Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Readings: Its Own Reward


 “As the Lord Krishna on the battlefield said to the warrior prince Arjuna, ‘ To the work alone you are entitled, never to its fruits…He who knows that the way of renunciation and the way of action are one, he verily knows.’

 Life as an art and art as a game—as action for its own sake, without thought of gain or loss, praise or blame—is a key, then, to the turning of living itself into a yoga, and art into a means to such a life.”

Joseph Campbell  Myths to Live By  

But this is not necessarily an either/or--just that this point of view is ultimately the one.  It connects to a couple of other quotes posted here (or there) in the past:

   "Writing becomes its own reward.  What do you need from others--except a little money--if you have satisfied the stern critic of yourself?"

Malcolm Cowley 

"You don't have to sell a hundred million records, you don't need thousands of platinum disks, you don't need to sing to millions and millions of people for music to nourish your soul.  You can sing and play to the cat, it will still mend your life.  My mantra is five simple words: Music is its own reward."

Sting

No comments: