Aesthetics

Ascension IV: Opening the Gates

Number 4 in the Ascension Series 
This mage has been a long time coming. It has truly taught me what it means to trust divine timing in the creative and personal aspects of my life. Nothing can happen before it is time and despite our own desires to strive and force things into being, to “make it happen,” the reality is that some things in life require longer periods of incubation. No matter how much time we spend wishing things were different or pushing for change, nothing happens until Spirit has appointed its time.

I had initially been introduced to the concept of Auric Gates back in 2018 but did not begin to research them in earnest until I was guided to produce this peace. I had begun sketching images on several occasions but never felt like I had a truly solid understanding of them – so I kept postponing any creative activity until I could gather more data, and continue to do more experiential work with my own gates as part of meditation practices with energy and the chakras. Almost every image I create is grounded not only in research but in my own concrete experiences of the concept, phenomena, energies…that I have been guided to depict.

In this case, I needed the depth that was gained from creating the chakra series and the spiritual growth that resulted from my work with the 7 main chakras for the series. This process is what prepared me with a solid knowledge base and spiritual expansion necessary for me to begin attempting to work with and understand the 5 Gates depicted in this image. The seed had already been planted in 20i8, but it needed more incubation time in the deep rich souls of my Spirit and psyche before it would be ready to sprout.

the five gates
Ascension IV: Opening the Gates

Although the image above depicts seven symbols only five of them are gates. I bracketed the gates above and below in order to create both visual depth and visual didactics. At a basic level, the gates can be seen as additional chakras, but they differ greatly in power and function. The initial clue lies in the name (Gate). A gate is erected to keep certain things in and other things out. A gate can be locked or unlocked only by those who have the correct key. The five auric gates are centers of divine energy that have been locked within the auric field in order to bind the entire aura together.

The main reason we have an aura is due to the frailty of matter. Without the gates, we would be unable to sustain our physical bodies because the divine energies which animate our flesh could not remain in physical form. Our physical bodies are incapable of holding such high-frequency energies within them, so they are placed within a field that both surrounds and interpenetrates the body. The gates help lock these energies in place and prevent too much additional energy from entering so that we literally do not blow the bio-reactive aspect of our body out – like you would an electrical circuit. We can receive more energies, but we need to do so in a progressive and controlled manner so that our bodies can make the changes needed at the intracellular level to accommodate and safely hold higher frequencies.

Symbolism

Each gate has a particular meaning and purpose which I have symbolized within the illustration. Although some of the symbols depicted appear to be power symbols you may have seen before, if you look closely you will see that mine are similar but not exact copies. I appropriated aspects of those symbols in order to represent these energy fields but my research did not associate any symbol(s) with the gates. It would appear that those who can see them only speak about bans of color with the most extreme depth of colors in the location above the head which is associated with that particular gate. I have developed these symbols for visual effect as representations of these energies. However, the colors associated with each of the symbols are accurate representations based upon my research.

The easiest way to proceed will be to work from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Therefore, I will begin my discussion from the bottom up – starting with the figure and then moving upward through each successive symbol. The figure in the image is engaged in a deep state of prayer or meditation. I chose not to depict the entire body in order to save space and let the viewer decide if the figure is standing, seated, or kneeling. In order to create more visual interest I opted for a bird’s eye view of the figure that provides a sense of deeper intimacy with the figure as we witness this sacred act. He is surrounded by a field of white light that travels down (or up) from the central monad symbolized at the top of the canvas. This light can be seen as both auric energy and sacred anointing. The hands are placed in the devotion mudra or prayer position at the heart, with the head tilted forward in deep blessing and contrition.

