Try Musical Painting: Beethoven's Opus 27 Movement 3
Inner vision for self discovery with Beethoven
In my last post, I set a scene with two major characters and briefly presented the idea that our idea of work (and meaning) is shifting. To get to this idea, I placed my focus on the characters and context, and watched a story play out in my head.
While this was less of a traditionally “creative” act than other topics I have and plan to address in this blog, and I did not share the complete vision, the more I have played with any form of active imagination and storytelling, the more apparent it has become that stepping into creation reflects a mirror for revelation—both “inside” and “out.”
If this sounds absurd or makes no sense to you, the most important thing is to try it and then continually look for the significance of the story in your own life. But it’s also helpful to understand that an idea (beauty, truth, justice, etc) is not something to be created but something to be revealed. It’s Latin and Greek root idein literally means “to see.” And what you see in a vision—the movement of the idea—will depend on your particular relationship to the idea itself.
So let’s continue with what I call musical painting (or I guess visioning) with Beethoven’s famous Opus 27. This time, specifically focus on the movement that the song represents and the context in which it happens. The movement will reveal the idea to you. In that idea will be something about you and life.
Like before, take out a piece of paper and a pen or start a new google doc if that’s easier, and start writing 10 seconds after you hit play on the song below.
I can assure you there is something beyond what you hear. It may be a visual. But it could also be a feeling or a sense you get.
Do not interrupt anything that you notice. That will 100% break your flow (leave spell check for another time). Give it space and allow it to lead you. Just continue writing once you start, without breaks. And please let me know what you put down!
I’ll briefly share what came up for me below the first time I did this, but please try yourself before reading on and share what happens with me.
I have told many stories about this song over several months, but the first time I heard it I received a very vivid image of a man running away from another man, running up and down stairs in an old European fortress and turning corners to get away. Ultimately the one catches the other, they collide, and then realize that they are the same person. When they finally meet, their heartbeat is so strong that they become one. And the man wondered why he was so afraid of himself in the first place.
I’ve also talked to my wife and mom about this song…
To my wife, there is someone in a courtyard in a European town trying to share big news with others. They excitedly jump from group to group to communicate what they know.
To my mom, the song is a big argument, apparently between myself and my father! Oh and no one wins.
Look forward to hearing about your experience!