Paulo Coelho
In New York I am going to have late-afternoon tea with a rather unusual artist. She works in a bank on Wall Street, but one day she had a dream: she had to go to twelve places in the world and in each place make a painting or a sculpture using material from nature.
So far she has managed to complete four of these works. She shows me photos of one of them: an Indian sculpted inside a cave in California. While she awaits the signs from her dreams, she goes on working at the bank – in that way she saves up the money to travel and fulfill her task.
I ask her why she does this.
“It’s to keep the world in equilibrium,” she answers. “It may seem silly, but there is something tenuous that joins us all and we can make it better or worse according to how we act. We can save or destroy so much with a simple gesture that at times seems utterly useless. It may even be that my dreams are a lot of nonsense, but I don’t want to run the risk of not following them. For me, people are related just like a huge, fragile spider’s web. I am trying through my work to mend a part of that web.”
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I agree!
She has reached her Santiago.
Why don’t you come and stay with me to do you next piece of art. I will take you to the most sacred place in this world – or at least in my world: the Nidaros Cathedral. In front of the Russian icon of
Jesus anything good can happen. He listens carefully when you talk to him standing down below. And the spirit of the Holy King St. Olav is still in the cathedral after nearly a thousand years.
Welcome to Norway!
Beautiful!
Dear Alexandra,
I’m glad you enjoyed the videos. Andy Goldsworthy, for me, is simply the most amazing contemporary artist I’ve ever encountered. His work, in conjunction with his approach to it and philosophy about it, is as much a “teaching” (a way of being in the world – a path to discovering one’s inner self) as it is a way of creating art. If it might interest you, there is a much longer (90 min) documentary about his work called “Rivers and Tides” which is, of course, available for purchase or rental, but there is also a pirate copy of it available for viewing at the following address: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8480463057406057702
This copy is not very good quality, but still worth seeing.
When Andy Goldsworthy talks about his art, one can readily discern that his is not merely a goal oriented approach – not centered on the production of an end product. In fact, the majority of his works are ephemeral; he gives them over to the elements and to nature from which they came, and with time, they are erased. His is an art that is as much about “process” as it is about “product.” It isn’t a destination – it’s a Path. And on that Path, he is continually learning and growing and evolving, not just as an artist, but as a human being. He speaks much about this in the documentation of his work – about how he learns from nature, from the elements and from the materials he uses. So, his work isn’t just about the finished products he produces; it is about that relationship he has with nature and what nature teaches him. This is why I say it is a Path, not just a means of production.
With that same thought in mind, I would like to address one of the other posts entered above:
Dear Tina,
I know how you feel, as I too have long “wanted to be a writer” – wanted it with all my heart and soul. But, something happened along the way – just in the past couple of years, as a matter of fact: I stopped “wanting to become” a writer, and BECAME one. I have not published any of my work. In fact, I haven’t even tried – not yet, though I surely will. So, you might wonder, how did I “become a writer” if I am not published? It happened when a shift occurred in my view of what my writing means to me – when I began to value the process along with the end product.
When I write, my writing changes me; it is a path of discovery, both of the external world and of my innermost self. My writing – the very act of it – teaches me. So, with this shift in view, my writing has become my Path, my Path of spiritual discovery. Therefore, the act of writing, for me, has taken on an inherent value that is independent of and supercedes the fate of the end product. In other words, even if nothing that I write is ever published, that value will remain, untouched.
In this, I also discovered an amazing shift in my view of myself as one engaged in the act of writing. Because I value the “process” (the act of writing and all that I learn from it) as much as I value the “end product” (this thing that we call a “book” and which we credit as such only when it is “published”), I now call myself “a writer.” I am no longer “hoping to become” a writer – I am one! I am a writer because I engage in this process, because I value this process and because it is my Path. Yes, I would one day like to be published, but that endeavor is secondary to the Path itself. The destination is incidental to the Journey itself. I no longer look to the stamp of approval from a publisher for validation of what I do and who I am. If a publisher wants to publish my work, that would be fine – that would be great, in fact – but even if this never happens, even if not a single word of my work is ever published, I am still a writer, and will remain a writer until the day I die.
It used to be that when I would be required to write a bio, such as the type required for a MySpace or Facebook account, I would write something like: “I am an aspiring writer.” Or “I hope to become a writer someday.” Now I just put the one word: Savita Vega – “writer.” Because I am what I do, and what I do makes me what I am.
