The f light beyond
“I am circling around God, around the ancient tower, and I have been circling for a thousand years; And I still don’t know if I am a falcon or a great song.” — Rainer Maria Rilke
Man has always wanted to soar freely like an eagle above the clouds. He searches for his place in the sun.
Icarus attempted to take flight centuries ago. The experiment failed when he flew too high. The wax in his wings melted. In a figurative sense, he was weighed down by his ambitions and enthusiasm to surpass his human limitation.
“I live my life in growing orbits which move out over the things of the world. Perhaps I can never achieve the last, but that will be my attempt,” the philosopher Rilke wrote.
Man can transcend the boundaries and barriers that ground and restrict him. As he explores the unfamiliar and unknown terrain outside the comfort zone of existence, he achieves confidence and courage.
By releasing his energies in extrinsic endeavors and external concerns, he can live meaningfully.
Traveling to the wilderness of a jungle, to the icy fjords, and the endless deserts of distant continents are a prelude to the ultimate safari. In ascending order, man aims to conquer the solar system, the galaxy, the universe.
A pulsating, energetic spirit inhabits every creative individual. It animates him and propels him forward. The practical and parochial concerns of his environment cannot restrain the visionary. He continually seeks new inspiration and replenishes his resources in fulfilling work.
The thirst for the unusual and the inventive leads man to astonishing insights and discoveries.
Initially, there may be innumerable logistical constraints that restrict a man’s physical journeys. Not everyone has the wherewithal to pursue adventure. His creativity finds expression in other venues, such as a body of artistic work or in scientific research and inventions.
The artist, inventor, scientist, professor expands his world by delving into the realm of the spirit and ideas. Dreams and ideas are interpreted and concretized, in the unique process of creation.
Man always wants something new, big, different. He wishes to conquer the impossible, to solve the most difficult equation, to scale the highest peak, to swim across the ocean, to plunge into the unfathomable depths, and to soar beyond the moon and reach a distant planet.
The unknown is exotic, an irresistible challenge. The pursuit of the elusive muse is exciting in its unpredictability.
Risk is part of every game. The thrill of danger enhances the feeling of adventure. It makes the taste of triumph sweeter.
Five decades ago, in July 1969, man’s historic moon walk was the first stunning gravity-defying expedition. It was a giant step for mankind. Neil Armstrong was the modern Icarus triumphant who dazzled the world. He planted the American flag on the surface of the moon and launched the international race to supremacy in outer space. The rest is history.
An inner force makes the individual stretch his psychic and physical wings. The mysterious energy stimulates the mind to conceive and create immortal works in music, literature, art, dance, and theater. Among the great artworks are La Giaconda (Mona Misa) by Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre; Genesis by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel;
Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets; the concertos by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet; contemporary dances by Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey; and the designs of Dior, Schiaparelli, and Chanel.
An inspiration leads to a moment of insight and a new dimension. Thus, man discovers a scientific formula, a vaccine to eradicate the disease and control the pandemic. He devises a hightech computer, a gadget to help the blind hear sounds and “see” what is in front of them, a High Frequency Ultrasound (HIFU) machine to control and stop tremors of Parkinson’s disease patients without invasive brain surgery, a laser beam, a hypersonic vehicle that would change the world forever.
Our lives are changing because of new technology. We are enriched by the study of the ancient classics, mythology, philosophy, and anthropology.
The permutations are endless in the realm of the mind. It is man’s responsibility to tap into these infinite resources and utilize them for the common good. Not for selfish interests and material gain.
Man continues to discover and interpret diverse esoteric ideas into tangible achievements to benefit humanity.
By working for peace, by channeling his abundant talents into making the world a better place to live, man ascends to a higher level of consciousness.
Man is evolving into the being the Creator originally intended him to be. And this flight will take him to heights he has never dreamed of.