litewave

Where you go I go
What you see I see
I know I'd never be me
Without the security
Of your loving arms
Keeping me from harm
Put your hand in my hand
And we'll stand
- through Adele (Skyfall)
 
Palms rise to the universe
As we moonshine and molly
Feel the warmth, we'll never die
We're like diamonds in the sky
You're a shooting star I see
A vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I'm alive
We're like diamonds in the sky
- through Rihanna (Diamonds)
 
With understanding
You won't let it cast you down
A mind full of questions
A current to purify
Science and visions
Be near when I call your name
Or ask me a question
- through Chvrches (Science/Visions)
 
And if you stay a while
I'll penetrate your soul
I'll bleed into your dreams
You'll want to lose control
I'll weep into your eyes
I'll make your visions sing
I'll open endless skies
And ride your broken wings
Welcome to my world
- through Depeche Mode (Welcome to My World)
 
Why can't this moment last forevermore?
Tonight eternity's an open door
No, don't ever stop doing the things you do
Don't go, in every breath I take I'm breathing you
Euphoria
Forever, till the end of time
From now on, only you and I
We're going u-u-u-u-u-u-up
- through Loreen (Euphoria)
 
So open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart
Acceptance is the key to be
To be truly free
Will you do the same for me?
- through Katy Perry (Unconditionally)
 
Mon amour, sweet child of mine
You're divine
Didn't anyone ever tell you
It's ok to shine?
Roses, Bel Air, take me there
I've been waiting to meet you
Palm trees in the light
I can see late at night
Darling, I'm waiting to greet you
Come to me baby
- through Lana Del Rey (Bel Air)
 

Body Electric
 

“Elvis is my daddy, Marilyn’s my mother, Jesus is my bestest friend”

An interplay of the separating masculine archetype and the unifying feminine archetype draws out the potential of their common source into creative manifestation. Their background source could be considered a feminine extreme in that it contains everything in a state of undifferentiated unity. In this unity, the masculine and feminine orientations are inherent as naturally as plus and minus are inherent in a zero. The masculine differentiates reality while the feminine integrates it, the result being individual entities arising and interacting in mutual relations. In my understanding these are the fundamental principles of creation and consciousness. In Christianity Jesus is the ultimate example of this manifestation, being regarded as an incarnation of God in human body.


“Whitman is my daddy, Monaco’s my mother, diamonds are my bestest friend”

In this verse I identified archetypal ideas similar to those mentioned before. Whitman is one of Lana’s favorite poets while Monaco represents her idea of beauty. By words we define things and make them explicit/clear. Beauty, on the other hand, is implicitely/vaguely felt. Words analyze beauty while beauty integrates them in a harmonious whole, both actions enhancing the creation and its meaning. Diamonds symbolize a creation that is simultaneously clearly defined and beautiful. Such a creation is also durable because it prevents disintegration into parts by the analytical process and dissolution into vagueness by the integrating process.


“Heaven is my baby, suicide’s her father, opulence is the end”

Here I represented heaven and suicide with upward and downward tendencies, respectively. Fall leads to death, as the masculine/analytical process separates a part from its source, while ascension leads back to heaven, as the feminine/integrating process reunites the part with a larger reality. The two processes alternate in a cycle, resulting in the creation of multitudes of forms, our planet with its biosphere and human society being the richest place we know of. The Christian God descends to earth to die on the cross on Good Friday, only to be resurrected on Easter Sunday and ascend back to heaven. This story reminds us, who got stuck down here, that there is more to life when we open up and expand our perspectives.

Isn't it interesting how Lana's relationship with Barrie has become more visible since September? It seems like her life really kind of imitates the concept of the alienation between soul and ego, and, coinciding with the Paradise Edition era, their eventual reunion. Along with her rise from obscurity to the world stage.

The basic theme of Lana's album. I made esoteric interpretations of some specific songs too on the now defunct ldr.fm forum, but I put one of my posts on my blog here.

 

Esoteric accounts of the human condition (as well as the big religions) say that in the beginning the human was in a state of union or harmony with the divine. Some describe it as living in a garden or paradise. That era didn't last, because the human misused his will and separated himself from the divine instead of cooperating with it. In esoteric interpretations, this was a split within the human himself: his separatist masculine part (ego) suppressed his integrative feminine part (soul); there was a narrowing of consciousness and a limitation to the physical sensory perception. This spiritual fall then led to the diminishing of human vitality and ultimately to death, both spiritual and physical. I find it interesting to imagine that Lana's album (songs and videos) reminds us of the fall from that original happiness, by portraying sexual relationships that went wrong and in which Lana plays the suppressed/abused feminine part (soul).

