puporing

Yes it's like a very skewed pyramid, very few make all the money and the rest get bread crumbs. But maybe that is the reality check we need to feel. That this was never a sure thing financially, but something we do out of love for the craft.. And so I guess then you can evaluate how much time you want to be spending on something that's not earning but you do for love.

@Thought Art You are clearly growing and you seem level-headed to me.. and you can make yourself more stable in time, it's in the realm of possibilities let's just say.

Hey maybe it's precisely because of all of your struggles that made you so talented, have you thought of that? You have something unique to offer that others who haven't experienced simply can't. I know personally if I hadn't struggled I prob never would've pursued something like music at an older age. But I also know how much of an impact some musicians had on me that I would want to dedicate a large chunk of my life to it as well. You're just on a bump, it sucks, sometimes it really really sucks. (I get courage from Charles Bukowski too he struggled his whole life pursuing his art in poetry and writing and being poor, not advocating for that, I do believe people should have some material abundance/security). Or maybe you just need to save up for awhile, look for something that pays really good - like a trade, change it up and then come back to it. That's totally valid and not less valid.

Yeah that really sucks, especially if you were already onto something there and got a taste of freedom. Not having enough money does limit you, esp in certain fields like the arts. I don't have all the answers I struggle with this as well. Maybe it's good to just ease off on the LP for awhile can be good to take a break.

That one too yeah.. so many possibilities.

@Thought Art Maybe music could help you... something else to take some focus away from the ringing sound... I'm sorry about your condition. Please research about it, are you open to alternative meds? I had something which western med could only deal with through surgery, but I sought out acupuncture and I'm pretty much healed, not saying that'll work for every case. Exhaust all options and think outside of western med if that doesn't help you. And then, if still nothing, you can still find ways to cope/manage it.

@Javfly33 It's tough. I've only experienced "unconditional" love once through a therapist, (though ironically paid), and that changed/healed me a lot. I was doing so much inner work but still spinning wheels and not getting too far. Sometimes you do need an 'intervention'. Even just a single interaction was profoundly healing and shook me, it was the first time I felt like I've come 'home' and I didn't know that was what I was struggling for my whole life. Mind you I went through 5 therapists until I found this one. And I did have to exit eventually for other reasons.

I'm sure you've thought of it, but I'm guessing no answer from the docs?

@Thought Art Injuries are also common with practicing musicians, I have to manage one too. But I know what you mean if hearing is not clear..

@John Paul some things like leafy greens or if I'm juicing something.

I don't know if this helps.. but I could only get my life together and start doing music at 28 and feel like making progress right now. And for others who did start young, many have to teach in order to keep working on their craft. Depends on what you want to do also... Here's an interview with a classical musician that may affect your beliefs around age:

Bit cliche but, love the other as though they're yourself (also true).

You're just on a harder mode of life.

@blankisomeone because there are still tons of room for self actualizing and truth seeking, and one cannot really do so with such a stronghold of religion and family they're serving. Basically the happiness is at the cost of growth and truth.

The unhappy people are probably more motivated to change things, within themselves and outwardly. Someone can also be happy and not happy at the same time... ie being at peace with their life but also sensitive to the suffering that exists around them. Part of the problem is that we're not taught how to relate consciously with one another, with respect. Things can easily be exploitative and intrusive when you lack boundary skills or get upset for being on the receiving end of someone wanting boundaries. Even therapists are awarded boundaries, you can only talk to them during the session and you cannot just rant either which some have a tendency to. In my experience members from the family and racial groups are the worst for boundaries, many feel like they own your time and subjugation especially if you're younger/female. At least this is the reason I would shy away from people in general. It's incredibly hard to find people who are respecting of another's autonomy. Self actualizing individuals require a lot more autonomy than what alot of cultures currently can accept.

Sounds like to me he needs unconditional love.. Something most people are not good at giving because very few people are shown this. Unconditional love is so incredibly healing but the paradox is that you can't expect him to be something else by giving that. Unconditional love is the answer to a lot of psychological problems... Is there a single person in his life where he can feel unconditional love around, that's the question, now it's reached a tipping point, so many of us don't/didn't have this growing up.

@Tristan12 @Gianna I feel both 'aloneness' and 'oneness' are simultaneously true.

Maybe truth require risk taking. So if you're a truth seeker, got be ready to 'lose the life as you know it' and that is a big risk to the ego self and can be quite 'inconvenient' in a practical sense. You can choose to struggle against what's being presented, or surrender to it and investigate further, with the understanding that it could alter your view and sense of what's true. I don't have books on the top of my mind specifically..

Heavy metals is one factor. There're other substances too that you probably don't want to ingest (pesticides/herbicides, BTEX, PAHs, etc.. not that organics are free from this in absolute terms it can vary a lot by location.. the location's history..current proximity to toxin sources both air, soil/water, nearby farms spraying stuff). I guess it's like... there is a certain way organic produce is farmed that may reduce toxins, but we can't know how much as a shopper in the grocery store without some kind of hard measurements because it's going to vary by the farm..

It feels like you're feeling uninspired at the moment. Find the inspiration again and again and the rest are tackled to meet your vision. I guess if you want to be financially afloat, sometimes that vision has to be met 'aggressively' like an OCD perfectionist. All depends on how much you want to keep doing it/have the money to keep doing it. Burn out is real too. It's also possible you're falling out of love with what you've been doing and in a transition to something else. That's also okay business/LP can come and go too.

Stephen King recommends this, read a ton of books, fiction and non-fiction, history and whatnot. I guess it's not dissimilar to musicians having to practice a lot of what others have wrote, sort of like building blocks.. I feel like 'creativity' doesn't come out of thin air, it builds on top of things already in existence. Just my take though.

Just shared this in another post but I think it's just as relevant to your post.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olI5JvCuz44 TL;DR: Equal striving and appreciation. I have a similar 'business' going on the side, I would say it's mostly been good fun testing what works and what doesn't, expressing some creativity and love through it, it's not a charity but I aim to put into it more than I expect to receive, and not being afraid of pulling the plug if things don't work out financially after trying a bunch of things. So far it's been going well at least but can always change. Having an adaptive mindset helps to not be dragged into the "rollercoaster" of day to day.

LoL good one.

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There may also be a stage where one is "Interdependent" while working on said LP and self-employed/working... but I guess that falls somewhere between Stages 4-6.