it means we haven’t even come close to understanding our potential. There is something inside each of us that tells us we are meant for great things weather we choose to acknowledge that voice or not.
I would like to wrap up with my favorite quote by Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles,
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.We are capable of things we can’t even begin to comprehend, but we won’t know that until we try. We need to look at all that has come before us; all those things we learn about in our Arts and Humanities classes in school. This is what will inspire us to “conceive, believe and achieve."
That is the beauty of our Human Potential.
Works Cited
Canfield, Jack. The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. Print.
Eker, T. Harv. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2005. Print.
The Holy Bible; Wide Margin Reference Edition; NKJV, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994. Print.
Wilkinson, Bruce. The Dream Giver. Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2003. Print.
Williamson, Marianne. A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles. Internet Resources. SKDesigns, 2011. Web. 1 May 2011.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
LIVE NOW!!!
Time. The number one most precious commodity. A person doesn’t usually realize it until the aging process has taken a pretty strong foothold, but there are some extremely blessed individuals, who, when given the opportunity have actually taken the action required to enable themselves a glimpse into a higher realm of living. This living that I’m talking about is not of the ordinary, which is the level where most human beings exist. It is a realm that God created for us to enjoy every aspect of. It is the realm of the most precious, most beautiful life that we can have on this earth. It is freedom, it is love, and it is service.
I realize that suffering is an important part of life - without it we would never move forward to anything worthwhile. I believe that to the extent to which we suffer, we will see equal measure of blessings bestowed upon us. That’s why if we become bitter in our thinking, it will naturally cut off the ability to receive these blessings. You cannot see blessings through bitterness.
As I continue to grow older (which is far better than the alternative), I realize more and more that the way I have mis-managed my thought process, has kept me in absolute bondage for most of my life. I don’t know where it began, but it has evolved into something quite monstrous, and I have allowed it to oppress me and keep me from living my full potential for far, far too long. It’s time to step out in the faith and hope that is inside of myself.
I want ME to understand something - because yes, I am writing this for me right now; when I say full potential, I don’t mean living ANY kind of a mediocre life. I mean FULL POTENTIAL!!! What does full potential mean? It means freeing my mind, so that i may inspire others to do the same. Freedom means the ability to conceive, believe, and achieve what may seem impossible to others, without having to deal with immobilizing fear and worry. I could ask myself (which I just did), why the hell it has taken me so long to finally reach this conclusion? But now rather than beat myself up, I’m feeling damn blessed that I’ve realized it at all! Obviously, the culmination of all that I’ve experienced up to this point has made me who I am, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Now my hope, and my why, is that I show my children that it can be done – that freedom can be attained much, much earlier in life. FREEDOM OF THE MIND!
Thoughts are key, you can have a mind full of doubt and fear which will bind you into your own little private hell, or you can think possibility, love, and beauty. THOUGHTS ARE THINGS! What we dwell upon is COMPLETELY our choice. It’s like “you are what you eat,” but also, “you are what you think about.” It’s so dang simple! Like the song by En Vogue ~ “free your mind, and the rest will follow,” it is so true, although I think the song may be more about how we perceive others. The real problem lies in how we perceive ourselves. I honestly believe that if we could see for a moment through the eyes of our Creator, the unconditional love and acceptance He has for us – all would be well. This love eminating from our creator is not a conditional human love. It is an all knowing, pure of intention, perfect love.
Why do I waste so much time concerning myself with what other people think of me? God loves me, God wants me to live my life abundantly, and God wants me to inspire others to do the same. Isn’t that what life is about? What else could it be? While I’m here on the earth, I want to see the beauty of God’s creation, and the beauty He’s given us the ability to create. I want to experience fine living, and have any tool I could possibly need at my disposal. I believe that the more I am able to make of myself, the more I am able to offer someone else, and tools are very necessary.
