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MPH: Philosophy of Value 4 - Taking Hold Upon Value | Manly Hall Society | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: MPH: Philosophy of Value 4 - Taking Hold Upon Value
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there's said to be an old art dealer in canton
canton
when someone said to him uh
uh
is this painting that you're selling me any
any
good the dealer would look at him rather
quizzically and then simply say my
friend opened the door
that was the only answer he ever would give
give
in other words
in attempting to determine value
we have to open the door inside of ourselves
ourselves
there has to be some way by which we are able
able [Music]
[Music]
to establish [Music]
[Music]
value apart
from tradition
and apart from the simple testimony
of our common judgment
there has to be a certain intuitive process
process
go on
when we attempt to determine rightness
rightness truth
truth
reality and fact
now there are some facts that are so obvious
obvious
that through general and common acceptance
acceptance
we are in agreement about them
but even in the world of facts
there are many
rather elusive truths
that cannot be quickly and easily discovered
discovered
to find these
we must learn
to use gradually
a certain extra sensory
band of faculties and powers
the search for value then does sharpen
our intuition
it makes us more observant of small things
things
it makes us more aware of those trifles
this
power of
deeper discernment
is not limited
to trading in fine arts
it becomes a
very useful tool in every phase of daily living
living
if we are able to
instinctively and intuitively grasp value
value
it will help us wherever we must decide
as to the merit of anything
some people are interested in trying to
determine the value of a religion [Music]
[Music]
other than may be concerned
with the value of an art or a science
or still a piece of merchandise
or an investment
or the value of an affection or a friendship
friendship
all of these values are essentially intangibles
intangibles
and most values that we na we know today
are subject to imposture
things are not always what they appear
to be
persons are not what they claim to be
and unless we have some judgment
judgment
intuitive in ourselves
our lives are likely to be
filled with disillusionments and
disappointments and discouragements
the only protection that we have
against being imposed upon
in one way or another
is our own ability to evaluate
therefore we must learn not only to
recognize value but we must learn to
take hold of it
to grasp at it
when the emergency or situation arises
in which decision must be made
in the zen story the little boy first
sees the mysterious black ox
that is the symbol to a measure
of his search for reality
having found the ox he must next capture
the ox he must take hold of it and
bridle it
and in the same way
in our search for value
when we have discovered it we must make
the decision
which this value indicates to be necessary
in our world of material experiences
we are all required
to pay for value
in some way value is expensive
and the more valuable the more likely we
must pay well for that which we desire
consequently it becomes important to know
know
when to save and when to spend
when it is wise to
perhaps over invest
and again when it is wise not to invest
at all
thus judgment
is closely associated with the whole
fact of value
most persons who have been interested in
art culture and related fields over the
period of years
have had adventures
with their own personal
personal weakness
weakness
as this has bearing upon value
indecision comes in very frequently
and in indecision
we are likely to lose that which is valuable
valuable
or to settle for something else which is
less valuable
so prudence
thoughtfulness decision
these problems are
ever present where value
is a factor in a transaction
in one simple way for example
decision in life
if it is in terms of true value
helps us to avoid the innumerable
pitfalls resulting from indecision
there are folks
simply cannot make up their minds
they know what they would like but they
never quite have the courage
to come to a clear decision
on a matter of importance
this decision may involve business or
family or friends
but still this decision is lacking
there is a hesitancy
sometimes this hesitancy arises from an
instinctive sense of inability
the person who does not know
may hesitate to make a decision in an
area where he recognizes that his
knowledge is inadequate
yet in the field of art again for
example all men's knowledge is inadequate
inadequate
there is no one who has ever been an
expert in art art or archaeological research
research
who has been actually able to say
that he could certainly be right
there is always indecision where facts
are not available
and in most matters of importance and
value all facts are not available
so we must make decision
upon some ground
we must decide about whether we will buy
or sell that piece of property
we must decide on what we will invest
or whether it is good to change
employment at this time all these
decisions must be made
and research with value helps us to make decision
decision
and decision in its own turn is a clarifier
clarifier
even a wrong
decision can be more valuable
than a weak indecision
in a wrong decision we face facts or
facts become obvious to us
when the attempt to evade decision
we evade facts
we learn nothing
we advance no cause
and we leave ourselves as weak as before
on the other hand we cannot afford to
make too many bad decisions
nor can we be deceived too often
without perhaps exhausting our resources
consequently the importance
of value again asserts itself
the great levata the wonderful old
early 19th century physiognomist
became a great expert in the analysis of
human character
he took all of the instincts that an art
dealer will turn to art and applied them
to the strange artistry of the human face
face
in the face he sought value
and he judged persons according to the
values which he found
he learned that there is nothing
that is a quicker way to be deceived
than to accept people by what they say
about themselves
nor can we often depend upon their credentials
credentials
we have to judge credentials by someone
else's opinion of a person
actually we have to know something ourselves
ourselves
to know this we must observe compare
compare
way and into it
these are the only causes by which we
can escape
a simple mediocrity of decision which
so from the discovery of certain
abstract value in art
we search value in something else
and we search for it by becoming aware
of the true meaning of things we have to
build up some knowledge
but knowledge again
can play us false if we do nothing with
it there are many persons whose
knowledge in an area is extensive but
this knowledge has never passed from a
theoretical to a practical level
the individual has never tested his knowledge
knowledge
he has never believed sufficiently in it
to really feel that he can depend upon
it in an emergency
now when an art critic or an art lover
examines a piece of chinese porcelain
one of the first things he will do is
very quietly turn it over
and look at the bottom
now he does this because
after he owns it or where it stands in
the store this is the part that is never shown
shown
now from this uh part of the of ours he
learns something
but he doesn't always learn what he is
supposed to learn or what others think
he is going to learn
nearly all fine chinese ceramics are signed
signed
the signature is most likely to be on
the bottom the outside of the bottom of
the piece
so naturally turning it over
it is possible to see the signature
or the seal
or some other
mark which identifies a potter or a kiln
of course uh unfortunately there is
nothing easier in the world to fabricate
than a seal
anywhere in the orient you can buy an
excellent one for 50 cents and have it
inscribed with anything you want on it
it would be just about equal and i've
seen things just about as strange
for a modern person to go in and have a
seal made with a signature of leonardo
da vinci on it
now if leonardo had used a seal it could
be duplicated today
without the slightest difficulty
yet the seal is a very important thing
in asiatic life
a man's signature is meaningless but his
seal is terribly important and the only
substitute for it is his thumb print
that will be acceptable
but an individual who very carefully
endorses a document with his signature
may well be told that his signature is
not acceptable
they would much rather have a seal
because this is the real sign to these
people of this person's actual existence
the seal is the person
but unfortunately
nothing is easier to fabricate
and while it is not likely that a living
person seal will be imitated there are
rigid laws about it
still there is no reason why ancient
marks cannot be easily imitated
so while it might
at least indicate what the piece is
supposed to be
it does a little more than confirm the appearance
appearance
but what the real
real
critic is looking for
is traditional methods
patterns ways of doing things
which change with time
and which the ordinary forger may well
fail to imitate
for example in most ming ceramics
or those of later date
vases were made to stand in bases and as
a result of that
a kind of secondary rim was placed
around the bottom so they would fit
neatly into the little teak wood stand
earlier pieces never had this rim
so the man looking for an old piece may
gain from that what he will never be
able to learn from the possible
fabrication of a seal but it is to be observing
observing
it is to see what
should be seen
or as the dealer may say to see that
which the
imitator hopes you will not see
that is just the point and
and
in all of this type of thing the same
drift has occurred that occurs in our
modern way of
life almost all reproductions are inferior
inferior
they are not inferior by the mere fact
that they are reproductions
they are inferior by the fact that with
the passing of time in both east and
west the quality of workmanship has
gradually depressed
one reason perhaps was
that the rising tide of economic need
did not permit the artisan to spend as
long at his labor
or perhaps the original artist like some
of the european masters lived under the
favor of a prince who financed him and
therefore gave him complete leisure
the copyists did not have this leisure
he is trying to create a livelihood and
he must do it
by in some way cheapening his wares
so the great test of all things is the
cheapening or the loss of quality of things
things
now we observe this in life around us
all the time now
year after year
a cheapening is going on
the quality of merchandise entirely
apart from art
is falling rapidly
the so-called guarantees and promises
have little or no significance
consequently the
buyer is faced not only with the problem
of bewareness
but he is faced with the need for ever
increasing observation
in the effort to to secure if possible
the best available product
this means further
further
support to his own resources
if he buys observingly and thoughtfully
his purchases will last longer and his
funds will be conserved
consequently this continual
awareness this almost subconscious
instinct for fineness
pays off even in the most ordinary walks
of life
it pays off continuously and prevent us
in preventing us from being imposed upon by
by
secondary merchandise
if we once gain a certain sense of value
we have gained with it
the skill to discover
a better
level of value
we also come of course ultimately head
on into the problem of
of
uh the bargain
whether or not
we can hope to get something below
its reasonable value
in order to be a
smart shopper for example
a housewife will gradually develop an
almost intuitive grasp of value
she may go to a sale
where a great deal of merchandise is displayed
displayed
she has learned
that when these sales are
open to the public
a few good items
may be concealed in the mass of trash
much of the goods offered at the sale is
not reduced at all
it is merely put in with the other
smaller amount of valuable merchandise
to increase bulk and to
bring sale
from the un observant
observant
from the unthoughtful
so that it is possible for her to go
through a stock and find a few things a
better value otherwise
otherwise
merely bargain hunting she may buy goods
at more than its normal retail price
she has to know
there is no substitute for this knowledge
knowledge
we value this
uh skill where it applies directly to
dollar saving
but we also should learn to value it
where it applies to character protection
which is one of the areas in which value
plays a very important part
we are imposed upon
largely because we do not use
the faculties and powers with which we
have been naturally endowed
the average person today uses only about
20 percent of his brain potential
a large part of his mentality is never exercised
exercised
because he is surrounded by so many
protecting devices
that his own thought processes are
actually discouraged or prevented from functioning
functioning
also on an emergency when he needs them
they are available only untrained
and without any adequate
background and experience in the problem
which presents itself
so we have faculties we have powers
which can protect us from deceit
if we know how to use these powers
we also have powers within our own minds
which will protect us
uh from
surrounding our consciousness with
with
non-valuable material
there can be no doubt whatever
that the psychological influence of the
things we have affects
affects
our character affects our natures
affects our inward consciousness
if therefore we are without the
realization and consciousness
of discrimination
we do lower
lower
our environment we may be spending more
on it but we are getting less for it
now a problem of value would present was
presented to us
with stark realism
in the recent
terrible fires in bel air and
surrounding areas in west western los angeles
angeles
here we had people who built magnificent homes
homes
right up against a continuing fire hazard
hazard
they were warned not only by
authorities but by their insurance agents
agents
that this situation existed
many of these persons had homes
full of valuable things
but they did not take adequate protection
protection
they were not aware they didn't hear the
voice of experience in the warnings of
those who attempted to protect them
they continued thoughtlessly and thereby
took upon themselves a very heavy loss
to the thoughtful person the first word
of warning would have stirred sufficient
internal activity
to have caused adequate steps to be taken
taken
but these persons simply didn't listen
they didn't care they didn't believe
they didn't read the papers
they did not know that others in similar
locations had suffered loss
there was a complete lack of thoughtfulness
thoughtfulness
and this lack of thoughtfulness was paid
for in the terms of millions of dollars
worth of material loss
to say nothing of tremendous loss of
rare art literature and irreplaceable
treasures of families and even of the nation
nation
