(Excerpt from "Connoisseur's delight")
Preface
I wrote down my thoughts in the simplest form. My judgement comes from reason and critical thinking. Should you trust my opinion and judgement? Let’s find out!
Yoga theory - in short
God is always existed and “he” is perfect. So he created the material world to learn what he is NOT, to see the opposite of perfection. Individual souls make their journey through myriad reincarnations, always given the opportunity to choose between good or bad.
Souls can come to physical bodies when there’s a possibility. When the creature dies, the soul pulls back. The experiences of all lives are stored. We don't remember previous lives, but we do continue the work of previous selves. The progress of learning and developing is continuous. After a very long time of being animal, the soul achieves human body and consciousness, which enables him to develop further. There are many ways for that, the Yoga offers a lot. Every school of Yoga focuses on something else, but the goal is the same: to get out of the circle of reincarnations and get back to the source and be one with him permanently. As Yoga says, this process will take an eternity.
Why break free?
On the first level: why break free of the circle of life and get back to the source? Because life IS and endless chain of suffering, where we are ruled by the flows and currents and laws of life. Hot and cold is suffering, hunger and thirst is suffering, being alone is hard, and being together is also hard. Sickness is suffering, growing old is suffering. Facing problems and overcoming them is suffering. Loosing your loved ones is suffering. The list is endless.
On the second level: one simple reason - this world is not ״real״, it's a stage where we are playing the game. When you reach that level, that you know the Truth, you will want to progress and get back to the source.
Old souls
Every “individual” soul have a history. There are younger souls, who just recently made the jump from animal (previous life), to a human (this life), and they will act like that too. Old souls are individuals, who have been humans for lots of thousands of years and lived through different eras and civilizations, different genders, fates and professions. All that knowledge is stored in the unconscious mind, but part of it exists in a form of empathy, intuition, gut-feeling, talent and more. Science has proven that information is stored in the DNA and passed on.
Levels
According to this, every individual is on a different point of his soul’s personal evolution. Every person is on a different level. Don't be ashamed of your intelligence or wisdom, just understand where it comes from and don't think you are better than others.
Politically correct
I quote Isaac Asimov: “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” In today's world there are no idiots and wise anymore, everybody is "different".
Ape to Übermensch
So the problem is that we are in constant evolution. Every individual and every nation is on a different level. Why is it problematic? Because the few who would be ready to become a part of an advanced civilization, dragged back by his ape-like fellow humans.
National character
There are a lots of races on Earth. Each one of them is born and developed on a certain geographical location, which formed their physical appearance and mentality. The surroundings influences all. Throughout the history, nations merged, parted and wandered. The birth of a new nation is a complex progress, but in the end they have their own culture and what is more important-their own language.
So just like in the animal kingdom, where specific conditions create species, it’s the same with nations in the human world. National character consist of genetic race, mentality and culture. As long as a person belongs to his nation, he is in his own environment, he is a “fish in the water”. But when different nationalities meet, there is the dissonance. For example, if someone immigrates to a different country, most of the chances, that he won’t become one of the natives. He will look for people with the same nationality and mentality, because he will feel “right” only with them. His children will grow up in the mentality of their “new” homeland and will be a part of it.
Personal role
Every person born with some abilities and interests. We are good at something and usually that’s what we want to do as a profession. We can call it the mission of our life.
Cast-system
It is based on the very same principle of personal role. Families given duties according to their abilities. Although the cast-system is very strict, we can observe a similar social division in the western world.
Religion as identity
Originally, religion is part of the self-definition of a race/nation. In ancient times, every nation invented their own gods and idols and worshiped them. After the one-God concept emerged, it has became the standard. For example, the Jewish religion is an essence of the jews’s roots, history, traditions and national character. It is exclusively theirs and works for them alone.
Formation and purpose of religion
Religion (in every part of the world) is the initiation of a group, which claims to be the one and only interpreter of the will of God. Therefore, they need a temple to be built, and they need land where they will live. They will do everything to rule and influence the people.
Definition of religion
Religion is a frame which dictates the “what, how and when” of all the aspects of life. It’s great for simple people, who don’t want to take the heavy responsibility of life in their hands, and don’t want to figure out everything for themselves. Religion exploits the spiritual thirst of people and gives them a few things: belonging to a community and feeling important.