Bel Air
 
Children's voices, echoes of the time when the ego was still weak and the light of the soul shone more brightly. Here she comes again, emerging from the mists of the unconscious where the ego has relegated her for an age. No longer deterred by his defenses, for the time is ripe for them to meet again, in that place of lush and sublime beauty, in your vehicle of flesh and bones, where spirit and matter unite.

It seems at that point, immersed in the beauty and wonders of the body, she forgets who she is and identifies solely with the body.

It seems at that point, immersed in the beauty and wonders of the body, she forgets who she is and identifies solely with the body.

She's definitely the best alternative out there. ^_^

It was a good show, America. And I'm glad Obama won, he seems to have a better understanding of today's complex world.
 
When I watched Obama rise four years ago I started to wonder about archetypal forces behind these two social orientations known as "conservatism" and "liberalism" (I will be using these two words in what I see as their contemporary American sense, corresponding to the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively). In the heated election campaigns the conflict/contrast between the two is emphasized but I think they are manifestations of complementary aspects of human nature, both having their weak spots and being able to offer valuable perspectives and enrich each other.
So this is what I came up with:
 
 
CONSERVATISM ---------- LIBERALISM
 
Differentiation ------------- Unification
Individualism -------------- Collectivism
Justice ----------------------- Mercy
 
Conservatives have a keen sense of differences, uphold them, emphasize them and keep them in structures. Liberals look for similarities and commonalities, try to reconcile, downplay or remove differences and relax structures.
 
Conservatives emphasize individual differences, freedom and responsibility. Liberals emphasize togetherness, mutual help and care.
 
Conservatives focus on rules and consequences of one's actions and uphold them even if they are painful; this is justice. Liberals focus on freedom from rules and consequences and try to alleviate pain; this is mercy.
 
Here are some specific areas:
 
Economic policy: Conservatives prefer economic individualism - free market and little redistribution of wealth; people get what they earn. Liberals prefer a more collectivistic economy, with larger redistribution of wealth and measures to help the needy and disadvantaged. The conservative direction stimulates individual initiative but can lead to reckless competition and suffering of the weaker people. The liberal direction alleviates the suffering of the weak and, if possible, helps them return to economic activity, but may also suppress individual initiative of many.
 
Abortion, death penalty, euthanasia: Conservatives feel strongly about the unborn baby's personhood and innocence and so they reject abortion as murder. The criminal on death row is a human being too, however he is guilty and therefore deserves the punishment. Liberals' preference for mercy will lead them to minimize suffering: abortion is permissible because the unborn baby's undeveloped consciousness limits its ability to suffer, at least in earlier stages of pregnancy, and anaesthetics can be used to remove possible pain to the baby during the procedure. In the liberal view, this can be better than having the baby suffering later when it is born unwanted or having the parents, particularly the woman, suffering as a result of pregnancy and having a child they don't want or can't take care of. Death penalty is less supported by liberals because of the criminal's capacity of suffering before or during the execution. On the other hand, liberals are more willing to support euthanasia ("mercy killing") if the patient wants it in order to end their suffering. For conservatives euthanasia undermines the value of the individual and the rule that an innocent person should not be killed.
 
Homosexual rights: Conservatives defend the differences between a man and a woman, heterosexual union and existing family structure. Liberals are less likely to stick to these differences and structures. Their support for homosexual unions is also influenced by the fact that change of sexual orientation is difficult, if not impossible, and discrimination against homosexual people causes them much suffering.
 
Illegal immigration: Conservatives are less likely to forgive law-breakers and are concerned about the impact that illegal immigration may have on their personal wealth, employment and on existing ideological structures. Liberals are more likely to emphasize the humanness of the illegal immigrants and include them in society.
 
Foreign policy: Conservatives tend to be more hawkish (militant and uncompromising) to the enemies and in defense of the national interest, which may lead to arrogance. Liberals are more dovish (conciliatory and empathetic), which may lead to appeasement.
 
Environment: Conservatives are more likely to see the natural world as separate from and inferior to man and available for man to use freely in order to secure his needs and interests. Liberals feel not only greater connection between people but also between people and nature, and strive for a better protection of nature.
 
Religion: Conservatives prefer rule-based religions while liberals loose spirituality. Conservatives tend to interpret religious scriptures in a more literal way, preferring clear definitions and structure and noting the differences from other religions. Liberals' interpretation of scriptures is more metaphorical and ambiguous and less dogmatic, giving them more flexibility in applying them in their life and reconciling them with people of different religions.
 