this type of thing
again in our way of life
we have gradually
come to be wrongly educated in value
we have failed to recognize the
importance of protecting that which is good
good
we do not protect the good public servant
servant
we do not properly reward the good workmen
workmen
we do not make any effort whatever to
discriminate between the levels of
services that are rendered to us
as a result
the level
slowly falls
whereas thoughtfulness discrimination
and integrity could have maintained
these levels
once they are gone they are desperately
difficult to restore
we have lost pride
in the productions of our own efforts
the average family today has lost pride
in its own ingenuity
in its own ability to use its resources well
well
most families have lost pride in economy
regarding extravagance as the true symbol
symbol
of the american way of life
these losses of essential values
must be paid for in many ways
including much suffering and deprivation
and all that is really necessary to
correct the situation
is the gradual education of our own consciousness
consciousness
and the experience
of knowing what is good [Music]
[Music]
now it's true that
we live in several worlds simultaneously
there is a larger world where our
greater goods are involved
but there is also the smaller world of
private experimentation and effort
perhaps the smaller world of a
particular interest becomes a laboratory
in which we can
experiment with principles that we can
apply in many other areas as time goes on
on [Music]
[Music]
so if we choose something
as a symbol
of the entire search for value
as for example art we are only making a
laboratory experiment
in art we can control many factors
for example
an individual makes his own decision
he buys something
he thinks it's good
later he discusses with an expert and he
finds out that it is not good
he learns why he was overcharged and he
learns why his
purchase was unwisely made this whole
situation may involve
a few days of time
and maybe ten twenty or fifty dollars in money
money
here the whole pattern works out we can
see the complete picture
but when we make a mistake and value of
life and go out into the larger theater
of our activity
this mistake may cost us dear
it may go on through for years and we
may never find the true expert who can
tell us what is wrong
consequently by using the smaller
theater of experimentation
we gain the experience and develop the
faculties which we can then apply
to larger and more diversified areas of activity
activity
this is one of the principles behind art
this is one of the reasons why
a collector gradually becomes
a more enlightened in value
it isn't that the things he is
collecting are always important perhaps
they are not important at all
but he is gaining an important
sharpening of his own consciousness
he is learning to think more clearly he
is learning to understand more deeply
and most of all he is learning to try
to appreciate abstract value
in the presence of a great masterpiece
of art
a true connoisseur
may give a little explanation a little
explanation of
almost ecstasy seeing something that is
so wonderful
that he can hardly restrain himself we
look at the same thing and we say well i
i guess it's all right
i don't see anything extraordinary about it
it
i think they had something like that
down at newberry's once
and uh we uh
we pass it at that
but what did the experts see that we missed
why does he suddenly sense something as
being of tremendous value
and to us it's just something else that
perhaps if we had it we'd give it away gladly
gladly
in fact you'd be surprised how many
great treasures have actually been found
uh in the uh trash cans out in front of
people's houses
they've given away the wrong thing
they've thrown out something priceless
and replaced it with something worthless
these things happen
many very interesting and rare antiques
have been found in dump yards why
why
because the wrong people had them
people who did not know value
but what is the difference how can we
try to understand
what this
expert sees that we do not understand or
do not comprehend
one thing he must see or he wouldn't be
interested at all is beauty
he must see some form of extraordinary
creative excellence
or he would not be moved
or nor interested
why are we not touched inwardly
by the tremendous surge of appreciation
that has risen in him
the only answer is that we're not trained
trained
that we are not used to using those
faculties in that way
we are used to measuring mediocrities
we have gone to school
we've learned a great many simple values
about daily things
but we haven't learned abstract value
we haven't learned to grasp the beautiful
beautiful
and to find in it something essential to
probably if we ask this
uh connoisseur why he was so tremendously
tremendously
attracted to a certain item
he might try to tell us
when he gets all through we would
probably agree with him and still not
know what he was talking about
because we would look exactly where we
he pointed but we wouldn't see what he saw
saw
to us we would it would see a very
pleasant little area perhaps of
porcelain with a nice color on it
to him
he sees something perhaps unique
maybe that particular example is the
only piece of its kind in the united states
states
perhaps he knows who created it
and realizes that in some mysterious way
a treasure has escaped the observant eyes
eyes
of collectors and dealers
and has suddenly appeared within his reach
reach
he knows therefore he
appreciates and appreciation must be
built upon knowledge
and this is true in every department of life
life [Music]
[Music]
another point that we find in working
with this as we said is the need for the
immediate decision
and this comes upon even
those who have considerable
interest in these matters
the ancient rule on the subject is
for the expert
if you know
that it is great
and you can get it
get it
if you are not sure
whether it is great or not
and you are an expert
leave it alone
because if you do not take it
and you are not sure and you are an
expert your subconscious is ringing a bell
bell
there's something wrong
even though your consciousness may not
be able to tell what it is
whenever you are seriously in doubt
whenever you say to yourself i don't
feel quite right about this
uh the great collector leaves the item alone
alone
he senses in some way
that the offense arises from his own
psychic level of appreciation
his consciousness is not really happy
with this particular item
now what makes consciousness happy [Music]
[Music]
apparently the real
answer to this lies
that consciousness is always happy
when it recognizes something upon its
own level
when it recognizes perfection
consciousness being of itself a perfect
thing somewhere in its own source even
though it may not manifest perfectly consciousness
consciousness
recognizes consciousness in other things
consciousness recognizes the skill of
the great
artisan consciousness shares in a
superlative appreciation for that which
is superlative
and from ourselves comes a sense of contentment
contentment
a sense of justification
assureness that what we are considering
arose also from a great consciousness
and this has to lie behind every achievement
achievement
in creativity that is important
so if we are in doubt
and something says to hesitate then
then
it is not wise to proceed
or certainly we should proceed with the
greatest caution and thoroughness and
protect ourselves in every way possible
the same thing should happen when we
meet people
or when we come upon any problem in life
i have talked a great many persons who
have brought their problems
particularly problems involving other people
people
and in the course of a discussion they
may say
you know it's a strange thing
but when i first met that person i
didn't get a good feeling from them
but gradually i decided it was my own
temperament or my own
snobbishness or something in the course
of time i more or less forgot my
original feeling
now i suddenly realize that that
original feeling was right
but it is only after considerable time
that we get around to the proving
proving
of this intuitive flash that we had at
the beginning
therefore we should always be mindful
of these intuitive flashes
now there are certain persons who by
nature are so critical they will
criticize everyone
this of course represents again a total
loss of value and therefore their
judgment is not important
but where we have naturally no
antagonisms no antipathies no prejudices
about a thing yet at the very beginning
of it we sense something
something
that isn't right
we sense the feeling that this is not good
good
then we shouldn't let the hope for profit
profit
or the hope for improved fortune
cause us to depart from that which we know
know
instinctively to be right
because if we mentalize this long enough
we will kill out this consciousness
flash that we had
we will explain it away
but we will not change the circumstances
and maybe five years later or ten years later
later
this intuitive flash
will come through again
now there are cases psychologically in
which this intuitive sensing has gone
even further than this
i know one case in which a person
thinking of going in business
in a business which would have involved
a considerable amount of commitment uh
uh
had a little of this intuitive sense
against the prospective business partner
but because the credentials were
excellent because the man's reputation
apparently was above
the question
the person
felt felt that his superstitions were
not proper that he he shouldn't feel
that way he had no reason to be
suspicious of this other man
it was just some mood of his
but a few days before the time came for
him finally to consummate this business
transaction he had a very important and
impressive dream about it
the consciousness which was trying to
warn him had not quite gotten through
on the conscious level
therefore it came out in a powerful
dream pattern
a dream of warning that was so real
that this person could not resist it
and he did not complete the transaction
and it was very fortunate that he did not
not
because actually the entire
uh situation was
was
a misrepresentation
and very close to outright dishonesty
but the psychic nature had sensed this
now how did the psychic nature sense it
some will say perhaps that there was a
certain clairvoyant faculty involved
that the person's inner life became aware
aware
perhaps almost a sort of telepathic communication
communication
in which the negative thought of the
dishonest person was picked up
by the potential victim and
saved the victim
from the difficulty that threatened
this may be true there's probably a
there are occasions where this is
undoubtedly true
but i wonder if it is consistently the pattern
pattern
because if it was how could
a very intuitive collector
have the same feeling equally strong and
perhaps a dream equally impressive about
a piece of tapestry that is 500 years old
we might say that the tapestry was
haunted or something of that nature but
this gets the situation into a rather
abstract atmosphere
it is far more likely
that this person actually saw
the fraud but did not know
how to interpret what he saw [Music]
[Music]
that however his own subconscious picked
up this forgery
or this misrepresentation and
and
was able to finally bring it through
through some symbolic medium
perhaps in this case simply a violent
sense of don't buy it i don't like it
or perhaps again some kind of a dream
experience there's one case of a dream
of this kind in which a man was buying
an expensive
antique egyptian
jewel or piece of jewelry that was quite expensive
expensive
and he actually had a dream in which
this figure appeared to him and told him
that it was bogus that it was a
reproduction and it later proved to be
in new york there has been a plate
that's being distributed has been
distributed among every art dealer
practically in the western hemisphere
this plate is supposed to be
a a marvelous vessel from a byzantine
altar at saint sophia's
a priceless thing a
a dozen
dozen
great collectors
and great dealers
have examined it
not one of them ever found out that it
was bad
but for some reason none of them ever
bought it
that was one of the peculiar things
something always happened
the price was high
it was priced in the five figures
and well into them
and it was passed on by the experts of
every gallery and museum you could think of
of
but this piece has gone begging for years
years
whereas other pieces with much less credential
credential
have found happy homes long ago
then all of a sudden the bubble burst
and the man who made it confessed
instead of having been
manufactured by some ancient craftsman
1500 years ago is made in the bronx
and
not one of the persons who turned it
down knew this
but for some reason the plate went begging
begging
although it had enough
endorsement to have convinced the
greatest skeptic
but nobody quite liked it
although it was a beautiful piece of work
work
so the expert learns in one way or
another this overtone
overtone [Music]
[Music]
if we could get this kind of instinct
into our transactions with people on
various levels we'd have a lot more
honesty in this world
we would discourage
a great deal of fabrication
and forgery and
and various
various
impoverishments of quality in various products
products
that we commonly purchase
we just do not get this sense of value
operating correctly
now value carries on into other things
i know persons are very moderate means
who having come into the presence of
something that they instinctively knew
was good
have gone far beyond prudence and
judgment in the effort to acquire that thing
thing
to them its value was so very real and
so very important that they did not dare
to hesitate
under those conditions most of these
transactions came out very well because
of course the essential element was this
enlightened sincerity
which is very hard to deceive once you
have attained it [Music]
[Music]
so these persons have
uh have extended their resources
in the direction of value almost
almost imprudently
imprudently
but actually very wisely
as time itself
always proved
so to know and to grasp value is itself
a tremendously important decision to make
make
and here we have again
a decision in life
when we start out living or when we're
at any period in life
when the opportunity arises
or something that we know is good
or no is necessary or no is right
are we willing fully to stand behind this
this
and give everything we have to it
have we sense enough
to recognize opportunity
to recognize it for exactly what it is
and to be so skillful in our knowledge
that we could not be deceived
if we have this opportunity then do we
have the courage
uh to give full weight to our own
intuition and do the thing that we know
is correct
we have people all the time who come in
and say well i i knew years ago that
what i'm doing wasn't right but i i just
kept on doing it anyway and i just
wonder why i'm in a mess now
it's just this type of thing
there wasn't any clear sense
of knowing what is right and doing it [Music]
[Music]
to get therefore this this
this
credit out of value to get make value
work for you
it must create this censorship and discrimination
discrimination
and intensify our own abilities
uh to decide
to cling to value to do that which is
indicated as the best and wisest thing
to do
now this value does not mean in terms of money
money
i'm not thinking in terms of investment
primarily i'm thinking in terms of character
character
in terms of those decisions which make
for happiness or unhappiness within
ourselves as living creatures
for here's where value operates
most positively at all times
so we say the chinese say at least
that we must reach out and take hold
upon value
that we should always
choose that which is best
in the presence of a number of possible decisions
decisions
and to do this we must have thoughtfulness
thoughtfulness
and to this we must have training and we
must have experience
and we must have all of these elements
of maturity
which make it possible for us to
recognize value
give ourselves the courage to accept the
challenge of value
and then the patience to perfect
whatever elements are necessary in the transaction
transaction these
these
conditions are not commonly found today
the person of today is not thoughtful
he is not
a skillful
in the determination of value
he is not particularly interested in
training himself
for any of these activities
i know in philosophy particularly
how indifferent people are
to the more subtle phases
of emotional reaction to that which is
fine or good
religion and philosophy instead of
deepening the sense of values make us
hasten over them without giving them
adequate consideration perhaps that's
why so much of our religious life is not
adequate and not mature and not helpful
to us in our own emergency [Music]
[Music]
so let's try to take a few little simple
illustrations paralleling different
fields of activity and see what we mean
now by taking hold of value and trying
to do something with it
do something to make
things better for all concerned
we are we'll say moderately educated
people we've had enough schooling to be
able to make a living
we have enough skill in
in some art or trade to be able to have
a measure of proficiency in it
we are managing some way to get along
from day to day we don't exactly know
how ourselves and nobody else seems to
be able to give us much instruction on it
it [Music]
[Music]
but here we are
more or less drifting
tomorrow's another day which will
gradually look more and more like this
one as we begin to live it
there is no particular reason to assume
that we're going to wake up tomorrow any
smarter than we were when we went to bed
and uh
there's not much but of incentive in it
one thing that value requires is incentive
incentive
now where do we find
this incentive
by which an individual is suddenly
shaken out of a rut
and becomes dynamically concerned with something
something a
a this
this
problem of drifting along from day to day
day
bored largely
or wasting time
or worrying about ourselves
there doesn't seem to be much
dynamic in us
if you if you can transfer this situation
situation
to somebody who as one man i know years
ago collected glass doorknobs now there
is what you might term the ultimate end
of some kind of culture i don't know
just what kind it is the only other
parallel to it that i know of is blown
now uh
this person are really considered doorknobs
doorknobs
to be something
something
apart from almost every other value in life
life
god created the world in six days rested
on the seventh and on the eighth day he
made doorknobs
i don't know what the situation was
but these doorknobs were a little less
than an obsession
this was he was a lonely man
he didn't have too many general
interests in life he didn't have a kind
of income that would enable him to
collect van dykes therefore
therefore
he had something however that just made
life wonderful for him
every day he rose in the morning filled
with hope that before dark he would find
another doorknob [Music]
[Music]
and he usually did
sometimes he had great days when he
found two doorknobs [Music]
[Music]
he had a house full of them perhaps a
psychologist would regard this as a
symbol of compounding vandalism i don't know
know
but this man had a lot of fun with doorknobs
doorknobs
and so many people who are much too
intelligent to collect doorknobs don't
have any fun at all
this man had something
not only this but it led him into
a great deal of research
he began to find out all kinds of
interesting things about who made doorknobs
doorknobs
maybe no one else in the community was interested
interested
but in the end he hoped he was going to
write the only authoritative textbook on doorknobs
doorknobs
and i'll wager you that if he does it
he will probably win a prize [Music]
[Music] because
because
it all fits into a funny little pattern
this man had achieved something he
became an authority on doorknobs
most people never become an authority on anything
anything
but when he departs from this life as he
most certainly will he's going to leave
all his doorknobs behind
he's going to take with him a very
interesting adventurous consciousness
because he did something
and other people are going to leave the
practical things that they did instead behind
behind
and the man that laughs at the man who
collected doorknobs is going to leave
his guilt-age securities behind when he
goes also
and when this little mortal span is finished
finished
the value of doorknobs and guild edge
securities are not going to be very
different to that person
it's all part of life
but out of an interest came a constantly
increasing awareness of some kind of value
value
this is important to people
because it is one of the few remedies we
have for the compound doldrums in which
most people find themselves
now i can think of better things than doorknobs
doorknobs
i can also think of better for better
things than another man i knew had about
20 000 different old campaign buttons of
republican and democratic candidates
most of whom are forgotten
in this collection alone the names of
who might have been a senator or who
might have been a congressman
are all are only preserved in just such
things as these no one really cares
but it was exciting to find another
campaign button
this person at least was doing something
to fight against his own boredom
and uh
regardless of whether what he collected
was any good or not this individual
was gradually developing
developing
resources of faculty and consciousness
someday he might collect better things
someday this power might go into an
entirely different channel infinitely
more profitable to mankind but there was
there was action
the mind was being used in some way
the faculties of observation were being developed
developed
some hobbies of develop only one faculty memory
memory
but the average person even needs that
one faculty will develop observation of color
color
this can be useful
perhaps someday this person may become
an artist
but whatever we do is better than not to
do anything
and we must constantly strive to develop
observation and reflection classification
classification [Music]
[Music]
now when you start studying
psychological faculty problems
for instance there is nothing perhaps
that would seem to be very creative
in the collecting of some
uh small trivial things for instance a
collection of the coins of syracuse
these beautiful gold silver and bronze
coins of ancient greece
there doesn't seem to be much creativity
about collecting such things if you have
the money the interest you can collect them
them
but i've never seen two collectors of
these types of things who presented
their collections in the same way
the artistry of the collector
may be expressed in the magnificent way
in which he brought these things
together in a wonderful dramatic pattern
he didn't create the coins he didn't
design them
but he at least knew how to present them
in display
so that other persons got the maximum
impact from them
another man with just as much money
collecting somewhat similar objects kept
them all in a canvas bag
there was there was no way this the
artistry of the individual does come out
and we have to create it
we have to escape from this
absolute lack
of interest
in anything beyond
the daily problem the daily grind of
things we have to have these positive
release mechanisms
if we do not we are candidates for
serious psychological problems
especially now
where the tensions and the tempers of
many people
are on severe edge
there has to be this creativity
so out of all of this problem we we come
up with a luxury factor
that doesn't seem to mean anything
and yet around this luxury factor may
come the greatest actual growth that we make
make
a person
who lives 70 years 75 80 years
and dies without having touched creativity
creativity
has simply lived a very provident prudent
prudent
orderly matter of fact utterly dull existence
existence
this person
has very little to take with them
whatever they have
in the form of inner consciousness is
all they can take
what does this person have to take
almost nothing
they've never even experienced real joy
in anything they've never had any fun at
anything they've done it's all been
problem work seriousness and
massive decisions involving anything
from ten dollars to ten million dollars
but very dull non-creative
non-creative
non-self-expressive and certainly not
inclined to create any consciousness
which calls upon faculties for
verification i forgot to mention
incidentally the doorknobs have been counterfeited
there are rare door knobs you can pay
thousands of dollars for a doorknob
and the problem therefore also is
discrimination as to whether it's worth
it or not but whatever the problem is
faculties are brought into play [Music]
[Music]
something is stirred up in the individual
individual
he likes something very much
and that is more than most people ever
really do
it's amazing
how little color
comes into the majority of human lives
particularly the color that arises from
rejoicing from victory over circumstance
from the discovery of something long
sought we don't have that type of experience
experience
and as a result our temperaments are impoverished
impoverished
so we like to think that this problem of
value has something to do with the
enthusiasm of life
that this enthusiasm of life is contagious
we also know that people who have these
interests are easier people to live with
that they are not by any means as
difficult to work with
persons with
interests and dramatic and dynamic outlets
outlets
are nice to be around usually
whereas persons with none of these
outlets get very heavy tiresome
tiring kinds of attitudes which are hard
to live with
so value should make us always
try to enrich life
with something that is not just necessary
necessary
i know people who say that these
these
frills upon the
circumference of existence
are meaningless
after all
life is a very serious business
and there's no time really to
fritter away
in in foolish avocational activities
activities
i've known these people
but they weren't very friendly people
they were not the kind of people that
made good grandparents
or good friends
they were people who live very much in
the square toad puritanism in which it
seems as though even a smile is little
less than sacrilegious
they were not
the kind of people who have warm happy
healthy lives
so it's it's sometimes very good in a
sense of value
to to simply
remember this thought that mohammed gave us
us
namely that he had eat two coats he
would sell one
and buy
uh pink hyacinths for his soul
you have to you have to do something
with these things for the soul
and the soul
wants to be fed graciousness
graciousness
beauty charm
perhaps almost childish enthusiasm over something
something
the moment life loses its enthusiasm we
might just as well lie down and call it
a day [Music]
[Music]
it is enthusiasm that makes life
an enthusiasm comes from two words and
theos which means in god
therefore the enthusiast is living in god
god [Music]
[Music]
he is living in
some kind of a spiritual state of active awareness
awareness
and it's hard to get enthusiasm unless
the mind can move out
of what we term the necessary
into some larger vista which we might
almost consider to be an extravagant
place to live
but what is extravagance
i think extravagance can occur
to a very practical person i know people who would consider themselves very very
who would consider themselves very very thrifty who are utterly extravagant
thrifty who are utterly extravagant and i know people who can would be
and i know people who can would be considered highly extravagant who are
considered highly extravagant who are most prudent
most prudent it depends entirely on the judgment of
it depends entirely on the judgment of another person whose interest may be
another person whose interest may be different
different so in value
so in value let us lay hold upon enthusiasm
let us lay hold upon enthusiasm [Music]
[Music] let value always
let value always give us a feeling of betterness
give us a feeling of betterness that we have discovered something life
that we have discovered something life is a series of discoveries of
is a series of discoveries of achievements
achievements of moving on to the attainment of the
of moving on to the attainment of the unattained
unattained uh the tremendous adventure of questing
uh the tremendous adventure of questing [Music]
[Music] we have never the fun with the thing
we have never the fun with the thing that we have while we're questing the
that we have while we're questing the thing
thing so if we get
so if we get some of this questiness into ourselves
some of this questiness into ourselves it's good we can't go for
it's good we can't go for as uh don quijote de la mancha did
as uh don quijote de la mancha did lancing windmills anymore
lancing windmills anymore it's not particularly uh
it's not particularly uh good form to try night errantry in the
good form to try night errantry in the 20th century
20th century a lot of questing that we might
a lot of questing that we might dramatize just isn't here anymore
dramatize just isn't here anymore but there's still tremendous
but there's still tremendous possibilities of adventure
possibilities of adventure and this adventuring brings us into
and this adventuring brings us into contact with new and interesting
contact with new and interesting situations
situations which enrich and warm up life
which enrich and warm up life many times also these questions lead to
many times also these questions lead to powerful avocational pursuits
powerful avocational pursuits which become in time the vocation of
which become in time the vocation of life itself
life itself than the one whose work and play are the
than the one whose work and play are the same thing
same thing in the sense not of a monotony but that
in the sense not of a monotony but that he finds his full expression in many
he finds his full expression in many areas of his consciousness in the same
areas of his consciousness in the same activity
activity he must he must have full expression
he must he must have full expression however it must be both creative and