We were all created in the image of God - believe it or not. And we were born extremely gifted. We are spirit, and we are blessed to be able to choose to have God’s Holy Spirit living in us – or not. God isn’t going to force it on us, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that He sure does want us to choose Him! Like us, He wants to be loved. Jesus said that the 2 most important things a person can do in life is “love the Lord your God, with all of your heart, soul, and mind,” and “love your neighbor as yourself.” He said that this would encompass all that is good in life – in so many words. This is what frees us! If we love our God with all our heart, soul, and mind - we learn to trust Him, and His love consumes us. We understand that the way we interact with others, or whatever happens in this life here on earth, is a refiners fire. It is necessary to our becoming the best that we can spiritually be, because eternity is what matters, and our love for each other is what we carry with us for ever and ever.
There is so much to be grateful for, but there are so many blind people out there who allow the cares of this world to distract them from the hope that is inside of them. I know, I’ve been doing it for a very long time.
It’s time to break the curse, who wants to go with me?
I realize that suffering is an important part of life - without it we would never move forward to anything worthwhile. I believe that to the extent to which we suffer, we will see equal measure of blessings bestowed upon us. That’s why if we become bitter in our thinking, it will naturally cut off the ability to receive these blessings. You cannot see blessings through bitterness.
As I continue to grow older (which is far better than the alternative), I realize more and more that the way I have mis-managed my thought process, has kept me in absolute bondage for most of my life. I don’t know where it began, but it has evolved into something quite monstrous, and I have allowed it to oppress me and keep me from living my full potential for far, far too long. It’s time to step out in the faith and hope that is inside of myself.
I want ME to understand something - because yes, I am writing this for me right now; when I say full potential, I don’t mean living ANY kind of a mediocre life. I mean FULL POTENTIAL!!! What does full potential mean? It means freeing my mind, so that i may inspire others to do the same. Freedom means the ability to conceive, believe, and achieve what may seem impossible to others, without having to deal with immobilizing fear and worry. I could ask myself (which I just did), why the hell it has taken me so long to finally reach this conclusion? But now rather than beat myself up, I’m feeling damn blessed that I’ve realized it at all! Obviously, the culmination of all that I’ve experienced up to this point has made me who I am, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Now my hope, and my why, is that I show my children that it can be done – that freedom can be attained much, much earlier in life. FREEDOM OF THE MIND!
Thoughts are key, you can have a mind full of doubt and fear which will bind you into your own little private hell, or you can think possibility, love, and beauty. THOUGHTS ARE THINGS! What we dwell upon is COMPLETELY our choice. It’s like “you are what you eat,” but also, “you are what you think about.” It’s so dang simple! Like the song by En Vogue ~ “free your mind, and the rest will follow,” it is so true, although I think the song may be more about how we perceive others. The real problem lies in how we perceive ourselves. I honestly believe that if we could see for a moment through the eyes of our Creator, the unconditional love and acceptance He has for us – all would be well. This love eminating from our creator is not a conditional human love. It is an all knowing, pure of intention, perfect love.
Why do I waste so much time concerning myself with what other people think of me? God loves me, God wants me to live my life abundantly, and God wants me to inspire others to do the same. Isn’t that what life is about? What else could it be? While I’m here on the earth, I want to see the beauty of God’s creation, and the beauty He’s given us the ability to create. I want to experience fine living, and have any tool I could possibly need at my disposal. I believe that the more I am able to make of myself, the more I am able to offer someone else, and tools are very necessary.
We were all created in the image of God - believe it or not. And we were born extremely gifted. We are spirit, and we are blessed to be able to choose to have God’s Holy Spirit living in us – or not. God isn’t going to force it on us, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that He sure does want us to choose Him! Like us, He wants to be loved. Jesus said that the 2 most important things a person can do in life is “love the Lord your God, with all of your heart, soul, and mind,” and “love your neighbor as yourself.” He said that this would encompass all that is good in life – in so many words. This is what frees us! If we love our God with all our heart, soul, and mind - we learn to trust Him, and His love consumes us. We understand that the way we interact with others, or whatever happens in this life here on earth, is a refiners fire. It is necessary to our becoming the best that we can spiritually be, because eternity is what matters, and our love for each other is what we carry with us for ever and ever.