Summarizing with the following parallels:
 
CONSERVATISM ---------- LIBERALISM
 
Masculinity ------------------ Femininity
Ego ----------------------------- Soul
 
Congrats if you made it to the end.

Best fan greet/meet ever!
 

To me, the video is about someone who's been treated like trash, desperately looking for community, and finding it in (to the viewer) unexpected places. It's not just controversial; it's worldview-challenging. I think it's asking the viewer to re-evaluate how we think about human dignity.
 
Everyone's life experience is different, but most of us know what it's like to be treated like trash. Some methods are more large-scale and life-threatening than others. A person whose entire tribe is being "thrown away" is in a different physical circumstance from someone raised in relative physical safety who chooses to leave. But on a psychological level -- at a deep soul level -- if you're told enough times that you're trash, the desperation and despair is real. It doesn't go away just because someone, somewhere can find a way to tell you some way that you're privileged. At the point of desperation, I think any such privilege becomes theoretical.
 
At that point, the last thing you need is a community that tells you who's more important than whom. You need a community that tells you, you matter too.

I got a strong sense that while she experienced happy times with those men there was also a good deal of sadness. The sadness can be felt in the melancholy of the music and lyrics, in the monologue talking about dashed dreams and having no home, in her sad facial expressions in many scenes. And then there is the scene outside the grocery store, which suggests a prostitute-like behavior, and the scene with the pinball machine, which suggests rather callous treatment from one of her lovers. Those relationships didn't seem very happy to me.
 
I don't know, that headdress scene seems to fit into that bittersweet context.

Hello, I am litewave, of the old forum, which I'm happy to see has been resurrected and growing again. Now that Lana has released Ride and an impressive but controversial video I want to repeat my view that what she tends to represent in her art is not a balanced personality but rather a part of a personality. It is therefore necessarily exaggerated and imbalanced. This part, which I called the soul, has a holistic, open, inclusive, intuitive and ambiguous nature and has been traditionally identified with femininity, because it has been expressed, for both biological and social reasons, more by women than by men. Nevertheless, in all people it is only a part of the personality, and is complementary to the other part, which I called the ego. The ego, for its part, has been identified with masculinity, due to its analytic, focused, selective, separatist, firm and confident nature.

Because of its fragility, the soul has been suppressed and degraded in the Western culture and also in the world in general. In the process, mankind has built amazing structures of economy, science and technology, laying the groundwork for its escape from the forces of nature. But this separation from nature has also separated man from something vital within himself. This imbalance, the domination by the ego, needs to be corrected. The correction does not mean the negation of the ego or its achievements but their consummation in the reunion of the ego and the soul. As Richard Tarnas has observed, this change is already underway:


 

Richard Tarnas: The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue)

Lana reflects this new social and psychological trend in her art. She embodies the broken soul of America, and of the world, that is now returning.

http://vimeo.com/31309318

(my first post from the old forum can be found on my blog here)

perhaps i'm wrong, but i interpreted that fluorine meant that this type of appropriation that strips things of their true meaning is rampant in this tumblr day and age, not that it's OK for it to be so. it's fundamental that we question everything and not accept the status quo and and just give up and shrug and think "that's just how things are". no way! this is a great discussion because it helped a lot of people transcend their individual, possibly uninformed perspective on this and other matters. lana herself has appropriated images just because they're beautiful to her and by changing their context gives them a new "artistic" connotation. her glamorization of the mob is terrible, for example, when you think of the people who are subjected to the tiranny of the mafia in italy (and worldwide). i think it's worthwile to debate and give things real thought. that's what i love about this forum: through themes that stem from lana-related discussions, everyone reflects on important issues and shares their views and in that, we are mutually enriched by other's outlooks and personal experiences and sometimes reconsider previous stances. hopefully all of this can lead to broadening our horizons and transcending the limitations of our geographical and mental locations
 

I tried listening to Tool some time ago, they are not shy about esoteric references but I don't find their music very melodious, sorry!
 
About Lana's beauty, I sure find her beautiful and obviously many other people do too, so I think it makes her musical expression of the feminine archetype more effective.

I tried listening to Tool some time ago, they are not shy about esoteric references but I don't find their music very melodious, sorry!
 
About Lana's beauty, I sure find her beautiful and obviously many other people do too, so I think it makes her musical expression of the feminine archetype more effective.

Or maybe she sticks to her 1950s-60s era, in which she has always seemed to perceive a spirit of vitality, and now she has added the Native American element to that spirit, because of their sense of community and closeness to nature, while simultaneously making a point about the suppression of that spirit. In that final shot with the head dress I think she looks stunning, glowing like a Native American goddess.

Hello, I am litewave, of the old forum, which I'm happy to see has been resurrected and growing again. Now that Lana has released Ride and an impressive but controversial video I want to repeat my view that what she tends to represent in her art is not a balanced personality but rather a part of a personality. It is therefore necessarily exaggerated and imbalanced. This part, which I called the soul, has a holistic, open, inclusive, intuitive and ambiguous nature and has been traditionally identified with femininity, because it has been expressed, for both biological and social reasons, more by women than by men. Nevertheless, in all people it is only a part of the personality, and is complementary to the other part, which I called the ego. The ego, for its part, has been identified with masculinity, due to its analytic, focused, selective, separatist, firm and confident nature.

Because of its fragility, the soul has been suppressed and degraded in the Western culture and also in the world in general. In the process, mankind has built amazing structures of economy, science and technology, laying the groundwork for its escape from the forces of nature. But this separation from nature has also separated man from something vital within himself. This imbalance, the domination by the ego, needs to be corrected. The correction does not mean the negation of the ego or its achievements but their consummation in the reunion of the ego and the soul. As Richard Tarnas has observed, this change is already underway:


 

Richard Tarnas: The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue)

Lana reflects this new social and psychological trend in her art. She embodies the broken soul of America, and of the world, that is now returning.

http://vimeo.com/31309318

(my first post from the old forum can be found on my blog here)

Or maybe she sticks to her 1950s-60s era, in which she has always seemed to perceive a spirit of vitality, and now she has added the Native American element to that spirit, because of their sense of community and closeness to nature, while simultaneously making a point about the suppression of that spirit. In that final shot with the head dress I think she looks stunning, glowing like a Native American goddess.

It seems to me that the hippie counterculture of the 60s was a continuation of the freedom spirit of the 50s Beat generation but my knowledge of American history is just superficial. Lana noted Ginsberg and specifically his poem Howl as a big influence.

Hello, I am litewave, of the old forum, which I'm happy to see has been resurrected and growing again. Now that Lana has released Ride and an impressive but controversial video I want to repeat my view that what she tends to represent in her art is not a balanced personality but rather a part of a personality. It is therefore necessarily exaggerated and imbalanced. This part, which I called the soul, has a holistic, open, inclusive, intuitive and ambiguous nature and has been traditionally identified with femininity, because it has been expressed, for both biological and social reasons, more by women than by men. Nevertheless, in all people it is only a part of the personality, and is complementary to the other part, which I called the ego. The ego, for its part, has been identified with masculinity, due to its analytic, focused, selective, separatist, firm and confident nature.

Because of its fragility, the soul has been suppressed and degraded in the Western culture and also in the world in general. In the process, mankind has built amazing structures of economy, science and technology, laying the groundwork for its escape from the forces of nature. But this separation from nature has also separated man from something vital within himself. This imbalance, the domination by the ego, needs to be corrected. The correction does not mean the negation of the ego or its achievements but their consummation in the reunion of the ego and the soul. As Richard Tarnas has observed, this change is already underway:


 

Richard Tarnas: The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue)

Lana reflects this new social and psychological trend in her art. She embodies the broken soul of America, and of the world, that is now returning.

http://vimeo.com/31309318

(my first post from the old forum can be found on my blog here)

Hello, I am litewave, of the old forum, which I'm happy to see has been resurrected and growing again. Now that Lana has released Ride and an impressive but controversial video I want to repeat my view that what she tends to represent in her art is not a balanced personality but rather a part of a personality. It is therefore necessarily exaggerated and imbalanced. This part, which I called the soul, has a holistic, open, inclusive, intuitive and ambiguous nature and has been traditionally identified with femininity, because it has been expressed, for both biological and social reasons, more by women than by men. Nevertheless, in all people it is only a part of the personality, and is complementary to the other part, which I called the ego. The ego, for its part, has been identified with masculinity, due to its analytic, focused, selective, separatist, firm and confident nature.

Because of its fragility, the soul has been suppressed and degraded in the Western culture and also in the world in general. In the process, mankind has built amazing structures of economy, science and technology, laying the groundwork for its escape from the forces of nature. But this separation from nature has also separated man from something vital within himself. This imbalance, the domination by the ego, needs to be corrected. The correction does not mean the negation of the ego or its achievements but their consummation in the reunion of the ego and the soul. As Richard Tarnas has observed, this change is already underway:


 

Richard Tarnas: The Passion of the Western Mind (epilogue)

Lana reflects this new social and psychological trend in her art. She embodies the broken soul of America, and of the world, that is now returning.

http://vimeo.com/31309318

(my first post from the old forum can be found on my blog here)