Reflection for today…Lovers Are Dreamers -Don Miguel Ruiz & David Lynch

“Life is nothing but a dream,

and if we are artists, then we can create our life with Love,

and our dream becomes a masterpiece of art.” 

― Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship –Toltec Wisdom Book

A Couple with Their Heads Full of Clouds, 1936 by Salvador Dalí 

*

Lyrics

“Love is the name
In the wind
The wind blows through
The trees and stars

We make a wish
To be
Together

This night
When we dream
Together
We’ll remember
When we dream
Together
The big dream

The time has come
To say the words
We want to hear
The time has come
To say the words
We want to hear

Love is the name
In the wind
The wind blows through
The trees and stars

We make a wish
To be
Together

This night
When we dream
Together
We’ll remember
When we dream
Together

It’s the big dream
The big dream
The big dream
It’s the big dream
The big dream
The big dream

The big dream.”

Courtesy of: https://genius.com/David-lynch-the-big-dream-annotated

*

For more information…

The Mastery of Love…https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81939.The_Mastery_of_Love

“In The Mastery of Love, don Miguel illuminates the fear-based beliefs and assumptions that undermine love and lead to suffering and drama in our relationships. Using insightful stories to bring his message to life, Ruiz shows us how to heal our emotional wounds, recover the freedom and joy that are our birthright, and restore the spirit of playfulness that is vital to loving relationships.
In the Toltec tradition, three fundamental masteries guide us to our true nature, which is happiness, freedom, and love.
The first is the Mastery of Awareness. This mastery teaches us to be aware of what we really are. It is the first step toward freedom because we cannot be free if we don’t know what we are, or what kind of freedom we are looking for. The Toltecs said, “Let us see ourselves with truth,” and they created a mastery just for awareness.
The second is the Mastery of Transformation, which teaches us how to become spiritual warriors, and stalk our actions and reactions so we can break free of the knowledge that enslaves us. This mastery shows us how to change the dream of our life by changing our agreements and beliefs.The Mastery of Love is the result of the first two masteries. From the Toltec perspective, everything is made of Love. Love is Life itself. When we master Love, we align with the Spirit of Life passing through us. We are no longer the body, or the mind, or the soul; we are Love. Then every action we take is an expression of Love, and Love in action can only produce happiness.
When we master Awareness, Transformation, and Love, we reclaim our divinity and become one with God. This is the goal of the Toltec.”

Copied from: https://www.hayhouse.com/the-mastery-of-love-2

Don Miguel Ruiz…https://www.miguelruiz.com/ 

David Lynch…https://www.davidlynch.com/

Salvador Dalí…https://www.theartstory.org/artist/dali-salvador/

https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/

Moby…http://moby.com/

Mindy Jones…http://www.mindianajones.com/

*

Peace & Love,

-V.

Reflection for today…Memento Mori Reflections on Death & Life -Angelina Jolie & Tricky

“If I think more about death than some other people,

it is probably because I love life more than they do.”  
-Angelina Jolie

I feel the magnetic pull towards art and artists that explore themes of death, melancholy, depression/mental illness, etc. 

Angelina Jolie and Tricky/Adrian Thaws have always been artists that I deeply respect. {They have been featured on this blog many times and will continue to be}. Both have explored spiritual darkness {e.g. melancholy, depression/mental illness, suffering, addiction} and death in their art. I feel more enriched as a result. I feel that I have walked away with a more balanced picture of humanity and our struggles/triumphs here on earth. Their art has fed my soul and for this, I am deeply grateful.

I completely agree with Angelina & Tricky that death and life are inextricably linked. One cannot divorce one from the other. This epiphany brings us the wisdom to know that reflecting on death is, in essence, reflecting on life. This is the memento mori {remembering death} tradition.

“But past civilisations – from the ancient Greeks to the Victorians – were acutely aware of their own mortality. Memento mori was the philosophy of reflecting on your own death as a form of spiritual improvement, and rejecting earthly vanities.”

http://theconversation.com/memento-mori-remember-that-you-have-to-die-42823

Tricky is right that to reject death is to reject life. His view is very Buddhist in nature. Tricky’s surrealist art may possibly be born out of his realist approach to life. He was forced to reflect on life and death at the young age of four when his mother, Maxine Quaye, tragically committed suicide. This timeless loss created such a void in his life and a fascination and curiosity with death. This dark sensibility and haunting melancholia would be the nucleus for Tricky’s art later on.

