Happiness quotation from Christopher Alexander (last time).

This is the third time in a row that I've included a long quotation from Christopher Alexander as my weekly quotation. Last time, I promise!

Here, Alexander is talking about architecture, but I think it's fascinating to think about his point in relationship to the elements of a happy life.

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But then I read a passage in an ancient Chinese painting manual—the Mustard Seed Garden manual of painting—which made the situation clear to me.

The writer of that manual describes how, in his search for a way of painting, he had discovered for himself the same central way that thousands of others like him had also discovered for themselves, throughout the course of history. He says that the more one understands of painting, the more one recognizes that the art of painting is essentially one way, which will always be discovered and rediscovered, over and over again, because it is connected with the very nature of painting, and must be discovered by anybody who takes painting seriously. The idea of style is meaningless: what we see as a style (of a person or of an age) is nothing but another individual effort to penetrate the central secret of painting, which is given by the Tao, but cannot itself be named.

The more I learn about towns and buildings, the more I feel the same thing to be true. It is true that many of the historic styles of building have some quality in common – they have it not because they are old, but because man has, over and over again, approached the secret which is at the heart of architecture. In fact, the principles which make a building good, are simple and direct – they follow directly from the nature of human beings, and the laws of nature – and any person who penetrates these laws will, as he does so, come closer and closer to this great tradition, in which man has sought for the same thing, over and over again, and come always to the same conclusions.
--Christopher Alexander

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Dan Schawbel, the personal-brand guru who writes the Personal Branding Blog and who wrote Me 2.0, was kind enough to do an interview with me. Interesting questions.

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Interested in starting your own Happiness Project? If you’d like to take a look at my personal Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at grubin, then the “at” sign, then gretchenrubin dot com. No need to write anything more than “Resolutions Chart” in the subject line.

Comments

[Corianne]

Nice quotation. As I study Chinese I'm a bit familiar with the Tao. It is amazing how it can be applied to almost everything - also very interesting related to the Tao is wu wei (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei), the act of doing something without doing it and thus (unconsciously) trying to follow the natural course of things. You can link this to "being true to yourself" (in your case, your first commandment - Be Gretchen) - by doing things that aren't "you", you go against your personal Tao --> by being true to yourself, and not going out of the way to be something you aren't, you follow your own natural course of being (Tao).

[Steve Williams]

I think it's tricky territory to think about a singular nature or painting or anything else for that matter. Perhaps because the expressions of that nature can look so different and still be the same. Maybe that's why "Being Gretchen" or "Being Someone Else" can be different in their manifestation but both be perfect in their own individual nature.

My wife has "Pattern Language" here as well as several volumes of his "Nature of Order" books. They're heavy reading but perhaps it might be a good time to revisit them.

Another great find on your part!

Steve Williams
Scooter in the Sticks

[Sam]

I agree that there is a sameness in the larger concepts, but I also believe there is some small room for individual expression. My example is cooking, which is my creative outlet. I started with a new idea for chili, had herbs and all kinds of odd things in there... in the end, my chili evolved to look very similar to most chili you would find out there. Otherwise, it was just not recognizable as chili. There is a little room for style there, how much heat, cumin and so forth you add, but not really much. But watch the Iron Chef sometime and see how far those boundries can be stretched by someone who really knows the underlying rules.

Anyway, good find. I am always a student of Chinese wisdom. My favorite Tao quote is "Illuminate The Path with your own inner light." That quote has driven my whole career, indeed my life. It causes me to remember that true strength comes from within.

Sam

[Niel Malan]

These underlying, unifying rules seem to be what Robert M Pirsig calls "Quality" in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

[jane]

Hey, Gretchen, what's going on with the deleted comments?

[rick]

Yes-- what is going on? Are you going to speak to this?

[FupDuckTV]

I hope the deleted comments were not because Grethen disagreed with what was said. I love negative comments on my blog. They help me become a better blogger. Disagreements foster discussions.

Still hoping it was a glitch...
Still hoping for an update from Gretchen...

[molly]

Love the quote. Does it point to a "one-truth" that we are all moving towards in some way, shape, or form?

[Gretchen Rubin]

Hello from Gretchen -- here's a post about the deleted comments: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/in-which-i-addr.html

zoikes!

[Liara Covert]

Each architect is said to have a point of reference at the core of his or her soul. If you believe in energy fields and the interconnectedness of everything, then this would bring us back to the laws of nature. In this way, the heart of all architecture may be described as love, that indescribable concept that stimulates happiness, mystery and intrigue forever.

[Raoul Duke]

anybody feel like they'd be willing to share tao-ish insights?

http://ineffable.wikispaces.com/

[Alice]

I just discovered Christopher Alexander by chance while looking through landscaping books at the library. I had hoped to find someone to "commune" with who thought or felt some of the things I find of value. And, et voila!

I have someone else to point the way to if anyone is interested. Listen to this: "Nothing is more beautiful than a human being adorned with peace, with joy, tranquility, understanding. When peace comes to the heart, serenity follows in abundance. Love comes flooding in, uncontrolled. Joy cannot be held back, but bursts open the doors because...something is right. That is what peace is. Peace is when this heart is not in duality anymore."
Prem Rawat

Check out this man. He's a master of accessing that feeling Christopher is talking about. He also freely gives "fine tuning" to anyone who shows up.

And so that's why the subject Alexander addresses is interesting to me. I showed up for "fine tuning" from Prem Rawat.