Apart from the collection of identities who make up YOU, there are also a variety of different circuits that make up your consciousness. Each has its own function and evolutionary history. Each has its strengths, and in each we run programs that might or might not serve us.
In a comment on a recent blog I wrote for Applied Esoterix about the challenge of letting people know who you are without resolving to platitudes and job titles, the recent drive toward turning your Self into a brand was pointed out as a dangerous reduction of our selves: “Reducing the complex, often contradictory and typically diverse nature of ‘who we are’ to a logo, a tag line, a sound bite or a twitter message is virtually impossible.” [thank you dangerousideas!]
Fine point. No brand could ever capture your Self, only a persona, a limited aspect of your Self. For it to be representative of your Self, that persona has to be infused with your essence, your values, but it is important to remember that it is not your Self.
“Every child is born an artist, the problem is to remain one once they grow up.” – Pablo Picasso
One of my favorite art stories as a child came from a documentary about Picasso. It was showing his progression in understanding and communicating his reality. The documentary started with a water color he had made of a bullfight as a sixteen year old. It was beautiful and attempted to depict the bull, the audience, the vibrant colors with as much realism as possible.
No matter which religious, spiritual, or materialistic idea ultimately holds true, the one and only thing I do know as a fact is that I seem to be here right now. With that, I acknowledge, that all my memories of the past and all my projections into the future are in my imagination. "I" seem(s) to be an immediate Point of Perception
One of my wonderful artist friends just told me today that her life was feeling like a lot of ups and downs at the moment.
We do live in uncertain times, and uncertainty is gaining in momentum on a daily basis. The illusion of safety, the idea that we can continue to turn our back on the fragility of our lives is being eroded day by day (and we have to remind ourselves that living in a “Western” country is a most cushy experience to begin with compared to the rest of the world).
As artists and alchemists, our lives are about transmuting the muck, turning lead into gold: Using our personal experience and work as a platform for shared transformation, be it through our artifacts or teachings. And we do it as prototypes, so that others can do the same in their own lives. While she agreed, she said it was tough to persist sometimes, and to keep a long-term perspective. I absolutely agree with that, and I think the two are connected.