*

Please enjoy When We Die by Tricky & Martina Topley-Bird…

“Following the announcement of his 13th album ununiform, Tricky presents the video for single ‘When We Die’, featuring Martina Topley-Bird. It offers an intimate look at the diverse range of people going about their individual, and individually complex, city lives – a filmic treatment of the ‘Humans of New York’ story-telling approach. Eerie, haunting yet enveloped by a sense of peace and acceptance,

‘When We Die’ sees Tricky take hold of a new zest for life he has come to possess:

“If you don’t accept death, you don’t really accept life”, says Tricky.”

 

If you would like to listen to his whole BBC interview, please click here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p05gyl1q

*

Lyrics

So, where do I go, where do I go?
I don’t die young, not like Michael
My friend’s psycho, so, I might go lie low
So, where do I go, where do I go?
Fun trips, she’s wearing lycro
Where do we go, where do we go
When we die, then we lie low?

How can you somewhat say?
Twins apart, faded grey
Is it like that dream I had?
And you are here like a dream

Where did you go, where did you go?
Why did you leave?
What do you need, what do you need?
Now you go, I hardly breathe
What do you see, what do you see?
I think of you and waste my day
So, where do we go, where do we go
When we die, then we lay low?

How can you somewhat say?
Twins apart, faded grey
Is it like that dream I had?
And you are here like a dream

How can you somewhat say?
Twins apart, faded grey
Is it like that dream I had?
And you are here like a dream

How can you somewhat say?
Twins apart, faded grey
Is it like that dream I had?
And you are here like a dream.”

Songwriters: Adrian Nicholas Matthew Thaws / Martina Gillian Topley-Bird

When We Die lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

*

What are your thoughts on this post?

What do you think about the memento mori tradition?

What are your memento mori reflections?

*

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed the first post in my new blog category: memento mori.

I have written about it before:

https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/reflection-for-today-the-beauty-of-living-dying-brandon-lee/.

By remembering that we will die,

we are free to reflect on our lives, celebrate & live them right now…

Peace & Conscious Love…

*

For more information…

Angelina Jolie…https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001401/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Tricky…

http://www.trickysite.com/

https://www.instagram.com/trickyofficial/

https://www.facebook.com/TrickyOfficial?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral

https://twitter.com/knowlewestboy

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0872635/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Martina Topley-Bird…https://www.martinatopleybird.com/

https://www.facebook.com/martinatopleybird/

https://www.instagram.com/martinatopleybird/?hl=en

*

Further Reading…

• http://theconversation.com/memento-mori-remember-that-you-have-to-die-42823
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/reflection-for-today-the-beauty-of-living-dying-brandon-lee/
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/reflection-for-today-the-dangers-of-a-sad-soul-henry-david-thoreau/
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/tricky-reflects-on-the-seductive-powers-of-ego/
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/tricky-contradictive/
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/reflection-for-today-love-amnesia-charles-bukowski/
• https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/19/tricky-mixed-race-interview
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/tricky-spoken-word-piece-interview-allsaints-basement-sessions-special-presentation/
• https://mysoulsonice.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/reflection-for-today-revolutionary-spirit-ernesto-che-guevara/
• Angelina Jolie Covers ‘Time’ Magazine After Mastectomy (justjared.com)

Reflection for today…Intimate Conversation -Haruki Murakami

“We used to spend hours talking.

We never got tired of talking, never ran out of topics – novels, the world, scenery, language.

Our conversations were more open and intimate than any lovers’.” 
―Haruki Murakami,    Sputnik Sweetheart

Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s relationship to FBI Profiler Will Graham is one of deep intimacy. It is a complicated relationship of intellectual equals and more. Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy played it beautifully. 

I really cannot recommend watching Hannibal enough. It is by far one of my most favourite television series ever. I really think Bryan Fuller, the gifted actors and his team have created a cinematic masterpiece made for television.

Hannibal is surreal and sophisticated with a dark romanticism. It is cerebral as it delves into the psyches of FBI profiler Will Graham and Dr.Hannibal Lecter. 

It will be a delight for anyone that enjoys psychology, criminology, Bryan Fuller’s creative vision and Thomas Harris‘ books respectively.

Have you seen Hannibal?

What did you think?

Does it haunt you?

It haunts me in the most beautiful way…

*

For More Information…

Haruki Murakami…

http://www.harukimurakami.com

Thomas Harris

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12455.Thomas_Harris

Hannibal Television Series…

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2243973/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Mads Mikkelsen…

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0586568/?ref_=tt_cl_t2

Hugh Dancy…

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0199215/?ref_=tt_cl_t1

*

Hugh Dancy & Mads Mikkelsen Wish You Peace…

-V.

Reflection for today…Burning With Love -Rumi

“I am burning with Love.

Does anyone need a light?