however it must be both creative and a discipline
a discipline discipline trains us creativity releases
discipline trains us creativity releases us and these two forces must operate
us and these two forces must operate together
together [Music]
[Music] so laying hold upon value
so laying hold upon value means sometimes to take hold of the
means sometimes to take hold of the thing that will truly open windows and
thing that will truly open windows and open doors for us
open doors for us into another world beyond the world
into another world beyond the world we're in
we're in and in practical experience
and in practical experience uh i've given some recommendations to
uh i've given some recommendations to people on these
people on these uh problems and we can repeat some of
uh problems and we can repeat some of them because i don't believe that most
them because i don't believe that most of you probably have heard these
of you probably have heard these recommendations
recommendations if a person comes and says i'm a i'm a
if a person comes and says i'm a i'm a conscientious hard-working sober citizen
conscientious hard-working sober citizen with reasonable responsibilities and a
with reasonable responsibilities and a sincere desire to improve and be a
sincere desire to improve and be a better person have a deeper insight
better person have a deeper insight perhaps understand religion philosophy
perhaps understand religion philosophy better
better have a more
have a more well-rounded well-balanced life capable
well-rounded well-balanced life capable of releasing intuitive faculties
of releasing intuitive faculties and becoming
and becoming more or less integrated as a conscious
more or less integrated as a conscious being
being what would you suggest
what would you suggest how do we go around to help this person
how do we go around to help this person to do this
to do this well the first thing we've got to find
well the first thing we've got to find out of course is why he comes
out of course is why he comes and the reason he's there usually
and the reason he's there usually is because he's not satisfied with what
is because he's not satisfied with what he is or what he is doing
he is or what he is doing if he was successful in every sense of
if he was successful in every sense of the word he wouldn't be asking help from
the word he wouldn't be asking help from anybody
anybody he has come because perhaps one of a
he has come because perhaps one of a half a dozen situations has set in he's
half a dozen situations has set in he's lost lost a loved one
lost lost a loved one therefore he looks forward to loneliness
therefore he looks forward to loneliness and wants to do something about that he
and wants to do something about that he is nearing retirement age he has made no
is nearing retirement age he has made no preparation for this therefore this
preparation for this therefore this particular problem confronts him he
particular problem confronts him he can't after all cut the lawn every day
can't after all cut the lawn every day he has to have some other activity
he has to have some other activity beside weeding the garden
beside weeding the garden [Music]
[Music] presuming he has a guard
presuming he has a guard also perhaps his doctor told him
also perhaps his doctor told him that he's got to ease up
that he's got to ease up he's too strenuous and he's worrying too
he's too strenuous and he's worrying too much
much he's getting an ulcer you've got to
he's getting an ulcer you've got to learn to relax
learn to relax well it's awfully hard to learn to relax
well it's awfully hard to learn to relax when you can't think of anything that's
when you can't think of anything that's interesting
interesting someone now other situation may arise
someone now other situation may arise at almost anything but the person is
at almost anything but the person is here
here seeking help simply because he suddenly
seeking help simply because he suddenly recognizes a need or a defect in himself
recognizes a need or a defect in himself so you can say to this person perhaps to
so you can say to this person perhaps to start off with
start off with when you were young and growing up and
when you were young and growing up and starting out in life
starting out in life what was your dream
what was your dream did you really dream that you were going
did you really dream that you were going to be in coats and suits
to be in coats and suits did you dream
did you dream that you were going to be an agent for
that you were going to be an agent for the gadgets from some large transistor
the gadgets from some large transistor house
house was this what you started out
was this what you started out that you want it to be
that you want it to be and the man may stop for a moment and
and the man may stop for a moment and say well
say well of course after all the thing i wanted
of course after all the thing i wanted to be at that time was pretty stupid
to be at that time was pretty stupid no i'm not doing what i wanted to do
no i'm not doing what i wanted to do then but how can i wanted to be an opera
then but how can i wanted to be an opera tenor
tenor [Music]
[Music] and i never even had the voice
and i never even had the voice [Music]
[Music] well you have you can start with that
well you have you can start with that that's something
that's something or this individual can say well all my
or this individual can say well all my life i've been in an office but what i
life i've been in an office but what i wanted to do really was to go to sea on
wanted to do really was to go to sea on a ship and travel all over the world
a ship and travel all over the world and a housewife who has
and a housewife who has had quite an experience and is now a
had quite an experience and is now a grandmother says well if you must know i
grandmother says well if you must know i wanted to be a toad answer
wanted to be a toad answer are the problems that you get when you
are the problems that you get when you go back to try to find out what people
go back to try to find out what people wanted to be
wanted to be yet from these things that they wanted
yet from these things that they wanted to be you can often find
to be you can often find a secret unlocked situation
a secret unlocked situation and if we could have found that out
and if we could have found that out earlier in many cases
earlier in many cases there would be fewer people in our
there would be fewer people in our mental institutions
mental institutions because while in some cases they were
because while in some cases they were able to carry this conflict
able to carry this conflict rather well
rather well in other cases they never could
in other cases they never could and this thing they always wanted to be
and this thing they always wanted to be and never could be
and never could be absolutely ruined their psychological
absolutely ruined their psychological integration and they never recovered it
integration and they never recovered it but we have all these people now
but we have all these people now and we have to find out where we can
and we have to find out where we can start with these people it's obvious
start with these people it's obvious that they can't take up a new career as
that they can't take up a new career as they would have at 20.
they would have at 20. life circumstances no longer permit this
life circumstances no longer permit this but there is somewhere lurking in this
but there is somewhere lurking in this problem
problem some way of centering them again
some way of centering them again on the one thing that every human being
on the one thing that every human being must ultimately come back to and that is
must ultimately come back to and that is the release of his own consciousness
the release of his own consciousness through creativity
through creativity this has to come
this has to come if it doesn't come he's lost
if it doesn't come he's lost the person who always wanted to be a
the person who always wanted to be a musician may not be a great musician and
musician may not be a great musician and may never be able to
may never be able to but they can still do something because
but they can still do something because here their whole instinct is located
here their whole instinct is located and even
and even at 80 or 85 they can start
at 80 or 85 they can start they can express themselves
they can express themselves in some way they can take hold of a
in some way they can take hold of a value which they need
value which they need and they can decide how much they're
and they can decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to take hold of
willing to sacrifice to take hold of that value
that value it may be that for a person in advanced
it may be that for a person in advanced years to buy an elaborate or expensive
years to buy an elaborate or expensive musical instrument is a real hardship
musical instrument is a real hardship but if that music has waited for fifty
but if that music has waited for fifty years to come out it must come out for
years to come out it must come out for that person's good
that person's good and addicts is not an expenditure it is
and addicts is not an expenditure it is an investment
an investment because they must
because they must learn creativity
learn creativity now other people can develop the same
now other people can develop the same lessons in a simpler way
lessons in a simpler way some individuals have great many persons
some individuals have great many persons in our way of life
in our way of life have had a frustrated
have had a frustrated desire to be artistic
desire to be artistic artistry meant something to them as
artistry meant something to them as children
children they had a little skill in drawing but
they had a little skill in drawing but they never were had a chance to do much
they never were had a chance to do much with it
with it long came life and set in with its
long came life and set in with its problems this artistry perhaps never got
problems this artistry perhaps never got any further
any further than maybe helping their children to
than maybe helping their children to draw a few pictures
draw a few pictures in child in their childhood
in child in their childhood but this
but this actually remains here is a potential
actually remains here is a potential area of creativity that the person
area of creativity that the person brought with him into life
brought with him into life something must be done to make sure that
something must be done to make sure that he takes that creativity out of this
he takes that creativity out of this life
life further advanced than when he came in
further advanced than when he came in his success in life will not be measured
his success in life will not be measured in his practical methodical procedures
in his practical methodical procedures but in the degree to which he has
but in the degree to which he has released his own creative
released his own creative bent whatever it may be his own creative
bent whatever it may be his own creative instinct
instinct persons who can no longer create in that
persons who can no longer create in that sense of the word can discriminate
sense of the word can discriminate they can discover they can experience
they can discover they can experience value and for many many persons
value and for many many persons art becomes a way out
art becomes a way out one of the reasons is that art is in
one of the reasons is that art is in almost complete defiance
of our common ordinary way of doing things
things art is almost an an auto corrective
art is almost an an auto corrective for the kind of life we now live which
for the kind of life we now live which is far from artistic
is far from artistic and which almost completely loses sight
and which almost completely loses sight of artistry
of artistry [Music]
[Music] most persons do have an instinctive
most persons do have an instinctive desire for fitness
desire for fitness for the rightness of values they want to
for the rightness of values they want to look well they want to have nice things
look well they want to have nice things they want to uh set themselves in a
they want to uh set themselves in a framework of
framework of things that are interesting and this
things that are interesting and this brings another curious situation to mind
brings another curious situation to mind uh i have known i know that
uh i have known i know that in a large store in new york where i
in a large store in new york where i used to visit
used to visit they got in some very fantastic
they got in some very fantastic middle eastern jewelry
middle eastern jewelry it was amazing material
it was amazing material utterly dramatic
utterly dramatic and uh they exhibited it and a great
and uh they exhibited it and a great many
many very stylish people came to look at it
very stylish people came to look at it and many of them admired it and many of
and many of them admired it and many of them said they had never seen anything
them said they had never seen anything in their lives as remarkable
in their lives as remarkable but nobody bought it
but nobody bought it why
why because nobody dared to wear it
because nobody dared to wear it you take a person who had absolutely no
you take a person who had absolutely no personality and hang a thing like that
personality and hang a thing like that on them
on them and the next time they met a friend the
and the next time they met a friend the friend would say how do you do that's a
friend would say how do you do that's a five piece of jewelry you have
five piece of jewelry you have you wouldn't see the person anymore at
you wouldn't see the person anymore at all
all the person was too weak to carry it
the person was too weak to carry it an interesting adornment must be carried
an interesting adornment must be carried by a still more interesting person
by a still more interesting person or it eclipses the person
or it eclipses the person and the next thing you know they got an
and the next thing you know they got an invitation to to send the pin and not
invitation to to send the pin and not come themselves
come themselves nobody's interested in them but everyone
nobody's interested in them but everyone would like to see the pin
remarkable different startling
startling dramatic
dramatic can only serve a person who is able to
can only serve a person who is able to carry it
carry it otherwise it destroys that personality
otherwise it destroys that personality the individual develops an inferiority
the individual develops an inferiority complex to what he's wearing
so in order to uh to live in an interesting place
uh to live in an interesting place to surround ourselves with interesting
to surround ourselves with interesting things we must be interesting
things we must be interesting otherwise we rattle around in something
otherwise we rattle around in something we don't fit into
we don't fit into and someone who says to another person
and someone who says to another person after they leave that's a marvelous
