Lobotomy Lab: A Sacrifice of Self
Lobotomy Lab: Offering piercing insights into photography
According to the legends of the ancient norse their high god Odin sought knowledge above all others, he wanted knowledge of all 9 realms. To gain the knowledge of the runes Odin, sacrificed his eye, thrust himself upon spear then he hung himself from the world tree Yggdrasil for 9 days and 9 nights. He ate no food and drank nothing but drops of dew. When he came down he was wiser man. This is often described as a sacrifice of himself to himself. He endures untold pain for the longterm promise of knowledge and a deeper understanding of the universe. And he succeeded gaining extraordinary knowledge and the power that comes with it.
The idea of sacrifice can be frightening. No one wants to lose something of value, to say good bye to friends and family for dream, no one wants to wait for something that may never arrive. But the idea of a sacrifice of himself to himself has a certain appeal in my mind. If you are willing to give of your self who more deserving than yourself? Even if that may be the abstraction of your future self. I see this as how all of us should view the use of our time and the practice or our skills. A sacrifice, one that if given enough time and blood will result in a better future version of ourselves. A version of our selves who has knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge, what in short we call power. A power over our own destiny.
I think this concept is very true in the pursuit of arts. Very few become skilled or gain renown quickly or easily. It takes time and effort and in the early stages these can be frustrating and even painful. It is easy to look at a mistake as a lost opportunity, but did Odin lament as his eye lunged down Mimi's well? Or did he see with his one remains eye that this was a major step towards his goals. Did he try to avoid the spear Gungnir as its tip neared his flesh? Or did he accept this as another step in the the grand process. As he hung from Yggdrasil did he try to pass his days and nights with idle distractions to ease his pain? Or did he accept the visions that came absorbing their knowledge.
Our time is one of the few things we can exert much control over and even that is limited with jobs and the concerns of other people, but do not deny it is something that we all have control over. But it takes concentration, detection and physical effort to use that time effectively. Use your weekends to get out and make big steps towards your goals, but don't forget you can use the quiet nights for planing and learning. Steps that may not be as glamorous but are some of the most important steps in reaching your goals. You may lose some sleep but what you gain in return could be much more rewarding and valuable. Don't shy away form the hard questions as facing those may reveal some runes to you.
Be willing to make a sacrifice with your future self in mind. Be willing to give up a piece of yourself for a greater cause. Be willing to give up conveyances and comfort for real knowledge and the power it allows you to wield.
