Games

Slave to the Muse

By Pirin Ventpirnil

I am someone who harbors a good dose of both skepticism and fantasy. I would never suggest that you believe there is an actual muse who resides either in or out of your thoughts. However I would never suggest there wasn’t. Instead I suggest that you pretend there is regardless.

Referring to your muse can be very handy: It wasn’t you who needed the tatting bobbin — but her. It wasn’t you who decided to create four new Pinterest boards instead of working; she made you do it. See?

It may seem that pretending you have a muse could get you in a lot of trouble — like anything else — if taken too far... So a word of caution here; I assure you, your muse does not need donuts or shoes… or cigarettes. ( A glass of wine… well…)

I let my muse have her way with me, whenever she wants and I try to give her what ever she desires. If she wants to write about Sam Peckinpah and the nature of masculine imagery, even though I am supposed to be working on other things, I let her.

If she keeps nagging me about that faded, puce, velvet, box she wanted so badly but I refused her; I get on the phone, call the antique store in Virginia where she saw the damn thing, and have them send it.

If she needs to go to a museum, I turn the outing into an excuse to socialize with a neglected friend, and go. While at the museum if she wants me to pay attention to the Aztec wing (which I normally do not enjoy) I pay attention.

Yes at times she can be demanding, pricey and prone to sucking up my time, but I do not mind. As long as she comes to me often — allowing me the benefit of her expertise and the joy of her excitement — I will never mind. Because, save for that time I did liquid acid and listened to Darkside of the Moon on a headset in a tiny attic somewhere in Atlanta, being inspired is just about the best high I have ever experienced.

I have found the more readily I succumb to the muse the more willing she is to let me get to work when it is necessary and — this is the most important aspect — I am far more creative and successful at coming up with answers and ideas when I do. 

Inspiration is the domain, the life-blood and the delight of the muse. It is she who wants you to get all of the things that appear useless but are inspirational. It is she who wakes you up in the middle of the night with an idea. It is she who allows you to put the pieces of the jigsaw together and arrive at that salient moment of connection and clarity.

There are probably many diverse ways of conjuring the muse here is one.

Simply read the following list of subservience every morning, attempting to follow the rules, while watching for her to appear:

I must always try to get what she wants

I must, whenever possible, stop what I am doing and answer her questions, writing down her thoughts

I must go where she wants to go, and do what she wants to do, when she calls

I must feed her constantly with sound, images, ideas and objects that she adores or is fascinated by

I must arrange my life in a way that will allow her to feel some freedom

I must accept that I will not always understand her motives but I must believe they are valid

I must always strive to manifest her ideas and influences into at least a few physical representations

  

The 9 Dynamics of Style

How to Attract Others to Your World and Maintain Attraction

By Pirin Ventpirnil

The process of World-making requires certain ingredients if it is going to be a World that attracts outside attention and staying power. Even if one is not interested in longevity or attraction, cohesive World-making is a rewarding, perhaps even revealing, exercise. It can also be an illuminating and entertaining game when used to dissect other worlds.

For this game, attempt to apply all nine aspects to your “World” regardless of it’s size. If your World appears to be missing any of the elements, work out how they could be included by pulling material that is authentic to you and your life.

(Numbers correspond with Organon 9 World categories and are not chronological)

03. Familiarity (normal)/comfort

An element that is easily accepted, that is normal within the culture, and recognized immediately as being so (American flag, an Eames chair, Home Cookin’). This imparts a sense of comfort and bonding, and something one can easily understand serves as a message that your world is safe.

05. Beauty (connection)/pleasure

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but it is also an easily accessed element of any given culture if one observes the culture for a space of time. A cohesive color story, an obvious show of skill/talent, a gracefully flowing line, well executed mimicry (simulating nature) — an element that immediately pleases, and easily connects, with the people within the targeted culture.

09. Symbolic (repetition)/signature

Repetition of a symbol (logo/name) is often the easiest way to signify a personal signature, but it can also be a certain way something is always presented, a recurring sound, or a repeated angle, etcetera. A good signature serves as a marker that not only reinforces the presence of the specific Creator but also allows the viewer to easily identify the Creator and therefore feel as if they are a connoisseur of sorts, as in: “I can tell — it’s a Picasso!” or   “the Smiths! I love them!” This greatly helps with continued recognition and connection.