after they leave that's a marvelous house how the world of that person never
house how the world of that person never get to move into it
get to move into it wrong
wrong we've lost
we've lost leadership
leadership by being surrounded by interest and not
by being surrounded by interest and not having any interest in us
having any interest in us so this is one of the reasons why
so this is one of the reasons why uh it is so important
uh it is so important for the individual to always lead his
for the individual to always lead his interest
interest this is why in taking hold of value it
this is why in taking hold of value it is not important merely to own something
is not important merely to own something that something must express
that something must express value in us
value in us we must always
we must always lead this value we must always be in
lead this value we must always be in control of it
if this value is something that represents centuries of culture in
that represents centuries of culture in its production it should be worn or
its production it should be worn or carried by a person who has matured even
carried by a person who has matured even more centuries of consciousness within
more centuries of consciousness within themselves otherwise
themselves otherwise there's discord there's a hopeless
there's discord there's a hopeless situation that nothing can be done about
situation that nothing can be done about but there is there always this
but there is there always this important problem of the person
important problem of the person leading his own cultural environment
leading his own cultural environment and he can do it but he has to think
and he can do it but he has to think about it
about it he can have the courage to do it
he can have the courage to do it if he will give himself uh the insight
if he will give himself uh the insight necessary
necessary to mature his own activity and interest
to mature his own activity and interest this is one of the reasons why
this is one of the reasons why everything having a story
everything having a story everything must be done for a reason
everything must be done for a reason and everything that we have must have
and everything that we have must have meaning to us
meaning to us we must understand it
we must understand it we must know why it is good
we must know why it is good we must be able to appreciate that value
we must be able to appreciate that value in our own consciousness
in our own consciousness then it belongs to us by a natural
then it belongs to us by a natural uh and wonderful
uh and wonderful uh power
uh power of possession
of possession we possess what we need what we must
we possess what we need what we must have
have and in some wonderful way these things
and in some wonderful way these things do come
do come things are forever hunting for people
things are forever hunting for people it isn't true that people are always
it isn't true that people are always just looking for things
just looking for things things are out looking for the people
things are out looking for the people who can use them
who can use them and something happens and they come
and something happens and they come together when consciousness is right
together when consciousness is right well that's another phase of our problem
well that's another phase of our problem but we start out with these people who
but we start out with these people who are are trying to find activities
are are trying to find activities trying to find interests
trying to find interests i know a great many
i know a great many rather serious people these days who are
rather serious people these days who are taking up
taking up various interesting subjects
various interesting subjects with the understanding that every new
with the understanding that every new subject that we take up
subject that we take up opens a door
opens a door now this door that is opened
now this door that is opened usually opens into the creativity of our
usually opens into the creativity of our collective race
the person who suddenly discovers the creativity of man collectively
creativity of man collectively suddenly finds himself a member of a
suddenly finds himself a member of a magnificently interesting
magnificently interesting creature a society of beings
creature a society of beings that he thought
that he thought was a very dull society but because he's
was a very dull society but because he's gotten under the surface now and begun
gotten under the surface now and begun to move with the creativity of these
to move with the creativity of these people he discovers that he is living in
people he discovers that he is living in a world of extraordinary values if he is
a world of extraordinary values if he is able to appreciate them
able to appreciate them he learns that the simplest thing done
he learns that the simplest thing done well
well is a magnificent thing
is a magnificent thing so he opens doors
so he opens doors wherever he touches the creativity of
wherever he touches the creativity of life
life a man a woman who studies a language
a man a woman who studies a language not his own
not his own opens a door
opens a door opens a door into a world not just of
opens a door into a world not just of somebody else's speech
somebody else's speech but of the psychology of peoples
but of the psychology of peoples to know people's language is to have a
to know people's language is to have a tremendous bond of union
tremendous bond of union [Music]
[Music] to know a language is to understand more
to know a language is to understand more and more the soul of a people
and more the soul of a people and a whole universe of
and a whole universe of values is simply opened by this
values is simply opened by this circumstance alone
circumstance alone i know a man who having suffered a leg
i know a man who having suffered a leg injury by which he was not going to be
injury by which he was not going to be able to continue to get around very much
able to continue to get around very much went down and studied in our southwest
went down and studied in our southwest with some of our the navajo indian
with some of our the navajo indian silversmiths
silversmiths and became quite a droid an expert in
and became quite a droid an expert in molding and mounting
molding and mounting silver
silver with turquoise and other stones
with turquoise and other stones he wasn't an indian
he wasn't an indian but he gained a tremendous admiration of
but he gained a tremendous admiration of the magnificent craft of these people
the magnificent craft of these people he finally had gone down to take three
he finally had gone down to take three months study with them so he could find
months study with them so he could find a hobby
a hobby he spent several years with them
he spent several years with them and gradually learned to know that even
and gradually learned to know that even behind casting a simple
behind casting a simple indian buckle
indian buckle there was a a world of thought a world
there was a a world of thought a world of skill a world of
of skill a world of wise methods and ancient traditions and
wise methods and ancient traditions and wonderful lore
wonderful lore and when he came back and
and when he came back and not being able to get around he had his
not being able to get around he had his little table he had his wheelchair and
little table he had his wheelchair and he would sit in front of his table and
he would sit in front of his table and work with these things
work with these things he not only finally made some
he not only finally made some magnificent things in the indian
magnificent things in the indian techniques
techniques but he suddenly discovered
but he suddenly discovered that all this technique now he had
that all this technique now he had mastered it
mastered it gave expression to himself
gave expression to himself and he made some tremendously
and he made some tremendously interesting and dramatic original
interesting and dramatic original uh ornamentations and devices he found a
uh ornamentations and devices he found a world of self-expression in this
world of self-expression in this he found that this fact the fact that he
he found that this fact the fact that he could turn out a beautiful piece
could turn out a beautiful piece of molded silver
of molded silver into an exquisite design gave him more
into an exquisite design gave him more satisfaction more peace of soul then all
satisfaction more peace of soul then all his bank account could possibly bestow
his bank account could possibly bestow and he had the sense of
and he had the sense of creativity
creativity the god in him was moving
the god in him was moving because god is god primarily because of
because god is god primarily because of the great creative power which lies at
the great creative power which lies at the root of life
the root of life and whatever has
and whatever has creativity moving into expression has
creativity moving into expression has god coming into manifestation through
god coming into manifestation through that creativity
that creativity so there are all kinds of things to do
so there are all kinds of things to do nearly always our soul satisfaction does
nearly always our soul satisfaction does not lie
not lie in purely intellectual hobbies
in purely intellectual hobbies our soul satisfaction lies in bright
our soul satisfaction lies in bright glittery silvery things
glittery silvery things that bring
that bring peace and joy and sparkle with them
peace and joy and sparkle with them therefore
therefore we usually collect articles or items of
we usually collect articles or items of some beauty or of meaning
some beauty or of meaning another individual decided that he was
another individual decided that he was going to attempt to decode egyptian
going to attempt to decode egyptian hieroglyphs
hieroglyphs but he wasn't particularly
but he wasn't particularly addicted to such literary pursuits it
addicted to such literary pursuits it was interesting he had a lot of fun with
was interesting he had a lot of fun with it he spent several years working until
it he spent several years working until he was pretty good
he was pretty good at reading these glyphs and he found
at reading these glyphs and he found some very interesting inscriptions but
some very interesting inscriptions but he gradually hopped past this into
he gradually hopped past this into something else
something else the first thing you know egyptian
the first thing you know egyptian religion egyptian philosophy egyptian
religion egyptian philosophy egyptian mysticism
mysticism uh came through and took over
uh came through and took over but he found the knowledge of the
but he found the knowledge of the language extremely valuable
language extremely valuable and it enabled him to decode many
and it enabled him to decode many documents not generally known and to
documents not generally known and to correct
correct misinterpretations bearing upon the
misinterpretations bearing upon the religious beliefs of these people
religious beliefs of these people so he started with one thing but he went
so he started with one thing but he went on to what was his real interest
on to what was his real interest but this person could not be bored
but this person could not be bored this person could not any longer drop
this person could not any longer drop back
back into the mediocrity of just living from
into the mediocrity of just living from day to day
day to day each day was an adventure
each day was an adventure and this type of adventuring
and this type of adventuring is a much richer life
is a much richer life than can ever be gained in the levels of
than can ever be gained in the levels of success as we know them
success as we know them because success still leaves us bored it
because success still leaves us bored it leaves us numbed as far as value is
leaves us numbed as far as value is concerned
concerned so another person at a suggestion
so another person at a suggestion took up
took up working with children
working with children particularly children who had minor
particularly children who had minor physical defects
physical defects this person was very much interested in
this person was very much interested in the problems of children but not just
the problems of children but not just merely association they had a feeling
merely association they had a feeling that in some way
that in some way these defective children
these defective children could be
could be given a consciousness in life which
given a consciousness in life which would enable them
would enable them to go on and have great lives and not be
to go on and have great lives and not be caught
caught in the
in the negation of some defect
negation of some defect the fact that the child was club footed
the fact that the child was club footed should not be
should not be should not actually ruin the life of
should not actually ruin the life of that child
that child something had to be done to make that
something had to be done to make that child's life so important
child's life so important that this deformity was not not
that this deformity was not not significant
significant any more than the fact that steinmetz
any more than the fact that steinmetz was a hunchback
was a hunchback made very much important difference
made very much important difference he was still
he was still regarded as one of the great men of his
regarded as one of the great men of his time
time and uh he certainly was not limited
and uh he certainly was not limited to any serious degree by his physical
to any serious degree by his physical deformity
deformity he simply had a life so rich that he
he simply had a life so rich that he could carry
could carry this deformity
this deformity with graciousness and with wonderful
with graciousness and with wonderful insight
insight this man believed the children could be
this man believed the children could be worked within this way he started
worked within this way he started something
something and he gradually proved that he was
and he gradually proved that he was right
right and he was able to make some very
and he was able to make some very interesting contributions to improving
interesting contributions to improving young people
young people and knowing this very sensitive period
and knowing this very sensitive period say the first six or eight years of life
say the first six or eight years of life when these deformities become uh
when these deformities become uh suddenly a separating factor between one
suddenly a separating factor between one child and another he worked through that
child and another he worked through that period
period that was many years ago and some of the
that was many years ago and some of the children he worked with have now grown
children he worked with have now grown up and they are all much the better for
up and they are all much the better for having known him
having known him he made something interesting out of
he made something interesting out of something
something he found his artistry in this way
