Saturday, September 20, 2008

Truth or Agenda?
From "The TAC Legend Writings"

Here is another excerpt from my book, "The TAC Legend Writings,
Book 1: Journey to Freedom."

Master Manlon was giving a masterclass when Tersha raised her hand.

Master Manlon: "Yes Tersha, do you have something to add?"

Tersha: "I wanted to relate a story." 

Master Manlon: "Let's hear it!"

Tersha: "A few weeks ago, I went to Sutherland, where there was a workshop with the famous triuna player Wilkus Tordly.

Different people were playing for him. I was really shocked with how he handled people and the manner in which he addressed their various playing issues. It was the furthest thing from your approach and all the teaching staff in 'The Amazing Club.'

Mr. Tordly was very rough on the people, saying they had terrible sounds and had no idea how to properly play the instrument. He kept asking people who they studied with and told them to change teachers and get instruments that were actually playable.

I was extremely upset and was wondering what was the point of my attending such an affair. Then it hit me how lucky we are to be in the TAC, a place where the teachers realize that, first and foremost, there is a human being with a human instrument, and then there is the musical instrument as an extension of the human instrument with the power of what it is connecting to."

Master Manlon: "Well, I guess you learned a lot from this workshop!

It is important to realize, always, that it is not 'who' is teaching, playing  speaking or acting, but 'WHAT' is doing all those things. We have said many times in the TAC that it is not 'who' wrote the music, but 'what' wrote the music. What is the nature of that life force that would want to treat people that way? Yes, Antil?"

Antil: "The ego?"

Master Manlon: "The ego can be attached to certain things that do not want others to succeed. Lots of times we see that a person who is like that was also treated like that themselves. So that painful 'virus' that they were infected with then needs to infect others so it can have continuance and grow.

Learn to recognize it and and make a pact with yourself that you wish to be different to it. Always remember that when you see some undesirable feature in yourself, try to see that it is not really you but 'what' got into you. Then remember that you have the choice to not have it. That is the profound gift of will. And to activate our will, we need to realize we have choice. But do not expect all the choices you make to be received with a resounding "BRAVO!" from everybody.  So, thinking, deliberately choosing and taking responsibility for your choices isn't always an easy road.

When we treat music as a living thing, and ourselves, other people and other life as living things, truth, even in cases we don't necessary want to hear it either, becomes of greater importance to us than any other personal agenda. It is a beautiful life goal and process to be in the music of being all you can be, regardless of how popular it is or isn't."

Other excerpts from "The TAC Legend Writings" can be found throughout this blog. Here is a sampling:

Trombone Sci-Fi
Excerpt from "The TAC Legend Writings"
Blinded by Sound
Another Excerpt from "The TAC Legend Writings"
More from "The TAC Legend Writings"
More Trombone Sci-Fi
More from Master Manlon and "The TAC Legend Writings"

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