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Leonard Cohen, Truth Seeker
By: José de Segovia Barron
"Knowing the purpose and meaning of existence is something beyond our reach," says Cohen.
October 03, 2012
This week in Barcelona and Madrid acts, Leonard Cohen. At 78 years, the Canadian poet and musician is still active, giving a tour around the world. There is something enigmatic figure of Cohen, which always produces some perplexity. His image of bohemian, a suit, a passionate lover who lives alone; legendary singer, who barely has a voice, a Jew, who practices Zen Buddhism ... There are too many things that do not fit. Cohen, like his admired Dylan is a Jew who is also a curious obsession with Jesus.
References to the Gospels fill many of their songs from the sixties. Although spirituality has become increasingly complex, as has been approaching and moving away from the reading of the Bible, to be open to other Eastern religions. The Editorial Milenio of Lleida has published a curious book by an author named Marc Hendrickx on Flemish Cohen, as a seeker of truth.'s Work tells us his particular pilgrimage, which begins with one of the most important Jewish families in Quebec ...
JEWISH TRADITION
Cohen was born in Montreal with the Hebrew name of Eliezer, which means God is my bra - in 1934. Its name refers to the priestly tradition of Israel. His father was the son of a Lithuanian Jew who emigrated to Canada, shortly after the founding of the federation, becoming owner of the largest garment factory in the country and the youngest president of Canada's largest synagogue. His grandfather Lyon was also vice president of the first Zionist organization in this country and founder of the first English-language daily throughout the Americas.
His father, Nathan, was invalid because of his wounds in the First World War. He married a woman eighteen years his junior. Masha was the daughter of a Lithuanian rabbi, who wrote a work of more than seven hundred pages about the different interpretations of the Talmud. He had fled from the persecutions of the Jews in the pogroms of Eastern Europe to England, but was then to Canada in 1923.
Leonard Cohen has an older sister named Esther. The family lives WWII with some comfort, as I had money to maintain a home with maid service, nanny and chauffeur. They were in many ways a privileged upbringing, marked, though, by Judaism. Cohen says: "We had a deep faith and religion practiced, that structured our whole life, but my parents were not fans."
Leonard believes that for his family, "religion was like water to a fish." Just remember that every Friday night began to celebrate the Sabbath by lighting candles-something he still continues, says in an interview with the French magazine Les Inrockuptibles -. Made prayers and went to the synagogue on Saturday morning. But although Hebrew education received three times a week, Cohen went to a secular school and had an Irish Catholic nanny, who became known for Christianity.
LONELY HEART
His parents never showed him a God taskmaster, but learned the Shema, the Jewish creed taken from the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and made the Jewish initiation ceremony known as bar mitzvah. His whole world collapses when his father dies, having only nine. Already acquired a seriousness that accompanies all his life. His melancholy and sadness will introduce an emotional wasteland, which makes escape from all frivolity and unconsciousness.
Cohen went to the prestigious McGill University. Love poetry of García Lorca, who will then name their daughter. His thinking is clear and sharp, but rarely devoid of sarcasm and cynicism. Recognizes the wisdom of their teachers, but it shows when to say, "Follow me, the wise man gets to walk behind me," as he says in one of his songs, Teachers -. According Hendricksx, Cohen "gives priority to the individual, the community reduced to nothing other than the result of the sum of the individual volunteer." Although not knows "what is worse: to be alone and think that you are, or think everyone else feel like that alone."
His lonely heart has always done quite amorous. The Marianne and Suzanne of cancionesestán inspired by his many experiences of heartbreak. Suzanne Verdal was a dancer from Montreal, who was married to a sculptor named Vaillancourt, when he wrote this poem in 1965. Marianne Ihlen a Norwegian novelist lived on the island of Hydra, which leaves a son, when he began his long relationship with Cohen, but he always regretted that out goy - gentle -. Which, for him, was unable to share Jewish vision of the world. Its failure was best known however his recent relationship with actress Rebecca De Mornay, that "he finally realized that you can count on me as a husband, with whom to have children."
Despite many disappointments, Cohen says she has learned that "unless the heart is broken, it is impossible to know anything about love." But what is love for him? In one of his early poems - Keeping Things Whole, 1964 -, Cohen describes the lover of a young woman as "a roving body pain." He says: "I think this is the ocean in which we all swim, all we dissolve, forgetting who we are." He concludes: "I think this is love, forget who you are."
BOHEMIA LIFE
As a wandering Jew, Cohen hopes to return home one day. That homecoming seems however that goes around the world. Although "become what is often called a bohemian was not well seen something families like mine, took the position that it was an adolescent phase that would overcome, but not exceed it." It becomes an inhabitant of hotel rooms, which has the world as his only luggage. In the fall of 1969 arrives in London with the idea of writing his first novel, but bad weather makes you change your mind, going to the sober and naked island of Hydra, then almost untouched.
Hydra was a lonely and lacking in amenities, with the Aegean and Cretan on each side. He lived a few steps above the harbor. By ringing the bells and get the boat supplies, promptly at ten o'clock, had already served most of a working day. His draconian times suggest that "the greatest wisdom comes from the iron discipline", as the poet Paul Valery. In this island wrote some of his best writing, with the only company of cats that come to your balcony, the talk of the shopkeepers and docile donkeys hooves hitting load the pavement. Although each evening had a reserved seat in the cafe, when the time came magical sunset.
His bohemian seems to contradict the "sense of order" which he likes: "The type of learning that is instilled discipline in military training." His book on the Beautiful Losers had great reviews, but did not gain much with him. Can you think then that you could sell better their lyrics with country music. Plans to go to Nashville, but the trail passes through the famous Chelsea Hotel in New York. In the mid-sixties that everyone aspired to be something in the art world lived there.
REALLY HUNGRY
Cohen maintains his poetic vocation, but in popularel music means to express their art. Judy Collins accepted the principle some of his songs, but soon signed a record deal. Hydra Keeps your home as shelter, but made of a Los Angeles apartment office, until a trip to Tennessee suffers a mental breakdown. He realizes that "all go for the money" and "hucksters have taken over." Everything seems hollow and start searching for the truth in full time.
"We are attracted by the truth, says Cohen, when we hear and see, hypnotizes us." The singer believes that all "we are hungry for the truth." What happens is shown in different shapes and forms. "There are millions of people who go to church and get a real support of the liturgy and being part of the religious community," but he does not feel comfortable "confining the expression of truth to a single field of action" . He believes that "we are constantly surrounded by truth, but we know that sometimes, and sometimes not."
Search for the truth is always painful. "It is usually assumed that perfection does not exist, says Cohen," that our world is broken, and we live defeated lives with broken hearts. " The problem is that "this does not excuse us from anything." So in his hymn sings Anthem: "Forget your perfect offering, everything has a crack." And "that's how the light gets." For him, "the amount of suffering that you learn something scary." While acknowledging that "the only thing that comes close to a consolation" is the Jesus Prayer: "Thy will be done."
RELIGIOUS QUEST
"We all come to a point where we find meaning for our lives, says Cohen, when we have to search for metaphors to explain to us the meaning of our lives." There are many ways, "either through charity, meditation, therapy or monetary enrichment." The goal is the same: "to find the parable that gives meaning to our deepest hunger." For him, "this is where religious traditions fit." Although it is something that "we are continually reviewing, discussing and correcting" because it "is not something that is acquired once and for all, is a ceaseless activity." Cohen then goes to Zen Buddhism.
Hendrickx see its connection to Judaism in the Hasidic tradition of koan. This Jewish mysticism, the rabbi explains to his disciples abstruse stories, no answer, that lead them to think beyond the obvious and rational. A technique similar to that used Joshu Sasaki Roshi at the monastery on Mount Baldy z, in the San Gabriel Mountains, near Los Angeles, where Cohen takes refuge in his moments of weakness and vulnerability.
"Unless the person is broken and suffering, physically or mentally, will not face a spiritual test," says Cohen. "You start to be wise when you realize that it is extremely unhappy here." Then one can choose different religions, political commitments, programs ascetic or hedonistic lifestyles. In his case, it was a retreat from the Zen master, but he stayed for almost a month. "It was an exhausting experience," he recalls.
Sasaki was Japanese, but the abbot was German. So when it is said that one day walking in sandals in the snow in the middle of the night, as part of meditation, wonders if there will be revenge for the Second World War. Then leaves the monastery, but then again "for an internal review and deep," which requires "intense discipline, bordering on self-imposed punishment." In this second stay, in the early seventies, set their Buddhist practice that leads him to undergo regular seasons in Mount Baldy.
Recent Songs In its first period closes zen. Located just then. His mother has just died and relationship with his wife and children. Cohen faces "the most intimate of decisions, we can not but obey what is left of our religion, so I lift my voice and pray." Cohen returns to "He who has no name", the name of his childhood. On the cover of his book Mercy the star of David, but consists of two hearts instead of triangles. In these new psalms cries out for God's mercy.
EVERYTHING IS USELESS
When you publish your album Various Positions, many asked about his spiritual quest. Replied that his intention was not finally become a monk, not exclusively devoted to prayer. That "not me", says: "I'm on the street, looking for life". Ensures not even knowing what the Zen ideology, "because I've only met this old man, and I can not say how much represents that tradition." His teacher says its essence it is a "vast wasteland, nothing special." Here there is no doctrine to follow, only his inner life.
Cohen finally looking around a space without limits, where they can make their own mental constructs. "What is it that finally stop questioning what life is like, or why we're here." His album Ten New Songs expresses this new era in which "do not trust their inner feelings that come and go." It seems, then, that "after years of struggling with domestic monster finally be achieved if not himself." Then comes the disappointment.
From his first book, Compare Mythologies (1956), there is a conflict in your life between religion and sexuality. Their retreat can not end his inner passion. Because as Paul says to the Colossians, "Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh" (2:23 ). Finally feels crumbled Cohen: "I tried the Prozac, love, drugs, Zen meditation, the monastery, I tried to leave all these things, and to live sober, but it's useless."
RELIGION OR CHRIST?
Hendrickx sees here the effect of religion, that makes us discontented with ourselves and only serves to distance us from others. Although he believes that faith, love of God and the believers have for God, is something else. He realizes that although religion is outdated, what he has done is to resign from their decorative function, richly rewarded. Because "even places of worship are being left empty quickly, faith in its many forms live".
For the author of this book, "all religion is man's creation, and therefore tells us nothing about the truth." But Jesus is not presented as the founder of a religion, but as the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Life therefore can not be based on sincerity, says Hendrickx, which is the conclusion he reaches Cohen in his search for truth. Since one can be sincerely wrong. Truth is not a religion, but one whose truth makes us free indeed (John 8:32). Free up ourselves.
"Knowing the purpose and meaning of existence is something beyond our reach," says Cohen. In that sense, he says, is something "unattainable". The answer is therefore out of us, the One who created us, the Lord and giver of life. So interested in His creation, which has become man. He has known all our needs and has been identified with our contradictions.
So we come to Him, just as we are, but, as Cohen, sincerely say:
I am a sinner, but love Jesus.
I'm corrupted, but right now,
when I run into the wall,
prayer is the only way out.
(Prayers: A collection of 50 psalms)
I believe God is pleased to answer such prayers ...
Authors: José de Segovia Barron
© Protestant Digital 2012
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