he found his artistry in this way but everyone must have some creative
but everyone must have some creative self-expression
self-expression and when the opportunity for this comes
and when the opportunity for this comes he must grasp that opportunity because
he must grasp that opportunity because it is the greatest value
it is the greatest value that can come into his life
that can come into his life [Music]
[Music] and uh depending on the circumstances
and uh depending on the circumstances and backgrounds and interests
and backgrounds and interests limitations means
limitations means of localities where we live
of localities where we live these values have to unfold a little
these values have to unfold a little differently for each person but each
differently for each person but each individual must in this lifetime to
individual must in this lifetime to fulfill the purpose of life
fulfill the purpose of life not only be a provident person a sincere
not only be a provident person a sincere person and an intelligent person but a
person and an intelligent person but a person with dynamic interest in value
person with dynamic interest in value if he can achieve this
if he can achieve this he then has some very good
he then has some very good comic patterns working for him
comic patterns working for him and helping him to go on into a fuller
and helping him to go on into a fuller expression
expression of his own life purpose
of his own life purpose and this is one of course the lessons
and this is one of course the lessons that
that we gain from the study of art
we gain from the study of art because life is the greatest of the arts
because life is the greatest of the arts and all art is merely some way a
and all art is merely some way a study in life study in the
study in life study in the in the
in the drama of the great spiritual emotional
drama of the great spiritual emotional unfoldment of human consciousness
unfoldment of human consciousness so in arts we have
so in arts we have these little symbols that we can set up
these little symbols that we can set up as
as the symbols of things we are going to
the symbols of things we are going to accomplish in our own natures
accomplish in our own natures now i've had people come to me for
now i've had people come to me for instance also who wanted to collect art
instance also who wanted to collect art who felt that art was going to be one
who felt that art was going to be one way in which they were going to suddenly
way in which they were going to suddenly become a little more sensitive they were
become a little more sensitive they were tired of nagging their children
tired of nagging their children they were tired of having their children
they were tired of having their children nag them
nag them they were tired of sitting around
they were tired of sitting around waiting for their arteries to harden
waiting for their arteries to harden they wanted to do something
they wanted to do something and having some means and some
and having some means and some intelligent understanding and grasp they
intelligent understanding and grasp they decided they were going to take up some
decided they were going to take up some form of the simple thing
form of the simple thing which we call collecting
which we call collecting now collecting
now collecting is a kite with a very long tail
is a kite with a very long tail because when you start collecting
because when you start collecting you say i'm going to get three of these
you say i'm going to get three of these and put them in a row
and put them in a row you get the three of them in the row and
you get the three of them in the row and you say they don't look right there
you say they don't look right there you got to do something about it
you got to do something about it and first thing you know
and first thing you know playing where shall we say secretary to
playing where shall we say secretary to your own art
your own art your own art begins to affect you
your own art begins to affect you and you can't have great art
and you can't have great art without any artistry in yourself it
without any artistry in yourself it begins to scream and yell
begins to scream and yell you have to mature in order to live with
you have to mature in order to live with it
it you have to learn what to do with it you
you have to learn what to do with it you have to learn to think about it
have to learn to think about it or else little by little
or else little by little it it becomes a tyrant
it it becomes a tyrant over your affairs
over your affairs so uh starting out on some field of this
so uh starting out on some field of this nature we say what are the situations
nature we say what are the situations that affect people
that affect people the american people today are more
the american people today are more art conscious probably than we will ever
art conscious probably than we will ever realize
realize the one art however which has gained
the one art however which has gained almost complete general favor is music
almost complete general favor is music music has become to the american people
music has become to the american people a tremendously redeeming force at this
a tremendously redeeming force at this time in our social life
time in our social life music is the one art
music is the one art which we are willing to accept because
which we are willing to accept because it gives a tremendous amount
it gives a tremendous amount until the average person does not demand
until the average person does not demand a great deal
a great deal music can be very demanding
music can be very demanding music can cause the listener to become a
music can cause the listener to become a great musicologist in his own right
great musicologist in his own right but he can also just be a good listener
but he can also just be a good listener and that is where it is most of the time
and that is where it is most of the time with us
with us there is however one little ulterior
there is however one little ulterior fact in here which we mustn't overlook
fact in here which we mustn't overlook that in our modern interest of music
that in our modern interest of music there's a good deal of mechanics
there's a good deal of mechanics involved
involved the average person today has become so
the average person today has become so tremendously interested
tremendously interested in high fidelity
in high fidelity and stereophonic sound and so forth that
and stereophonic sound and so forth that he is gradually changing from a music
he is gradually changing from a music lover into an electrical engineer
lover into an electrical engineer this is not quite the original intention
this is not quite the original intention but i know people who can't tell you the
but i know people who can't tell you the name of a single composer but they know
name of a single composer but they know every element of a 300 circuit that they
every element of a 300 circuit that they have with more
have with more little pins and
little pins and little switches and tiny little fuses in
little switches and tiny little fuses in it than you could ever count they know
it than you could ever count they know every one of them by name but they don't
every one of them by name but they don't know a single piece they hear over it
know a single piece they hear over it so this can get out of control also
so this can get out of control also and that can be the man who victoriously
and that can be the man who victoriously announced that he finally had the most
announced that he finally had the most perfect set in the world because when he
perfect set in the world because when he played a certain recording on it he
played a certain recording on it he could hear leopold strakowski breathe
could hear leopold strakowski breathe this uh
this uh this was the final proof that he had a
this was the final proof that he had a great
great set of uh
set of uh a great musical equipment
a great musical equipment so this is a common occurrence but art
so this is a common occurrence but art with us
with us other than music has been terribly
other than music has been terribly neglected
neglected some funny things have happened too
some funny things have happened too some of them
some of them rather interesting and others still a
rather interesting and others still a little pathetic
little pathetic one of the most interesting curious and
one of the most interesting curious and almost a little pathetic things has
almost a little pathetic things has happened is that you can now take out
happened is that you can now take out pictures and color
pictures and color from the public library on your library
from the public library on your library card
card keep them at home and live with them for
keep them at home and live with them for 30 days and then bring them back and get
30 days and then bring them back and get another one now this is
another one now this is i would say a streamlined way of
i would say a streamlined way of introducing art to the american home
introducing art to the american home incidentally you should see the pictures
incidentally you should see the pictures you can get out
you can get out [Music]
[Music] i've seen them
and in the spirit of the time most of them are pretty bad
them are pretty bad they're famous but they're pretty bad
they're famous but they're pretty bad other cases now you can rent pictures by
other cases now you can rent pictures by the month
the month also
also i think far more to the point for a
i think far more to the point for a small additional fee
small additional fee the gallery will send someone to decide
the gallery will send someone to decide what picture you should have
what picture you should have after all there is this problem of the
after all there is this problem of the wallpaper and the drapes
wallpaper and the drapes you can't have a picture that screams
you can't have a picture that screams against the upholstery
against the upholstery so an interior decorator will help you
so an interior decorator will help you to choose a picture that is just what
to choose a picture that is just what you have always wanted whether you know
you have always wanted whether you know it or not
so art has a hard time in our way of life
life it's a step child
it's a step child we have forgotten that art is not a
we have forgotten that art is not a luxury of the rich but a necessity of
luxury of the rich but a necessity of all peoples
all peoples we have not learned to realize
we have not learned to realize that art is civilization whether it be
that art is civilization whether it be music or painting or drama or literature
music or painting or drama or literature or poetry
or poetry there's something very serious wrong
there's something very serious wrong with a culture in which no book of poems
with a culture in which no book of poems can sell over 500 copies no matter who
can sell over 500 copies no matter who writes it
writes it of course some of them aren't worth any
of course some of them aren't worth any more than that but some are but you
more than that but some are but you cannot
cannot get any
get any recognition for poetry you can get very
recognition for poetry you can get very little recognition for good theater
little recognition for good theater you can get very little recognition for
you can get very little recognition for any of these dramatic arts
any of these dramatic arts they must be very flamboyant very
they must be very flamboyant very literal literal and very noisy today in
literal literal and very noisy today in order to get any attention at all
order to get any attention at all not to say the at least that they might
not to say the at least that they might must also be
must also be quite vulgar to be really successful
quite vulgar to be really successful this type of thing is bad it shows not
this type of thing is bad it shows not that we are simply lacking art culture
that we are simply lacking art culture it shows that we are falling apart
it shows that we are falling apart it shows that our whole culture is
it shows that our whole culture is weakening
weakening and it also shows that there is going to
and it also shows that there is going to be more crime more misery more
be more crime more misery more psychological breakdowns
psychological breakdowns uh
uh more juvenile delinquency more dope
more juvenile delinquency more dope addiction more acute alcoholism unless
addiction more acute alcoholism unless this situation is cured
this situation is cured because this collapse of culture is the
because this collapse of culture is the collapse of a people and if it goes
collapse of a people and if it goes beyond a certain
beyond a certain degree the nation or the race involved
degree the nation or the race involved will not survive
will not survive so it becomes rather important to take
so it becomes rather important to take hold on some of these things
hold on some of these things not only
not only because we need the individual
because we need the individual experience but because we need to set an
experience but because we need to set an example for a collective experience
example for a collective experience which is more than do
which is more than do we are far too mature as a people to be
we are far too mature as a people to be merely a mechanistic industrial
merely a mechanistic industrial civilization
civilization so we do swan to do something with these
so we do swan to do something with these this artistic instinct in ourselves
this artistic instinct in ourselves to find repose to find peace
to find repose to find peace to find
to find a tranquility of spirit
a tranquility of spirit and most of all to experience some sense
and most of all to experience some sense of being valuable as people
of being valuable as people not simply because we can support the
not simply because we can support the government through taxes but because we
government through taxes but because we have a creativity in us that can support
have a creativity in us that can support life can support civilization the future
life can support civilization the future of a world
of a world also that we can bring more creativity
also that we can bring more creativity to the lives of children around us and
to the lives of children around us and those whose lives are directly
those whose lives are directly influenced by our own attitudes towards
influenced by our own attitudes towards living
living so we can take up other fields also
so we can take up other fields also some people can take up writing they can
some people can take up writing they can attempt creative writing we can write
attempt creative writing we can write anything we want to as long as we don't
anything we want to as long as we don't expect to get it published
expect to get it published but that isn't the point
but that isn't the point many of the greatest literary works in
many of the greatest literary works in the world were not published at all
the world were not published at all during the lifetime of the author
during the lifetime of the author they were hidden somewhere and 500 years
