Movies
This is my ultimate crying movie. Inspiring and moving, about love, purity, sincerity, all the simple human virtues. This is as good as it gets in regards to motion pictures.
I see it as portraying the other side of being human than the Forrest Gump does. Sadness, loneliness, confusion, longing, grieving, being lost… A beautiful film to be watched over and over again. And, of course, the music, oh the music…
Subtle, dreamy, about friendship and love, about searching and losing, with Bill Murray at his best.
Beyond words. Not a movie, but rather an existential experience.
Love the symbolism of it, about the true and divine emerging despite all the wilful denial, suppressions and rejections. And Patricia Arquette is so sweet. When I saw this movie for the first time it brought out many suppressed dilemmas and feelings and in a couple of months I was making some really huge steps in my life. No direct connections though, only on very symbolic levels.
Music
Probably listened to it hundreds of times in the last 25 years. The music that best resonates with my life and my soul. The music that emerged from one deep moment in Egberto’s life. Not an easy thing to listen to, but with some attention the most tender and wonderful energy can be heard. Egberto plays his 8-string acouistic guitar, piano and also sings a bit. Beyond words.
Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert
Everything has already been said about this one. A definitive must.
Pat Metheny & Charlie Haden – Beyond the Missouri Sky
Soft, subtle, intimate, something to listen over and over and over.
Paco de Lucia, Al di Meola, John McLaughin – Friday Night in San Francisco
A pure and perfect communication via music – no words needed. Ever.
Books
Shunryu Suzuki – Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
To me this is the ultimate wisdom of life collected in a simple and modest book. As long as I have this one, I do not need to read any other books. This one can lead me from here to eternity.
Shunryu Suzuki – Not Always So
Another pearl from Suzuki Roshi, a bit on a lighter note than the above one, but it is really hard to decide which of the two takes my breath away more often.
Fiction: Haruki Murakami – Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Just love this one. The interplay of the two world enchants me in a magical way, touching some deep and undescribable parts of my soul. Have not yet met anybody who would have a similar attitude towards this Murakami’s work. Anybody out there?
Fiction: Haruki Murakami – Kafka on the Shore
This is how I have felt when 16, the overall mood and perception of living. Just like to indulge in this feelings again.
Fiction: Haiku poetry and the poetry of Hafiz and Rumi.
Endless inspiration.
