The Seeven Archive
is sponsored by

Don't just sit there worrying! Get answers today!
Order Page for Tarot, I Ching, and Astrology Psychic Readings

One Hand Clapping:
The Taoe of Music

WholeArts and The Psychic Internet is proud to present the "Preface" and "Part One" of this remarkable book by Daniel d'Quincy. "One Hand Clapping: The Tao of Music," originally published by WholeArts in 1991, is a book-length essay on the performance of music from the perspective of Eastern philosophy and religion. Mr. d'Quincy is a noted composer, musician, author, inventor, educator, speaker, and photographer. Please visit his unique music sites at WholeArts: syNThony, and the WholeArts Online Music Conservatory.

Page 13

Artistic freedom – the condition and the experience – is central to our quest as artists, and it represents a goal to which we may direct ourselves. But it will not be properly conceived with regard to any narrow definition of its nature. We cannot examine every premise that is assumed in this book, but one that should be recognized explicitly is that freedom, per se, is indivisible, manifesting on all levels of being, material and spiritual. Moreover, with implications that will be seen in what follows, we assume that every manifestation and form of freedom contributes to the well-being of artists, and other people – IF, that is, this freedom can be brought into harmony with all things as they exist, in the broadest view that we can possibly take of them.

Only the very greatest artists ever puzzle the question of freedom out to its farthest extent. As we all instinctively suppose when we gaze on a Rembrandt, or listen to J.S. Bach, they do this by attaining to a surpassing level of consciousness – and, as noted above, we are looking for a principle that is active in the artist even before the work is undertaken. Thus, we note that freedom would appear to arise by virtue of attaining to higher levels of consciousness, and, by implication, to the panoramic view of things opened up in that consciousness. Certainly, in a practical sense, the great artist’s consciousness of every detail and aspect of his work (with reference to established and collective aesthetic norms) is knowledge that results in the perfection of the forms he creates. But the content of those forms reveals an even greater knowledge, and it stands to reason that only a fully comprehensive consciousness is capable of perfect freedom. The all-seeing and all-powerful attributes that we attribute to deity are complimentary and mutually interdependent.

Thus, knowledge and freedom would appear to be the twinned coordinates on which we must plot our success as artists, not to mention the course of this inquiry. Make no mistake, we can brook no arbitrary boundaries to our search – even straying into forbidden territory if necessary to find our way. In Hassidic lore, a very great rabbi broke every law of God and man, as part of a scheme to get close to the Devil. In this way, he hoped to outwit the dark angel and rob him of his secrets. The true artist is engaged in a similar battle. What a nexus there is between knowledge and freedom. Frightening, no doubt, but also pregnant with potential.

In this book, we are making an inquiry into our consciousness as artists, in hopes of attaining to a greater experience of freedom in our music. We cannot speak of the highest reaches of that level of consciousness, experienced only by the likes of Rembrandt and Bach. But the consciousness we will describe may be open to artists at progressive levels of achievement, a Gradus ad Parnassum of enlightenment. As musicians, we partake of that consciousness to whatever degree is possible for us. We may discover that the degree intensifies as time goes on. In this book, we assume that our path forward along these lines can be only gradually revealed to us, but that it always appears in richer detail and greater dimension as we constantly penetrate to ever-deeper levels of consciousness. Once set forth on that path, who can tell what distance we will go? (Next Page)

| Top of Page |

| The Psychic Internet HomePage for Tarot, I Ching, and Astrology Psychic Readings |

"The Psychic Internet," and "Your Personal Psychic Link" are trademarks of WholeARTS.
Copyright 2003 WholeARTS All Rights Reserved