Perfectly said! Loved this part - “Be yourself.” It’s fantastic advice! It’s such good advice that we’ve brushed it off with an eye-roll multiple times during our lives from about the age of ten onwards. We ignore this advice, and then we end up in a job we don’t like, a circle of friends that bores us, a list of hobbies that we’ve curated because we’re ‘supposed’ to like them, and this strange feeling of anxiety that seems to come from nowhere but which really comes from the fact that we are spending every waking moment of our lives putting on an act.
One very special Spiritual Lady told me most children can see the Astral level until they start going to school. Seeing friendly or unfriendly entities. BTW: She noted this is often the reason little kids are afraid to go to sleep or on the positive side have imaginary friends. Some years later when one of my nephews was about 3 years old he would cry and scream and point over his head at the ceiling. It ended when he went to Nursery school.
Thanks so much! I fully believe this about children. Apparently one night when I was three years old my mom came into my room in the middle of the night to find me sitting up on my bed talking to someone. When she asked who I was talking to, I matter-of-factly said "the old lady" and pointed to the edge of the bed, where there was no one there. She was pretty freaked out by it. I think it's pretty cool!
Enjoyed this. As you might recall, I commented to John (I think) a couple of weeks ago about my own wonderful recollections of and influence by, Steven Pressfield’s work. In particular these works: (and in order of reading): The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and Last of the Amazons. It was not until after I had read War of Art twice, and started Gates of Fire, that I realized I had, years earlier, already read Legend of Baggar Vance. I was an insane golf nut at the time and had started ‘Legend...’ almost immediately after having read “Golf in the Kingdom”, by Michael Murphy (one of the founders of the Essalen Institute -- Look that up and begin a journey into a deep, dark rabbit hole, if you wish (dare?)). At any rate, I recall at the time thinking that ‘Kingdom’ was a superior book so I kind of forgot about Bagger Vance. If I were to read them again now, I am not sure if I would feel the same.
But either way, I wanted to actually comment on the idea of the “authentic swing” and “beginner’s luck”. I don’t think those two things are really the same or, even, related. (Maybe they are in the book, but I do not remember how it’s worded there.) To me, the notion of the “authentic swing” is akin to the concept of “beginner’s mind” or “child’s mind” as used in martial arts and many other training disciplines. The idea is not that you will once again recapture the same physical movements you may have had as a beginner -- which in golf, for example, are usually quite terrible and, indeed, one is “lucky” to even to make contact with the ball. The same initial, child-like terribleness goes for literally everything one must learn through acquiring knowledge, understanding, lore, skill, etc.. Which, by the way, is everything humans do. You are not good at anything at first, every person, every generation must relearn whatever it is that they do. No-one is born being able to play golf or read or speak English or Hindi or whatever. All of these things meet the broad definition of “art” (maybe not language -- I haven’t thought about that much, myself, so I’ll keep it separate) as an expression or manifestation of something learned and practiced by acquiring skill and knowledge. So, in the end, this requires the child’s (beginner’s) “mind”. The openness and curiosity necessary to delve into the subject sufficiently to acquire the skill, etc..
I believe that with the Authentic Swing, Pressfield might be getting at the concept of “Simplicity on the other Side of Complexity”. In martial arts this idea is often expressed as “child’s mind” or “no mind” (see Sword of No Sword). The point is that you start off with nothing, then climb the steep hill of learning the many techniques and concept and burning them into your being through diligent practice, etc., only to emerge years later as a “master” having the same openness, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning that you had at the start. This is how I interpret the “no mind”. Picasso did not do any of this. He was a charlatan (e.g., claimed his father’s work was his) a pervert and a psychopathic narcissist. IMHO, I might look for a different example of an artist -- say from before the 20th century.
Anyhoo, after all of that, and as I said at the start, I enjoyed your essay and it obviously made me think about stuff that I like thinking about. Your writing is agreeably fresh and honest and, well, just good (John, too). I’ll share more about QuantumQuakery with you later and in the appropriate place. I also enjoy that you both keep writing thought-provoking pieces.