There is so much to be grateful for, but there are so many blind people out there who allow the cares of this world to distract them from the hope that is inside of them. I know, I’ve been doing it for a very long time.
It’s time to break the curse, who wants to go with me?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
I HOPE.
I take comfort in the fact that God says that He knew me BEFORE he knitted me into my mother's womb. It doesn't get more personal than that. The fact that God loved me enough to create me, unlike anyone else, with my own body, mind, and spirit; tells me that He must have had a purpose in mind for me to carry out. Why is it that most of us who are believers in a loving God, can't seem to wrap our minds around the fact that it is ok to live an abundant life, one that is happy, fulfilled and for the most part - stress free. He tells us in His word that Jesus came so that we may live life abundantly. The whole power of attraction thing that everyone is so excited about, isn't some random thing, it is biblical! New age thinkers credit this power to "the universe". Others may call it "the thinking stuff". I call it "the Spirit of God". The power of attraction is prayer, meditation, and the "golden rule" in action - so let's give credit where credit's due.
To reach one's potential - can it be done? Of course. It's only too late if you're dead. We may miss out on alot of the opportunity that comes our way because we're so wrapped up in our own misery that we don't see outward. Or maybe it's just because of the way we were programmed throughout life. We become fearful, insecure, and discouraged to the point of forgetting about all of the wondrous optimism we had in our hearts and minds when we were children. We weren't born to lose, we were created to expand our lives, and the lives of others. How do we do that? By staying in line with the mind of God through prayer. We need to immerse ourselves in what is positive and good, and open our eyes and hearts to God's direction. WE CAN ONLY REACH OUR POTENTIAL BY SERVING OTHERS. There is no other way.
A word of caution here; I said GOD'S direction - not man's. Don't let another person tell you what you should be doing in life. We only get to be here on this earth one time, so make it count - live YOUR life! On another note, there are many who have come before us, who have become enlightened to some very empowering principles, and who in their service to humanity, have put into words some of the keys to opening up the hope that is inside each one of us. These people (the good ones) aren't telling us what our purpose is, they are showing us how to go about finding our own unique set of talents, passions, and desires; and how to then use all of that awesome information to prayerfully figure out what our own individual purpose is. Do you realize that if we don't pay attention to what God is putting in front of us every hour of every day, that something very important won't happen? I got that from "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson - by the way.
Speaking from personal experience, I think that fear and a poor self-image is what has held me back the most in my life. I've been so afraid of what other people think of me, that I have been immobilized by it. When I think about it, I can actually visualize myself bound inside of a "shell", but then I burst out of it and can finally feel the relief and joy that I know has been bottled up inside me for so, so long. I want to be a goofball, I want to not care about what people think of me. As long as I am not hurting anyone, or myself, it's my right.
As far as the poor self-image thing goes, I still battle with it on a daily basis. But this I know; God says He created me in His image, and when I really sit and meditate on that, I know that He said that for people like me. In the first paragraph I talked about how God knew me before He knit me in my mother's womb, and loved me enough to create me in all my individuality. All these things I think about while I'm praying and meditating, and all these things I am seriously grateful for. How can I continue for very long with that negative self-image? I have written out positive affirmations that I repeat to myself in the morning, and at night before I go to bed. I read books that are empowering by authors who realize that they are accountable for all of their contributions to mankind. I listen to audio discs and MP3's from people who cheer me on and genuinely want to share their love and passion for life, and show us how to achieve it. These are men and woman of impeccable character and integrity. Life coaches who have spent much of their lives developing themselves personally, spending thousands of dollars learning from those who have gone before them, and most who have utilized the privilege of a mentor/mentee relationship. I want that. I want to become the kind of person that I would want to follow. I want to help people find the hope inside themselves. I want that to be my ultimate contribution to mankind.
