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.

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.

 

 

Ascension III: Auric Rising

Number 3 in the Ascension Series

I have placed Auric Rising in the Ascension series but it could just as easily have been categorized as the final summarising image within the Chakra series. The inspiration for this image is both didactic and personal. After my initial recovery from my bout with Covid, I was still struggling with ongoing symptoms and challenges related to Long Covid. My body’s energy levels were sorely depleted and I had no reserves. My mitochondria had become so damaged and depleted that I was literally unable to concentrate for any length of time on daily tasks – let alone find the clarity or energy needed to create.

As many of you know I have maintained a consistent mediation practice for years and my illness had not kept me from at least attempting to continue with my daily practice. In order to combat some of my fatigue and work on building up my energy reserves, I began doing a great deal of focused energy work in hopes of helping my body recover by infusing it with sacred higher vibrational energies. I was also guided toward a meditation technique called the “Warrior’s Meditation” which helps one to develop a greater sensitivity to the body’s total energy field. The exercises which comprise this technique combined with my own rededication to Tai Chi Chuan and chakra meditations helped me to begin re-energizing my body from the inside out. From within the body and outward, I also became much more disciplined with clean eating, a consistent sleep schedule, and daily naps.

The Warrior’s Meditation really helped me develop a much stronger, and more nuanced sense of my own auric field. We (and I) often speak about the chakras as individual vortices but not as an aggregate. Many will speak about the body-mind connection, or the heart and its powerful electromagnetic field that extends outward surrounding the body, but we often ignore or neglect the much higher vibrational energies produced by the interconnected chakras which combine to form the auric field. Both of these systems comprise what we most generally refer to as the body’s energetic field. Most of us can easily get a sense of our electromagnetic field but the auric field requires the development of a much more subtle sense of energy because the vibrations are so much higher.

The more I continued with these practices the easier it became to sense my own auric field and raise my vibration in the process. As the weeks went by and I began to gain more energy reserves the urge to create again grew as well. With this desire came an urge to depict what these energies felt like and how they symbolically connected to the chakras as part of an overarching energetic system. Auric Rising is the result of this outpouring.

Ascension III: Auric Rising 18W x 24H

Symbolism

 The rings around the figure correspond to the seven major chakras we often refer to. Even though the Chakras are counted from the bottom up, I chose to reverse the color order for artistic effect. Most images of the chakra system depict the rings horizontally as they correspond to their locations upon the body. However, I wanted to depict more energetic movement and a more natural, flowing, biomorphic relationship with the human body from which these energies flow. When I was completing color sketches for the image, it became immediately apparent that the deep red of the root chakra surrounding the figure was too overpowering to be placed next to a skin tone successfully – so I placed the cooler blues and purples of the sixth and seventh chakras next to the seated figure in order to provide a cooler contrast against the warmer tones found within the figure itself. I also placed the Merkaba beneath the figure as a grounding device representing another chakra we have that connects us to the earth and binds the bottom portion of the auric field. The figure is seated in the half lotus position with his hands in the prayer position (devotion mudra) as the thumbs touch the third eye point of the forehead. The large monad at the top is my own symbol I developed for God-consciousness, while the other two flame-like symbols are my own symbols for the soul or spirit (both symbols can be found in earlier pieces). The white field around the auric field is what most of us see when we initially begin the practice of auric sight. As our vision expands to accommodate higher vibrational frequencies our vision becomes refracted and we are able to view the individual colors in the chakra spectrum. The oblong shape (aureole) of the auric field is attributed to those who reach enlightenment and become Ascended Masters. Hence the figure appears to be floating or ascending upwards into the higher dimensions of spiritual awareness. The black field at the edges of the canvas symbolizes the still point of creation, the universe which births light out of its own darkness.
 

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Chakrasana: Full Wheel

Full Wheel: Chakrasana

This acrylic piece is the last of my acrylic works in the “Asana Series”. I began the painting at a live painting session about 6 months ago at Black to Yoga. You may remember the small 16 x 20 watercolors I have already completed of Quamay from my March newsletter (depicted at bottom). 