Please forgive the TLDR nature of my comment. Cheers, Juan
Wow! You've articulated this concept wonderfully, and you're right to make the distinction between 'beginner's luck' and 'authentic swing.' I probably shouldn't have conflated the two—we're not masters (or usually even good) at anything when we first start out.
However, I think there is something to the idea that we take our first 'stab' at something with an authenticity that it'll take us a lifetime to regain (which I think is what you were getting at with "simplicity on the other side of complexity", and often, we have to get worse before we get better.
Regarding Picasso, I've never been a fan (I think his paintings are ugly), although I know very little about him. I'll think twice before referencing him in the future, haha. Regardless, disingenuous as it may have been, I think the quote's pretty good.
Thanks so much for reading, and for this comment. There's a lot of food for thought here, and I'll probably be looking at this concept a little differently going forward.
Why yes many can look back at when they were children, lived the way they were supposed to. However others, probably, sadly, more than a few, looking back perhaps remember they pulled the wings off flys or how many many times they were punched in the eyes.
I'd suggest find your self, your original self, judge your self, then and now, and if you find that person lacking rebuild your self differently, from the why and way you were then and possibly from the way and why you are now, not necessarily bigger but definitely better.
Introspect; I believe, I'm a big believer in that there's much truth in, in vīnō vēritās, in aquā sānitās.
Under the cold morning light, coffee close at hand, review times when your were perhaps a few sheets to the wind.
Where you a crying drunk? If so perhaps your self, that in vīnō becomes visible need shoring and there's a spark that needs stroking .
Mean? The fire within perhaps needs dampening, fears need facing, forethought need up ramping.
Happy, cheerful, nice when tipsy? Vēritās and nothing but the vēritās, Even under the cold morning light you probably got it together and have sānitās.
I guess what I'm saying is that first swing may have been a hook, a slice or more turf than ball, not an ‘authentic swing,’ . If so ain't no reason to give up on golf, or life. Obstacles, present or even past, are fun to overcome!
Great post. I forgive you for stealing my thunder….
Perfectly said! Loved this part - “Be yourself.” It’s fantastic advice! It’s such good advice that we’ve brushed it off with an eye-roll multiple times during our lives from about the age of ten onwards. We ignore this advice, and then we end up in a job we don’t like, a circle of friends that bores us, a list of hobbies that we’ve curated because we’re ‘supposed’ to like them, and this strange feeling of anxiety that seems to come from nowhere but which really comes from the fact that we are spending every waking moment of our lives putting on an act.
Thanks so much for reading and restacking! :)
Wonderful Melissa. You laid it out so honestly.
One very special Spiritual Lady told me most children can see the Astral level until they start going to school. Seeing friendly or unfriendly entities. BTW: She noted this is often the reason little kids are afraid to go to sleep or on the positive side have imaginary friends. Some years later when one of my nephews was about 3 years old he would cry and scream and point over his head at the ceiling. It ended when he went to Nursery school.
Thanks so much! I fully believe this about children. Apparently one night when I was three years old my mom came into my room in the middle of the night to find me sitting up on my bed talking to someone. When she asked who I was talking to, I matter-of-factly said "the old lady" and pointed to the edge of the bed, where there was no one there. She was pretty freaked out by it. I think it's pretty cool!
Enjoyed this. As you might recall, I commented to John (I think) a couple of weeks ago about my own wonderful recollections of and influence by, Steven Pressfield’s work. In particular these works: (and in order of reading): The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and Last of the Amazons. It was not until after I had read War of Art twice, and started Gates of Fire, that I realized I had, years earlier, already read Legend of Baggar Vance. I was an insane golf nut at the time and had started ‘Legend...’ almost immediately after having read “Golf in the Kingdom”, by Michael Murphy (one of the founders of the Essalen Institute -- Look that up and begin a journey into a deep, dark rabbit hole, if you wish (dare?)). At any rate, I recall at the time thinking that ‘Kingdom’ was a superior book so I kind of forgot about Bagger Vance. If I were to read them again now, I am not sure if I would feel the same.
