“Singular Source” | Anthony Satori
“They say that it’s an inexhaustible well. The thing that comforts me about it is the idea that all of this is from a singular Source. And that this Source is ultimately kind. And even though we may not understand the intentions of this Source, we are all connected and bound by it.”
– Dave Chappelle
“The Enigmatic Phenomenon of Clowns” | Anthony Satori
Clowns are such oddly polarizing figures. Some people love them, with deep affection. Others dislike them, with equal intensity. Many people are even afraid of them. But almost everyone has a strong reaction to clowns, one way or another.
Clowns are something of a paradox, as well, in that they deliberately hide their identities beneath layers of paint and outlandish costumes, and yet they lay themselves bare before us by means of their exaggerated gestures, movements, and facial expressions. They throw themselves wholeheartedly into absurd and even dangerous situations in an earnest attempt to make us laugh, gasp, and feel something. We root for them, we fear for them, and we sigh in relief when they escape unscathed.
Every move a clown makes is an effort to capture and hold our attention – to gain our sympathy, to draw our empathy – to be seen and understood by us. And in a way, this makes them a true mirror of the human condition. Perhaps this is why audiences react to clowns in such an intense manner. Maybe their antics hit closer to home than we realize, as we watch these strange, cartoonish figures performing exaggerated and unapologetic presentations of the human need to be seen and appreciated and loved.
And when they cry, it manifests in such an over-wrought caricature of emotion that it can often make us feel uncomfortable. The dissonance of their tears is heightened even further by being juxtaposed with such lighthearted and colorful facades. These are the axiomatic “tears of a clown.” They are expressions of sadness coming from a face with a painted-on smile, and we feel these tears in a uniquely poignant way. Maybe we see something of ourselves in this, as well: the act of wearing a face that says, “everything is alright,” while inside we may be feeling sad, lost, or even depressed.
Upon reflection, it seems that clowns may be a more apt representation of humanity than we might have ever imagined.
“Afterburners” | Anthony Satori
“The best thing is to keep a balance in your life, to acknowledge the great powers around us and within us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are truly wise.”
– Euripides
“Parachute” | Anthony Satori
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”
– Samuel Beckett
“Sphere” | Anthony Satori
“It is the possession of a great heart or a great mind, and not the mere fame of it, which is worth having and which is conducive to happiness. Not fame, but that which deserves to be famous, is what one should hold in esteem. Fame itself is only an accident.
Likewise, one who deserves fame without getting it possesses by far the more important element of happiness. It is not that a person is thought to be great by the masses… but that a person really is great, which should move us to value their position. And their happiness should not derive from the fact that posterity may hear of them, but rather from the fact that they are the creator of thoughts worthy to be treasured and studied.”
– Arthur Schopenhauer
“Shy Venus” | Anthony Satori
“What’s wrong is not a problem with the great discoveries of science. Information is always better than ignorance, no matter what information or what ignorance. What is wrong is the belief behind the information, the belief that information will change the world. It won’t. Information without human understanding is like an answer without its question: meaningless. And human understanding is only possible through the arts and humanities. It is the work of art that creates the human perspective in which information turns to truth.”
– Archibald MacLeish
One of the most startling revelations of quantum physics over the last century has been the assertion that, at the most fundamental levels of existence, there are virtually no inexorable truths or inherent meanings – just pure energy. Put another way: the closer we get to the subatomic realm, the more we discover that the cosmos seems to be made up entirely of nothing more than field equations and mathematical probabilities. All of the numbers, all of the wave functions, all of the raw data – all that they actually seem to be doing is merely suggesting or indicating a probability that some or other discrete particle, phenomenon, or event will occur at some particular point in time and space. Beyond this, there is, arguably, essentially nothing – that is, no “thing” – or perhaps more accurately, some varying probability of “everything.”
It seems that it is only when a conscious mind observes a particular particle or phenomenon that it becomes – almost mystically – transformed from a probabilistic wave function into something that is truly unique, measurable, and discrete. Conscious awareness alone, then, seems to be the singular mechanism in the universe which has the power to transform pure energy into something which has substance, meaning, and truth. And it is the arts and humanities – encompassing, in my view, acts of creativity, kindness, and love, and experiences of transcendence, enlightenment, and spiritual revelation – which, at their best, connect us most directly with this higher consciousness in our human nature, and thereby empower us to become the most effective co-creators of our own universe.
Let us then strive to use these profound gifts mindfully, compassionately, nobly, and constructively. Let us endeavor to make this the best of all possible worlds.
“Zhuangzi” | Anthony Satori
“A wise man knows that it is better to sit on the banks of a remote mountain stream than to be emperor of the whole world.”
– Chuang Tzu
“Stone Tower” –|– Anthony Satori
“In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you love. In family life, be completely present.”
– Lao Tzu
“A Fish in Water” –|– Anthony Satori
“We do not hear nature boasting about being nature, nor water holding a conference on the technique of flowing. So much rhetoric would be wasted on those who have no use for it. The man of Tao lives in the Tao, like a fish in water. If we tried to teach a fish that water is physically compounded of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, the fish would laugh its head off.”
– Al Chung-liang Huang
“Compassion and Strength” –|– Anthony Satori
Compassion and strength are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are not even at odds. True compassion is rooted in carefully cultivated principles, universal love, and clear-eyed reason. This highest version of compassion both informs and enhances strength by imbuing it with righteousness, clarity, and drive. True strength, in the same way, is rooted in wisdom, self-discipline, and courage. This highest version of strength empowers compassion by providing it with the peace and security it needs to perform at the highest levels of efficacy, humaneness, and virtue.
Satori Circle | Art & Culture 