Van Gogh never made a penny in his entire lifetime. He painted because it was his soul, his excitement. It was what aligned him with his Source of being. It's the same with me and writing.
Interpretation
Van Gogh's passion for painting was purely intrinsic, illustrating the importance of following one's true calling regardless of financial gain.
This quote emphasizes the idea that true artists, like Van Gogh, create out of a deep connection to their own existence and passion rather than for monetary reward. Wayne Dyer draws a parallel between Van Gogh's dedication to painting and his own commitment to writing, suggesting that aligning with one's true source of inspiration is what brings fulfillment, regardless of external recognition or profit.
In practice
This quote can be used during a lecture about the true motivations behind artistic expression.
What is hope but a feeling of optimism, a thought that says things will improve, it won't always be bleak, there's a way to rise above the present circumstances. Hope is an internal awareness that you do not have to suffer forever, and that somehow, somewhere there is a remedy for despair that you will come upon if you can only maintain this expectancy in your heart.
Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.
Live forgiveness every day rather than just talking about it on Sunday.
Say to Yourself when Someone Else is Criticizing U, 'What U Think of Me is None of My Business'
Conflict is a violation of harmony. If you participate in it, you're part of the problem, not the solution.
My own eight children all march to the beat of their inner music, and in some cases, it is definitely far away from what I hear. I've had to honor their instincts and their choices, and merely guided them out of harm's way until they could be their own guides.
At a certain place in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, for example, he might feel that he is floating above the earth in a starry dome, with the dream of immortality in his heart; all the stars seem to glimmer around him, and the earth seems to sink ever deeper downwards.
Songs for me are like a message in a bottle. You send them out to the world, and maybe the person who you feel that way about will hear about it someday.
In France, in Europe, the young artists of any generation always act as grandsons of some great man - Poussin, for example, or Victor Hugo. They can't help it. Even if they don't believe in that, it gets in their system. And so when they come to produce something of their own, the tradition is nearly indestructible.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
The real test of a musician is live performance. It's one thing to spend a long time learning how to play well in the studio, but to do it in front of people is what keeps me coming back to touring.
Art is not a democracy. People don't get to vote on how it ends.
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