I was able to get all of the basic tones into the background and the figure during the live painting session but was having some real problems figuring out how to accurately render the figure. The watercolor piece of this pose was completed from a side view. This worms-eye frontal view is much more dynamic. The body’s angles and lighting are dramatic and undulating, thus making the contours of the yogi’s figure more difficult to render accurately. Sorting through these technical difficulties kept me from completing the painting during the live session. With so many people watching it is sometimes difficult to find the confidence and sense of safety needed to forge ahead knowing that your efforts may lead to failure.

So, I brought the piece back to my studio, put it back up on the easel, and just kept periodically staring at it for two more months. It might not make sense to you, but any artist understands this behavior completely. Trust me, it’s one of the creepy, weirdo things we artists sometimes do! By then it was time for me to move to my new home with it’s own studio space so I just brought the incomplete painting along for the move. Once I set my studio up in the new place I placed the painting back on the easel and began the same staring match all over again! 

Then I got sick with COVID and spent several weeks just trying to live let alone painting. By the time I felt well enough to try and paint I was so far behind on the whole series (which is actually just the watercolors) I thought it best to complete it before going back to staring at this one again. Once the series was complete (last month) I was determined to finish this one. I am bit OCD about my work and have trouble accepting creatively loose ends – so it had to be completed.  

Chakrasana is a heart-opening pose so I placed the symbol for the heart chakra above the figure and repeated it in the headband for greater emphasis. Since the asana symbolizes a wheel, I purposely left the back edge of the mat open to give the pictorial plane a sense of infinity, or movement out beyond the figure’s feet. The majority of the colors used in this image’s palette (greens, blues, browns), are indicative of the earth and one’s connection to it through the asana.   
 

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Full Wheel Watercolor Image from March 2020

Love: The Harmony of Coherence

INSPIRATION

This is the one everyone seems to have been waiting for. Since I began painting the chakras everyone who’s entered my studio eventually asks, “When are you going to create something for the heart chakra?” ” I really love this series. I can’t wait to see the piece you create for the heart chakra, “ or variations thereof.  Most of my patrons appear to go blank when I tell them, ” I am waiting for direction because the process is rather intuitive so I really have no idea which chakra will be next.” 

Hindsight is always 20/20. 2 weeks ago I came to the realization that all of the chakra work I had been doing for the other pieces was in preparation for the internal shifts I needed to make for the creation of this one. When discussing the root chakra last month, I spoke about going deep within and grounding myself as I began a period of deep inward soul-searching. This led me to what I understand now as the next logical step –  cleansing and purification. I needed to clear away and jettison the things which no longer served me. I needed to go into my prayer closet and not come out until I could see with a much clearer vision. I needed to unburden my mind, body, soul, and heart. It was time to let go and release.

For me, this process began with a firm push from my guides to finally invest in the Neurogym program with John Assaraf. I have been following his work for a couple of years now but had been hesitant to make such a heavy investment. But now my guides were pushing me. This was the worst possible time since things were becoming progressively more intense around money. Every time I asked, I was given the go-ahead to get on the payment plan as Spirit said, “trust me!” From the ego’s perspective, everything about this decision was wrong because it appeared as if everything was falling apart around me. But Spirit kept repeating, “trust me.” Shortly after making the initial payment I also began a period of cleansing and preparation which ended up lasting 15 weeks. No drinking, no smoking, no sex, no dating; combined with weekly periods of intermittent fasting, cleaning up my diet, consistent exercise, and the completion of a series of spiritual clearing and discernment exercises that included daily affirmations, intense journaling, and discernment exercises – all while completing the daily requirements of the Neurogym program! It was only about a week ago that I realized I had designed and enrolled myself in my own personalized holistic Bootcamp!!

The Nuerogym program consists of neuro-linguistic programming, guided visualizations, guided self-hypnosis, self-affirmations, and brain training exercises to and more. The inner work I was able to do, combined with my own spiritual practices and exercises would have easily taken me another 1.5-2 years if I hadn’t invested in the program. Having said all of that, I highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about internal transformation and wants to make a real investment in themselves. As with anything in life, you only get out what you’re willing to put in, so spend the money and commit to doing the work.