You can set your rubbish ablaze from the fire within me.”  

-Rumi

Soulful Lovers Romy Schneider & Alain Delon in La Piscine…

“I Am Burning With Love…”

“Come On Baby, Light My Fire…”

*

Please enjoy Real Love by the exquisite Chrysta Bell….

Acoustic Version…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60RwrhdTovc

Official Video Version…

http://youtu.be/hozNfOuQwIw

From the album: 
Chrysta Bell – This Train 
Produced by David Lynch

Lyrics

“Driving through the night 
flying fast to you 
real love 
real love 
the moon is flying with me 
the moon is crying with me 
got to get to your house 
call me home 
flying with the moon 
sirens driving in the valley 
sirens flare 
got to feel your love 
real love 
don’t cut me 
don’t you cut me 
don’t you cut me 
gotta hole in my heart 
I wanna feel your love 
I wanna feel your love 
the moon passed behind a cloud 
the stars are hiding from me 
I’m coming home baby I’m coming home 
lonely 
moon rush by 
lonely 
got to feel your love 
real love 
make it real make it real make it real love 
I wanna feel your love 
I wanna feel your love 
the wind is blowing 
the wind is blowing by 
I’m coming home baby I’m coming home 
coming home 
real love 
coming home 
for real love real love.“

credits

from Chrysta Bell -This Train Produced by David Lynch, released 29 September 2011 
Vocals: Chrysta Bell 
Guitar: David Lynch 
Guitar, Bass and Synth: John Neff 
Drums: David Lynch and John Neff Written by David Lynch, John Neff and Chrysta Bell 
Engineering: John Neff 
Mixed by David Lynch and John Neff 
Published by Zibella Music (BMI)

Copied & Pasted from: http://chrystabell.bandcamp.com/track/real-love

*

Chrysta Bell is a soulful songstress.

Her collaboration with David Lynch evokes a beautiful, surreal and haunting ambiance. Chrysta and David create a haunting world that you never want to leave. Listening to their music is like entering a dream you never want to awake from.

Chrysta Bell & David Lynch Bring Surrealist Beauty To Life…

*

For more information on Chrysta Bell…

http://chrystabell.bandcamp.com/

https://twitter.com/Chrysta_Bell

https://www.facebook.com/chrysta.bell.official

*

Peace & Namaste Friends…

Related articles

• Reflection for today…Love’s Alchemy -Rumi (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…The Surrealism of Life -David Lynch (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)

Reflection for today…The Surrealism of Life -David Lynch

I watched David Lynch‘s film Inland Empire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBENalLEnSE

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460829/?ref_=sr_1

{“As an actress starts to adopt the persona of her character in a film,

her world starts to become nightmarish and surreal.”

Tagline: A Story of a mystery…

A mystery inside worlds within worlds…

Unfolding around a woman…

A woman in love and in trouble.}

*

On the bonus features disc, David revealed that he opens his film premieres with an improvisation of the Aitareya Upanishad.

“We are like the spider…

We weave our life and move along in it.

We are like the dreamer who dreams and then lives in the dream.

This is true for the entire universe…” 

David Lynch: The Awakened Dreamer

Dreamer Within A Dream…

Surrealist Spiritual Ascension…

*

Buddhism speaks about life being an illusion.

We are living in a dream within a dream.

The goal is to live our potential by awakening our Buddha nature.

Then we can live accordingly by developing our wisdom and compassion.

*

Please enjoy Karmacoma by Massive Attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbZPyWI0Wds

This song has such a surreal vibe that reminds me of David Lynch’s art.

It has that Edgar Allen Poe “dream within a dream” quality.

{I love Massive Attack}.

*

For more information…

David Lynch…http://davidlynch.com/index/

Massive Attack…http://www.massiveattack.co.uk/

*

Have a surrealist day.

Peace & Namaste…

Related articles

• Reflection for today…Cinematic Experience -David Lynch (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…The Goal of Creativity -Moby (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…Music & Creativity -David Lynch Interviews Moby (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…Art Is A Question Mark -Marilyn Manson (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)

Reflection for today…Time is of The Essence -Buddha

“The trouble is,

you think you have time.”

-Buddha

*

Buddha’s reflection on time is that it is taken for granted.

Time is of the essence because death is approaching {memento mori}.

Being mindful gives us awareness of how we use our time. Hopefully our time is being used living our potential and awakening spiritually and otherwise.

The key is to live in the present moment {the now} and do your very best.

*

I wonder about Buddhist conceptions of time.