11. History (legend)/validity

History can take several forms but is often in word form. It can be a connection to an historical event, a legend, or a line of personal descendents in the same field (a family of bee-keepers). Ones own family can work if presented well. It can also be represented as a universal symbol that connotes history such as a crest, or an image of an ancestor(s). It is the aspect that signifies this World is somehow connected to the past and therefore valid through the duration of time. History can be applied as a “look” without the need for it to actually be true (Ralph Lauren).

08. Polar (contrast)/subconscious

Something that is the other side of what appears as the dominant theme: if pervasively modern, an element of old, if pervasively complex an element of simplicity, if dark in theme an element of light, if ordinary in subject matter — such as house work — then infuse something lofty like science (Martha Stewart), etcetera. Usually the polarity is interwoven with the dominant theme like a thread through out, appealing to our subconscious need for polar balance.

13. Authenticity (vulnerability)/passion

This is highly personal, a revelation of one’s own passion. Perhaps in the form of a subtle visual expression as in attention to detail, or a subtle essence that reveals how much love and devotion exists. This can also be expressed in words describing the pains taken to produce the end result. A showing of passion, like the vulnerability in Billie Holiday’s voice, lets others know that the Creator is willing to give a piece of themselves for their cause, they are invested in what they are saying and doing (…so we can be to). You can of course manufacture this as well, but it may impact your longevity.

07. Culture (roots)/interest

An element that alludes to your ethnic roots, or heritage, the sub-culture or group one belongs to (or wants to imply they belong to). This is interesting to those who are not part of this culture/group, as we are all fascinated by other ways of being — other “clubs” — and is self-confirming for those who are part of the culture/group — “in the club.” (Alluding to wealth-fame/aspiring to wealth-fame is clearly effective).

02. Disturbing (instinct)/memory

An addition of a disturbing element can take the form of some aspect that is a little ugly, violent, sexual, or hyper real to the point of severe artificiality or exaggeration. This subtly triggers the instinct of revulsion/attraction therefore making the image, sound, etcetera, striking and memorable (Ronald McDonald or a minor key). This is best as a subconscious stimulus not overtly detected, but if you are really going for memorable… (or contemporary status).

12. Uniqueness (innovation)/excitement

Incorporating an aspect that is quite new, never before seen, or at least a new perspective on a familiar subject. This usually comes from the combined life experiences and influences that are individual to the World-maker. Innovation creates excitement and a feeling of freshness particularly for those over-saturated in a given field or genre — such as buyers, curators, agents, publishers — the ones most likely to be in a position to advance your world. But it is best to remain cohesive to the current zeitgeist — nothing too new! Or you may find your world is marginalized.

If you aspire to be truly unique, all of the above could be used as entryways into further exploration and manifestation, each dynamic a kind of rabbit hole that spirals toward a deeper understanding of the self, ones society, and by extension the all.

The Three Stages
By Pirin Ventpirnil

In the process of decision-making there are three options:

1.    To let life take its course

2.    To change

3.    To embrace and incorporate

The first requires the ability to just ride the wave, letting go of control, loosely navigating while allowing “life” to basically set the course.

The second requires the ability to see from an outside perspective, discarding ingrained beliefs/habits, in order to change — transform — and therefore create a different outcome.

The third requires trust, ingenuity in morphing in order to absorb elements into the matrix, and the ability to remain dedicated to the goal.

Each of these connects to the first, second and third stages of the creative process, respectively. This is important as it lends a clue (a clue mind you, nothing set in stone) to when best to use either of the three, for example:

First creative stage: this initial step in the creative process is connected with being able to let life circumstances lead for a while in order to find out more information as an observer. This is often important when first starting out on any endeavor in the form of playing with ideas, and/or wandering, letting yourself be attracted to new inspiration/information; Listening, watching, absorbing, experimenting.

(“Slave to the Muse” is a good exercise for this stage)

Second creative stage: the next creative juncture — change — is greatly aided by letting go of habits, and what we believe is right and wrong — in a sense — deeply held viewpoints on how something should work, or a process that always worked in the past but no longer bears fruit. It requires one changes their idea of what they think is true. This is a transformative moment that requires we see from a viewpoint outside the self. It can mean the difference between creative growth and creative stagnation.

