Today is my friend Jack's birthday, which is a very great truth.
It is also Ella Fitzgerald's birthday. She's branded "jazz", but she's one of the top singers of all time, regardless of genre.
Listen to her music.
She's incredible.
When I was in New York, my German exchange sister mailed us all of these presents. One of the gifts she gave me was this finely carved small wooden elephant delicately attached to a key chain. For some reason the first name that popped into my head was "Ellaphant'sgerald."
In India, the god Ganesha is often represented by an elephant. He is the "remover of obstacles" on the path, and "lord of beginnings". He also puts the obstacles there to test you in the first place. He is also the patron of letters and lord of learning, inspiring great works of writing and art.
I had this roommate in my one-month sublease down in the Haight area back in December, and he had a picture of Ganesha in his wallet. I was surprised by this because he was a rapper who had never really been out of the city in his whole life. When I said, "Ganesha! Lord of learning!" he said, "Yer goddamn right about that! Remover of obstacles mother******!" I couldn't argue with that.
This same roommate showed me this really relaxing meditative video online of the holy "OM" or "A-U-M" sound of the universe chanted by monks. It really helps me sit still and focus on breathing when I'm stressed, and remember that's the huge wide universe of infinite possibilities inside me and all around me.
I already knew about this idea of the "sound of the universe" because of Joseph Campbell, the world famous master mythologist who was one of my many teachers who spoke to me through books. He was part of an epic reading exploration during my three years in New York City, and the basic summary of all of those word symbols interpreted by my mind's eye was to relax and be.
That is, the "A-U-M" sound was his admittedly derivative conclusion for all of the stories he'd learned: you don't have to go out and die for metaphors because all you really need to do is sit and listen and experience the vibration of being here in this beautiful place to be within infinity, and to be aware of that beauty. That in itself is a "peak experience".
Then again, you don't have to play sophisticated music like Ella Fitzgerald, or make up any elephant gods to add imagination to your creative process, or put a picture of one in your wallet to remind you of them, but I'm glad that all of that happened from the vibratory hum of being.
Speaking of female jazz goddesses, rappers who love the patron of letters, and the soothing healing hum of the universe, I always find it in the opening twenty seconds to this Outkast tune (if not necessarily in all of Big Boi's lyrics):
I think the main lesson from this date, 4/25, comes from my friend Jack, my hitchhiking guru. He was born today and taught me that if you give a thumbs up to the world to show you appreciate the divine humming sound that flows and vibrates everywhere, then obstacles will be removed and you'll be further on the path, discovering hidden joys you never thought possible.
"Ganesha" or "Om" does this simply by making you feel good enough to give it a thumbs up in the first place.
It is also Ella Fitzgerald's birthday. She's branded "jazz", but she's one of the top singers of all time, regardless of genre.
Listen to her music.
When I was in New York, my German exchange sister mailed us all of these presents. One of the gifts she gave me was this finely carved small wooden elephant delicately attached to a key chain. For some reason the first name that popped into my head was "Ellaphant'sgerald."
In India, the god Ganesha is often represented by an elephant. He is the "remover of obstacles" on the path, and "lord of beginnings". He also puts the obstacles there to test you in the first place. He is also the patron of letters and lord of learning, inspiring great works of writing and art.
I had this roommate in my one-month sublease down in the Haight area back in December, and he had a picture of Ganesha in his wallet. I was surprised by this because he was a rapper who had never really been out of the city in his whole life. When I said, "Ganesha! Lord of learning!" he said, "Yer goddamn right about that! Remover of obstacles mother******!" I couldn't argue with that.
This same roommate showed me this really relaxing meditative video online of the holy "OM" or "A-U-M" sound of the universe chanted by monks. It really helps me sit still and focus on breathing when I'm stressed, and remember that's the huge wide universe of infinite possibilities inside me and all around me.
I already knew about this idea of the "sound of the universe" because of Joseph Campbell, the world famous master mythologist who was one of my many teachers who spoke to me through books. He was part of an epic reading exploration during my three years in New York City, and the basic summary of all of those word symbols interpreted by my mind's eye was to relax and be.
That is, the "A-U-M" sound was his admittedly derivative conclusion for all of the stories he'd learned: you don't have to go out and die for metaphors because all you really need to do is sit and listen and experience the vibration of being here in this beautiful place to be within infinity, and to be aware of that beauty. That in itself is a "peak experience".
Then again, you don't have to play sophisticated music like Ella Fitzgerald, or make up any elephant gods to add imagination to your creative process, or put a picture of one in your wallet to remind you of them, but I'm glad that all of that happened from the vibratory hum of being.
Speaking of female jazz goddesses, rappers who love the patron of letters, and the soothing healing hum of the universe, I always find it in the opening twenty seconds to this Outkast tune (if not necessarily in all of Big Boi's lyrics):
I think the main lesson from this date, 4/25, comes from my friend Jack, my hitchhiking guru. He was born today and taught me that if you give a thumbs up to the world to show you appreciate the divine humming sound that flows and vibrates everywhere, then obstacles will be removed and you'll be further on the path, discovering hidden joys you never thought possible.
"Ganesha" or "Om" does this simply by making you feel good enough to give it a thumbs up in the first place.
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