I found an intriguing excerpt on Buddhist notions of time from www.tricycle.com 

Daniel Goleman: “What is the Buddhist understanding of Time? How can we relate our sense of the process of time to our experience of the present moment?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: In Buddhism, the concept of linear time, of time as a kind of container, is not accepted. Time itself, I think, is something quite weak. It depends on some physical basis, some specific thing. Apart from that thing it is difficult to pinpoint—to see time. Time is understood or conceived only in relation to a phenomenon or a process.

DG: Yet the passage of time seems very concrete—the past, the present, aging. The process of time seems very real.

HH: This business of time is a difficult subject. There are several different explanations and theories about time; there is no one explanation in Buddhism. I feel there is a difference between time and the phenomena on which time is projected. Time can be spoken of only in relation to phenomena susceptible to change, which because they are susceptible to change are transitory and impermanent. “Impermanent” means there is a process. If there is no process of change, then one cannot conceive of time in the first place.

The question is whether it is possible to imagine an independent time which is not related to any particulars, any object that goes through change. In relation to such an object, we can talk about the past of that thing, its present state, and its future; but without relation to such particulars, it is very difficult to conceive of an instant of time totally independent of a particular basis.”

*

This video clip is from The Tudors.

King Henry the eighth reflects on loss.

He asks his beloved friend Charles Brandon…

What loss is to man most irrecoverable?

Charles answers virtue and then honour.

Henry says that by his actions man can redeem his virtue.

He may  also find the means to recover his honour as he recovers fortune that has been lost.

Henry answers…

Of all losses time is the most irrecuperable for it can never be redeemed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0RME0FD1_k

*

I highly recommend watching The Tudors if you haven’t seen it yet…

Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ performance as Henry VIII is unforgettable to say the least.

Long live the king!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTiL8pgNqhs

Have a surrealist day 😉

Peace & Namaste…

Related articles

• Reflection for today…Love’s Alchemy -Rumi (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…Use Buddhist Teachings As A Catalyst -Dalai Lama (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)

Reflection for today…Life is a Dream -Lewis Carroll

“Life, what is it but a dream?”
–Lewis Carroll

*

Please enjoy Alice by the Syfy Channel…

I loved it.

What do you think?

*

Episode #1.1 – Part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU7lnD3lE80

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mabgv96YkN8

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsJ3sHy0aTs

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bprmh1uEmn4

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjLuYv2vvwg

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 6:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvQde-3YRMs

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 7:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crKZdNUJNhc

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 8:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz_Ck5Mjkrk

Alice: Episode #1.1 – Part 9:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhxKjnvRbko

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece One:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJwYY23BjKs

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o8TYhleO9A

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAuIHKH-RIA

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Four:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o1bBK_DB5s

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Five:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZqVzdBa1gY

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Six:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKw4OJCggZA

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Seven:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sHz1CVfcwM

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Eight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZXT9Nw5yh4

Syfy Alice: Part Two, Piece Nine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9m1ITvagJY

*

Peace & Namaste…

Related articles

 Alice in Wonderland (slayermusings.wordpress.com)

Reflection for today…Cinematic Experience -David Lynch

I have always admired David Lynch for his surrealist creative vision- like Salvador Dali on film.

His films always look beneath the surface for the hidden and darker aspects of life {as Carl Jung would call our “shadow” selves}.

He frequently explores the relationship between darkness and light in great depth.

He doesn’t limit his creative expression just to film as he is involved in music, photography, painting and even coffee production.

David Lynch is so married to his creativity and he attributes this to his mediation practice {however I will leave that for future posts}.

David Lynch: Master of Creativity & Brilliant Artist

David Lynch asserts that if you watch a film on your iPhone,

“You will never in a trillion years experience the film…you’ll be cheated…”

What do you think?

Do you agree with Mr.Lynch?

David Lynch: My Favourite Film Director Ever…

*

For more information on David Lynch,

please go to his official website: www.davidlynch.com/

Peace & Namaste…

Related articles

• Reflection for today…Music & Creativity -David Lynch Interviews Moby (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…The Surrealism of Life -David Lynch (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…The Goal of Creativity -Moby (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)
• Reflection for today…Art Is A Question Mark -Marilyn Manson (mysoulsonice.wordpress.com)

Reflection for today…Live Out Loud -Émile Zola

“If you ask me what I came to do in this world,

I, an artist, will answer you:

I am here to live out loud.”

– Émile Zola

Photo Courtesy of: http://www.art-and-supplies.com/salvador-dali-paintings.html

Reflection for today…A True Artist -Salvador Dali

“A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.”

–Salvador Dalí

Related articles

• Alice in Burnt Orange: Salvador Dalí’s rendition of the Lewis Carroll classic at the Ransom Center (utexas.edu)