A powerful reminder today from the theoretical physicist Richard Feynman, completely applicable to us as Mystery Performers.
"I love my new gimmick"
"I love this routine"
" I love this flavor..."
Yes, we can feel a rush of excitement for a new thing or a new experience, but love is MUCH more than that. The "philosophy of love" is complex, that is why this is completely misunderstood concept for most people, and in order to full appreciate the power of that meta-construct in our life we need to take a new look to this fundamental force.
Pitirim Sorokin in "The ways and power of love" says that love is a multi-dimensional cosmos of unifying forces, the universal creative energy against egoism, the antidote to fear, the beautifier of life, etc.
Empedocles said that love was the essential force of unity in everything that constantly dances with "strife" as polarity in the physical realm of the four elements.
Finally, Erich Fromm in his "The art of loving" says that "Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that our love will produce love in the loved person. Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love"
So as you can see, love is much more than just a feeling, a romantic relation or even a human practice. Love is the ultimate spiritual truth, the way of being and the transcendent source of connection.
As Mystery Performers we normally approach "love" as theme in the romantic (eros) meaning, which is part of the multi-dimensionality of the concept, but just a small part. That is why in "Romantic Mentalism" you can find not just those types of pieces, but deeper explorations (the title was just a catchy and commercial name) that can open for you new conversations about connection and acceptance.
Love is the natural way of being in the ecosystem with other beings. Love is the act of allowing other appear without judgement. Performance is an act of love, practicing and rehearsal is an act of love, studying Mentalism is an act of love.
Lets open our mind to the depth of love not just in performance, but in every moment.
Thanks Richard for your openness !
CONVERSATION