Music of the Heart Will Not Be SilentWritten by Stephanie West Allen
Most of Beethoven’s masterpieces were composed while he was deaf. He had inside him music that would not be stilled by life’s circumstances. His music triumphed over suffering.The last movement of Ninth Symphony is choral music Beethoven set to Friedrich von Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy.” Beethoven believed this poem celebrated brotherhood of man. On May 7, 1824, when Ninth Symphony premiered, Beethoven was on-stage conducting. Also on-stage was a supplementary conductor necessary because of Beethoven’s deafness. When “Ode to Joy” movement was over, audience erupted in applause. Beethoven did not turn around as he could not hear them. Turn Around and See What You Have Created One of chorus members broke protocol and moved towards Beethoven. He took hold of composer’s arm. Beethoven gave him a fierce look but chorus member persisted gently turning him around. By then applause had subsided. As Beethoven looked out into audience, they began to rise in standing ovation. First one person and then many and then all. It is said that a single, small tear of joy slipped down composer’s cheek. It is also said that another tiny companion tear rolled down cheek of chorus member standing next to him. Some Questions for You What gift inside of you is so strong that it must triumph over any adversity (or shyness or inactivity or busy-ness) and come out for others to enjoy? Are you still holding it in, sapping creative energy by squelching it? What will it take for this ability, this genius, to flow out of you on a stream of inspiration?
| | WHAT YOU THINK UPON GROWSWritten by Stephanie West Allen
A magical maxim is WYTUG. You can remember WYTUG because it sounds like “Why tug?” So many of us are tugging at our life, trying to pull it along as if it was an obstinate, stubborn, headstrong mule. Why do that? Your life can be like old children’s song:“Row, row, row your boat Gently down stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream.” Read on to make your life a merry one full of all that you have dreamed. Known For Centuries WYTUG is an acronym for What You Think Upon Grows. That what you think upon or focus upon increases is not a newly discovered fact; many have known it since at least as early as writing of Bible (Phillippians 4:8). Many more since then have written about this simple and yet profound principle -- Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, Agnes Sanford, Dale Carnegie, Joel Goldsmith, to name just a few. Our thoughts are very powerful; they are our mental magic wands. What we dwell upon becomes our reality. This simple fact is what makes our thoughts so powerful. If you cast your attention upon poverty, you will attract poverty into your life. If you think about illness, you will get sick. No matter what situation — health, wealth, peace, happiness — thinking about negative side will get you more of negative; concentrating on positive will get you more of positive. Too simple, you say? It may be simple but it is not easy. Watch your thoughts for a half day. How often do you think of good and positive, and how often of that which you fear or do not want? Many of us think much more about bad things in life and imagine these fears coming to pass. Not a good move! Fearing a thing invites it to become manifest in your life. Think miracles instead. Wonderful, enchanting, golden miracles. Fear, Fear Everywhere Why do many of us find our thoughts drawn not to wondrous, marvelous, triumphant, but to pessimistic, fatalistic, creepy? Perhaps it is because we are told so often what to fear — diseases, interest rates, crime, foods, chemicals, addictions, politicians, violence, road rage (and all other rages du jour). One potential fear after another.
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