Thought for the Day (Oct 19)

Subject: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: Peter T.
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 10:06 AM

October 19 - Out in the autumn woods all week, where the colours are heaped like drunken stormclouds of the forest, billowing oranges, reds, browns above and beyond each stand of stunning trees. This natural magnificence, so exuberant and elegant at the same time, reminds me that one of the great lost social arts is human magnificence on the grand scale. For most of recorded human history, the attention of the arts was galvanized by the idea that the kings and rulers were the embodiment of the richness of the society, and that people ought to be suitably awestruck by the grand spectacle. Because of education, television, and the gradual de-classing of society, the grand elegant human constructed spectacle is now virtually dead. Still, for better or worse, there is still a hunger for it: the ridiculous extravagances of Las Vegas, the stadium versions of Aida, and the pathetic attempts to recreate it on official occasions. But we have lost the style of it, and the belief in the whole superstructural bubble that made it work. And this is probably not a bad thing, when one thinks of the stupid excesses of kings, priests, and aristocracies. The British retain the capacity to handle spectacle on occasion, but even they only hang on to it by their fingertips : Diana's funeral was an interesting example of how moving a stripped down version of this magnificence could be (though it went downmarket around the edges); but it was nothing like the funeral of Queen Victoria, 100 years ago, where ceremonies were heaped up like a 15 course dinner. No: we have lost the feel for it.
Except out in the woods. Nature still piles it up, high in the sky at sunset, in deep canyons, and in this glorious autumn. She does things we would now laugh at if human beings tried them, and carries them off with her usual impeccable taste. (p.t.)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: MMario
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 10:18 AM

I am awestruck - not only at the imagery but the ability to put it so well.

Bravo!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 11:01 AM

Beautiful passage Peter T.
Thank goodness we have evolved from the human need to galvanize awestruck grand spectacles on a grand scale and assume they are magnificent. Just a bunch of tinsel and noise that drowns out the authentic radiance of nature. Only by quieting down, can we experience the real McCoy.

Peter T. I think your loin cloth needs a good wash
just kidding

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 01:58 PM

I love your imagery, Peter, and the insights. I have to confess, though, sometimes I get a real thrill from all of the pomp etc. It's probably just some leftover romantic notion which I can either blame on past lives or Walt Disney, ala Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. These days, though, I prefer the pageantry of Sacred dance presentations by Tibetan monks or the Grand Entry dance at a Powwow. Perhaps this is so partly because of the drumming involved, instantly connecting me, through the "sole" vibrations in my feet, up through my body, straight to my heart, with Mother Earth and all of her beings. Perhaps it is because it seems or feels more ancient and more of the natural world which I revere. I guess it doesn't really matter why. Just 'tis.

About that loincloth...talk to Spaw...he's making some arrangements for Cletus at the laundromat, I think.**BG**

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: Bert
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 02:32 PM

One year, we were watching the fireworks in Colorado Springs one 4th. July from our apartment window. The symphony where there in Memorial Park and were playing the 1812 overture along with the fireworks.
However, Mother Earth had other ideas and decided to show off with a spectacular thunderstorm. The show stopped for the storm and when they resumed it all seemed quite puny in comparison.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: Cara
Date: 19 Oct 99 - 03:44 PM

Beautiful, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 19)
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 06:13 PM

Should have refreshed this earlier in the day, but here it is anyway. Still beautiful, imo,twelve years later. Thanks, PeterT.

kat