Now let's talk about the stress I mentioned earlier. By stress, I mean unrelenting negativity that keeps us from realizing our potential because it's too busy ruining our health and poisoning our minds. I believe there is good stress, and bad stress. Good stress is the kind that comes from excitement, and positive challenges. It is the kind we experience when we leave our comfort zones or break through a massive wall of fear. This kind of stress comes and goes, and lets us know we're alive! I've experienced some of the good kind, but mostly the bad kind. I've felt the adrenalin pumping through my body upon waking, just from thinking one negative thought. I lived with this day in, and day out. I didn't sleep, I couldn't think straight, I had no energy or motivation, I stopped exercising, I stopped caring about myself, and worst of all - I stopped dreaming. I felt absolutely hopeless, and like no one could, or would be willing to help me. Thank God, He gave me the eyes to see an awesome opportunity that would give me hope, and change my life forever.
Hope is an awesome thing when it arrives after the life has been sucked out of you! In the movie Shawshank Redemption, there is a part when Ellis Boyd Redding "Red" (Morgon Freeman) is let out of prison, and he goes to the secret spot that his good buddy and prison mate Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) tells him about during one of their conversations. When he gets there he's supposed to look under a certain black rock that has no "earthly business" being there. Here are the actual words from the screenplay and my favorite scene in the movie:
To view this scene click here:
http://www.vidivodo.com/29878/the-shawshank-redemption-_-final-scene
I think I've decided what this blogging site is going to be about for me.
I'm going to do a little experiment - I will only write/post positive things, and when "life happens" I will make it a point to find the good in what appears to be bad.
Hopefully, the positive words, quotes, audio, video, and music here will inspire someone, somewhere to shift into a higher realm of living with eyes open to the possibilities that are all around us.
Just remember that "with God, all things are possible".
To reach one's potential - can it be done? Of course. It's only too late if you're dead. We may miss out on alot of the opportunity that comes our way because we're so wrapped up in our own misery that we don't see outward. Or maybe it's just because of the way we were programmed throughout life. We become fearful, insecure, and discouraged to the point of forgetting about all of the wondrous optimism we had in our hearts and minds when we were children. We weren't born to lose, we were created to expand our lives, and the lives of others. How do we do that? By staying in line with the mind of God through prayer. We need to immerse ourselves in what is positive and good, and open our eyes and hearts to God's direction. WE CAN ONLY REACH OUR POTENTIAL BY SERVING OTHERS. There is no other way.
A word of caution here; I said GOD'S direction - not man's. Don't let another person tell you what you should be doing in life. We only get to be here on this earth one time, so make it count - live YOUR life! On another note, there are many who have come before us, who have become enlightened to some very empowering principles, and who in their service to humanity, have put into words some of the keys to opening up the hope that is inside each one of us. These people (the good ones) aren't telling us what our purpose is, they are showing us how to go about finding our own unique set of talents, passions, and desires; and how to then use all of that awesome information to prayerfully figure out what our own individual purpose is. Do you realize that if we don't pay attention to what God is putting in front of us every hour of every day, that something very important won't happen? I got that from "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson - by the way.
Speaking from personal experience, I think that fear and a poor self-image is what has held me back the most in my life. I've been so afraid of what other people think of me, that I have been immobilized by it. When I think about it, I can actually visualize myself bound inside of a "shell", but then I burst out of it and can finally feel the relief and joy that I know has been bottled up inside me for so, so long. I want to be a goofball, I want to not care about what people think of me. As long as I am not hurting anyone, or myself, it's my right.
As far as the poor self-image thing goes, I still battle with it on a daily basis. But this I know; God says He created me in His image, and when I really sit and meditate on that, I know that He said that for people like me. In the first paragraph I talked about how God knew me before He knit me in my mother's womb, and loved me enough to create me in all my individuality. All these things I think about while I'm praying and meditating, and all these things I am seriously grateful for. How can I continue for very long with that negative self-image? I have written out positive affirmations that I repeat to myself in the morning, and at night before I go to bed. I read books that are empowering by authors who realize that they are accountable for all of their contributions to mankind. I listen to audio discs and MP3's from people who cheer me on and genuinely want to share their love and passion for life, and show us how to achieve it. These are men and woman of impeccable character and integrity. Life coaches who have spent much of their lives developing themselves personally, spending thousands of dollars learning from those who have gone before them, and most who have utilized the privilege of a mentor/mentee relationship. I want that. I want to become the kind of person that I would want to follow. I want to help people find the hope inside themselves. I want that to be my ultimate contribution to mankind.