Love: The Harmony of Coherence

Coherence is defined as “the quality of forming a unified whole”. Unity and wholeness can only exist when there is equilibrium and harmony. This is the work of the 4th chakra and the reason why it serves as the center-point of the entire chakra system. From this center, it balances and harmonizes the energies of the chakras above and below it thereby creating coherence. In the heart chakra, the externalized, egoistic, desirous energies of the 2nd chakra become internalized and we begin to see the world from the broader lense of relationality and reciprocity. This shift toward the more internal states generates a higher vibrational frequency that opens a channel for inner and outer harmonization. The balancing and harmonizing force resulting from this coherence is love. Love is an inside job!

Love is a unifying force. It creates balance and harmony through the allowance and acceptance of interdependence in order to create a greater whole. All things strive toward harmony and equilibrium. Imbalances can’t and won’t endure. The key to creating this unity is acceptance. Self-acceptance is the key that unlocks the door to greater and deeper levels of self-love. From this perspective, we don’t make or create love we, discover and allow it through our willingness to open, accept and allow. This means allowing things and people to be who and what they are. The greater our capacity to do so, the greater the coherence created which increases our capacity to love.

I needed to learn more deeply about the nature of love. I could go no further until I was cleansed, purged and opened. There were too many blockages, too many aspects of my life that needed to be either accepted, reconciled or jettisoned. They had been holding me back from growth and consequently blocking my expansion to the higher levels. The imbalances had become much too great and much too costly. Every aspect of my life was being affected. I could no longer piece-meal it or wait. I had to do the work!

It was time for me to confront and accept myself. I had to let go, forgive, allow, trust, listen,  purge, cleanse, re-fill, discover, open, appreciate, give thanks, release, admit, fortify, pray, meditate, shift, cry, scream, push, be still…until the end was the end and also the beginning.  Just like Jacob, I wrestled with the angel in the darkness and was determined to not let go until it blessed me. When the morning came, Jacob received his blessing but he was also wounded. When the dawn finally cracked across my horizon, I too received my blessing.  In my case, I was already wounded and am wounded still. But this time the wound is different. I accept it, have peace with it, carry it, nurture it, treasure it, and allow it a special place on the altar of my heart as a reminder of the costs of transformation.

Although I didn’t know it at the time, this creation has also been the one I too have been waiting for. I would never dare to say that I have arrived. But my heart has been opened and what lies there now is vastly different from what occupied the space before it. There is a great deal more acceptance, a deeper level of coherence, greater harmony, and a more open, willing and desirous capacity for love. There were many things I had to confront and let go, but letting go is not same as giving up. Love is the harmony of coherence.

SYMBOLISM

As with every piece within this series, the graphic lotus-like symbol above the figure contains the Sanskrit symbol for that particular chakra and the corresponding number of leaves that indicate the heart or central chakra (12).

The central figure is seated in the yogic full lotus asana with his palms turned upward and his hands loosely cupped. Upturned palms are predominantly a receptive state which matches the yin energies associated with the heart chakra. His eyes are closed with his head slightly bowed as he focuses his awareness within. My initial inclination was to use deep rich browns, blues, and purples for the skin tone in order to make a connection between the dark fertile earth and the deep green of growth and vegetation, but the color sketches I produced all made the figure overpowering among the green. This also kept the viewer’s eyes stuck on the darker shades in the center of the composition – thus making the entire composition too static. The lighter sienna tones provide a much more soothing complement to the greens (red and green are complementary colors) and allow the eyes to move in and around the composition giving it a feeling of spaciousness despite the large figure and lotus.

The lotus beneath the figure is large by design. It partially encompasses the lower portion of the figure while the leaves extending behind the figure give the impression that they are almost supporting him.

The background composition incorporates the all of the shades of green used throughout the painting and gives the background a soothing quality that appears to be both dynamic and static all at once. The activity gives movement without competing with the key elements in the composition.

