endeavors over the years - Spiritual Blogs - Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community2024-03-29T05:48:57Zhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/endeavors+over+the+yearsDe Profundis (Lifeforce part 5)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/de-profundis-lifeforce-part-52012-10-18T17:00:00.000Z2012-10-18T17:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-de-profundis-1.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« De Profundis 1 » by <a href="http://www.kateparryevans.co.uk/gallery.html">Kate Parry Evans</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/40f4c27zv7&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part5.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« De Profundis » is the fifth and final movement of « Lifeforce. » I discovered the title when time came to name the various sections of « Between Worlds. » I opened my encyclopedic dictionary and started looking for words beginning with « d » in the hopes of finding five suitable titles all starting with the same letter (I already had « Dissolution » and « Dance Of The Archetypes » at that point). I stumbled upon this Latin locution which means « out of the depths of misery, » or simply « out of the depths » according to some sources, and instantly thought of the present movement, as it aptly expresses its mood of looking forward with hope after hitting rock bottom.</p><p>The lyrics have been quite harder to come up with though, as I had too many good ideas to fit in the existing musical structures. After much pondering and a lot of almost-but-not-quite-satisfactory versions, I finally decided on the words which follow below. Please note that the melodies you can hear in the clip haven't been updated to match the final phrasings. <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>Holding in your hands the gift of miracles<br /> Resolving yet again to elude all misery<br /> Far yet so close, wise yet so blind<br /> Will you ever stop and see ?<br /> <br /> Past endeavors were not wasted<br /> Nor was your pain borne in vain<br /> With you remain, all the things that you need for the way<br /> A brand new day, every chances to show us your best<br /> Don’t mind the rest<br /> <br /> See that your goal is near<br /> All that you need is here<br /> <br /> Let the music move your body<br /> Endow with will and way<br /> You’re here to play, not to think of more shackles and banes<br /> Loosen your chains, and be free to return to the game<br /> Show your true flame<br /> <br /> See that your goal is near<br /> All that you need is here</em><br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">« Lifeforce » is the story of a personal catastrophe, an individual end of the world, beginning from a state of inspiration and hyperactivity, through doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse, and then on to relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal.</div></div>Derelict (Lifeforce part 4)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/derelict-lifeforce-part-42012-10-11T17:00:00.000Z2012-10-11T17:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-caspar_david_friedrich_006.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caspar_David_Friedrich_006.jpg">The Sea of Ice</a> » aka « Polar Sea, » aka « The Wreck of Hope » by <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Caspar_David_Friedrich">Caspar David Friedrich</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/6p7po844f5&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part4.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object> <br /> <object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/0cqk7x08dt&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part4.2.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Derelict » is the fourth chapter of « Lifeforce » and is a completely instrumental section intended to evoke a dark, chaotic, threatening mood, and to suggest a painful descent.</p><p>In the storyline of the suite, the passage depicts the period when things start to go awry. Inspiration is ignored or resisted and activity slowly subsides. The goal is put aside, only for a while, but long enough for doubt to invade the process and destabilize it.</p><p>The first demo clip presents the transition from « Infused » to a first guitar solo which is intended to be angular and to convey awkwardness and difficulty.</p><p>The first part of the second demo clip presents what is intended as an accompaniment for the second guitar solo. The band's original lead guitarist (Louis Fiset) used to shine here with a very effective gut wrenching slide guitar solo that sadly very few people have had the privilege to hear thus far (but don't worry, I still have tapes). The ending of the section used to feature a distorted guitar playing a funerary melody, which has evolved with time and is now harmonized and arranged for two clarinets and a trumpet.</p><p>Hoping it's not such a day of dereliction for you, here's the associated poetry : <br /> <br /> <em>Defeated<br /> Unwilling to go through<br /> This door of innovation<br /> Not knowing the courage<br /> For more transformation<br /> <br /> Disjointed<br /> Unwilling to believe<br /> This voice of intuition<br /> Not knowing the virtue<br /> Of its revelation<br /> <br /> Defensive<br /> Unwilling to concede<br /> These proofs of divination<br /> Not knowing the release<br /> Of exoneration<br /> <br /> Depleted<br /> Unwilling to receive<br /> This gift of inspiration<br /> Not knowing the reward<br /> Of the culmination<br /> <br /> Delinquent<br /> Unwilling to honour<br /> These walls of limitation<br /> Not knowing the insight<br /> That they are instruction<br /> <br /> Degraded<br /> Unwilling to resist<br /> This sweet song of temptation<br /> Not knowing the setback<br /> Stemming from transgression<br /> <br /> Deflated<br /> Unwilling to elude<br /> This pull of gravitation<br /> Not knowing the lightness<br /> Of high elevation<br /> <br /> Derelict<br /> Unwilling to go on<br /> This road of liberation<br /> Not knowing the distance<br /> From here to completion</em><br /></p><p>As I reread the verses, I am reminded of this quote by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung">Carl Gustav Jung</a> :</p><blockquote>The foundation of all mental illness is the unwillingness to experience legitimate suffering.</blockquote><p></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">« Lifeforce » is the story of a personal catastrophe, an individual end of the world, beginning from a state of inspiration and hyperactivity, through doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse, and then on to relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal.</div></div>Infused (Lifeforce part 3)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/infused-lifeforce-part-32012-10-04T17:00:00.000Z2012-10-04T17:00:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-tea-in-the-studio.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/51881970/lightbox/#/photos/poligraf/51881970/">Tea In The Studio</a> » by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/">poligraf</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/0nerp42dm0&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part3.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Infused » is the third movement of the suite and is intended to communicate the energy felt in the state of inspiration and hyperactivity, prior to the collapse.</p><p>The clip presents the solo on which the section opens, followed by verse, build-up, and first chorus.</p><p>The lyrics to the choruses were inspired by « Lift up your heads, O ye gates » from Handel's « Messiah » that I happened to hear while pondering the composition during the Christmas holidays a few years ago. <br /> <br /> <em>Heighten awareness beyond material<br /> Question the sensing, master imagining<br /> Guided by the quest, fired by the plight<br /> Follow the insight, further the need to uncover<br /> <br /> So many ways this could fail, so many pitfalls<br /> Yet there would not be a point if not for these walls<br /> All the difficulties of the world can’t make this fall apart<br /> No hurdle is too high for the heart<br /> <br /> Lift your head up – so much to be done, so much to be said<br /> Lift up your head – confrontation is no reason to stop<br /> Lift your head up – so much to be done, so much to be said<br /> Lift up your head – opposition will only make you thrive - keep it alive<br /> <br /> Heighten awareness beyond conventional<br /> Question the meaning, master the reasoning<br /> You are a life force, nurture your creation<br /> Be elevation, foster the need to rise higher<br /> <br /> So many claims challenging your intuition<br /> Why should their voice speak louder than inspiration<br /> All the cynicism in the world can’t make this fall apart<br /> Intellect is no match for the heart<br /> <br /> Lift your head up – so much to be done, so much to be said<br /> Lift up your head – confrontation is no reason to stop<br /> Lift your head up – so much to be done, so much to be said<br /> Lift up your head – opposition will only make you thrive - keep it alive<br /></em> <br /></p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">« Lifeforce » is the story of a personal catastrophe, an individual end of the world, beginning from a state of inspiration and hyperactivity, through doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse, and then on to relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal.</div></div>Flashback (Lifeforce part 2)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/flashback-lifeforce-part-22012-09-27T16:30:00.000Z2012-09-27T16:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/444px-insearchoflosttime.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bogenfreund/556656621/">In Search Of Lost Time</a> » by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bogenfreund/">bogenfreund</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/mt1frupolm&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part2.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>In « Lifeforce, » the story is told in non-linear time. It begins just after the collapse, and its various stages are presented as objects of an introspection. Eventually, this reflective process leads to appraisal and peace, and allows the protagonist to determine their next direction.</p><div align="center"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/lifeforce_timelines.jpg?w=444" alt="" /></div><p></p><p>In the picture above, the bottom timeline represents the protagonist's sequence of events :</p><ol><li>Infused : inspiration and hyperactivity</li><li>Derelict : doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse</li><li>Forsaken / Flashback : introspection and appraisal</li><li>De Profundis : relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal</li></ol><p></p><p>The top timeline represents the musical timeline, in which the sections are presented in the following sequence :</p><ol><li>Forsaken</li><li>Flashback</li><li>Infused</li><li>Derelict</li><li>De Profundis</li></ol><p></p><p>« Flashback » is a short instrumental passage which represents the beginning of the recollection process, the transition from present to past. It leads to the remembrance of the time when energy and inspiration were flowing in abundance, which is depicted in « Infused. »</p><div align="center">·</div><div style="font-size:x-small;border:1px solid #AAAAAA;">« Lifeforce » is the story of a personal catastrophe, an individual end of the world, beginning from a state of inspiration and hyperactivity, through doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse, and then on to relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal.</div></div>Forsaken (Lifeforce part 1)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/forsaken-lifeforce-part-12012-09-20T16:30:00.000Z2012-09-20T16:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/lifeforce.jpg" alt="lifeforce.jpg" /> <br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/3201999250">Lifeforce</a> » by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/">poligraf</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k005.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/78v1n6l145&titles=poligraf.lifeforce.2009.part1.mp3" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Lifeforce » is the story of a personal catastrophe, an individual end of the world, beginning from a state of inspiration and hyperactivity, through doubt, destabilization, failure, consternation, collapse, and then on to relativisation, assessment, the return of hope, and renewal.</p><p>The story is told in non-linear time, beginning just after the collapse, and its various stages are presented as objects of an introspection which will lead to appraisal and peace and will allow the protagonist to determine their next direction.</p><p>The clip presents the introduction along with « Forsaken, » the first section of the suite, which consists in the lament of the protagonist being confronted to the sad turn of events. Here are the lyrics : <br /> <br /> <br /> <em>The goal was so near, yet there was no reaching it<br /> The prize was so dear, yet there was no tasting it<br /> Inches away, promise of a better day<br /> Fading away, only agony remains<br /> <br /> Nowhere to find, such elusive peace of mind<br /> Nowhere to go, left abandoned to the flow<br /> Endeavors over the years, disregarded in a day<br /> Seeds of hope and fruits of tears, so high a price to pay</em></p></div>