Why religion fails?
Religion demands high morals, which are - for the average man - unattainable, therefore causing a double-standard effect. Most religious people will do efforts to live by the book, but will miss the very essence: love, kindness and empathy. It's the tragedy of religion.
Do we need religion now?
Thousands of years ago, religion was just fine and expressed what people wanted and needed. But now, when we are at a dawn of a New Age, when we start to understand that we are all one, then our tribal and national focus becomes irrelevant. Meaningless and empty rituals and the mafia-like coping of the religious leaders, just holding us back in our progress.
Spiritualism
A spiritual man means, the person is aware of the existence of God.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is a combination of logic, common sense, double-checking facts and self-check. Logic and intelligence can help you predict people’s behavior and events, helps to complete missing information with the aid of calculating probability, which is based on past experiences.
Not to listen
Do not listen to anybody who gives you an advice! All his mis/understanding of you goes through the filter of his character and turns into his truth, which is not relevant to you. Do not listen to anybody who criticizes you! All his advises come from his experiences which are not relevant to you.
Outsider
I didn’t study music from age 4, and my parents did not send me to any Fine arts classes. I came to it myself. As an autodidact, I’m considered an amateur, who never received the classical, academic studies of art. But I’m happy for that, because it gives me an enormous advantage: I have no such thing as “prohibited”, I dare to try everything, I’m totally free.
Art
Art is a creation of MEN. (As women actively participate in creation, it's men, who looking for leaving a mark.) It is a try to reflect this world as we see it. Our mind filters the impression, that the outer or inner world imprinted on it. Then we express it some way, by using tools. A piece of art is a mix of emotion and reason, in some kind of organized form, in a time frame. In my opinion, one the greatest achievements is the invention of the musical instruments, because it's a piece of art, you can make art with. I respect architecture and all practical art forms.
Art must have deepness, which captures us. It is essential and much more important than technique.
The proportions
The proportions are the most important part of life and art. We can see in the European history of art, that it went from harmony to disharmony. Art must be balanced, art is balance. It is based on human life, which also have proportions and based of the balance of the solar system, the galaxy, and the universe. That means, that if you make a piece of something, which misses: 1-message 2-meaning 3-proportions, 4-universality, then it's worthless and it's not art by any means.
Creativity
Creativity is like a fountain, it never stops, it keeps pouring out. Creative people can’t be otherwise, even if they wanted to.
About creating
In the creative process, the artist must disconnect from everything: ego, learned knowledge, routine, reality. Only when this happens, he can become a medium and transfer the message of divine beauty.
Personal style
First of all, to be a good artist, you must have your own voice and your own message. You can express it by different branches of art: fine arts, music, literature - still, you cannot escape your very own style, as you cannot escape being you. On the other hand we should avoid routine and remain open-minded.
Regular artists
We are used to it, that all artists working hard “to find their style”. When they do, then they will stick with it till the rest of their life. I call it very boring.
Two kinds of artists
There are the true artists, who can’t escape their fate to be what they are. They are a specific kind of people, who had been defined by modern psychology as the Artist Type (Myers-Briggs: ISFP). And there are the ones who do NOT belong to that psychological group, people who are NOT unique. They want to be artists or musicians, without talent, creativity or good taste. Their focus is on their own ego, success and money.
Definition of genius
While a polymath is someone with talents in a few fields, a genius is either a significant innovator, either someone who is on an unparalleled level of mastering his art.
Curse of the genius
The curse of the genius is loneliness. Because he digs so deep that nobody can or want to follow him. Few will understand and value him. Another problem is quality. Because of his high standards he refuses everything of lower quality: art and people too.
Famous artists through history
Talent, sense for business, building connections and luck was the base for success. Only the very best could get a job in the royal courts (musicians or painters). Competition was fierce.
Why do I hate Picasso?
I think he was the first one who enjoyed being a celeb, a proclaimed genius. It granted him fame and financial stability. I think it’s have a lot to do with critics and public relations. But once he has been proclaimed “the” genius of the century it became a lie. He is NOT towering out from his contemporaries and he knew it very well.
