From Dear Adi : Sunday, July 24, 2011
AMY WINEHOUSE
Dear Adi
I suppose the death of Amy Winehouse is sad, but I expected it. Didn’t she bring it on herself with her addiction issues?
– Not Surprised
Dear Not Surprised,
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated... As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who
am brought so near the door by this sickness....
No man is an island, entire of itself...
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." John Donne (1572-1631)
am brought so near the door by this sickness....
No man is an island, entire of itself...
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." John Donne (1572-1631)
The above quotation is a familiar one to many
and often it is thought to mean
that we do not live in isolation
but it goes much deeper than this truth
We humans are the many points of light
that come together to create the living fractal
and so not only do we not know a solitary
existence
because our hearts
existence
because our hearts
yearn for connection
we literally cannot separate ourselves from
our fellow travellers
our fellow travellers
even if we try
for each one of us exists
as a point of reference for the self examination
of the other
and this is both the great gift
and greatest challenge
The "artist" knows this
for the act of creating visual art, theatre
music, poetry, dance
these very gestures exist as forms of
communication between souls
communication between souls
expressions of what one feels
which may then resonate with what another receives
We are moved by the offerings of an artist
because they remind us of ourselves
and make this reminder beautiful or powerful to behold
The "addict" is one who reaches toward bliss
with such a passionate desire
that it eclipses other concerns
and it is often the star child
the pure heart
who remembers this divine sensation
most clearly
most clearly
and so in the struggle to face the pain
of this base material realm
it can be the most sensitive souls
the most truthful and creative beings
who most deeply lose their way
This sight is frightening to those
who have found their own style of coping
by keeping tight reins of control
and they dare not feel compassion
they dare not tell the truth to themselves
that there
in the grace of God
go I
and so instead
they claim self-righteousness
as a flag
and they plant it into the hearts of
anyone
who will listen
in the hope
in the hope
that the louder they speak
the better chance there is
of drowning out
their own inner voices
the ones that whisper
of hypocrisy and fear
Know that
there is no Judgement Day
but there will come a day
when judgement will end
and this will be achieved
through the courage of those who dare to live
outside the structures of society
who dare to risk loss of reputation and censure
with the rising awareness
that all that matters is the truth
compassion
and freedom
and within these tenets will be found
the perfect bliss of human vulnerability
without risk
and without shame
To the artists
the addicts
the rebels
and the activists
To the lovers and free thinkers
the risk takers who publicly fail
To those labeled by psychiatrists
shunned by moralists
policed by ignorance
and governed by a hunger for personal power
To the untold numbers who live each day
incarcerated as a result of unconsciousness and fear
and to the many who choose to leave
when this world becomes too great to bear…
You are loved
you are understood
and your passion is valued without measure
for there is nothing but beauty in each heart
when seen through the eyes
of divine Love
Let us each look upon one another
as reflection only
each of usone of the many pieces of the great Self
that is learning to trust
and let us dare to tell the whole truth
about ourselves first
before ever we utter a word of blame
toward another
In this way the kingdom of bliss will be found
even here
upon this plane of unutterable beauty
and indescribable pain
It is why
we are here.
love,
Adi
