Letters of Thought: On Mussar and Uman

From a recent Farbrengen:
In unesaneh tokef we speak about lowness of man, his origins are from dust, his life likened to a withering grass . . .
Then there is the Greatness of G-d, His infinite oneness . . . "V'atah hu Melech, Kel chai v'kayam" -that G-d is the King, a living and eternal G-d. There is no limit to His years, nor end to the length of His days . . .

Then we conclude:
"U'shmanu karasa vi'shmecha"
That you have called your name by our name . . .

Mussar looks at the lowliness of man, the nadir of his existence -how he must work on himself to better his existence . . .

Chakira looks at the greatness of G-d, the metaphysics of the divine, the sublime reality of the Eternal one . . .

Chassidus conlcudes -despite the lowness of man and the wonder of G-d, "U'shmanu karasa vi'shmecha" -G-d has chosen in us. He, with his free will, has vested in us power . . .
We can change the world.

The Rebbe once noted, what is the difference between chassidus and mussar?

Mussar kocht zich in fixing negative traits, anger, fear, lust . . . sur meirah -to turn away from evil
Chassidus kocht zich in prayer, contemplation in the divine, practical mitzvos . . . aseh tov -to do good.

If Mussar doesn't work on the person, what is he left with? Anger, fear, lust . . .
I Chassidus doesn't work on the person, what is he left with? Prayer, contemplation in the divine, practical mitzvos . . .

The Forward has some interesting pics from Uman.

I noted on Circus Tent

The Rebbe once asked the chief Rabbi of Romania if he was a chossid, the CR responded that he was a Breslover -the Rebbe wanted to know if it was b/c he didn't want a rebbe over him. (I forget the exact loshon but. . .)
Meaning too many people make it too easy tikkun kloli, dance etc.

Look at the above photo, how many of them are true "card carring" Breslovers?
I do not mean to, ch"v, belittle anyone's path in Avodas Hashem, but I know a great number of Jews, people with an earnest emunah in Hashem and Tzadikim, who have created themselves into a rather bland chullent. Confused, they do not gain the advantages of the many paths from which they've borrowed . . .