The first symbol we encounter is the actual symbol and color associated with the crown chakra. The purple color surrounding the figure is used ot depict the crown chakra which floats about one inch above the top of the head. The 1st Gate (8th chakra) is associated with the color fern green and is referred to as the Soul Star or Halo Chakra. Its purpose is to produce the ethereal body and its energies create the halo effect around the head seen in most ancient depictions of Saints and Ascended Masters. The 2nd Gate (9th chakra) is associated with the color turquoise and is referred to as the Spirit Star. When opened, this gate allows us to commune with Angels and other beings of light. The 3rd Gate (10th chakra) is associated with the color pearl white and is referred to as the Universal Chakra. This chakra merges the masculine and feminine (yin/yang, hot and cool…) energies of our bodies and is responsible for the universal aspects of our being. The 4th Gate (11th chakra) is often seen as a violet-sliver or pink-orange in color. I played around with several color roughs and decided that silver was the best color for this gate, it fits well in the overall color composition and sat well with my intuition. This gate is referred to as the Galactic Chakra. When opened, it allows us to teleport, bi-locate, and utilize other supra-sensory powers. The 5th Gate (12th chakra) is associated with the color gold or a golden multi-colored energy. This gate is referred to as the Divine or Stellar Gateway. When opened, this gate allows us to experience total oneness with the divine and complete union with divine energy.

The final symbol is my own addition. I call it the Universal or Divine Monad. This image encapsulates my understanding of the divine as one, the supreme universal consciousness from which the one emanates out to become the many. I placed the symbol within a field of purple to round out the color composition and it’s association with deep spiritual energies. Each symbol is surrounded by the white pearl color which flows down from the Universal monad infusing each chakra, surrounding the figure, unifying all aspects of the auric field, and simultaneously unifying the entire composition.

 

 


Resilience

Resilience: Profiles in Resilience Series AIDS2020

It’s been a long time since I had the opportunity to create a piece just because. In late April of this year, I was asked to participate in the International AIDS Society’s Conference – AIDS2020 by creating a piece for their “Profiles in Resilience”  series that would have been on display at the conference. The conference is held at different locales around the world and was to be hosted in Oakland, California this Jully. However, due to the arrival of Coivd-19 on the world scene, the conference will now be hosted virtually. My piece will now be included in a virtual gallery. 

For those of you who may not know, I have spent the last 11 years working in the HIV/AIDS arena and have had the privilege of attending a few of the conferences (nationally and internationally) and am thankful for the opportunity.

The concept for the series was novel and exciting. Each artist was provided with a brief Bio and quote from a local HIV/AIDS activist and asked to conceptualize an image based upon the information provided. The particular activist I was paired with I also know personally which made the project even more exciting for me. The universe definitely knows how to navigate with serendipity and humor! 

My conception for the project was based upon an image I have created previously, but with some additional changes and twists. I really enjoyed having the opportunity and the time to contribute to such a worthwhile cause. I enjoyed working with the IAS creative team and am honored to have been selected for inclusion.  

The quote for the piece read, “Don’t grow weary in well doing. In due season we will reap if we don’t give up. We will find a cure for HIV and the world will be better for it.”

I wanted to depict the hope and faith I have encountered among many those whom I know and love that have been living with this virus on a daily basis. Their resilience, optimism, and determination have inspired me to be a better person and work harder to provide the needed services and support that helps them to survive and thrive-  while we wait and work toward a cure. They are my friends and I am grateful to have been accepted into their community!

The ribbon is the symbolic AIDS ribbon that has been a longstanding symbol of the movement. The sun above the figure is indicative of hope in the dawning of a new day without HIV/AIDS. The flowers and tall grasses beneath the figure symbolize the growth and flourishing of this community despite, stigma, and discrimination. The figure stands with his arms outstretched, and head tilted up toward the sun as the breath of life blows over and through him.  

Asana Series: Heart Opening Poses

Full Wheel Pose
Chakrasana

from the “Asana Series”

All three of these images are the newest additions to my ongoing series on yoga, the “Asana Series”. Asana is Sanskrit for “pose” or “posture”. The model for these images was the yogi Quamay Sams. Check him out on Instagram @eye.three

The colors I chose for this series are based upon the asana’s connection to the heart chakra: All three of the poses are heart-opening poses that relate directly to the heart chakra (green).

Camel Pose – Ustrasana
from the “Asana Series” 

Quamay is extremely athletic and flexible. He makes these very difficult poses look almost effortless. I really wanted to capture that connection between strength, effort, and stillness. 

Standing Backbend – Anuvittasana
from the “Asana Series”

I really did a lot of sketching to try and figure out how I could make this pose fit within a composition. The shape created by the figure makes it difficult to place the figure in way which doesn’t create blockages in the overall pictorial flow. I used the energy and from Quamay’s pose to create a loop that brings the eye down to the ground and back around to the figure.

OTHER NEWS
As of March 15th, I have officially left Blank Page Studio. The parting is bittersweet but it was a necessary move. I have now moved into a new home that has enough room for me to maintain a studio space and my living quarters under the same roof. 

I am now officially moved in and ready to begin the next stage of my creative journey in this new location. I am not necessarily worried but do need to be careful that I maintain the same level of discipline that I have over the past 6 years maintaining a studio outside of my home.

These new images are indicative of a solid, strong new start. I am now past the halfway mark with the completion of 9 images out of 15. 

ASANA IMAGE 2: Full Lotus

The second acrylic of my new “Asana” series has officially begun!

This is the second image in the acrylic images of the Asana series. It is a 30 x 30 – inch acrylic image that was begun live during my second attempt at live painting! The image was initiated at “Yoga After Dark” a monthly event conducted by Black to Yoga. I will be the resident “live painter” at these events so come check me out sometime soon. 

This image depicts Maureen from Moga Yoga as she prepares for deep meditation in the Lotus pose. Maureen is depicted in the more challenging “full lotus” position as opposed to the less challenging “half- lotus” asana. The seri yantra depicted behind her is a symbolic meditation symbol. The triangles in the center portion represent the power of the divine to manifest creation,. The graphic shapes just outside the triangles are graphic interpretations of lotus flowers which symbolize birth, life, renewal, hope…while the four points at each end of out square-like shape are indicative of the four elements.    

I have just begun the initial images for the watercolor portion of the series. Be on the lookout for a beautifully printed calendar you can purchase next year! 

Presenting my Research

I had the pleasure of presenting my research on aesthetics and discussing “The Beautiful” and its relation to creativity theory with the members of the PInole Artisans group last week. It was a real pleasure to present my research to a group of artists rather than a theological conference. I did some expounding upon a powerpoint deck and read an excerpt from my book, “When We Pray: 8 Meditations on the Aesthetics of Prayer & the Spiritual Life” (Balboa Press Books 2019). My presentation was well-received and I was invited back next year.



*To purchase the original, click on the image above.

**To purchase a giclee limited edition print click here



#fulllotus #yogaposes #blackyoga #yogaart

My new series has begun!

My new “Asana” series has officially begun!

The image depicted above is the first piece to be completed in my new Asana series. The last time I reached out, I spoke about my intention to begin collaborating with the Yoginis who have formed the entity Black to Yoga – Maureen Miller, Kirsten Rogers, and Zenovia Forbes. 

This initial reaching out led to the completion of three sessions of photos shoots. I shot loads of reference photos for the coming series and completed some sketches for layouts. The images are HOT, and I have been so inspired that I could hardly wait to begin painting! 

The inspiration for the series hit me about 10 years ago. I had only recently been introduced to yoga by a former partner and I was amazed at how much my limited knowledge and intermittent practice had already begun to have a profound effect on me. At my partner’s suggestion, I borrowed her copy of “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar and then began sketching images of various poses I found in some photographic journals on yoga. Some weeks later, in the midst of a sketch it suddenly struck me, “Why aren’t you producing your own images and interpretations of these poses?” and from that moment on,  the fire began to burn. 

As any creative will testify, inspiration is more often than not- a fickle, fleeting, elusive thing. Just like a cat, it rarely comes just because you call it. The lightning of inspiration does strike but you never really know where or when. Hence the reason most of us rush to strike while the iron is hot. But this fire has been burning for almost 10 years!

Every time I wanted to begin working on the images, circumstances always appeared to block my way. I often spoke about it to yoga students and instructors who entered my studio – and some even offered to model for me. But for some reason, the timing and the offers just didn’t feel right. Something in my spirit would not find ease with those opportunities. but I still kept feeling inspired to work on the series. 

However, there is something to be said for waiting.  The deep inner knowing within us always makes its desires known at the perfect time if we are willing to patiently wait, watch, and listen. I now understand the reason(s) for the delay. My heart was in the right place, my intentions were noble and sound, but I lacked the knowledge, sufficient development in my own yoga practice, and internal maturity needed to pursue this project in a manner that would do it justice. Some things can only be learned and developed through trial and experience and I was simply not yet ready. We often don’t know what we don’t yet know.  Thanks be to Spirit for growth, maturity, and waiting!   

This is the first image in the acrylic images of the Asana series (there will be a much larger watercolor series as well). It is a 30 x 30 – inch acrylic image that was begun live during my first attempt at live painting! The image was initiated at “Yoga After Dark” a monthly event conducted by Black to Yoga. I will be the resident “live painter” at these events for the next 3-4 months so come check me out sometime soon. 

The initiated live painting with model Kirsten Rogers

The completed live painting with model Kirsten Rogers

There’s a lot going on!

This year opened with a bang and continues to keep me busy. I am joyous and grateful for the doors that Spirit has begun to open for me! In January I was able to move into my new studio space and begin getting myself settled in there.

February opened with my participation in The Art of Living Black 2019″ show and open studios, along with the completion of my first book When We Pray. I want to thank all who offered your support by placing a pre-order for When We Pray. Your patience during the order fulfillment process was greatly appreciated. I am a freshman author and I learned a great deal during the course of my publishing process. The insights have been a real blessing.

March began with a wonderful Grand opening celebration that was both a debut of my new studio space and my first book reading. Both portions of the event were well attended. The music was and refreshments were also outstanding.

April opened with the start of my 6-week workshop on a mind-body technique called Visual Journaling. The group is small but very committed. The participants are gaining clarity and wisdom from the technique and having a great time in the process! I also participated in the opening reception for my Solo show at the East Bay Church of Religious Science. The show will be up until April 30th – so feel free to stop by EBCR if you have time.

On April 28, I’ll be doing some live painting at the Oakhella Street Festival Season Opener! I have never done any live painting before so I am both nervous and excited to take advantage of this new opportunity. However, I am up for the challenge and grateful for another chance to expand my comfort zone. I plan to raffle off the painting I complete for the Oakhella Festival so make sure you come by painting space and pick up a few tickets ($5 each). You could be a winner! 

This May I would love to engage with you at my May 9th Workshop!
SEARCHING for BEAUTY: INSIGHTS on ART, AESTHETICS & PRACTICE
Thursday, May 9, 2019
6 pm to 8 pm

Abrams Claghorn Gallery
125 Solano Ave. Albany, CA

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MY NEW COLLABORATIVE PROJECT!

After 10 years of waiting, I will soon begin working on a new series of images on yoga. I have been talking about this project for 10 years and it has just not materialized. I applied for grant funding last year but my proposal was denied. However, Spirit has recently given me the go ahead and presented me with the perfect opportunity to work birth this series.

I will be creating a 12-piece series of watercolor images on yoga. The series will be in collaboration with the founders of Black to Yoga. Black to Yoga is a monthly yoga extravaganza created by people of color, for E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y! Their mission is to bring health and wellness to our community through the transformative power of yoga.

The founders of Black to yoga have graciously offered to pose as models for the series, and collaborate with me as sponsors of the series once it is completed. I am extremely excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to get started! 

Coming Events

SOLO SHOW OPENING 

East Bay Church of Religious Science
4130 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA
*The reception is free and open to the public 

Friday, April 5, 2019
7pm to 9pm

I will do some readings from my book When We Pray AND showing the images from the
When We Pray Series (along with some other works).

 

YOU CAN STILL REGISTER FOR MY APRIL 2ND WORKSHOP
If you are local, purchase your spot in my upcoming Visual Journaling Workshop.

VISUAL JOURNALING
The soul speaks in many forms. Visual Journaling helps us identify and name these messages so we can more easily identify which part of our soul is speaking. The manifestation of an image can often allow us to access and process experiences by deeply engaging both the body and mind in the effort. Visual journaling helps us hone our inner vision by expressing thoughts, feelings or emotional reactions as colors, shapes or images.

The Course
This 6-week course will explore the technique of Visual Journaling and the ways in which it promotes our own spiritual growth. Each week the facilitator will discuss aspects of the technique and then present an exercise focused upon a particular theme (love, joy, grief, pain…). Participants will be expected to complete additional exercises at home during the week and contribute to group discussions during the weekly meetings. The final meeting will be dedicated to the creation of a larger final piece that will explore the results of the process.

Maximum number of participants: 12 
     
Registration deadline: April 1, 2019 (10am)

Dates: April 2, 2019 to May 2, 2019  Tuesday nights (4.2, 4.9, 4.16, 4.23, 4.30 & 5.7) 

Time: 6:45pm to 8:15pm   

Cost: *$225 
Payment includes 6 workshops sessions, supplies for 5 of the sessions, and healthy snacks.

*1x payment that must be completed prior to 10am. April 1, 2019)

2 Scholarships are available.
To apply for a scholarship, or ask a question please submit a confidential email to: info@damonpowell.com

OTHER EVENTS

Preaching
7 Last Words Service
Corinthian Baptist Church
(550 24th St. Oakland, CA)
April 19, 2019
7pm to 9:30pm

May Workshop
Workshop on artistic practice & aesthetics
Abrams Claghorn Gallery
(1251 Solano Ave. Albany, CA)
May 9, 2019

YOU CAN STILL PURCHASE

WHEN WE PRAY: 8 Meditations on the Aesthetics of Prayer & the Spiritual Life

Content

The overarching aim of When We Pray is to explore the connections between prayer, meditation, art, and aesthetic experience in ways that are both insightful and practical. Each of the eight essays takes the reader on an exploration of topics such as the role of imagination in prayer and manifestation, the aesthetic aspects of enlightenment, the role of signs and symbols in the spiritual life, and more. As you explore these topics you are also invited to feast your eyes upon professional illustrations created by the author himself. When We Pray is a total package experience that features insightful, thought-provoking essays that are accompanied by beautiful, well-crafted imagery that supports the topics covered in the prose.  

Features
-When We Pray is printed in an 8.5 x 11, soft-cover format. The prose and the accompanying illustrations are printed with black ink on opaque white paper. Your copy will be autographed!  

-The cover illustration is a 7×10 limited edition, full-color illustration printed using archival inks and paper. Each print will be numbered and signed by Dr. Powell.     

TOTAL COST $25

Price includes the price of the book, the limited edition print, applicable taxes, along with shipping and handling.
To place your order, click here:  WHEN WE PRAY

**Please send this link to others who might be interested in this offer**

 

When We Pray Is Ready!

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW!

*The first 350 people to place their order will receive a signed copy of the book AND a limited edition 7 x 10 print of the cover illustration (pictured above).  

WHEN WE PRAY
Eight Meditations on the Aesthetics of Prayer and the Spiritual Life

When We Pray Cover Illustration

When We Pray Cover Illustration – limited edition print

CONTENT

The overarching aim of When We Pray is to explore the connections between prayer, meditation, art, and aesthetic experience in ways that are both insightful and practical. Each of the eight essays takes the reader on an exploration of topics such as the role of imagination in prayer and manifestation, the aesthetic aspects of enlightenment, the role of signs and symbols in the spiritual life, and more. As you explore these topics you are also invited to feast your eyes upon professional illustrations created by the author himself. When We Pray is a total package experience that features insightful, thought-provoking essays that are accompanied by beautiful, well-crafted imagery that supports the topics covered in the prose.

*The first 350 people to place their order will receive a signed copy of the book AND a limited edition 7 x 10 print of the cover illustration (pictured above).  

FEATURES
-When We Pray is printed in an 8.5 x 11, soft-cover format. The prose and the accompanying illustrations are printed with black ink on opaque white paper. Your copy will be autographed!  

-The cover illustration is a 7×10 limited edition, full-color illustration printed using archival inks and paper. Each print will be numbered and signed by Dr. Powell.     

The Total cost for your PRE- ORDER will be $20
This includes the price of the book, applicable taxes, along with shipping and handling for the book and limited edition print

To place your order, click here
WHEN WE PRAY PRE-ORDER
or any of the underlined links above

THE AUTHOR

The Reverend Damon A. Powell, Ph.D. is an artist and theologian who currently resides in Oakland, California. Dr. Powell’s academic research and artistic creations focus on the intersections of art, aesthetics, and spirituality. Dr. Powell’s insights come from extensive research into a wide range of spiritual and philosophical concepts that have provided him with a deep understanding of the various ways the spiritual and the aesthetic interpenetrate one another. Damon’s artistic creations are the result of ongoing spiritual practices that provide insights that he births into visual form using color, line, and symbol. Damon’s mission is to give form to divine light through the manifestation of symbolic images that reflect on the myriad ways Spirit reveals itself within our daily world.

**Please share this link with others who might be interested in this offer**

Coda: There is Only Love


FINAL CHAPTER EXCERPT   

The publishing process for my book is moving along much faster than anticipated. The editing phase is almost complete. The final phase, publication should be well underway by mid-January. Look out for opportunities to place your order very soon. Below are a few selected excerpts from the concluding chapter, Coda: There is Only Love.

When We Pray VIII: There is only Love

 

When I began to download the initial inspiration for “When We Pray,” I had no idea that a series would follow. The initial inspiration came forth just as many others have during my daily practice of prayer and meditation.  I was sitting quietly, peacefully, feeling the warm and then cool pattern of my breath when I became of aware of a very distinct sense of presence all around me. It was not a sudden awareness but a slow, steady, building which seemed to reveal itself progressively as it became increasingly more distinct all around me. I’m not sure how long the process took, but it was a slow and deliberate revelation that became increasingly more palpable. I felt no fear, only an evermore confident sense of comfort, ease, and genuine care and concern for the issues I was offering up for divine assistance. I somehow instinctively knew that my inner voice was heard, that spirit was listening and was also compassionately concerned. As I poured forth my concerns, there was a gentle but firm sense of being held, or of being wrapped by divine hands and arms. That I was being stroked and soothed as a mother would her slumbering child. At the same time, I felt as if I was also shielded and supported. Then it suddenly dawned upon me that I was in God’s hands and that this was the place I had occupied every time I prayed, but I had only now become aware of it. This realization of being in enveloped within the hands of the divine resulted in the initial image of the series…

…As we are lifted-up by love we also lift and are lifted by others. This active web of relations lies at the heart of love and forces us to confront humanity’s dominant conceptualization of love. We conceptualize love as a noun, but love is and ever shall be a verb. Because love, like creativity, requires manifestation. Love must be made visible, or it is not authentic love. All our conceptualizing and imaginings about love are simply much ado about nothing unless they become expressed in the form of concrete actions expressed in daily life. These expressions undergird our need to “make” love, “fall in” love, “give” love, “welcome” love and actively experience it in all the myriad ways it can be given and received…

…From a metaphysical perspective love never ends. But it is often born, dies, and is resurrected within the context of our material human experience. If we would simply take the time to look within, listen to our souls, and set free the love already within us, we would surprisingly find more of it everywhere we look. But we often travel through life crippled and completely lacking the very thing we crave so desperately. Love is free for the taking if we would just open ourselves to receive it. So, let love flow to you and through you. Love has no beginning or end because love is all there is.

MY NEW COURSE
I have now begun the initial preparations for the creation of an online course that will expand upon and supplement the material presented in When We Pray. The course should be completed and ready for enrollment by the 2nd week of January. 

MY NEW STUDIO SPACE
On January 4, 2019, I will become one of the resident artists at Blank Page Studio. Blank Page Studio is a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing low-cost studio space for visual artists and supporting the visual arts in Oakland public schools. It is an honor and a privilege to share in the work of an organization that supports the youth of Oakland.  Be on the lookout for your invitation to my Grand Opening celebration!

PAINT PARTIES ANYONE!
As of January 1st, I will be working with Wine and Design – Oakland as a painting party instructor. Wine and Design is located in downtown Oakland at Jack London Square.  If you want to try something different, celebrate an occasion, or raise funds for your favorite non-profit we are the ones to call. Don’t forget to request yours truly as your party artist.

FINE ART INSTRUCTOR
My contract as a Fine Art instructor for 6-8 graders who participate in the Higher Ground After School Program has been renewed. Higher Ground is a non-profit corporation dedicated to serving youth in the Oakland public school system. 

The Aesthetics of Enlightenment

MANUSCRIPT COMPLETED!!
I spent long hours over the holiday weekend working on completing the manuscript for When We Pray. The manuscript and the images have all been formatted and sent to the publisher. I will be publishing through Balboa Press Books with an estimated release date of late February- early March provided everything runs smoothly.
The book will be printed in an 8.5 x 11 softcover version which should run about 80-100 pages. I have decided to complete a special illustration for the cover and need to have it completed for publication by mid-January. I AM SOOOO EXCITED!!! I am literally overflowing with anticipation to see one of my lifelong dreams coming to fruition!!

