Spirituality, Potential, and the Bards
What is a bard?
The Webster dictionary defines the bard as an ancient Celtic poet or any poet.
Throughout history we see the term bard evolving and taking on new cultural nuances and shades. But the root meaning of the word (despite the passing of ages, and its ancient origin) remains the same – a poet.
Who is a poet?
The Webster offers a rather bleak definition: “One who writes poetry”
So what is poetry? What is a poem? “A composition in verse, esp. one characterized by the use of heightened language and rhythm.”
The Webster’s definition is rather dry and technical. I feel like this doesn’t tell me much about who a poet is, and what is his or her true purpose.
If I had to define a poet my expanded definition would be:
A poet is a skilled observer with a longing to see the true essence of things, which he or she then feels obligated to share with others. Because the truth is simple it is more efficient to convey its essence by using precise, uncomplicated and condensed expressions. The linguistic embellishments a poet uses: the play on words, the rhythm, the rhyme, the metaphors ect., are tools without which a poet would be a prose writer and would require a lot more words to convey ideas.
Through my personal songwriting experience I can attest that it takes more words to say the same thing in prose than it does in poetry!
In short, the word bard is just an old term for poet. And a poet is simply a creative and concise storyteller.
I first became aware of the term bard while growing up in the Soviet Union. I was about 5 years old.
Quoting Wikipedia:
“The term bard came to be used in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and continues to be used in Russia today, to refer to singer-songwriters who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment. Because in bard music songwriters perform their own songs, the genre is also commonly referred to as author song. Bard poetry differs from other poetry mainly in the fact that it is sung with simple guitar accompaniment as opposed to being spoken. Another difference is that this form of poetry focuses less on style and more on meaning. This means that fewer stylistic devices are used, and the poetry is often in the form of a narrative. What separates bard poetry from other songs is the fact that the music is far less important than the lyrics; chord progressions are often very simple and tend to repeat from one bard song to another. A far more obvious difference was the commerce-free nature of the genre; songs were written to be sung and not to be sold.”
It turns out that the bard movement outlived the Soviet Union, and while the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991 the bards continue to write and perform their songs.
It is a musical movement that most likely started out of a need for spiritual expression. The Soviet Union was extremely intolerant towards religion and spirituality of any kind.
The Soviet bard movement is a real life example confirming that a human being cannot feel fulfilled without spiritual expression. We long to express our spiritual essence even when such expression is intolerable and even forbidden. The bard songs were not necessarily openly “spiritual” in their lyrics or outward meaning, but in their very essence they breathed and emitted unparalleled profound spirituality.
The bard song is a paradox just like an afflicted being. (On the surface one might appear poor and plain, but from within the soul illuminates and radiates with eternal riches!). Perhaps the capacity for paradox stems through oppression and centuries of war and instability that much of humanity has endured and continues to endure till this day. Out of the most wretched times come some of the world’s greatest minds and artistic and cultural masterpieces and milestones.
This is a living testimony to the immortality of the spirit. The spirit cannot be crushed by mere external events. The mind and the soul will always prevail over matter. As many of us are beginning to live the economical challenges that some predict are ahead – I feel that it is wise to arm ourselves with a strong spirit. Where there is a will, there is a way. Where a door is closed there can be opened a window to allow in Light and fresh air (metaphorically speaking) - Enough spiritual sustenance not only to “survive” the challenge, but even to flourish and become greater! This principal is always true on an individual scale, and as the Russian bards have proven – it can hold true even on a massive national scale!
Sometimes it takes a lot of readjusting and shifting of values and priorities. When the Russian spirit was not allowed to express itself the people created a gigantic grass roots movement infiltrating all social levels with “the bard song”. The bard song fueled people to express themselves with an even greater spiritual capacity than if they were permitted spiritual and religious freedom. The bard song and its quest for a deeper meaning outlived the regimen that attempted to suppress all seeds of spiritual evolution.
To this day I listen to these imperfect recordings of these most precious and touching songs and my heart skips a beat each time. The simple chords and lyrics all combined together with passion and purpose, with longing and need, with heartfelt honesty and sincere expression till this day touch my heart in corners I never knew there were!
Perhaps it is that when a human being is most longing for air that he or she comprehends all the greatest reasons to live.
To conclude, this entry was meant to shed light on the Soviet bard movement that continues till this day, and that lives on in the hearts of millions as well as in the new songs that continue the tradition.
And this entry was also meant to offer hope to those who are perhaps starting to face challenges in their own personal lives.
In summary actually this blog post is about the “hidden potential” that is within each one of us.
It is about a certain quality within a human being that makes him or her eternal. It is the “essence”, the “soul” a “spark of Divine Light” ect… Regardless of the multitude of names “it” goes by, it is the real “us” and in my opinion the purpose of creation and evolution.
If we search for this “spirituality” we will together transform darkness into Light. Just like a tiny flame of a candle can light up a large dark space, so even a faintly lit smile can disperse a great quantity of darkness! It takes a gentle awakening and stirring of our conscious to realize that nothing can really crush our spirit, and that we are capable of far grater feats that most believe.
Posted: December 8th, 2008 under Informative, Reflections.
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