This shift in view has made all the difference in my life. I am no longer “waiting” to become something. No longer just “hoping” – I am doing it. I am that – a writer. And I am no longer waiting for some form of external validation to confirm this fact. And this does not mean that I will cease to pursue publication of my work; it just means that my sense of who I am and the value of my work does not depend upon the outcome of that endeavor. Writing comes first; being published is secondary. Process before product. The Journey is greater than the destination.
So, I wish you all the very best in your own Journey, Tina. Just keep writing. Value the process. Let it teach you. Soon you will discover that you ARE already what you aspire to become.
With much love and gratitude to all who post their thoughts on this blog. For me, there is so much inspiration to be found here every day.
Sincerely,
Savita
Alexandra, nice to see your beautiful photo!!
I think the artist of the story had a dream to fulfil.. A parallel dream except from working in a Bank.. So boring ! She needs the dream -for her it is art- to keep the equilibrium in her life.. Each one of us has a ‘mystic dream’! She has the power to put it into ..action, reality.
Dear Karen, 12 is one of the sacred numbers… Twelve months, twelve hours, twelve planets [now a new one was discovered ;], twelve disciplines of Jesus,twelve Gods of Olympus, twelve Evangelia in Orthodox Church.. There must be a hidden reason..
Our Paulo Coelho may know, or … Savita Vega!
LOVE,
Thelma.
Dear Savita Vega, I saw the videos, and I loved a lot them. I have never seen such work, very interesting and beautiful. Thank you
Hi, Mr. Coelho:
I’m a reader of your book “The Alchemist” and it’s a really good book to read through. It’s a book full of mistery and omens. It’a good pleasure to read thorugh the book with the character’s story spreading out. And I have a question that at the end of the story whether the treasure of the boy is under the tree of the church or not? Is the words of the leader is a omen to the boy?
Mr Paulo Coelho,
I am one of your readers. I just read the book “The Alchemist” and I think it is a great book. The story is simple but it is meaningful, the story taught us to have faith in ourselves and to find our dream.
I love this book because I used to wonder what would I be in the future. I never was sure about either being a musician or just play it safe and listen to my parents suggestion. I realized being a professional musician probably is impossible but I know which part of my strength can help making more good music because I listen to my heart, it sounds vague, but I did succeed and got this message of just being a norm in order for the talented people to shine on. At the same time, I am not giving up my music dream and I am going to open up my own label company to make music and better the world. The obstacles are not important at all because I believe fate will guide me to the right place as long as the courage of pursuing the dream is still there.
Wow! I am amazed at your friend’s story and feel very humbled by it. It reminds me that, truly, even one person can make a difference, that all are important to the universal “web.” Thanks for sharing this with us.
Nanci
Also the beauty of her message truly can’t be captured in words – I feel the same about us…we all vibrate on the same beat..
Wow so nice to know there are others like me, working at some bank on wall street to pay the bills, yet have dreams that they are slowly working towards, like walking on trapeze line at a circus, trying to balance things, afraid to fall but still walking the line with conviction…
:) I want to be writer, I have known so since the third grade, but slowly forgot my dream along the way when I allowed society/family to dictate what my path was to be…
But now I am everday thinking about and working towards my dream of becoming an inspirational writer, and serving humanity in that way. Until the day I know I am about to realize my dream, is the day will not have to walk this line, and just let go by quitting my job and fall into the safety net of my dream knowing that it is there…
:)
i would like to be able to see her work- seems very interesting- she has to be a super special women and an amazing human beeing!
have a good weekend
orly
A great story ;o)
This story reminds me of the importance to
respect & honour other peoples dream*
this artist sounds very clear about her life ,her work Art- and is intuitative and hard working : )
Breda
Querido Paulo,
Assim como vc fala no ALQUIMISTA, o mais importante é de seguir a sua legenda pessoal. E esta mulher nos da um otimo exemplo, pois ela segue com firmeza seus sonhos.
A minha legenda pessoal me salvou num momento da minha vida, sendo o meu sonho a unica razão que dara verdadeiramente motivação de continuar viva.
Como vc disse, quando é a coisa que verdadeiramente devemos fazer nos sentimos a motivação no coração. Eu estou muito feliz de não ter jamais deixado de acreditar mesmo no momento do grande cyclone.
E eu agradeço a vc, pois com a leitura de suas obras, vc sempre me deu coragem e persistência pra acreditar nos meus sonhos.
Hoje eu sei que o caminho ainda é longo, mais oque é mais interessante é o caminho mesmo, e o mais importante pra mim é que eu estou de pé, com fé e força pra seguir em frente.
MARG,
CA
I love people like her! How exciting. In honor of her Indian sculpture lets say a prayer to Don Mullen, the first native-born Indian woman to be canonized. Holy Don Mullen, pray for this New York artist, she will succeed to fulfill her task.
To be completed.”Handful of missing parts”,which should be sorted out.
Dear Paulo,
Nice thought and She deserves pat on her back. (Paulo don’t forget to give pat on her back and say, “Well done…we need people like you to create peace and prosperity in this diseased world.)
God bless you all !
Its one of the most interesting ideas I ever heard. I have a curiosity, did that person attend some artistic courses? I love art, but I imagine without studies, talent maybe would be not enough, in my case. Anyways, now I feel a great curiosity to see the work, if you can please show us some pictures with the work done till now.Thanks a lot,Love
Alexandra
P.S.
Dear Paulo,
While in New York, you should take a day, if so inclined and if you have time, to go up to visit Storm King Art Center, which is an outdoor sculpture park not far from the city. There is one of Andy Goldsworthy’s most famous pieces of sculpture, known as The Storm King Wall.
http://www.stormking.org/AndyGoldsworthy.html
I have never been there, but it has long been a dream of mine to one day see it with my own eyes. It is incredible in photos and on video – it must be even moreso in real life. Truly a magical work of art!
Wish we had pictures of some of her work. It sounds rather reminiscent of my favorite contemporary artist, also a sculptor who uses the materials provided by nature: Andy Goldsworthy. Here are a few videos documenting his work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TWBSMc47bw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTEB3bEGprY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq1Sw35mYzc
It is very brave of this person, your friend, to engage in this quest. She works at a bank – a rather “conservative” environment, I would think. She must get a lot, or at least some, feedback telling her that her dream is, in fact, “nonsense.” And yet she does it anyway.
I always admire people who find constructive and creative uses of their time off from work. In other words, people who don’t seem merely intent upon “escape” when they go on vacation, but who utilize that time to better themselves and the world around them. It is fine to go on a cruise, or to take a trip to the Bahamas and lounge on a beach, drinking Pina Coladas, but again, this is “escapism” at its finest. It is to take oneself as far away from one’s work and one’s regular, day-to-day environment as possible, in order to “forget” and to “relax,” but, in the end, this changes nothing. Time runs out, the vacation ends, and one goes back to one’s routine having spent this time and all this money, and yet they and the world remain essentially unchanged by it. They bring back photos to show to their friends and family, but those photos look very much like the photos of everyone else who has been to such destinations. They buy “souvineirs” and place them on a shelf at home or next to their computer at work – what-nots, useless objects announcing, “I’ve been to Jamaica…I’ve been to Grand Cayman…” etc. But nothing changes with this, no one grows.
But then there are people, like your friend, who spend their time off in constructive ways, engaged in the most amazing undertakings. I so admire people like this. When they go on vacation, they don’t seem so much to be “running away” from their normal life and work, but to be adding to it in value. One man, for example, goes on a meditation retreat each time he gets his vacation. Another lady stays home, but takes classes, learning how to throw pottery on a wheel – something that she doesn’t normally have time for in her schedule. Yet another individual volunteers for two weeks out of every year at a summer camp for “at-risk” youth. A doctor sets off for some remote corner of the world to offer his services for free to a village that otherwise has no doctor.
The undertaking does not have to be artistic in nature, and it doesn’t necessarily have to lead us very far from home or require some big expenditure. There are many ways to change both ourselves and the world around us in the time that we have off from our regular jobs. We have only to think in terms of using that time to fulfill our dreams, rather than simply to “escape.”
FINDING THE SACRED.
This artist has found the SACRED in her life.
And there is no logic in the sacred, no logic to tell her that what she is doing is sane, and not crazy.
The SACRED is just a knowing.
For one person, the sacred may be having a child, for Paul who is on the Camino de Santiago, he is finding the sacred in his walk – and mending the world at the same time.
Life needs crazy people.
I found my dream, what was sacred in my life, and started that journey 5 years ago.
Coincidentally, I have come to the end of my journey this week, and I am in my 12th and final week, this week.
12 works of art she needs to make, and here I am finishing my journey on the 12th week. Why?
The coincidences point the way to the sacred – so I send my support and love to this artist.
BELIEVE, BELIEVE, BELIEVE.
Even if men do not understand or notice what you are doing, the angels know and rejoice that you are doing sacred work. Sowing LOVE.
Blessings
Karen xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx