| Bright Eyes – Beginner's Mind Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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It's not that spiritual experiences are hard to come by, it's just that we have mental habits and conditioning that tends to come back to rule our thinking and behavior. The zen practice of the same name mentioned earlier is practiced to achieve a state of mind free from conditioning and habits, thus experiencing divine clarity. This is written from the point of view of someone experiencing, once again, this clarity. He pleads, or prays, "Hold on tight, beginner's mind... Stay a while my inner child, I'd like to know your trick" grasping with the intellect, for some thought that will bring him back to the state of clarity he is experiencing now. He knows from experience, though, what often follows this experience of spiritual clarity, shown by the lines, "hold on tight beginner's mind/ the currents far too strong/ It’ll carry you along/ Till you’re just like everyone." So, he expects that the old, stale way of thinking and experiencing the world will come back, though he pleads with this new feeling to stay. "Oh how they will try/ to pull and pry/ away what you know now." This is an ironic line, implying that the beginner's mind is actually more informed than the experienced. This paints conditioning as a bad thing, a weakness, which is contrary to the way it usually works. So many activities are skill based- the longer you've been doing them, the better you are. Here he points out that this is not the rule for spiritual evolution, where our conditioning and preconceived notions only hold us back from our goal. |
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| Bright Eyes – Cartoon Blues Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| Yes, it's "In time we'll win the world" because that's what you say when you lose a revolution. Revolution is the evolution of society and it just can't be stopped, only postponed. | |
| Bright Eyes – Well Whiskey Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Forgive me if this is far reaching. This is a love song to a lesbian, or a story about Connor's own battles with his sexuality, This is a deep song with a spiritually romantic message. There's an obstacle to a love affair that was always expected but never happened, and he took the disappointment badly. After experiencing a revelation about laying back "going with the flow" and being happy with the relationship any way it is (however plantonic or romantic) they're hanging out and drinking again, enjoying each other's company without expectations. Their conversations are abstract and non binding, (exploring ideas without judgement) they're not together for now, but he's saying that the future is full of possibility that he is wholly open to. It's the way to grow. He drinks a lot, but (tonight) it will be special, a greater quantity or with greater purpose, because she's real and down to earth (someone he likes) and they've got deep shit to talk about. She was around for his low points, and her presence helped for the moment. (he was crazy for her, loved her, and couldn't handle the rejection) But let's not think (talk) about that ugliness tonight, let's just hang out like we used to. (if their relationship were ever sexual, sleeping on the floor wouldn't be just like we were.) To have a good time (drinking) we'll have to ignore the darker feelings/past. He stopped worrying, "let my problems solve themselves" because intellectualizing didn't work. "i used to get involved but I'm no help" Let's hang out all night tonight. (like old times) We can say the same things over and over, without specifics, just abstractions "no dollar figures just what is owed or paid" We can make plans, she's got predictions, but he agree we're not hooking up tonight. During said low point, he couldn't think flexibly, needed to hold solid concepts. "dry as a desert...mean" Without anything to help the (mental) stretch, it'll be uncomfortable, so tonight he properly medicated to be content with whatever the situation is. Once he got sick of being sad (frustrated) he was saved suddenly and forcefully. he was enlightened and felt awesome with what he (we) had. He knows she likes to fit in and be anonymous, but she's strong enough to stray from the group (norm) She's still guarded and vulnerable, but doesn't have to be. "risks that you can afford" We could keep saying the same thing around a vague self concept (dirty mirror) drinking sedatives (alcohol) "night" and we could solidify a created self concept or plan that will never change. "invent a timeline to last our whole lives" But in truth we really can't know what the future will bring. |
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