What constitutes a Great Life ?

[m1469]

In your opinion of course.  But what would it be for you ?

My most recent decision about life :


My goal in life and living is no longer that of being known as a great person or as one who lived a great life, but that through my living it, the greatness of life may be known. I wish to be transparent, like a child.  It is not about me per se, but about life itself.

I believe we cannot be only musicians, we are always people.  And who we are, we take to the piano and to our music.  One's thoughts about life are important in general, but also to one's "success" (not necessarily fame) as a musician.  So, please tell my curious mind what is in yours 



m1469

[zheer]

Realize the fact that you simply live and not live for. life It is not to be traded and conceptualized and squeezed into a pattern of systems.
   Life is simply what our feelings do to us. Life is wide, limitless. There is no border, no frontier.
    Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning. To live is to express, and to express you have to creat. Creation is never merely repetition. To live is to express oneself freely in creation.


  ( Bruce Lee's thoughts on life)

[pianistimo]

after my leg was broken, i started thinking how unexpected things that happen (good/bad) can make a person more compassionate.  for instance, i thought that after my leg got better i would try to go back to the ortho floor of the hospital and talk to someone for a while who experienced the same thing.  basically, you sit and wait until you get your sugergy and then you have to just lay there and moan before and after.  and, for people who don't have family - it must be really hard.  i'd like to be there as my family was for me.  if you can't move or get around - you can't do much.

drove around the block yesterday - so i'm much better.  i can pedal the piano, too. yahhh. 

suppose i took many things forgranted.

[rimv2]

Realize the fact that you simply live and not live for. life It is not to be traded and conceptualized and squeezed into a pattern of systems.
   Life is simply what our feelings do to us. Life is wide, limitless. There is no border, no frontier.
    Life itself is your teacher, and you are in a state of constant learning. To live is to express, and to express you have to creat. Creation is never merely repetition. To live is to express oneself freely in creation.


  ( Bruce Lee's thoughts on life)

 

My goal in life and living is no longer that of being known as a great person or as one who lived a great life, but that through my living it, the greatness of life may be known. I wish to be transparent, like a child.  It is not about me per se, but about life itself.

Many are greatly known but few are known as great. The true path to fulfillment is to follow ones own thoughts and desire without question. This may also lead to a bit of notoriety as some of us are more exaggerated in our personalities. Some of us have extremely dark or bright one's. A man who desires nothing but to smash and break, but follows a straight path is all but happy and fulfilled much as one who desires to help is unfulfilled by leading a life of crime and violence.

To wish to be trasparent spawns from fear. All children are unwavering in their desire for attention. The one's who desire to be hidden have usually suffered a great trauma.

My goal in life and living is no longer that of being known as a great person or as one who lived a great life, but that through my living it, the greatness of life may be known

Interesting choice of words. Sounds inspiring. So what has brought about this change?

[m1469]

Funnily enough, in my most honest places, I do not find a life that is centered around "self-fulfillment" to be at all fulfilling.  It is quite a paradox, it would seem.  Also, transparency does not necessarily equate to invisibility.


m1469

[m1469]

Many are greatly known but few are known as great. The true path to fulfillment is to follow ones own thoughts and desire without question. This may also lead to a bit of notoriety as some of us are more exaggerated in our personalities. Some of us have extremely dark or bright one's. A man who desires nothing but to smash and break, but follows a straight path is all but happy and fulfilled much as one who desires to help is unfulfilled by leading a life of crime and violence.

Also, rimv2, a man who (believes he) desires nothing but to smash and break, but follows a straight path, as well as a man who (believes he) desires to help but leads a life of crime and violence, is not a man who knows what he wants, and does not truly want only one thing.  In either case, this is a man divided by his own desires and does not know what is most fulfilling.


m1469

[Torp]

The true path to fulfillment is to follow ones own thoughts and desire without question.

You mean kind of like the Marquis of Sade?

[thalbergmad]

You mean kind of like the Marquis of Sade?

Good example.

In addition, did not Alistair Crowley say something like that?

[I Love Xenakis]

as long as you're happy it's a great life.

[rimv2]

Funnily enough, in my most honest places, I do not find a life that is centered around "self-fulfillment" to be at all fulfilling.  It is quite a paradox, it would seem.  Also, transparency does not necessarily equate to invisibility.

m1469

Ah, to be slightly seen and slightly not. Your words are quite true as attempting to fulfill one's self often leaves one unfulfilled.

Also, rimv2, a man who (believes he) desires nothing but to smash and break, but follows a straight path, as well as a man who (believes he) desires to help but leads a life of crime and violence, is not a man who knows what he wants, and does not truly want only one thing.  In either case, this is a man divided by his own desires and does not know what is most fulfilling.

m1469

Did ah mention ah love you?

Then we must ask, what is most fulfilling?

Even more, What is fulfillment?

Above ah used a life without holding back as fulfillment. But a fulfilling life could very well be one of pain and solitude.

Is it simply subjective, or does it really not exist?

[m1469]

Ah, to be slightly seen and slightly not.

A piece of glass is transparent, though not invisible, and when placed in a lamp, clothing a light bulb, it allows the light to shine through it.  This is my goal with life in geneal, as a person, and with music as a performer and an educator.

With the glass and the light, it is not the glass itself which is noticed, but the light.  And as this analogy loses its relevence, with a transparent musician, there would seem little separation between the music and musician.  If one is transparent enough that the music can shine through, the performer is not invisible but comes across as a wonderful musician.  However, for the musician him/herself, the music must be first and foremost in thought and action in order for transparency to happen.  Ego is opaque.  I believe it is similar with life in general.

The rest of your questions I need to think about.


m1469

[lau]

life is like a lau (law), It makes you do things

Best bernhard readings,

lau