Dedicating myself to the song, in knowing tradition has allowed me to focus my attention in the present moment. I will be forever thanking all other other musicians -- across the space-time continuum. I am to now continue my writing in culture, music and knowledge.
Motion Higher is meant to amplify the presence and remedy within the motion felt in the picture and the word, created upon the heart space.
Now having great clarity of what I orient as my dharma, I most connect with the Samaveda
to consider music and song as a way to fully embody knowledge from experience, upon our anchoring of wisdom after following through a wavelength with intuition. The Center for Dharma Studies at the Graduate Theological Union has brought tremendous clarity into this life purpose.
I wish to thank my many mentors in anthropology, theology, and ethnomusicology. It was my first anthropology course, cultural anthropology at Ball State -- in which we started every class with a music video from somewhere within the world, every morning. That was everything. Thank you, professors who properly organize their courses for inspiration and encouragement, so that we may all continue, grow, and follow our heart ~
The first ethnomusicology entry of my life was written my freshman year at Ball State University, many years before my anthropological research at UC Berkeley.
It is exciting to realize how ethnomusicology has been a key focus my entire life. While following the role now as a chaplain, it makes sense how I have spent many hours grieving the death of (famous) musicians, when their time has come. Meatloaf. Aaron Carter. Mac Miller.
I just have genuine curiosity, and whereby care for music-making and music-makers. Their stories and inspirations have become the most captivating aspects of this human existence. And I wish to do is support and study their lyrics and journeys, while also being an active participant in it all, even if in some small way -- via ethnomusicology. The passion will continue to resound in love and memory.
The stories and experiences in which we put whole heart into the mix are what matter most, and what we will forever wish to share together.
The passion for be ignited in our high school broadcast team, upon our aim to work together to complete projects and win contests. Hearing of the radio contest in 2009 -- 'Win the contest, and Justin Bieber will be the principal of your high school for a day,' which included a live performance in our atrium. We won, after many of us sat in the back of our classrooms texting a specific 6-digit number to the radio station phone number. We did this for many hours in a day, for a couple weeks.
The assignment amongst my friend group and others was to send the 6-digit number to the radio station 10 times at once, as this was feasible somehow within the group messaging system of or Razors and phones of the early 21st century. During this time, I learned all the more, that following and imbibing into the groove of all music is the way to feel the culture and share our horizons, thereby feeling the presences of our contemporary, as our hearts pulse and connect, naturally.
The entry below is written about a song that was released four years later, allowing me to expressed the passion and support I will always feel about JB -- after getting to see him rise up and go through many life transformations, thus far.
“As Long As You Love Me” by Justin Bieber. June 3, 2013
A wrap of words formed through thoughts about “As Long As You Love Me” by Justin Bieber.
Life, Love, Dating
Dating. It’s a strange world. It’s incomparable with every person. Confused emotions, new boundaries and untested territories implement fresh and lively anticipation and yet, enervation and reluctant thoughts. The arising lust and misled trust.
The exhilarating sensation within and the contemporary feelings shared, just to begin. The transfer of power, of which brings strength and weakness.
It really is a trip—a craving of up-and-downs. We thrive off those moments of deep connection and extraordinary revelation, and yet, we dive into the pot of doom when all else fails. Those moments of botching disparity (which forces us to feel uninvited), brands us to desire the anticyclones all the more. In a way, we thrive off the drama just as we thrive off the affection. Without the depressions, the beatitudes wouldn’t convey satisfaction.
Harmonizing is the key, which rarely occurs as we are often still muddled in our own teething troubles and ascertain it problematic when connecting with others. We are insecure with our flaws and feel the need to repel. We have a need to feel comfortable and revolt when not. We must feel in control of the situation or we attack the high-caliber. It’s all a game inside our head. Through it all, our head is battling our heart; what frightens us, contends our desires.
Though committing is often a battle of self-agony and skepticism, (when we do oblige, and in the end, harmonize with one another), the outcome is greater than any anticipation. Before one reaches this revelation, one must follow suit through one’s stages in order to please the mind. Typically, we will immediately requisite for a pleasing countenance of the one we stand next to…The one who holds your hand through the downtown alleyway…The one who comes up behind you in the supermarket and holds you from behind...The one who will kiss you slowly in the rain…The one who will be there…The one you will do anything for…The one.
After our mind is pleased with the appearance of “the one”,we then go on to adjust our mind for the future. As we learn about “the one”,we decide if s/he really is the one. We fit “the one” into our lives and contrive a beautiful, impending life. Whether in the next few days, months or years, depending on where our hopes are set, we picture “the one” standing next to us at each event in our upcoming life.
We base this off of the way they make us feel. The way they make us laugh. The way we act around them, as we’ll usually say, “I love who I am around him.” The way our conversation turns from serious to silly and back-and-forth without a care in the world. As we connect on so many levels, we begin to completely appreciate pleasing “the one” because it’s almost as if you’re pleasing yourself. The way “the one” allows us to think and expand our minds. The way we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses in order to form a tie. The way our bond allows us to understand each other through levels unfathomable. This is the way. The way to get along. The way to connect. The way to love. The way to live together forever.
Yes, this is the craving of us all. We go through barrels and barrels held in with weight of trembling life to find that one. We go through the game of hell, often labeled “dating” in order to find that one. But since that one means everything in the world to us, we go through several steps in our head to assure they are the one. We don’t want to get hurt, causing that, once, open heart to close, forever. If that one fits the picture of both appearance and prospect of life, there is still usually resistance in the mind.
Usually, we don’t have it all figured out. It’s not mapped out in our head. Nothing really makes sense. However, something triggers a craving to jump. Your body is asking you to take that risk. This feeling may be a pseudo-response known as lust, which usually ends in heartbreak. But if it is real, that risk will be the risk of a lifetime. It will be what life is about—finding that one.
When you realize, or at least, you want to try with that one, the next step is finding out if they want to do the same. This is the struggle of it all. This is where I begin with “As Long As You Love Me” by Justin Bieber.
Wow, this song says a lot about Justin. I’m almost ashamed to have gotten this much out of a Justin Bieber song. I have high hopes for this kid and I'm proud of him.
Basically, it shows that he's just like everyone else, wandering around clueless searching for his soul mate. We have an instinct to find that one and do everything we can to keep them near. Pleasing becomes a pleasure to yourself because you are so interconnected. Justin is simply stating that he will do anything for his love as long as she loves him for him. Not because he's famous. Not because he's rich. But because of his personality. This is a statement we all need to follow. Be you and do you every day, everybody!
Through any means, quit playing games while dating because the best it can do is create a relationship that won’t last, anyway. Live life for you, as you and find the one along the way as you let life in. When alone, work on your inner beauty and how to better yourself for the world. When focused on that, codependence will abolish and the one will come along, knock you off your feet and ambush you with love.
Justin Bieber’s primary intention of the song is giving love to someone who wants it. I love the idea of, I feel all this for you and I want to do all of this for you. But in the end, will it be worth it? Will you just take it and not understand the love in it, but just the pleasure. You won't feel the emotion, and you will not feel the connection. Everything I gave to you would be for a lost cause. But here's the thing, I have the ability, but it's going to take a lot; I'm going to need someone there to pick me back up, and if you will be there, I will love you to full capacity.
You can feel his passion in the song. I was just so impressed because it's like this newer, mature Justin. His thoughts are like mine. We are the same age, going through the same developing thoughts as we become adults. This just shows, people, no matter where from and how raised, are beyond fathomable through similarity. We are all out in the world just looking for some love.