Crysti Couture

“Know thyself.”

The concept of ‘self gnosis’ has been around for ages but it’s apparent to me that we fail to realize our own potential. Firstly, it’s important to understand the concept of ‘gnosis’. The word is of Greek origin and is defined thusly as ‘knowledge’ though in a more spiritual or ethereal way.

Religions and philosophies of the world, save for monotheistic religions such as Christianity, teach that Man is a microcosm of the macrocosm that is the Universe; that we are vessels of godly power that can be tapped into at any time, that is, if we know how to do it. Ergo, by understanding the ‘Self’ we can better understand the Universe.So, in a fun little posting, I thought I would fill out the ‘Proust Questionnaire‘.

This survey was created by Marcel Proust – a French Writer- in the late 1800’s and has been used liberally ever since. Below are my answers, reflecting the world as I see it now. If you’re a blogger, I’d love to see your own responses. Leave a few answers in the comments or link to your own Proust post!

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
I imagine that the lowest form of misery would be to be alone and unloved.

Where would you like to live?
I would love to live in Taos, high up in the mountain; with a house full of books, the land full of snow and the warmth and comfort of my thoughts and my loved ones.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
To be in the company of those people that I genuinely enjoy.

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?
One of my favorite authors is J.R.R. Tolkien. I’ve yet to read his entire catalogue, but so far, Frodo Baggins is my favorite hero.

Who are your favorite characters in history?
Niccolo Machiavelli. His philosophies just click for me and his raw bluntness is admirable.

Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
I would have to say that Cindy Gallop, who is a brilliant entrepreneur, a wild woman and lover of fashion, would be my favorite heroine.

Your favorite musician?
That’s a difficult one to pin down. Perhaps by far, Rob Zombie.

The quality you most admire in a man?
The recognition of love as a strength. Not a whole lot of men see it that way.

The quality you most admire in a woman?
I admire a woman when she realizes the vastness of her power.

Your favorite virtue?
Pride.

Your favorite occupation?
If I had no financial worries or obligations, I would imagine that being a full time artisan would be fun. An artisan of any kind, really.

Who would you have liked to be?
Historically, I would imagine that being Zsa Zsa Gabor would have been fun.

Your most marked characteristic?
My laugh; it’s quite loud and a bit throaty.

What do you most value in your friends?
I value a friend who can accept me for all that I am.

What is your principle defect?
My worst quality is my forgetfulness. I’ve forgotten my wallets, keys, cell phone and even my own birthday. This is why I write everything down.

What is your dream of happiness?
Married, successful with a home full of life and laughter.

What is your favorite color?
Purple. It’s not overly feminine and murex purple was once the color of royalty because of it’s rarity.

What is your favorite flower?
I like orchids for some reason. They seem to be really unique amongst the roses and daisies of the world, yet somehow blend in quite nicely.

What is your favorite bird?
I don’t particularly pay attention to birds but I am rather fond of phoenix images. So in real life, you could say that perhaps I like Birds of Paradise.

Who are your favorite composers?
Without a doubt, Chopin. His melodies weren’t sugary sweet (Mozart) neither were they overly brooding (Beethoven). He got it just right. I like Rachmaninoff as well, though not nearly as much as Chopin.

Who are your favorite painters?
I feel connected to Frida Kahlo, although I don’t usually admit in conversation because it’s starting to seem very cliche, everyone has a thing for Frida now. However, I feel connected to her through her life experiences and her piece ‘The Two Fridas’ makes me cry every time I see it. I understand how she felt when she painted it.

What are your favorite names?
I like men’s names more than women’s names. Alexander and Constantine come to mind. I am a fan of many of the names in the Goetia although it’s not wise to name a person after a demon.

What is it you most dislike?
I dislike situations in which I don’t have some level of control. Even when I ‘let go and let live’ (which is often) I like to have control over when I decide to let go.

What historical figures do you most despise?
I cannot say that I truly despise someone I do not like, however, I’d have to say that perhaps the fellow who found the Dead Sea Scrolls isn’t on my favorite person list.

What event in military history do you most admire?
The images of the Invasion of Normandy seem to be the most iconic in my mind.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
The ability to sing…I have an interesting voice (as you will hear in my pod casts) but it doesn’t make for a good singing voice.

What is your present state of mind?
I’m in love with life. I’ve cut the negative out, simplified my work and created priorities. If something doesn’t fit into my standards, I don’t mess with it. If it doesn’t benefit me, I don’t do it. If it doesn’t make me happy, I don’t pursue it.

How would you like to die?
This is the part where I am supposed to say ‘peacefully, in my sleep’. However, I really don’t care how I die. The body will die anyways. Whatever energy my soul is made out of will be here forever and to me, that’s all that matters.

What is your motto?
Do What Thou Wilt.

Related articles

• In Proust’s Library (theparisreview.org)
• Two ways to Proust (guterman.com)