Now let's talk about the stress I mentioned earlier. By stress, I mean unrelenting negativity that keeps us from realizing our potential because it's too busy ruining our health and poisoning our minds. I believe there is good stress, and bad stress. Good stress is the kind that comes from excitement, and positive challenges. It is the kind we experience when we leave our comfort zones or break through a massive wall of fear. This kind of stress comes and goes, and lets us know we're alive! I've experienced some of the good kind, but mostly the bad kind. I've felt the adrenalin pumping through my body upon waking, just from thinking one negative thought. I lived with this day in, and day out. I didn't sleep, I couldn't think straight, I had no energy or motivation, I stopped exercising, I stopped caring about myself, and worst of all - I stopped dreaming. I felt absolutely hopeless, and like no one could, or would be willing to help me. Thank God, He gave me the eyes to see an awesome opportunity that would give me hope, and change my life forever.
Hope is an awesome thing when it arrives after the life has been sucked out of you! In the movie Shawshank Redemption, there is a part when Ellis Boyd Redding "Red" (Morgon Freeman) is let out of prison, and he goes to the secret spot that his good buddy and prison mate Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) tells him about during one of their conversations. When he gets there he's supposed to look under a certain black rock that has no "earthly business" being there. Here are the actual words from the screenplay and my favorite scene in the movie:
Red walks the long rock wall, nearing the tree. A squirrel scolds him from a low branch, scurries up higher. Red studiesthe base of the wall. Nothing unusual here. Just a bunch ofrocks set in stone. He sighs. Fool's errand. Turns to go. Something catches his eye. He walks back, squats, peering closer. Wets a fingertip and rubs a stone. A layer of dust comes off. Volcanic glass. Gleaming black. He tries to get the rock out, anticipation growing. It won't come; it's too smooth. He pulls a pocketknife and levers the rock free. It tumbles at his feet, leaving a ragged hole. Red leans down and solves the mystery at last, staring at the object buried under the rock. Stunned. It's an envelope wrapped in plastic. Written on it is a single word: "Red."
Red pulls the envelope out and rises. He just stares at it for a while, almost afraid to open it. But open it he does. Inside is a smaller envelope and a letter. Red begins to read:
Voice of "ANDY"
Dear Red. If you're reading this,
you've gotten out. And if you've
come this far, maybe you're willing
to come a little further. You
remember the name of the town,
don't you? I could use a good man
to help me get my project on
wheels. I'll keep an eye out for
you and the chessboard ready.
Remember, Red. Hope is a good
thing, maybe the best of things,
and no good thing ever dies. I will
be hoping that this letter finds
you, and finds you well. Your
friend. Andy.
By now, tears are spilling silently down Red's cheeks. He opens the other envelope and fans out a stack of new fifty- dollar bills. Twenty of them. A thousand dollars.
Voice of "RED"
Get busy living or get busy dying.
That is goddamn right.
For the second time in my life, I
am guilty of committing a crime.
Parole violation. I doubt they'll
toss up any roadblocks for that.
Not for an old crook like me.
I find I am so excited I can barely
sit still or hold a thought in my
head. I think it is the excitement
only a free man can feel, a free
man at the start of a long journey
whose conclusion is uncertain...
I hope I can make it across the
border. I hope to see my friend
and shake his hand. I hope the
Pacific is as blue as it has been
in my dreams.
I hope.
The movie ends with those two simple words... I HOPE.
To view this scene click here:
http://www.vidivodo.com/29878/the-shawshank-redemption-_-final-scene
I think I've decided what this blogging site is going to be about for me.
I'm going to do a little experiment - I will only write/post positive things, and when "life happens" I will make it a point to find the good in what appears to be bad.
Hopefully, the positive words, quotes, audio, video, and music here will inspire someone, somewhere to shift into a higher realm of living with eyes open to the possibilities that are all around us.
Just remember that "with God, all things are possible".
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