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Gravity: The Manifestation of Form

INTERPRETATION

The Root Chakra is key to all physical manifestation. Not just the form and shape of our body but the form and shape of the life and life experiences we manifest while within our body. The root chakra brings about existence or the manifestation of being and form into existence. As the first chakra, it is singular, whole, and complete unto itself.  Just like the number one, it is the beginning of all beginnings. This emphasis upon manifestation is one of the reasons why the charkas move from the lower to the higher vibrations. Although the 5th (throat) chakra may inspire creativity and the 6th (skull) chakra opens us to receive the vision, creation always necessitates form. Without form, our inspirations and visions have no hope of being grounded in physical reality. These higher vibrations must slow down, congeal, and condense before they can enter the material realm. That process of grounding and manifestation is the domain of the root chakra.  

In my previous post on the 6th chakra, I spoke about the process of purification and envisioning I was lead to undergo at the beginning of the year. But once you have seen the vision, manifestation is always the next step in the process. Moses went up the mountain to meet with God and receive the vision, but if he hadn’t come back down the mountain to manifest that vision his entire trip would have ultimately meant nothing. The results of my sojourn led to the manifestation of “Gravity.” The shape and feel of our lives is always a result of the manifestation of our consciousness in form. For me, this meant going back to my own singularity. Going back to my own roots psycho-spiritually and re-examining the mental and spiritual thought forms manifested there in order to decide if the events, people, places, and things in my life were accurate manifestations of “who” and “how” I wanted to be in the world. I was not very happy with what I was seeing. 

The root chakra is not only singular and whole but is also about grounding and connection. This grounding and connection occurs as we manifest things into form, and from our ability to maintain the stability needed for further nourishment and growth. This ability to “anchor in” and find stability is the basis for the development of individual growth and personal power. Gravity is a force of attraction. It encourages in-gathering and the marshaling of one’s inner forces. It is from this stable core that we are then able to attract or draw forth the power needed for acts of concrete manifestation. This is why the energies of the root chakra ground us into the earth so that we may develop the stable roots needed to grow and exercise our power through acts of manifestation.

Spirit was reminding me of this and letting me know that it was time to re-ground myself through a re-examination of what I had manifested thus far. I needed to make some long overdue changes. It was time for me to take a deep look at my beliefs and values in order to ascertain if they were still reflective of who I wanted to be. It was now time to ground down, find myself, and make serious efforts to change, jettison, or adjust any values and ways of being that no longer served me, or reflected who I “am” and want to be. In my case, this meant addressing my own issues concerning guilt, shame, and self-worth. Everything in my life, and the life I live is firmly grounded in my ability to: affirm what I do have, to believe that I deserve more, and my willingness to allow myself to have more. As within, so without. And so it is!

Gravity: The Manifestation of Form

SYMBOLISM

The graphic symbol above the figure represents the four leaves of the root chakra and the Sanskrit character for that particular chakra. The red hues throughout the composition are all associated with the chakra’s red color. Red, the color of blood, fire, and life. You will notice that some areas of the background are much softer and more diffuse than others. This was an intentional decision to symbolize the idea of form coming into and out of various stages of development and manifestation as it slows, congeals, and hardens into the shapes and sizes of physical matter.

The figure is standing in a form of the yogic prayer pose which is also a variation of the popular mountain pose. This pose is a grounding pose which allows one to stand in firm stability as the feet and root chakra energies ground down into the earth. Her feet are grounded deeply within the heart of the lotus she stands upon, as the minor chakras in her feet and knees transmit sensation from the lotus up into her root chakra. Her head is bowed and her hands are positioned in prayer over her heart. Her concentration is both meditation, prayer, and in-gathering as she places her focus upon the work of manifestation.

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Insight: Knowing the Light Within

INSPIRATION

Working with the 6th chakra has helped me to intimately understand how everything unfolds perfectly within the divine’s right and proper time. It has helped me discover depths of perception and insight as they have come to me in a steady progression that reminds me of the lotus slowly unfolding to the light of day. For me, this progression was initiated with the new year as I underwent a week of prayer, journaling, fasting, and detoxification. My plan was to release the old, and use journaling and other rituals to clarify and visualize what I wanted to manifest for the future. This time of release and invocation provided me with a clarity of presence and a wide field of vision from which to gain a greater connection to my guides, higher self, and spirit. I was praying for the removal of that which no longer served me, and the insight needed to move with inspired direction.

It reminded me that seeing is a passive faculty. It is the eyes that perceive, but the mind that sees. When our eyes are open they only pick-up the emanations of light and energy that are reflected from the matter around us. These reflections are then turned upside down and reversed before being presented to the mind for perception and interpretation. Seeing is truly an inside job. The only true light we will ever know or comprehend is the light we find within – physically and metaphorically.  From this perspective, physical sight can also be considered an exercise in intuition since we never actually “see” the matter we encounter in the world around us – but simply intuit its presence and capacities based upon the reflected light and energy it emits. We must trust what light we perceive and intuitively adjust our actions and behavior based upon those emanations. We walk by faith, not by sight. The more light we allow and open our eyes to perceive, the greater our capacity to gain insight and interpret the world around us. Likewise, the more we are still, focused and passive, the better our capacity to perceive and interpret the light we have allowed within. This is why the 6th chakra is dedicated to sight, perception, and intuition.

My week of prayer and fasting help me to understand how much the mechanics of sight and insight are almost identical to one another physically and spiritually. Our chakras and minds do not perceive divine light – because its substance and vibration are entirely too high, but rather the myriad reflections of its movement that have slowed enough vibrationally for our minds to perceive them. These reflections are always there but we are able to perceive them more readily when we are still, passive, open, allowing, and focused upon receiving them. In my experience last month. This state allowed me to begin opening my self to greater levels of reception, which fostered stronger intuitive insights and a deepening of my faith after receiving them. Part of this process was magnified after my guides led me to sign up for a “28 Day Challenge” online course geared toward deepening one’s connection to spirit, higher self, and guides. This guidance was given one week after I had been guided to begin work on the 6th chakra as the next piece in the series, and 3 days after I had completed my research and begun the actual painting! Everything unfolds perfectly within the spirit’s right and proper time. 

Although sight and insight are passive, these passive faculties activate other aspects of our being which are much more active and projective. The more we deepen and open ourselves to receive, the greater our capacity for output through the use of imagination, visualization, and manifestation. The greater our capacity to receive, the greater our ability to project. This is why it so important that we know the light within. Creation and manifestation are birthed from imagination and visualization. The more light we allow within, the greater our capacity to manifest and create – both spiritually and physically. The 6th chakra is both active and passive as it functions to provide clarity, insight, and intuition, while simultaneously being actively present in the work of visualization and manifestation. 

As a point of clarification, I would also like to point out that the third eye is not synonymous with the 6th chakra. Many people convolute the third eye, 6th chakra, and pineal gland but they are not the same thing. Each is its own separate entity. Just as there are other chakras, the third eye is another form of chakra but it is not the 6th chakra. Any well-informed teacher will confirm this. The 6th chakra and third eye often support one another or work in tandem but they are still very separate. The 6th chakra is located deeper inside the brain at or just above eye-level, while the third eye is located in the front of the head between the eyes or eyebrows. If you spend some time meditating upon the 6th chakra and grow more attuned to it you will begin to notice the subtle differences in the energy of the two.  It also helps to spend some time bringing energy into the 6th chakra from the back of the head until you can become more familiar with the differences.

Although I have not been able to find any definitive statement on the exact function of the third eye, I would postulate that it is exactly what its name suggests – a spiritual third eye or chakra geared specifically toward the reception of spiritual light and energies. It functions as our physical eyes by picking up these energies and transmitting them to the 6th chakra so that they can be interpreted, provide wisdom…and then hopefully used by the 6th chakra for the purposes of imagination, visualization, and manifestation. 

Insight: Knowing the Light Within

SYMBOLISM

This chakra moves us a step further along the color wheel and higher in vibration. We move from the lighter, cerulean blue of the 5th chakra to the deep indigo of the 6th. The closest representation of that blue is found within the graphic symbol of the chakra depicted above the figures head. Because the indigo is so deep and rich, I was forced to integrate other shades of blue into the composition in order to maintain clarity between the deep purple of the 7th chakra and the deep blue of 6th. Sometimes, the eyes can confuse the two hues with black, and/or not clearly distinguish between them when they are so closely placed to one another. I hope to show the whole series together once it is completed and was concerned that patrons might not be able to easily differentiate between the two – so I took the liberty of using my artistic license in order to create a greater distinction between the hues. This is also why I chose to use a somewhat lighter blue for the background color. Even with the white covering parts of it, the deep indigo would have just been too overpowering.

As in the other four depictions, the figure sits upon a lotus flower, The subtle difference here is that this figure is not just in meditation but also in visualization. We have moved from the vibratory matter of the 5th chakra (she was chanting) to the higher vibration of light here in the 6th. Sight and insight are the material of visualization. Her thumbs are placed upon her heart as she somatically connects head and heart through the action of touch. Scientific studies have shown that placing one’s hands upon the heart, and or touching the heart while meditating strengthens the bond between them thus allowing for increased levels of intuition and greater amplitude from the heart itself. 

The graphic lotus symbol above her head contains the Sanskrit character for the chakra and the two petals associated with the 6th chakra. The white of the background is representative of the cosmic ethers waiting to be absorbed and directed.    

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Flowering of the Cosmic Consciousness

INSPIRATION

To tell the truth, I’m really not sure where this is going? I have been doing a great deal of reflecting in the past few weeks and am in a constant state of awe and gratitude for my present way of being. My decision to pursue my dreams of being a full-time artist has also placed me in the unique position of starting my life all over again. I have literally been given (and co-created) an opportunity to re-create myself and my life. I sit at the potter’s wheel before a massive piece of clay that is ready to be formed into whatever image I desire. But what do I wish to create? What is the quality and content of my vision? I am totally free to fashion and create my life into anything I would like it to be. But this too is a position of both awesome freedom and great responsibility.

I have spent the last few weeks reflecting deeply upon my past, letting go of regrets, forgiving myself for wrongs inflicted upon self and others, examining the present moments, and thinking critically about who and how I want to be in the world. The decisions I make now, and the things I begin to manifest will become the building blocks of my new future – and this realization fills me with terror and exhilaration. But my past and its lessons are also still with me. These experiences have provided me with enough insight to understand that I cannot create a truly new and better future by operating with the same habits and levels of consciousness that have brought me to this moment. I must take a leap both artistically and spiritually. In order for lasting positive change to occur, one must not only know better but BE better!  Creating lasting change is an inside job. Without inner transformation, there can be no lasting and authentic manifestation. It is this realization which has caused me to spend the last few months meditating upon the crown chakra.

There can be no conscious creation without a corresponding change in consciousness. Einstein put it this way, “You cannot successfully solve a problem operating from the same level of consciousness which created it” (paraphrase mine). And so all things must become new. The 7th or “Crown” chakra serves as the gateway to higher levels of consciousness. It is our connection to the highest divinity and a key component in every act of physical manifestation. Spirit has been leading me to meditate upon the crown chakra (and my third eye) so that I can work on opening, widening, and deepening my connection to the higher levels of consciousness needed to become a more connected, centered, intuitive, creative, disciplined, resilient Damon – who is capable of creating and sustaining the life of my dreams. This effort necessitates the flowering of a cosmic consciousness. To leap towards the next level of my enlightenment.

Fron this perspective, we see the true meaning of enlightenment has nothing to do with a destination or goal to be achieved, but a process of ever-deepening discovery, or a never-ending expansion of one’s consciousness into that of the divine.  This expansion brings with it the capability to receive and perceive higher levels of vibration within one’s consciousness as the crown’s lotus expands and opens.  Hence we find that enlightenment is not a state of being, but a journey without beginning nor end.

Flowering of the Cosmic Consciousness

SYMBOLISM

The graphic lotus symbol above the figure depicts the crown chakra and its accompanying Sanskrit character “Om” (pronounced A-u-m). The repetition of the Om is purported to be the frequency and sound of the universe (Uni – one and verse – song = one song). As the Om is chanted our song becomes more fully integrated with the universal frequency until all is immersed into one song (the cosmic consciousness).