(“Grail” is a good game for this stage. Note: coming soon)

Third creative stage:  the final phase requires loyalty and dedication. No longer letting “life” man the ship, no longer changing beliefs, in the third stage one has reached the point where it is necessary to be persistent. Time to stay the course, trust that the decision is sound and therefore whatever arises in this stage is not to lead down an arrant path or provoke change. All arising situations are to be incorporated as a vital aspect of the stage; or set aside. At this point it is a matter of time…

(“Bluish Print Destiny” is a good game for this stage. Note: coming soon)

Postscript

The creative process like the generation of life itself — the ultimate creative process — resembles the workings of the Mandelbrot Set, continuously emerging into wholeness all the while generating tiny vortexes on the periphery where the process is continuously spiraling through the stages. In other words even when one is deeply enmeshed in the third, dedication phase smaller tangential creative processes are taking place, cycling through all three stages anew.

Usually these tiny vortexes are connected to the larger process but consciously returning to prior stages can be informative by focusing on some aspect of the larger process and questioning whether more information is needed here, or a small change in thinking is required in some area.

And sometimes a new, yet related, world is emerging with fresh ideas and insights that is only loosely connected to the larger process, perhaps emerging one day as the main.

A Path Through the Weeds

By Pirin Ventpirnil

Some are born at the foot of a straight and narrow road. Perhaps bitten early by the angel of clarity, perhaps handed the gift of a singular focus, they proceed directly forward through life, rarely straying from their trajectory towards a known destination. This game is not for these happy few.

This game is for the rest of us whose lives look more like a riotous tangle of intersections, tangents, footpaths and alleyways. The purpose of this game is to sort through these snarled, weedy walks, and find a cohesive whole — a direction, a sense of a path:

1. Begin by making a list of all significant interests. This is the moment to really spend time trying to remember all the things that seemed as if they sparked a deep connection. The list should include objects and imagery, inspiring people, careers both fantasy and real, all creative projects and interests.

2. Get a large piece of blank paper and write the word “path” in the center. Then randomly place all items on your list around the center word. Make a circle or box around each item. The point here is to gather all the bits in one place and get an overhead view of who you are even if it doesn't make sense yet.

Now begin connecting everything that seems related with a line. If one of the interests seems a distinctly strong direction in your life connect it to the center “Path.”

Here’s the tricky part, everything has to be connected to at least two things. There can be no dangling interests so this means some items will need to be coerced to work together. Open up, be receptive, and believe they can. Many lines may extend from one item, only a few from another, just get them all connected. The end result will look like a big tangle.

When all possible connections have been exhausted stop.

Note: an item can be dropped from the tangle altogether but only if it is really a random interest or one that you feel certain will not play a part in your future life.

3. Turn to a new page and, referencing the tangle of connected interests, start grouping all items connected by a line into separated lists. Place these lists across the page in a row. Make as many lists as needed to cover all interests connected to each other. Some interests will be connected to several different lists just repeat in each list.  It may get confusing just do your best it isn’t a test. The main agenda is to get distinct groups of items that include everything on your list.

4. Draw a rectangular box at the top of each list then find a single word or phrase — an all-encompassing concept — that best describes everything in that list. If you have a list of movies (your lists will most likely encompass a much more diverse array of items), instead of titling the list “films,” find the thread that ties all of the films together such as: “Gothic lighting” or “films centered around orphans.” In other words you are searching for an essence rather than a defined shape.

Note: Pay particular attention to those items you connected to the word “path” as these should be directly linked to titles.

5. The next goal is to condense the lists down to a smaller amount of lists as if you were creating a seeding chart for the super-bowl. If you have fifteen lists you are now trying to create ten lists by combining titles that can work with each other in a single concept.

There are two ways of condensing: you can rename one of your titles to incorporate two or more concepts; or you can just merge a concept into another, adding that group to an already existing title – but it has to make sense. The titles should be making this easier than trying to squeeze entire lists together. Connecting two or more titles may require an entirely new perspective on your interests, but this is where the magic happens.

Take it a step at a time but keep going until you have squeezed all of your titles into one all-encompassing sentence, phrase or word! If you get stuck at two titles, try having two contrasting elements in your final sentence/phrase, using the contrast as an integral part.

Note: O.K. you can have a couple final concepts if absolutely necessary…

And there it is! This is your path! Or at least a vital part of it. Obviously this final title is not going to be “you are an artist,” it will probably not be a direct career choice, it’s a direction probably not a specific destination.

I strongly suggest keeping your original lists. These lists are an essential part of your history and can be continued to be used many times through out your life.

This exercise is great for smaller issues as well. It can be very helpful for sorting out a specific art project, working through a disparate conglomeration of writing themes or any project that has a cluster of ideas floating around needing to be harnessed into a whole.