Baraka

DAILY MUSE | Here is a link to a full length version of the simply gorgeous movie “Baraka”.

Hallelujah for Jeff Buckley

DAILY MUSE | Here’s an excellent BBC documentary I came across on musician/singer Jeff Buckley, an extraordinary creative artist who tragically died too young.

TODAY’S MUSE: The Secret

DAILY MUSE | “The Secret”. Nuff said.

Coming tomorrow… TODAY’S MUSE: The Secret & ______.

“The Secret” website where you can buy a copy of the movie and more for your friends.
Learn about TODAY’S MUSE here.
See all TODAY’S MUSE here.

The Amen Break

DAILY MUSE | Watch and listen to this very informative and unique video about a ubiquitous element in today’s musical scene– The Amen Break. It’s fascinating how much influence this little break beat has had.

TODAY’S MUSE: The Evolution of Dance

DAILY MUSE | In case you haven’t seen this video yet– one of YouTube’s most popular of all time — please enjoy your first viewing. If you’ve already watched it before, please enjoy it again. And by all means shake your groove thang.

Learn about TODAY’S MUSE here. See all TODAY’S MUSE here.

The Art of the Burning Man

DAILY MUSE | Watch this fabulous video about the artistic experience of the Burning Man celebrations. (Link)

BREAKING NEWS: Tomb of Jesus and Family Found

DAILY MUSE | Claims by James Cameron, Hollywood director of ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Terminator’, that he has found the real tomb of Jesus will no doubt prove to be controversial– and perhaps a groundshaking challenge to the beliefs of millions of Christians around the world. His version of the conclusion of Jesus’s life more closely resembles that of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ than the narrative of time honored Christian tradition. He claims that Jesus was entombed with his family, including his wife, Mary Magdalene, and his son, Judah (some have reported that the name is Jonah). Cameron’s claims are supported by scientific research, including DNA analysis, which he will include in the broadcast of an upcoming Discovery Channel documentary. Links to other articles about the new findings are listed below.

LINK | LINK | LINK | LINK | LINK | LINK

(Photo credit: Discovery Channel)

TODAY’S MUSE: Enlarge Your Earliest Memory

The Persistence of Memory, Salvaldor Dali

DAILY MUSE | What is your earliest memory? Close your eyes. Conjure it up in your mind. Spend some time there. Imagine the sounds. The sights. Smells. Tastes… and other senstations that accompany and support that memory. What are your other memories of that memory? How else can you enlarge that memory?

Learn about TODAY’S MUSE here. See all TODAY’S MUSE here.

Chimps Have Begun Arming Themselves

DAILY MUSE | The prophetic scene from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ has come to pass… for real. West African chimps have been seen sharpening sticks to use as weapons against prey. Listen to the ‘Weekend Edition’ story here. Listen to a more in depth ‘Day to Day’ story here.

TODAY’S MUSE: Make a God Box

DAILY MUSE | Sometimes when I get stuck with something, I put a note inside a box and give it up to a higher power– call it God, the Creator, the Life Force, or simply Upper Management– and wait for an answer, reply, or solution to arise. Here’s a good description of a God Box (via Tera’s Wish). Anne Lamont describes her use of a God Box in her own unique way. Another way of doing this comes via Julia Cameron (as described by brandyalien). “Make a box or some other container, decorate it, and put your hopes, fears, dreams, secrets, wishes, etc. in it for consideration by spirits/higher beings/celestials, etc. When you feel like your submission has been considered, withdraw the submission and burn it, or drop it in some random place with a blessing, or some other such ritualistic thing. “

On the humorous side… here’s a funny and unique God Box you can participate in online.

Is The Queen Blessed With a Lack of Imagination?

UPDATE | Click the Interview links I placed below. I’ve been having trouble formatting the player for Google videos.

DAILY MUSE | Consummate actor Helen Mirren, and my favorite for the Academy Award for her role as “The Queen”, speaks with Charlie Rose. Watch it below. Her performance in the movie was uncanny- full with subtlety. However in the interview, Mirren makes an extraordinarily unsubtle comment that “perhaps the Queen is blessed with a lack of imagination”. I found it to be a stunning comment; I’ve never thought of a lack of imagination as a blessing. But there you have it! Watch it in the context of their conversation below. The interview is the second segment in the episode. You can forward to its beginning by moving the bar at the bottom to 33:30 minutes. The discussion leading to the comment above begins at about 39:30. (Interview link)

TODAY’S MUSE: Make Your Own Muse

DAILY MUSE | Read my Introduction to TODAY’S MUSE. What was the first creative idea that came to you? Take it on. Do it. Or take a step towards it.

CREATORS AT LARGE- The White Stripes

DAILY MUSE | I admire the bold, creative vision and graphic sensibilities in this video, one of my favorites from the last few years– “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes. (Cool website too). I admire how they maintain a clear and consistent, graphic, iconic sense of design in all their work, image and presentation. It seems to originate from their music, therefore occuring as organic, integral and true.

TODAY’S MUSE : Turn Things Around

DAILY MUSE | Tonight, sleep in your bed with your head at the foot of the bed and your feet at the head… Yes… I’m serious. Sometimes you have to mix things up, turn things around to access your creativity. Yesterday, it had to do with changing how you brushed your teeth. Today it is this. Try it. Then see what opens up for you.

Click here for a general introduction to TODAY’S MUSE.

Sledgehammer Stop-Motion

DAILY MUSE | Current viral videos like “Tony vs. Paul“, relying on amateur yet ingeneous stop-motion technology, owe debt to the ingenuity of this mid 80’s video for the Peter Gabriel song “Sledgehammer”. Watch it again below.

TODAY’S MUSE: Try Another Way

DAILY MUSE | Today, brush your teeth with the opposite hand to what you normally use. Notice what happens, what you feel, sense. Awkwardness? Uncomfortableness? What other sensations, thoughts or feelings do you notice?

Click here for an introduction to the TODAY’S MUSE feature.

A Peek Over Picasso’s Shoulder

DAILY MUSE | This video offers an amazing view into the creative process of Picasso, by peaking over his shoulder while he’s creating it. Through the time lapse photography, you can see how is rethinking the compostion while he’s painting. And watch how the bull all of a sudden goes from cartoony to cubist.

How Sufjan Stevens Created “The Lord God Bird”

DAILY MUSE | NPR interviewed artist musician Sufjan Stevens and challenged him to write a song- which became “The Lord God Bird”. Read the article here where you can also listen to the report by clicking on a link. And listen to the song here.

UPDATE | Corrected linking errors 2.21.07 at 8:39 p.m.

An Interview with Sydney Lumet

DAILY MUSE | As you may know by now, I love hearing and watching interviews with artists and creators. Here Syndey Lumet, director of 12 Angry Men, Network, Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico speaks with Charlie Rose.

TODAY’S MUSE: Imitation

DAILY MUSE | Imitation can be a sincere form of creativity.

Today, take one of your business cards (or someone else’s business card if you don’t have one yourself) and do a doodle on the back as gapingvoid does. Of course, do it in your own particular way.

Click here for a general introduction to TODAY’S MUSE.