Author Archives: Dr Jim Walsh

OUT OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES, DEEDS, PURSUITS AND SERVICE WE CAN CONCOCT, THERE IS ONE PROJECT ABOVE ALL OTHERS; OURSELVES. THIS PROJECT IS YOURS, IT’S MINE, IT’S EVERYBODY’S. WE ARE EACH OUR OWN PROJECT, AND, WE ARE EACH FREE TO PROPEL OURSELVES INTO THE FUTURE.

YOUR OWN FREEDOM HAS BROUGHT YOU TO THIS POSITION. YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WHERE YOU NOW FIND YOURSELF. SO, ACT IN GOOD FAITH BY BEING FULLY PRESENT AND ENGAGED. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCEPT WHATEVER COMES. WITH PLEASURE, WITH HUMILITY, WITH LOVE, WITH TERROR, OWN WHAT IS YOURS.

IN THE FACE OF FREEDOM CAN COME ANGUISH. THIS BECOMES BAD FAITH IF ONE FLEES OR TRIES TO HIDE. HIDING, SURPRISINGLY, CAN TAKE PLACE IN MANY FORMS. PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINISM STRAINS TO STIFLE FREEDOM, AS DO EXCUSES OR BELIEF IN ONE’S EXISTENCE AS NECESSARY.

THE ME THAT WAS, IS DIFFERENT TO THE ME THAT I. WHERE YESTERDAY I SWAM IN THE CITY, TODAY I MUSE WHERE TOMORROW I FLY. I AM FREE TO CHOOSE. THERE IS NOTHING TO ABIDE. THE SHAPE AND COURSE OF MY FUTURE IS ALWAYS ALIVE.

THE ETERNAL QUESTIONS, “WHO AM I?” AND “WHAT AM I?” REVEAL A GAPING VOID AT THE CENTRE OF EVERY ONE OF US. HOLLOWED WITH THE PRESENCE OF NOTHINGNESS, WE PERSEVERE. ACCEPTANCE OF EMPTINESS, IRKS THE EGO AND CAUSES TURMOIL. LET GO, DREAM ANEW, THERE IS NO SCHEDULE TO FULFIL.

CONSCIOUSNESS IS INFINITE, IT IS CONTINUALLY UNBOUND. THERE ARE NO EDGES, NO LIMITS, NO PRESCRIBED PATTERNS OR PATHS. LARIAT THROWS, DROPLETS SINKING. BEING-FOR-ITSELF, CONSCIOUSNESS HAS NO PREDETERMINED ESSENCE. IT HAS TO INVENT FOR ITSELF, EVER EXPANDING, CONSTANTLY FLOWING.

WHAT WILL WE WATCH, WHAT WILL WE LISTEN TO, READ OR LOOK AT? DO WE WANT THE COMFORT OF THE KNOWN, OR APPROVED? WILL WE TAKE THE RISK? AND, DARE TO JOURNEY FAR FROM THE CANON? TRAVELLING AWAY FROM THE KNOWN IS DAUNTING AND UNNERVING. BUT, HOW ELSE DO WE GROW? HOW ELSE DO WE LIVE?

CUT THE MOORING ROPES THAT BIND YOU TO THE MISERY OF CYNICAL EXISTENCE. DRIFT INTO THE WONDERMENT OF ENGAGING, PARTICIPATION AND LIVING. CAST ASIDE REGRETS, DESIRES, INSECURITIES AND PRESUMPTIONS. WHEN SPECTATING OR ATTENDING A FESTIVAL, BE OUTSIDE YOURSELF. ALLOW THE POSSIBILITY TO BE WHOLLY WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

TENDERNESS IS THE WELCOME THAT WAITS. PASSIVE, BUT ALSO ACTIVE. HUMBLE, BUT NEVER SERVILE. ALWAYS IN THE PRESENT, ALWAYS SELFLESS. TENDERNESS GIVES A DIRECT AND INSTANT CONNECTION.

WITH ABSTRACT ART, A COHERENT, RATIONAL, VISUAL UNIVERSAL ORDER  IS DISRUPTED TO LEAVE FRAGMENTS OR SHARDS OF MATERIAL. THE TOTALISING GAZE OF THE SUBJECT IS CAST ADRIFT.  INSTEAD, SOMETHING ELSE NEEDS TO HAPPEN. ART, JUST AS THE STRANGER, DEMANDS AN ETHICAL RESPONSE.

DON’T LOOK, WHEN YOU LOOK INTO SOMEONE’S EYES. GO PAST THEIR COLOUR, SEE FURTHER. A MOMENT OCCURS, AS WE RECOGNISE THE OTHER. THE MOMENT OF RECOGNITION UNVEILS HUMANITY TO ITSELF. IT IS IN THAT MOMENT THAT WE KNOW WE ARE NOT ALONE.