The painter and the client
When somebody buys a painting, he’s buying an experience from the artist. The painting is an essence of a real experience, that the artist lived through. It has been crystallized, planned and executed. It is now a piece of the soul of the painter, materialized. The client is not capable of feeling like this, but he can pay for it, hang it on the wall as a reminder of beauty.
Modern, Postmodern and after
When European art got obsessed with progress, it started to lose it’s credibility. Fact, that for artists it was hard to keep up with the pace of the changing world. If the world changes every few years, then you have to change accordingly - they thought. So they invented Realism, Symbolism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Constructivism, Dadaism, Surrealism, Hyperrealism, and more. The world still obsessed avoiding repeating the old, and bringing something new.
Negativity or criticism?
As Socrates said in his example, his duty was to criticize the society and the society probably will not like it. As a mosquito irritates a horse, and the horse will smash it with his tale, both have their purpose and will do what they must do. He said if they will let him free, he will continue. So they decided to execute him by poison.
The same goes with the artist, as he lives outside the society, he has a better view on it. He is governed by high ideals and feeling committed to them. He is the one who is rightfully can criticize society, it is his task.
Meditation
Meditation means, you focus on something and clear your mind of wandering thoughts. It can be done by either doing something repetitive or focus on something repetitive.
Effects of music
Listening to Western classical music can calm you and emotionally move you. If you’re lucky it can give you even a catharsis with goosebumps all over your body. But because it’s constantly changing, it also works on your intellect, as you should follow and understand the modulations.
Listening to Hindustani classical can put you in a meditative state, as the music is a standing scale and not going anywhere. That’s why it’s effect is very different. It can loosen you up, calm you, make you cry, bring up memories and much more. It puts the player in a meditative state too, if he does it right.
History
Human history is a long list of wars and killing. Killing for rule and power, for territories, killing in the name of God, exterminating nations or (ethnic) groups. Nothing new under the Sun: for example “Heretic” movements were just like Hippies and New Age people, trying to break free from the system, live by their beliefs, build their communities and live peacefully. The were exterminated as well.
Real history
If we want to see the achievements of mankind, then we must come to this: our real heritage is art, philosophy and science.
Programming humans
Education was always the main method to regulate humans. If we look at it, humans are highly programmable species, you can implant whatever ideas in their heads, as long as you do it well, they will believe it and live by it. Good example are religious people who are programmed from small age.
Psychology of the masses
During WWII emerged the demand to control masses or whole nations. Pavlov’s experiments, and more researches led to today’s perfect manipulation of people. This is a new level in history, opposite to dictatorships, which use fear and physical violence to establish status quo. The “American” version says: let people feel totally free, and influence them through advertising, movies and the official opinion of the Media. It is psychological manipulation, which was researched by scientists who were hired for this. Movies are powerful tools: they contain hidden messages and precondition to anything they wish. It’s just like television: everybody saw it, knows it - it’s a common knowledge. As most people don’t want to figure out things for themselves or take responsibility for their lives, they will welcome it.
Fake people
According to this, today’s people are brainwashed without knowing it. Their opinions are implanted in their heads. At the same time, they are encouraged to feel special and express their opinions on themes presented by the rulers. We are in fact mass produced and programmed by the ruler class without knowing it. So what’s the difference between real and produced people?
Real people will think for themselves and will stick to human values, no matter what. Fake people ruled by social pressure and standards. They will always go with mainstream and trendy. Their behavior and opinions are greatly based on those and will bend with them.
Universal Human Values
And if we are already referred to them, let’s check it out if are there any! I think the main human values are Love and Empathy.
In ideal case, a person will receive intense, caring love at least until his adolescence. He will live from this vast reserve of love all his life. (The mothers’ love is selfless and pure. Romantic love is selfish, so it cannot replace the former.)
Empathy is being aware of others, it is the opposite of egoism. Empathy can be a quality or can be acquired through education.
Bio robots
We are biological robots, created and programmed by a higher power. This fixes everything in our life. First of all we are natural beings, ruled by basic instincts: survive, feed and breed. Only after that, we are social creatures. Surviving in a civilized country is a minor concern, just as eating. But the breeding instinct is very strong and it’s there all the time. For a man being a dominant male, leading the flock, getting a female - all are very strong motivations. For a woman, finding a strong and dominant male, who will ensure the financial base and create offspring are main concerns. For simple people multiplying is the highest principle of life.
