I've been attempting to upload a video for the past few hours. Youtube apparently doesn't want to work with me because it's failed and aborted the upload several times. I'm crossing my fingers on this time, hoping it goes up. In the meantime, I decided to write about an "aha!" moment that I had earlier tonight.Well, maybe not so much of an "Aha!" moment, but simply further confirmation of something I had already suspected/known.
Remember how in
this blog entry I mentioned that parents (or adults more generally) certainly don't know everything? Well I was watching 20/20 with my mom and they replayed the interview Barbra Walters did with Lady Gaga. Now, a few nights ago in one of my many bouts of insomnia, I began to read
Nicola Formichetti's blog. For those of you who don't know, he's Lady Gaga's stylist. I would LOVE to work with him. In any case, I was reading back further and further as I only discovered his blog about a month ago. He has various Gaga related posts including videos. She is an artist I've been aware of (who hasn't) but I never paid her much serious mind until her performance at the VMA's. Even after, I appreciated her art but never dove further into caring about who she was, what she was about etc. Perhaps partially because I lived through the era of pre-packaged talent that could sing (maybe) but their image and what they say, sing etc was mostly controlled by their labels and publicists. And I don't care much for people who are cautious in life. That say what "should be said" and wear what "should be worn" to sell more albums.
So I watched an interview of hers with someone from MTV- John someone. She explained (and some of you probably already knew this - what can I say, I'm late!) that her image is what it is because she wants it to be that way. She basically lives and breathes art. She felt like a freak growing up because she didn't fit in and wants to be a rolemodel for people to be who they are. If they want to be what the majority of society would consider "a freak", then that's okay. Do it. Be you. She also mentioned she works purely off of intuition and "visions" - or something along those lines. And everything she envisions she writes down and puts into action. Everytime, it's a success. Yet she's learned that if she ignores an intuitive urge and doesn't act on it, the "visions" become less clear/strong. I'm totally rephrasing everything by the way from memory.
Excuse my language, but how fucking cool is she. After hearing that interview I just have so much more respect for her. She is a true artist and a real, conscious human being. She is someone who "gets" the big picture in life. Back to 20/20, she reiterated the statement about wanting people to feel liberated to be themselves. At which point, after pointing out how mature she was for a 23 year old, my mom says "Oh, but there's the kid in her." I responded with "what?", not understanding what my mom meant by that statement. "There's her immaturity showing - it's her age."
Come again? This statement was made at the beginning of the interview so I waited until it was over to ask my mom to elaborate and this is what she said, "She said she's trying to teach people to be themselves. As if people need teaching."
I began to reply "Mom, she's very aware of the fact she has young fans."
"Yes Risa obviously, she's young herself"
"But mom, do you know how many people exist on this planet that are NOT truly themselves at their essence? How many kids do you think want to do something or be someone but don't because of either their parents or friends or whatever. Furthermore, there's even more adults who aren't truly themselves because they live life in fear."
"Oh Risa, stop! Melody and I both agreed that she sounded very immature making a statement"
I didn't even bother debating because I realized just how "out of it" she is. Personally, as I may have mentioned previously I've been on a bit of a "spirtual quest" for the last 2 years or so, but really only making much headway in the last 8 months. Only recently did I come to truly understand some of the conversations I've had with my friend Prasand. (follow him on twitter if you want - very insightful/interesting being - @Prasand) Many times he explained to me that just because I want to share something, doesn't mean it should be shared, that it could destroy a person, leaving their world in ruins if they're not ready to hear it.
So why address it on a public blog? Because I believe the things that I write about will resonate with you if you're meant to and ready to hear them. I touch on things on a very general level. You either can relate or you can't. And it is my belief that if you're someone who is not ready to hear such things, you'll simply reject it as my mom does. Which is fine.
Back to the conversation and Lady Gaga. She is someone who is very much in touch with her being, or soul. Those intuitive "visions" are purely her essence at it's core driving her forward. She has learned to tune out the voice of her mind, or her ego. And I don't just believe, I KNOW that THAT is what she was getting at by wanting to encourage people to be themselves - not who they think they should be to please everyone else around them or because they're afraid. Which yes, I suppose could be seen as a "childish" statement as my mom said, but childish is a positive way.
Watch kids someday if you have the opportunity, whether you're a parent or not. They can teach you far more than you can teach them. They say what they want, uncensored. They do what they want, if allowed. If allowed to dress themselves, sure some may dress in ways we think are ridiculous but they're expressing themselves - who they are. Because they haven't yet learned "the rules" that society imposes upon us.
Lady Gaga's statement may have been "childish", but it was spoken by someone who is fully conscious and dare I say has reached Enlightenment. Because that ladies and gentleman is the big secret of life. So simple, yet so unbelievably difficult for so many people to do, Be Yourself. Silence the voice that is your ego, the voice that instills fear in you, and simply Be Yourself. Once you're on that path, life truly becomes a breeze. And just like in "The Alchemist", the universe seems to conspire to help you and things just fall into place.
-On a sidenote, I haven't yet finished "The Power of Now" but it's pretty good. I do find it a bit too repetitive, though I understand some people need repetition to "get" a concept. I like the question/answer format as it pretty much addresses any questions that come up while reading. One of the main points I've walked away with is that you can talk until you're blue in the face and want to help someone "see the light" but it probably won't do much good, especially if they're not ready to see it (my mom) So I've learned to stop bothering/debating as much and although I still struggle with accepting her as is because I want her to feel more inner peace the way I do, it's easier and more effective for me to just accept that it is what it is - she'll only reach that point when she's ready. The best thing I can do is continue to be myself and build up the strength of my consciousness. Because that is really the only effective way to help anyone. Inner light/peace radiates and can't help but be contagious.