FASCINATED AND ENTHRALLED BY OUR OWN SELVES, AND THE MEAGRE KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE MANAGED TO GRASP. WE BECOME LONELY, EMPTY, AND WRETCHED, IF, WITH A FROZEN LOOK, WE SLAY THOSE WE ENCOUNTER. THE CHOICE BETWEEN COLD KNOWLEDGE OR COMPASSION AWAITS.

COMPLETE AVOIDANCE OR MINUTE OBSERVATION, ALLOW FOR UNCOMPLICATED BUT ULTIMATELY EMPTY LIVES. THE FACE OF THE OTHER IS NOT AN EXPERIENCE OR AN EVENT. MY FEATURES ARE NOT TO PASS THE TIME WITH. WITH THE FACE OF THE OTHER LIFE BEGINS.

OTHER PEOPLE AREN’T CONJURED FROM MY IMAGINATION. THEY HAVE A PRESENCE BEYOND FACT OR FANCY. JUST BECAUSE ONTOLOGY AND PHENOMENOLOGY HAVE THEIR LIMITS, IT DOESN’T THEN BECOME A QUESTION OF METAPHYSICS OR MYSTICISM. RATHER, OTHERNESS IS THE ETHICS OF ACCEPTANCE.

TAKE A PIECE OF MUSICTHAT YOU ABHOR, WITH NO AESTHETIC OR SUBJECTIVE CHARMS. AND CRITICAL POSSIBILITIES ALL THROWN TO THE WALL. STILL SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT. WHY? THEY COMMIT AND TREAT IT LIKE A PERSON.

THE EAR THAT FLOATS ON A MELODY, IS THE SAME THAT ATTENDS TO LANGUAGE. IT SIMILARLY STARTLES WHEN SURPRISED BY A SCUFFLE. OUR EYES, THAT WE TUNE TO CULTURE, SCAN FIRST FOR WORDS AND DANGER. EXPERIENCES AND UNDERSTANDING ARE RARELY MET BLANKLY. EVOLUTIONARY WIRING ORDERS SURVIVAL AND COMPREHENSION FIRST, AND THEN ART.

IN THE MIDST OF THE BANAL AND OVER-EAGER, FIND THE ART THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO YOU. LET IT LINGER, LET IT NOURISH. ONCE BITTEN BY AN ARTWORK, IT MARKS AND CHANGES YOU, AS TIME AGES WINE.

WHEN EVERYONE ELSEIS DOING THE SAME THING, IT REINFORCES FEELINGSOF PERSONAL INTEGRATION. IT IS ONLY WHENA DANCER APPEARS THAT SUCH WAYS OF BEINGSEEM INCOMPLETE. PLAY, DANCE, SWOOP AND GLIDE. LIVE.

A MINOR EXPERIENCE IS POSSESSED. THE MAJOR IS UNDERGONE. IT’S A MATTER OF PRIORITY: SUBJECT OR EVENT. IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN AS YOU ARE, POSSESS EXPERIENCES. BUT, IF YOU WANT TO GROW ALLOW EVENTS INTO YOUR LIFE.

WHEN NEITHER TRIES TO IMPOSE THEIR SIDE. WE GENTLY EBB AND FLOW WITH WORDS AND IDEAS. IF ENTERED INTO OPENLY, WITHOUT AGENDAS, EVERY CONVERSATION CAN CREATE A COMMON LANGUAGE. YOU AND I CAN SPEAK TOGETHER, AND BE TOGETHER.

PERSONAL HORIZONS MAYBE LIMITED AND FINITE. THEY CAN ALSO BE OPEN, CORDIAL AND GENEROUS. WITHOUT ABSORBING THEM INTO OURS, NOR LOSING OURSELVES IN THEIRS. WE CAN EMBRACE AND MEET WITH OTHERS. IF WE LEARN TO SHARE THE AIR WE BREATHE.

RESPECT DOESN’T WEAR MIRRORED SUNGLASSES. RESPECT DOESN’T OPT FOR ROLE-PLAYING DETACHMENT. RESPECT DOESN’T PUNISH BECAUSE IT CAN. RESPECT DOESN’T ABUSE, ACCUSE OR ALLEGE. RESPECT DOESN’T START WITH FEAR, HATRED OR SUSPICION.

WE OWN OUR PREJUDICES, BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO OWN US. IF UNDERSTOOD, THEY CAN BE CHALLENGED AND OVERCOME. THEIR BAYING JUDGEMENTS CAN BE STEMMED AND QUIETENED. PREJUDICES DON’T HAVE TO STRIDE IMPULSIVELY THROUGH OUR THOUGHTS. HOW MANY OF US, THOUGH, HAVE SUCH SELF-CONTROL?