MY NEW COURSE
I have now begun the initial preparations for the creation of an online course that will expand upon and supplement the material presented in When We Pray. The course should be completed and ready for enrollment by the 2nd week of January (if not sooner). The new year is going to start off with a bang!

ARTICLE PUBLISHED
My article, “Conjuring the Muse: A Theology of Inspiration and Imagination” is now in print (finally). It is available in the November issue of the SEEN Journal – HOPE edition, Vol. XVIII (November 2018) a publication of the group CIVA (Christians in the Visual Arts).

EXCERPT ROM CHAPTER 
Below are a few selected excerpts from chapter 2. Remember, my manuscript hasn’t been poured over by the editor yet so things could change.:-)

When We Pray II
The Aesthetics of Enlightenment: The Universal & the Particular
                When the word “aesthetics” is mentioned in contemporary circles, most of us associate it with theories regarding how we perceive and understand beauty, but this is a very limited perception that merely props the door open. If we open the door fully, we are invited to enter a much broader landscape which grounds aesthetics in the realm of sensory experience. Our senses are essential to this discussion because beauty must be perceived in order to be experienced, and perception is impossible without the use of our senses. You see a beautiful work of art, you hear beautiful music, you see and taste a beautiful meal, you physically and emotionally feel the power of nature. Beauty, at its most fundamental level, is a celebration of the sensual which props open the door to a wider range of aesthetic experience. “Aesthetics” is derived from the Greek root aesthesis which can best be defined as “of the senses” or “perceptible by the senses”. When the founder of the discipline, Alexander Baumgarten coined the term “Aesthetics” his original intention was to establish a scientific method for the study of empirical experience.[i] If beauty props the door open so we may glimpse what’s on the other side, Aesthetics opens the door and invites us into an exploration of sensory perception and the nature of human embodiment.
Far too many of us live disembodied lives. We are rarely fully present to our experiences due to living in the past, worrying about the future, over medicating, overindulging, blocking or denying our feelings, ignoring or neglecting our bodies…until we reach the end of our lives without ever having truly lived them. Unfortunately, many of our religious and spiritual traditions do more to re-enforce this tendency toward disconnection than encourage healthy and affirming attitudes toward embodiment. We have been told that the body is bad, sinful, part of the reason we suffer and a host of other negative assertions. However, embodiment is essential because It is through the locus of our bodies that we perceive and experience this reality…

               …Science now re-enforces this claim by proving that every perception we have is accompanied by a corresponding physical sensation that is stored in the body as cellular memory. Whether it is a thought, an experience, a feeling…it is still perceived by the brain and the body as sensory data that is recorded and stored within the cellular memory – whether we are consciously aware of the experience or not. This finding supports psychological theories which discuss trauma, PTSD, post-traumatic slave syndrome, recalling experiences in the womb while under hypnosis, and practices such as the curing of ailments through body awareness practices, improving intuition through muscle testing…etc. This process of cellular encoding ensures that all human experience is sensory, embodied, and aesthetic.
If all experience is aesthetic, then the paths to enlightenment, nirvana, and the road to heaven must all be paved with sensory experience. If we are to walk this path, we must first define what we mean by enlightenment. Enlightenment is not a destination to be reached nor a threshold that one must pass through. Enlightenment is a blossoming, a progressive unfolding of insight and revelation into the nature of universal, divine, consciousness. This perspective moves us away from the misguided notion that Enlightenment is a prize to be obtained or a goal that one accomplishes. Neither is it a destination to be reached. This mindset is much too static. A more nuanced perspective allows us to envision a progressive, ongoing, revelation of consciousness that moves us through the sensual toward the supra-sensual until we eventually become one with pure consciousness. The movement toward enlightenment is one of relative degree and expansion into the vastness of all that is…
                 …We have this treasure in earthen vessels. But in order to find the “treasure”, we must be willing to dig for it. We must be ready and willing to get down on our hands and knees and dirty ourselves in the soil of life. This is the true purpose of living. To dig deep into the ground of existence, to struggle to be present to our particular lives and all the experiences it will present us….(excerpt).

[i] Richard Shusterman, “Aesthetic Experience: From Analysis to Eros” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 64: 2 (Spring 2006), 218.