they were hidden somewhere and 500 years later someone found them and thought
later someone found them and thought they were rather good
they were rather good it isn't important we do not write for
it isn't important we do not write for publication
publication we write primarily for expression
we write primarily for expression for creativity
for creativity and gradually if we learn
and gradually if we learn so that we are writing not just from the
so that we are writing not just from the fullness of our hearts but also have a
fullness of our hearts but also have a little training in writing
little training in writing many people will produce
many people will produce better literature than they are buying
better literature than they are buying but they just don't know this
but they just don't know this but you have to add to the desire
but you have to add to the desire the willingness to train for a year or
the willingness to train for a year or two
two under proper guidance and know what good
under proper guidance and know what good writing is
writing is this may increase vocabulary this may
this may increase vocabulary this may help us to release psychological
help us to release psychological pressure
pressure the most successful book of every author
the most successful book of every author is usually the psychological story of
is usually the psychological story of himself
himself but he's gotten it out
but he's gotten it out he's gotten release from pressures and
he's gotten release from pressures and tendencies that have held him in bondage
tendencies that have held him in bondage perhaps for half a lifetime
perhaps for half a lifetime writing is very good
writing is very good all these things are good because they
all these things are good because they make us express something
make us express something i think the uh i think the japanese idea
i think the uh i think the japanese idea the 17 unit point is a tremendously
the 17 unit point is a tremendously intriguing thing
intriguing thing and here's something that could be a
and here's something that could be a very great creative expression for our
very great creative expression for our people
people the american people are divided largely
the american people are divided largely between the two groups those who say
between the two groups those who say very little and those who say too much
very little and those who say too much and uh to get it down to a very nice
and uh to get it down to a very nice moderate situation is wonderful
moderate situation is wonderful it also gives us conciseness
it also gives us conciseness now if you can do
now if you can do a complete point in 17 syllables
a complete point in 17 syllables not 17 words 17 syllables and this poem
not 17 words 17 syllables and this poem becomes a masterpiece
becomes a masterpiece you have achieved a number of things
you have achieved a number of things first you achieve tremendous
first you achieve tremendous inventiveness
inventiveness secondly you have learned not to insult
secondly you have learned not to insult the person who reads the poem by filling
the person who reads the poem by filling in all the details for him
in all the details for him you learn how to draw with a very broad
you learn how to draw with a very broad stroke
stroke and you can put together the elements of
and you can put together the elements of one simple idea
one simple idea it must be completely simple
it must be completely simple [Music]
[Music] and in the simplicity of this idea you
and in the simplicity of this idea you tell a wonderful story
tell a wonderful story you make a little fragment of existence
you make a little fragment of existence you sum it up
you sum it up you relate it to value in some way
you relate it to value in some way for this little poem and its 17
for this little poem and its 17 syllables must tell a story
syllables must tell a story as well as describe a circumstance
as well as describe a circumstance if you can do this
if you can do this you have gained a new control
you have gained a new control of the dimension of language
of the dimension of language it is something really tremendously
it is something really tremendously interesting and extremely worth thinking
interesting and extremely worth thinking about
about you can spend a great deal of time
you can spend a great deal of time trying to see
trying to see how much you can project
how much you can project in the form of a conscious experience in
in the form of a conscious experience in seventeen syllables
seventeen syllables you may find in the end
you may find in the end that a great deal has been accomplished
that a great deal has been accomplished [Music]
[Music] well many wonderful things have been
well many wonderful things have been said very
said very quickly
quickly someone pointed out long ago that the
someone pointed out long ago that the largest statement in the world that we
largest statement in the world that we know today
know today is a very simple statement
is a very simple statement in the beginning god created heaven and
in the beginning god created heaven and earth
earth [Music]
[Music] how are you going to add to that
how are you going to add to that for the for a magnificent statement
for the for a magnificent statement of total
of total spiritual value
spiritual value there are tremendous things
there are tremendous things that can be captured out of life
that can be captured out of life experience
experience with utter simplicity
with utter simplicity and this is the beginning of a great
and this is the beginning of a great maturity of literature for a people
maturity of literature for a people and has a tremendous appeal
and has a tremendous appeal uh to the thoughtful person as a
uh to the thoughtful person as a discipline upon his own faculties
discipline upon his own faculties another of course oriental contribution
another of course oriental contribution to this problem is flower arrangement
to this problem is flower arrangement a very interesting and dramatic area
a very interesting and dramatic area for human activity
for human activity here we have
here we have man
man placed in a curious relationship with
placed in a curious relationship with nature
nature here we have man attempting to eliminate
here we have man attempting to eliminate man
man and perfect art by revealing nature
and perfect art by revealing nature to the degree that a flower arrangement
to the degree that a flower arrangement indicates human
indicates human activity it is a failure
activity it is a failure to the degree that the individual is
to the degree that the individual is able to arrange these flowers leaves and
able to arrange these flowers leaves and stems
stems so that they appear that this is the way
so that they appear that this is the way god grew them
god grew them and that no one has touched them
and that no one has touched them the degree that that
the degree that that can be done
can be done with the strange but inevitable abandon
with the strange but inevitable abandon of divine order
of divine order to that degree you have a great
to that degree you have a great flowering
flowering great because
great because man
man has
has inwardly sensed how nature would do this
inwardly sensed how nature would do this thing
thing this is a tremendous
this is a tremendous intuitive experience a tremendous
intuitive experience a tremendous inspirational experience
inspirational experience [Music]
[Music] now it's harder for us to take hold of
now it's harder for us to take hold of some abstract oriental art such as for
some abstract oriental art such as for instance the tea ceremony
instance the tea ceremony i know a great many people who have seen
i know a great many people who have seen it i know very few non-orientals who
it i know very few non-orientals who have appreciated it
have appreciated it to most western people it is a long
to most western people it is a long drawn-out way of pouring a cup of tea
drawn-out way of pouring a cup of tea and actually because of the fact that
and actually because of the fact that powdered green tea is used and you drink
powdered green tea is used and you drink the powdered tea grains and all
the powdered tea grains and all it's not exactly regarded as a delicious
it's not exactly regarded as a delicious experience even in the drinking of the
experience even in the drinking of the tea which is about the consistency of
tea which is about the consistency of sour soup
sour soup therefore it is not a greatly
therefore it is not a greatly appreciated art among other people
appreciated art among other people but what is the actual
but what is the actual uh idea behind it
uh idea behind it it is
it is complete self-discipline
complete self-discipline it is a magnificent ability to perform a
it is a magnificent ability to perform a series of actions
series of actions with every effort made possible to
with every effort made possible to transform bodily motion into perfect
transform bodily motion into perfect poetry
poetry the the t master becomes a living poem
the the t master becomes a living poem he reduces the composition of this poem
he reduces the composition of this poem to a series of simple motions that
to a series of simple motions that almost suggests the 17-syllable poem
almost suggests the 17-syllable poem everything is reduced to its starkest
everything is reduced to its starkest beauty
beauty there isn't a wasted motion
there isn't a wasted motion everything is done
everything is done according to a tradition of the complete
according to a tradition of the complete harmonic beauty of motion
harmonic beauty of motion it has a strange static parallel with
it has a strange static parallel with the dance
the dance for the tea ceremony is a kind of dance
for the tea ceremony is a kind of dance in which there is practically no motion
in which there is practically no motion very little
very little but every movement
but every movement is
is is backed by the fullest
is backed by the fullest consciousness of the artist
consciousness of the artist he is doing everything as though he was
he is doing everything as though he was painting
painting a magnificent picture
a magnificent picture and he is doing it to an audience that
and he is doing it to an audience that appreciates what he is doing
appreciates what he is doing who recognizes that it has taken him a
who recognizes that it has taken him a lifetime to learn to do this
lifetime to learn to do this and a group of critics who if he is poor
and a group of critics who if he is poor at it will not hesitate ultimately to
at it will not hesitate ultimately to let him know
let him know but if he is good at it we'll respect
but if he is good at it we'll respect him for all of his attainment and admire
him for all of his attainment and admire him in many other phases of his living
him in many other phases of his living so this becomes
so this becomes a tremendous discipline
a tremendous discipline of
of ordered self-control
ordered self-control the the attempt
the the attempt to express creatively
to express creatively total beauty of motion
total beauty of motion without anything except a t-bowl
without anything except a t-bowl and a little dipper and a feather and
and a little dipper and a feather and two or three things like that to make
two or three things like that to make this action possible
this action possible so here is
so here is perfect
perfect creative motion and only an individual
creative motion and only an individual who has
who has a thoughtfulness in this area can
a thoughtfulness in this area can possibly appreciate it or the artistry
possibly appreciate it or the artistry which so often associates this ceremony
which so often associates this ceremony with ceremonial suicide it is a very
with ceremonial suicide it is a very subtle thing
subtle thing but it represents a strange development
but it represents a strange development of consciousness within this individual
of consciousness within this individual himself
himself so the artistry can take almost any form
so the artistry can take almost any form that we want
that we want or are able to use
or are able to use but whatever it is we must reach for it
but whatever it is we must reach for it and take hold upon it we must do
and take hold upon it we must do something
something and i believe that
and i believe that most people's lives would be far less
most people's lives would be far less negative
negative in in the in the hurt way
in in the in the hurt way most people suffer much more than they
most people suffer much more than they need to
need to most people are sad or angry far more
most people are sad or angry far more often than the circumstances even at
often than the circumstances even at the most exaggerated interpretation
the most exaggerated interpretation really would justify
really would justify because this this quality of
because this this quality of preoccupation in value
preoccupation in value has not has not come into their lives
has not has not come into their lives has not given them
has not given them this
this wonderful vision
wonderful vision of what
of what could be if they would only let it be
meditational disciplines also can create great artistry but meditation
great artistry but meditation really arises out of art
really arises out of art uh wherever in asia especially you'll
uh wherever in asia especially you'll find great artistry you'll find your
find great artistry you'll find your meditational life the meditation of life
meditational life the meditation of life in the west is an escape usually from a
in the west is an escape usually from a negative situation
negative situation in the east it is the projection of an
in the east it is the projection of an already existing positive situation
already existing positive situation your zen monk is a great painter
your zen monk is a great painter your shin gong mystic is a great
your shin gong mystic is a great we may say a great musician
we may say a great musician he plays superbly upon some instrument
he plays superbly upon some instrument his artistry is tied very closely to his
his artistry is tied very closely to his religion
religion and religion itself implies
and religion itself implies the impulse to creative expression
the impulse to creative expression through art
through art look at western culture for a moment
look at western culture for a moment in the fast in the last 500 years
in the fast in the last 500 years what great religious art
what great religious art has western man produced
the last great european artist perhaps of
of of dynamic of religious art
of dynamic of religious art in
in europe
europe may have been albrecht duda
may have been albrecht duda [Music]
[Music] i'm not thinking now of the of the very
i'm not thinking now of the of the very gentle mystical souls but of the ones
gentle mystical souls but of the ones who had tremendous dynamic in spiritual
who had tremendous dynamic in spiritual art the only great artist
