"...busy being born" is one of my all time favorite phrases from Bob Dylan's amazing lyrics. It is the credo of an artist- and more- it is what we each need to put attention on if we are to have conscious, somewhat integrated lives. And so... this blog has been gestating and I have been busy getting ready internally to birth it."...busy being born" in the language of Jungian psychology speaks to the journey of individuation. For me Bob Dylan's art is a living illustration of that journey. I would say it goes further than that. Dylan is his art, he is continually "being born," always becoming. I have grown to see his life/art as an example of someone living that journey as authentically and true as is possible
For some reason I resist and resist writing but when I do my posts are lonoonngg. If you are interested you can click below to:
Of course no matter what I say about Bob Dylan it is always subjective. I know that my idea of who he is, what his words might mean or why he does this or that is only my projection. Knowing this however does not keep me from indulging my curiosity about the artist as man and occasionally speculating and wondering "Who is this guy!?"
Still, as interesting- hell, as fascinating as the man and his life may be the language that he uses is what knocks me over. It may or may not reveal something about him and either way it doesn't really matter does it? More importantly is what his art reveals to me about me and my inner journey as the insight gained about the human condition and the world we find ourselves in.
When I read a book or poem or passage of scripture the author's meaning is only one layer. If the work is good, if it is living then that layer is only the foundation and the succeeding layers of meaning I bring with the lens I look through, how open I am to being moved and the attention I can give to that movement. If the work is very, very good then it will grow and change and acquire deeper meanings, give different understandings as my life experience changes the way I look at life. Constitutional scholars say the Constitution is a living document. Theologians say that the Bible is alive, a living thing that continues to enlighten, comfort, challenge those who choose it as a companion of sorts.
I say that Dylan's work is alive in the same way. Will his work still be relevant in 200 years? 500? a 1000? I have no idea. I do think that as long as there is social injustice many of his pieces will still speak to new generations.
This blog therefore is not so much about Bob Dylan and what I think he meant when he wrote or sang this or that though I know I will not be able to stay away from enjoying that guilty pleasure on occasion.
Instead my hope for this blog is to explore the place where his language and my experience meet on this journey. Down in the very core of us I do not believe that we, as people inhabiting a life are all that different. I'm hoping that my explorations will resonate and/or open up some personal moment of understanding for the reader.
As I write this I am realizing how difficult it is to describe a dream, an idea, what you have not yet done. I want to say more and more and more describing how I came to need to do this.
YES- I have a need to do this.
I feel intimidated, inadequate, worried that I will not succeed. Fear that I will either be too serious or too shallow and sophomoric or I will just not be able to see clearly enough to follow the path and express the moments- which, truth be told can never be adequately spoken. The moment comes, ineffable, numinous- and then it is gone. You try to explain and you really can't convey how your mind got blown or why tears welled up or why you burst out laughing.
Oh my, I sound so serious- someone bring in the jesters and the clowns!
Anyway- I plan to be autobiographical- personal and self revelatory in hopefully odd and interesting ways- odd to you, interesting to me fortunately! LOL
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