Some people believe there isn't enough of (fill in the blank) to go around; and that, if they have the means to do so, they are entitled to take or control as much as they are capable. It's a survival instinct rooted in the most primitive regions of our brains. It's a good indicator the voice of fear is running the show. It usually requires making enemies of certain people around you (and the more different they are, the easier it is to see them as a threat). And here's the great thing. It's actually beneficial if we allow this side of ourselves to be outwardly expressed, because when we make it externally visible, we have a better chance of seeing it for what it truly is. I have this recurring thought that the ultimate survival or destruction of our species will depend heavily on how much we give away and how much we keep for ourselves. For those who cringe at those words, let me share a quote with you that perfectly summarizes what I mean: "Love and nourish all things, but do not lord it over them. This works in business, delegating authority to others in order to make the business successful, and delegating authority to the parts in order to make the organism successful; it is in line with evolution itself. The more you give it away, the more it comes back. And ultimately, you need to give it away, because you can't keep it forever." - Alan Watts I think about what it means to be a parent. Nothing thrills me more than seeing one of my daughters surpass me in some way; seeing them figure something out at a much younger age than I did, or just watching them gracefully handle a situation I still struggle with. It means they may have learned from my experiences, and certainly from their own; and they are now better prepared to survive in this world. If I keep my knowledge and experiences to myself, if I lord over my possessions and the opportunities available to my family, then it's far easier to control them as a result of their ignorance and limitations. But then my family fails to evolve, and ultimately, I have failed. The truth is, family is family. Whether it's the one I was born into, the one I created, or the entire species I share this planet with; it's all my family. And we will succeed or fail depending on our choices. There really is no limit to how much I can do for my family, how much I can teach or give my family. And if my family surpasses me, then I know our chances of survival have just increased. The altruistic take is... I have lost nothing, if we have all grown. I'm not saying that love and an unconditional desire to share with others is the answer to all the world's problems (although it seems like a great place to start). I'm not saying making all our life decisions through a filter of fear and possessiveness will result in guaranteed failure (although I suspect it will result in deep loneliness and continued fear throughout that life). I'm just suggesting perhaps it's a matter of energy flow, and it's worth remembering universal laws of physics; any energy released will be met with an equal energy return. If I act generous; I receive generosity back. If I act selfish, I receive selfishness back. Personally, I’m more fond of a Universal ‘open door, openly given’ policy. It feels quite right to me. :D That’s a lot to chew on, and digestion might take a while (don’t go swimming for at least 30 minutes), so lets move on to the new music and art… Two New Songs for you. First, My Holiday Song: ‘Father Time and the Clockwork Homunculus’ Life is like a child's music box, requiring a special sort of magic to operate... and Father Time holds the key. When the key is wound up, it creates tension in the mechanism, and the music box awakens. Hundreds of tiny interactions occur behind the scenes, and motionless figures burst into a whirling dance of activity. But if the gears wind down, the mechanism stops in its tracks… and the dance ends. Without Father Time, silence and stillness would rule over the infinite moment trapped between two seconds. So celebrate that 'tick tock' as you would a heartbeat. But also remember you can leave the music box. Like a Clockwork Homunculus, you are independent from the mechanism, and free to explore to your heart’s desire. In the end, Time will have the final word on how long we get to visit; but it does not define the terms of our visit. We define those terms, we design ourselves, and we have an entire lifetime to create an unavoidable masterpiece. And if you still want to thumb your nose at Father Time, the best way is by crafting something beautiful and inspiring that endures beyond the expiration date of this Clockwork Homunculus. I hope you enjoy my seasonal offering… 'Father Time and the Clockwork Homunculus'. Click the image link below to take a listen. (Opens SoundCloud in a separate window.) The Second Song is: ‘Spied Her’ I’m very excited to share my first collaborative project of 2018 with you; a massive piece borne from the wildly overactive imaginations of myself and the extremely talented and well loved SoundCloud artist, ΔککΔ´ (@assarodrigo). This one is meant to melt your mind, excite your heart, and invigorate fuzzy feelings about all the great mysteries and opportunities 2018 has in store for us. Sure, the world might seem a little crazy these days. But creative beings can make sounds and images and words that help the rest of this silly planet not take itself too seriously. I know we're all up for the challenge. So here’s to a lot of inspiration, beauty, and purposeful noise over the course of this potentially life-changing year. Let’s make the world a little saner with our special brand of insanity. ΔککΔ´ and I hope you enjoy… ‘Spied Her’. :D A Painting Update: (021) ‘I’d Juice That’ Continuing with my Fall of 2015 Advanced Oils class, this is the first palette knife painting I had ever done; a simple collection of fruits that turned out rather well, and lead to a snarky title. 1 more painting and my Art tab will be completely up to date. I will mention, I’m still behind on my blog to music release ratio. I already have 2 more songs waiting in the wings, and several more in the works. I’m perpetually behind. Haha.
Until next time… Warmest regards, Justin
4 Comments
4/15/2018 08:57:27 pm
Perpetually behind? I sure do know what that means. Life is in a constant state of catch-up. I do enjoy your music. Most creative people are proficient in more than one endeavor. Love your artwork, too, although I haven't seen nearly enough yet.
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GrevusAnjl
4/21/2018 05:16:10 pm
Thank you, Sonni. Honestly, I'm grateful for these kinds of problems; juggling my creative outlets. I am very blessed in that regard. Thank you for your comment, my friend. :)
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Well, Justin, I have just scratched the surface of the treasure trove of ideas expressed in visual art, music, and text. I look forward to poking around the archives and exploring your journey. I enjoyed your samplings of computer design and traditional oil on canvas. The musical talents, exemplified in your aural collections, is equally impressive.
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3/6/2024 02:56:11 am
About the origin of greed...scientist claim that when we lived as hunters and gatherers thousands of years ago,we were forced to share for the tribe to survive. If somebody had luck and caught some prey he would have to share it with the rest of the tribe,because if not they would not share their food next time when you were out of luck,makes sense to me.It sometimes seems that the more complex and technical a society becomes the more we are removed from the source of our survivor. There are so many layers between us and nature: Bureaucracy, politics, dogmatic religion, opinions, technology. The longer i live the more i respect so called primitive cultures. Its a paradox of course, because human curiosity is unstoppable, science leads to technology. And without spiritual insight science becomes a double edged sword. Technology makes life more comfortable, but also brings us catastrophy, like weapens of mass destruction and global warming.
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AuthorHello everyone. I'm Justin Mackay. I'm a creative soul, an explorer of life's mysteries, and a big fan of all the beauty in the world. If you're just here for the paintings, then head on over to my Art tab. If you wish to delve deeper into the odd thoughts of a pondering mind, then this is the place for you. Archives
February 2018
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