art the only great artist in spiritual art that england ever
in spiritual art that england ever produced was william blake
produced was william blake i can't think of a single name
i can't think of a single name outstanding
outstanding in american art
in american art as a great interpreter of man's sacred
as a great interpreter of man's sacred conviction
conviction religious art is simply
religious art is simply disappeared
disappeared the only thing that we get is a little
the only thing that we get is a little model in sentimentalism
model in sentimentalism we get no dynamic in art
we say that protestantism dividing ceremonialism
dividing ceremonialism from the common life of the protestant
from the common life of the protestant christian
christian actually damaged his art instincts
actually damaged his art instincts because it's been very little art and
because it's been very little art and protestant christianity
protestant christianity it was avoided as part of the old
it was avoided as part of the old background that must be forgotten
background that must be forgotten there's been very little great music
there's been very little great music certainly there is a wonderful kindly
certainly there is a wonderful kindly sentiment in the old hymn
sentiment in the old hymn but as music it is not exactly
but as music it is not exactly outstanding
outstanding and we do not produce greatness
and we do not produce greatness our religious life does not express
our religious life does not express through creativity
through creativity we go and sit and listen and go home
we go and sit and listen and go home again
again but that but it doesn't move out of our
but that but it doesn't move out of our lives through great music through great
lives through great music through great painting
painting uh through great
uh through great uh creative artistry great theater great
uh creative artistry great theater great literature
literature the ma the real things of life that are
the ma the real things of life that are most important to us are not articulate
most important to us are not articulate in our arts
in our arts when we finally put the statue out in
when we finally put the statue out in front of the city hall it's something we
front of the city hall it's something we don't know what it is after it's there
don't know what it is after it's there it's some absolute atrocity
it's some absolute atrocity we don't we don't know
we don't we don't know so our religious instinct is not
so our religious instinct is not creating self-expression
creating self-expression perhaps it's because the average person
perhaps it's because the average person isn't trained in self-expression the
isn't trained in self-expression the average person has never taken an art
average person has never taken an art lesson in his life but he's trying to be
lesson in his life but he's trying to be a religious person
a religious person he needs both
he needs both he needs to have the value
he needs to have the value of knowing what is great and gradually
of knowing what is great and gradually moving his own conviction into
moving his own conviction into manifestation
manifestation after he has learned to know what is
after he has learned to know what is good in art
good in art he may also be able suddenly to discover
he may also be able suddenly to discover that he can create it
that he can create it if he doesn't know what's good he will
if he doesn't know what's good he will not know what he is creating
not know what he is creating but religion should lead to creativity
but religion should lead to creativity it should lead to a tremendous dynamic
it should lead to a tremendous dynamic in art
in art and if a great artist and religion
and if a great artist and religion should come along
should come along this artist for the continuance of his
this artist for the continuance of his own
own inspiration or the or the effect of his
inspiration or the or the effect of his artistry upon civilization must have
artistry upon civilization must have those who believe in his art who support
those who believe in his art who support his art who purchase his art otherwise
his art who purchase his art otherwise he will starve to death and disappear
he will starve to death and disappear again in the great silence of the
again in the great silence of the unknown
unknown and
and unrewarded creators
unrewarded creators he must have someone who appreciate or
he must have someone who appreciate or he cannot produce
he cannot produce so all through this
so all through this modern way of life
modern way of life we feel this brittleness we feel this
we feel this brittleness we feel this sudden sensing that everyone would like
sudden sensing that everyone would like to foreclose a mortgage on us
to foreclose a mortgage on us we have the sense that everywhere we go
we have the sense that everywhere we go someone's trying to exploit us yet we
someone's trying to exploit us yet we are not doing anything to create the
are not doing anything to create the warmth which prevents exploitation and
warmth which prevents exploitation and makes persons have a sense of kindliness
makes persons have a sense of kindliness taught each other rather than a quick
taught each other rather than a quick desire to exploit each other
desire to exploit each other well there's great art there will be
well there's great art there will be more understanding between people
more understanding between people more of the understanding between
more of the understanding between families
families so to reach out into this value sense
so to reach out into this value sense uh
uh i know from working a long time with
i know from working a long time with people that those who have found
people that those who have found artistic outlets have suddenly become
artistic outlets have suddenly become better people
better people happier people
happier people wiser people
wiser people the religion has meant something to them
the religion has meant something to them it never meant before
it never meant before because they have sensed that the reason
because they have sensed that the reason why we seek inside ourselves for truth
why we seek inside ourselves for truth is in order that we can free truth that
is in order that we can free truth that it can come out
it can come out actually
actually religion must come from within us into
religion must come from within us into our lives into our activity
our lives into our activity religion is something sacred if it moves
religion is something sacred if it moves into our lives it must move into a
into our lives it must move into a manifestation with the dignity and
manifestation with the dignity and graciousness of a sacred thing
graciousness of a sacred thing when we decide to or when we are
when we decide to or when we are impelled to release religion into action
impelled to release religion into action it should cause beautiful action
it should cause beautiful action it should cause noble action
it should cause noble action it should cause the kind of action which
it should cause the kind of action which is recognized by other people as
is recognized by other people as superior
superior as something that has its root in a
as something that has its root in a divine principle rather than the common
divine principle rather than the common principle of human competition
yet if we have this creative instinct if we have this infinite desire to release
we have this infinite desire to release religion and we have no talent no
religion and we have no talent no ability no instrument
ability no instrument for implementing this
for implementing this instinct
instinct then we are like the individual who
then we are like the individual who always wanted to be a musician but never
always wanted to be a musician but never trained his hands
trained his hands we have to train
we have to train we have to gain appreciation we have to
we have to gain appreciation we have to gain sense of value
gain sense of value so while we are releasing religion from
so while we are releasing religion from the inside we are releasing
the inside we are releasing discrimination
discrimination from the intellectual and emotional
from the intellectual and emotional levels of our natures
levels of our natures so that someday
so that someday the fact that we have gradually learned
the fact that we have gradually learned to understand what is valuable what is
to understand what is valuable what is beautiful what is true
beautiful what is true will instinctively equip us to express
will instinctively equip us to express our own life beautifully
our own life beautifully and release our own conviction in a
and release our own conviction in a manner that is truly worthy of us
manner that is truly worthy of us for there is a sermon
for there is a sermon in a beautiful thing which we have
in a beautiful thing which we have created
created we are creating solely as the old
we are creating solely as the old chinese poet said we are creating solely
chinese poet said we are creating solely because god is in us and if we turn and
because god is in us and if we turn and produce something magnificent
produce something magnificent god is the artist
god is the artist but we have become the faithful
but we have become the faithful apprentices of that artist
apprentices of that artist now god is art
now god is art god is the creative artist
god is the creative artist creating all beauty and all good things
creating all beauty and all good things in the world can never be truly sensed
in the world can never be truly sensed or known unless we are also artists
when the time came in the alchemists of the middle ages
the middle ages to produce the mysterious transmutation
to produce the mysterious transmutation of metals
of metals they had a patron saint a mysterious
they had a patron saint a mysterious unknown elusive being
unknown elusive being who was called elias attista
who was called elias attista elias the artist
elias the artist and those who transmuted in chemistry
and those who transmuted in chemistry base metals into gold were referred to
base metals into gold were referred to as artists
as artists therefore alchemy was an art
therefore alchemy was an art an alchemy was the transmutation of all
an alchemy was the transmutation of all base things into beautiful things the
base things into beautiful things the reformation of human society
reformation of human society the transmutation of the base metal of
the transmutation of the base metal of undeveloped character into the pure gold
undeveloped character into the pure gold of illumination
of illumination and these things were accomplished
and these things were accomplished because of the power and the secret
because of the power and the secret wisdom that was communicated
wisdom that was communicated by elias atista
by elias atista the master of the alchemical mysteries
the master of the alchemical mysteries elias the artist
elias the artist and all great transmutation and
and all great transmutation and transform formation of self is art
transform formation of self is art the art of making
the art of making a magnificent likeness of god in the
a magnificent likeness of god in the nature of man himself
nature of man himself the skill to sculpture our own character
the skill to sculpture our own character into the likeness of truth
into the likeness of truth these are all great arts
these are all great arts and great arts and little arts our
and great arts and little arts our brother and our brethren of different
brother and our brethren of different ages but of the same family
ages but of the same family so by gradually becoming
so by gradually becoming maturely aware of beauty
maturely aware of beauty and of true value
and of true value and of
and of the finer things of life
the finer things of life we refine our own natures
we refine our own natures and as a result of that the divine
and as a result of that the divine principle moving through us
principle moving through us manifests more purely
manifests more purely its own magnificence
its own magnificence the person who has great music in his
the person who has great music in his soul
soul has already the power
has already the power in some mysterious way
in some mysterious way to be closer to the music of the spheres
to be closer to the music of the spheres to be the mu to the music of the
to be the mu to the music of the infinite the musician can discover god
infinite the musician can discover god as music
as music uh the artist can discover god as great
uh the artist can discover god as great art
art the point
the point finds deity as
finds deity as the great point
the great point whose very
whose very poems unfold in the heavens
poems unfold in the heavens like a scroll
like a scroll everything is
everything is available
available to those who have discovered the
to those who have discovered the sensitivity
sensitivity of great creative value
of great creative value and i think each one of us should try to
and i think each one of us should try to hold on to this value
hold on to this value which is this value which is the
which is this value which is the experience of the creativity of beauty
experience of the creativity of beauty and we gain it little by little through
and we gain it little by little through simple means
simple means but finally as it matures within
but finally as it matures within ourselves
ourselves we move from the mere appreciation of
we move from the mere appreciation of fine things
fine things to the embodiment of fineness
to the embodiment of fineness so that all good things
so that all good things move through us
move through us to their own fulfillment without being
to their own fulfillment without being detoured by some blank area in our own
detoured by some blank area in our own appreciation
appreciation i think that this type of thing is of
i think that this type of thing is of the greatest value it is hard to talk
the greatest value it is hard to talk about
about but it is more conveniently experienced
but it is more conveniently experienced than described
than described and anyone who takes hold up on value
and anyone who takes hold up on value anywhere and holds to it tightly
anywhere and holds to it tightly and allows it to lead him
and allows it to lead him will come in the end to this kind of
will come in the end to this kind of mystical experience
mystical experience which makes life a very much more rich
which makes life a very much more rich and wonderful
and wonderful span of years
span of years and makes every life no matter how
and makes every life no matter how humble in its common circumstances makes
humble in its common circumstances makes every life a great life
every life a great life an important life and a creative life
an important life and a creative life well i guess time's up so we'll have to
well i guess time's up so we'll have to end this ramblings and we'll ramble on
end this ramblings and we'll ramble on again next week thank you very much
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