more popular culture notes

Is this too wet? It's not such a great song, but I was looking over Alanis Morrissette's recent production, and saw this interesting song.


"Empathy" by Alanis Morrissette

There are so many parts that I have hidden and denied and lost
There are so many ways that I have cut off my nose to spite my face

There are so many colors that I still try to hide while I paint
And there are so many tunes that I secretly sing as I wait

You come along and invite these parts out of hiding
This invitation is the one that I've stopped fighting....

Thank you for seeing me
I feel so less lonely
Thank you for getting me
I'm healed by your empathy
Oh this intimacy

There were so many times, I thought I'd die not being truly known
There've been so many moments: forever lonely in my vocation

You come along and celebrate each feeling
And there you are all honor and inquiring.......

Thank you for seeing me
I feel so less lonely
Thank you for getting me
I'm healed by your empathy
Oh this intimacy

There was a day where the trust that was being asked of me
Required too much you see
To accept your generosity
And to know myself enough to let you help me

Thank you for seeing me
I feel so less lonely
Thank you for getting me
I'm healed by your empathy
Oh this intimacy

Also this one is interesting:



Alanis Morissette
In Praise Of The Vulnerable Man

You are the bravest man I've ever met
You unreluctant at treacherous ledge

You are the sexiest man I've ever been with
You, never hotter than with armor spent

When you do what you do to provide
How you land in the soft as you fortify

This is in praise of the vulnerable man
Why won't you lead the rest of your cavalry home

You, with your eyes mix strength with abandon
You with your new kind of heroism

And I bow and I bow down to you
To the grace that it takes to melt on through

This is in praise of the vulnerable man
Why won't you lead the rest of your cavalry home
This is a thank you for letting me in
Indeed in praise of the vulnerable man

You are the greatest man I've ever met
You the stealth setter of new precedents

And I vow and I vow to be true
And I vow and I vow to not take advantage

This is in praise of the vulnerable man
Why won't you lead the rest of your cavalry home
This is a thank you for letting me in
Indeed in praise of the vulnerable man


[end]


Well, what does empathy and vulnerability have to do with the spiritual life?  One of the things holding me back is my guardedness, protecting my sense of self.  It turns out relaxing into challenging feedback takes mindfulness, creativity.  Empathy also is one of the many fruits of practicing.

It's interesting Alanis has faded into obscurity after her intense first album Jagged Little Pill, with the song "You Ought To Know" about a romantic breakup.  Supposedly her second album was successful too, and after selling 33 million on her first, it says she's sold over 60 million total.  Listening to her acoustic version of Jagged Little Pill, you can still feel the intensity.  

Rock and roll is an intense medium.  Not sure if it's conducive to the spiritual life, though interestingly there are converts.  And there are even movements who identify with a genera of music like Dharma Punx.  I don't identify with one genera of music, but if I had to it would be jazz.  There are some jazz musicians who are Buddhists.  BTW, I wish I had the money to travel up to Aryaloka to see Heather Maloney.  She is awesome.  Music and Buddhism is too big of an area, and I digress.

Alanis' wikipedia article says Alanis is a Buddhist, but then it has a big blue thing that says, "citation needed".  She's also vegan.  There is a cite for that.  PETA says she's one of the sexiest vegetarians in 2009.