But either way, I wanted to actually comment on the idea of the “authentic swing” and “beginner’s luck”. I don’t think those two things are really the same or, even, related. (Maybe they are in the book, but I do not remember how it’s worded there.) To me, the notion of the “authentic swing” is akin to the concept of “beginner’s mind” or “child’s mind” as used in martial arts and many other training disciplines. The idea is not that you will once again recapture the same physical movements you may have had as a beginner -- which in golf, for example, are usually quite terrible and, indeed, one is “lucky” to even to make contact with the ball. The same initial, child-like terribleness goes for literally everything one must learn through acquiring knowledge, understanding, lore, skill, etc.. Which, by the way, is everything humans do. You are not good at anything at first, every person, every generation must relearn whatever it is that they do. No-one is born being able to play golf or read or speak English or Hindi or whatever. All of these things meet the broad definition of “art” (maybe not language -- I haven’t thought about that much, myself, so I’ll keep it separate) as an expression or manifestation of something learned and practiced by acquiring skill and knowledge. So, in the end, this requires the child’s (beginner’s) “mind”. The openness and curiosity necessary to delve into the subject sufficiently to acquire the skill, etc..
I believe that with the Authentic Swing, Pressfield might be getting at the concept of “Simplicity on the other Side of Complexity”. In martial arts this idea is often expressed as “child’s mind” or “no mind” (see Sword of No Sword). The point is that you start off with nothing, then climb the steep hill of learning the many techniques and concept and burning them into your being through diligent practice, etc., only to emerge years later as a “master” having the same openness, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning that you had at the start. This is how I interpret the “no mind”. Picasso did not do any of this. He was a charlatan (e.g., claimed his father’s work was his) a pervert and a psychopathic narcissist. IMHO, I might look for a different example of an artist -- say from before the 20th century.
Anyhoo, after all of that, and as I said at the start, I enjoyed your essay and it obviously made me think about stuff that I like thinking about. Your writing is agreeably fresh and honest and, well, just good (John, too). I’ll share more about QuantumQuakery with you later and in the appropriate place. I also enjoy that you both keep writing thought-provoking pieces.
Please forgive the TLDR nature of my comment. Cheers, Juan
Wow! You've articulated this concept wonderfully, and you're right to make the distinction between 'beginner's luck' and 'authentic swing.' I probably shouldn't have conflated the two—we're not masters (or usually even good) at anything when we first start out.
However, I think there is something to the idea that we take our first 'stab' at something with an authenticity that it'll take us a lifetime to regain (which I think is what you were getting at with "simplicity on the other side of complexity", and often, we have to get worse before we get better.
Regarding Picasso, I've never been a fan (I think his paintings are ugly), although I know very little about him. I'll think twice before referencing him in the future, haha. Regardless, disingenuous as it may have been, I think the quote's pretty good.
Thanks so much for reading, and for this comment. There's a lot of food for thought here, and I'll probably be looking at this concept a little differently going forward.
Complexity all the way down, up and around.
Why yes many can look back at when they were children, lived the way they were supposed to. However others, probably, sadly, more than a few, looking back perhaps remember they pulled the wings off flys or how many many times they were punched in the eyes.
I'd suggest find your self, your original self, judge your self, then and now, and if you find that person lacking rebuild your self differently, from the why and way you were then and possibly from the way and why you are now, not necessarily bigger but definitely better.
Introspect; I believe, I'm a big believer in that there's much truth in, in vīnō vēritās, in aquā sānitās.
Under the cold morning light, coffee close at hand, review times when your were perhaps a few sheets to the wind.
Where you a crying drunk? If so perhaps your self, that in vīnō becomes visible need shoring and there's a spark that needs stroking .
Mean? The fire within perhaps needs dampening, fears need facing, forethought need up ramping.
Happy, cheerful, nice when tipsy? Vēritās and nothing but the vēritās, Even under the cold morning light you probably got it together and have sānitās.
I guess what I'm saying is that first swing may have been a hook, a slice or more turf than ball, not an ‘authentic swing,’ . If so ain't no reason to give up on golf, or life. Obstacles, present or even past, are fun to overcome!
Kool!