About romantic love
Today’s great myth is that romantic love is the most important thing in life and one’s bound to meet his love in his lifetime. Of course this manipulation comes from the Authorities, because it is the main engine of the Economy. Buying a car, so you’re meet the base requirements, taking your date out, buying her presents, traveling with her aboard, buying a ring, getting married, buying a house, indulging your children, etc - are all motives to buy things or spend money.
From religious patriotism to materialism
Religion in fact, had an important role from the very beginning: people believed in Heaven and Hell, and felt morally obliged to live a virtuous life. Also, marriage was “sacred” and lasted till death. When materialism came in, ethics itself lost it’s relevance (just as high ideals and basic human principles). Because if there is no God, then it’s OK to lie, manipulate, use, exploit people, nobody will figure out or punish you from the Heavens. The “we live only once” thinking led to chasing pleasures - on a global scale. The key to pleasure is money. With money you can get almost everything. So people want to get rich and to have all a man can.
Marriage for life is stopped being a must, and divorce today is a commonplace. People becoming more and more differentiated, and matching becoming increasingly difficult. Everybody now belongs to a certain direction or style and identifies himself with it.
Generalizing
Generalizing is a compromise. You are sacrificing accuracy, but you get a greater picture. When I generalize, I talk about the majority of a group. All the following articles are based on generalizing.
Genres
Let’s look at the two sexes. They have totally different role in life, they are good at different things. It is scientifically proven, that their brains are structurally distinct.
Women are created to be responsible for offspring. Their main interests are around this theme: relationships, love, sex, marriage, family, children, etc. They are rarely interested in higher horizons.
On the other hand, men are the creators of religion, philosophy, technology, sciences and arts. They are “ruling the world” officially, as today's feminists claim.
So the two genres are two separate worlds and they cannot understand each other, the only reason, they are together is nature’s manipulation of us to create continuity.
Every genre is going well with their own, because they understand better their own kind.
Masculine principles
It’s not physical force. The main one is Intelligence. Only men are capable to have wisdom, intelligence and intuition at once.
Feminine principles
Yin and Yang will always complete each other. Men value straightforwardness and honesty. Women like to manipulate, use, exploit, working instinctively to get what they want. That’s why women don’t like when you confront them.
Women - Cons
- Often described as intuitive creatures, they don’t know what they want, they rather feel what they do not want
- Logic is abstract and incomprehensible for them
- Because everything in their world is flexible and depends, they do not understand principles like “sincere” and “truth”
Gay periods
In the ancient world women were given the traditional tasks and were left out of politics and religion. If we look at ancient Greece (especially Sparta), we can see that. Having an intellectually stimulating partner in life who can understand you, was always men’s desire, and they looked for it only among men.
Feminization
Today’s world is predominantly feminine, simply because it was constructed that way. The feminization of the masses means that lots of psychological researches were made to understand how to exploit the human (and lowest) instincts for manipulating into consumerism. The monkey-instinct of copying each other, egoism, narcissism are the foundations for this.
Material girl
Women are materialistic by nature, and they thrive in this new era.
Women today are playing a double game: on one hand they want equal rights in every field of life (and in a modern society they have it), on the other hand they want all the advantages of being a “lady”: they require of you to be a gentleman (pay the bills), to entertain her and so on. It seems the list of requirements is long, but what do they offer?
Bitchification
Both genres “need” sex, or need each other. In today’s upside-down world this ancient status quo has changed to something rather disgusting. It looks like now, that only we need them, so it’s unidirectional, not mutual. Women want all the pleasures and they will go with the highest bidder. They pay for it with sex in return. Well, it reminds me the description of a whore. And this thinking is spread by the media. Most of today’s young women wanna utilize their beauty and get a rich guy, which will give them two things: they won’t have to work, and they can have all the high life they wish for. This behavior becomes a mainstream standard.
Even for the modest ones, money is a main factor: where he works/how much he earns - this is what they want to know in the first date.
Chasing success
In today’s world being successful became the bait for millions. It’s the American dream. Only the wise know that there are no winners in this life.
Making an exit
“Smart” people wish for an exit, get rich somehow and be free. I explained to one of them, that we should change the system itself, then there is nothing to escape from. But people think it’s impossible.