Stoicism

Tuesday is turning out to be a day broken up by chores and appointments.  I had a hard time gaining traction or dropping into a creative flow.  I worked on these paintings inspired by Hilma Af Klint and below is a link to the sound/music experiment as it sits right now.  I am glad I completed my intended three part exercise but feel indifferent about the actual piece. Animation takes so much time and work and this assemblage just isn’t that meaningful to me.  Its cool to look at though.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wMwzox6AKUho7N7AoVO1qp7_CtxN4eOj/view?usp=sharing

The following quote in The Beginners Guide to Constructing the Universe caught my attention.

“When you have been compelled by circumstances to be disturbed in any manner, quickly return to yourself, and do not continue out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts.  You will have increasing control over your own harmony by continually returning to it."

  -Marcus Aurelius. 

Who is Marcus?, I wondered.  Turns out he was a Roman Emperor (161-180 AD) famous for being a Stoic philosopher.  And what is Stoicism? Well I learned it has seven principals.

Develop virtue or goodness (wisdom courage justice temperance)

Be in full acceptance of what is

Practice mindfulness and daily reflection

See adversity as opportunity

Value time

Alway remember your mortality

Hmm useful sentiments in the modern day, given the state of the union.