The color violet is associated with the crown chakra and is thus reflected in various shades throughout the composition. The colors which appear darkest to our eyes also retain the highest frequencies energetically, thus it makes perfect sense that a deep, rich, violet would serve as the highest point of the chakra system while the brighter colors containing the lower vibrational frequencies would comprise the lower chakras.

The figure is seated upon an opening lotus flower, in a deep state of meditation. His hands are formed in the shape of a power mudra as he connects to the source of all power and potentiality. In order to further emphasize the opening or flowering of higher consciousness, I also placed a violet spark on his forehead in the location of the third eye symbolizing the accompanying expansion of consciousness. The swirling mass around the figure is symbolic of the universal energies of creation and their raw unformed potential for physical manifestation. “In the beginning…the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1

Look out for a discussion of the sacral chakra next month!

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Will: The Power of Integration

INSPIRATION

Believe it or not, I wasn’t planning this. My initial chakra focused image, “The Flowering of Truth” was intended to be a single image. When I completed the work in February, I had no intention of creating another work on the chakras – nor the impetus to create a series. But it would seem that Spirit had other plans.

A large percentage of my inspirational and creative processes are dependent upon intuition and channeling. Most of my inspirations are brought forth through life-experiences and/or insights intuited/channeled/gleaned from my meditation practice. In a very real sense, one could view my creative practice as a spiritual development journal. In hindsight, I see that the process of strengthening my 5th chakra was in preparation for my departure from my day job in order to pursue my vocation full-time. I needed to connect with the expression of my voice and speak forth my truth in authenticity. “Will: The Power of Integration” is about the need for me to marshal my energies and resources towards the achievement of my goals so that I will have the strength to persevere despite all obstacles. It wasn’t until this image’s completion that I realized that this was the start of a series.

The third chakra is found in the vicinity of the navel and solar plexus. Its primary element is fire – thus it is associated with the pancreas and adrenals. It’s color – yellow is the core of the preceding two chakras (red and orange respectively) as the core of any fire is bright yellow-white with the reds and oranges radiating from that burning center. The 3rd chakra is the integrator of the 2 preceding it (1 = earth/matter, 2 = water/creation). Hence the power of the 3rd chakra is based in integration. It’s mantra, “I can” is reflective of human “Will”. Not society’s traditional notion of “will to power, conquer, push through…” but a dynamic force that transforms and shapes through integration. From this perspective, “will” is the integration of our desire and focus for the purposes of transformation and manifestation. Thus transformation and manifestation are based upon one’s power to combine and integrate the various aspects of one’s being in order to direct them towards a purpose. This is the power of “Will”.

Will: The Power of Integration. The 2nd creation in my chakra series.

SYMBOLISM

As discussed previously, the color yellow is associated with the 3rd chakra and the core of fire and sun. I chose not to seat the figure because I wanted her to embody the energy associated with this chakra. This woman is standing, floating up and away from the lotus beneath her. She rises unaided, of her volition as she integrates her focus and desire in order to initiate her own ascension. She is the source of her own ascension and transformation due to her own self-integration (we are in truth the truth we seek). Her outstretched arms are symbolic of both praise and the discovery of her own inner power.  It is as if her outstretched arms and slightly lifted head evoke ecstasy and draw in the swirling matter that surrounds her as it becomes an integral part of her being. Her hair is both charged with the light of the chakra’s activation and the power flowing within. 

The graphic lotus symbol above her depicts the third chakra and its accompanying Sanskrit character. The open lotus beneath her figure is also symbolic of the chakras in general. 

Look out for a discussion of the crown chakra next month!

 

To purchase the original image please use the link below:

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There is only Love

 

WHEN WE PRAY: THERE IS ONLY LOVE

INSPIRATION

There are certain themes in life that continually repeat for each of us.  Lessons we must learn, ideas and concepts that require us to continually expand our understanding of them, seasons of lack and plenty…and these too are an integral part of our soul’s journey.

An ongoing theme for me is Love. In this case, I seem to have come full circle because I thought that the “When We Pray” series was complete last summer. I completed what I thought was the final image of the series (#VII) and began to move on, but the inspiration for this image burst forth in me and has already inspired me to begin another in the series. You may also remember that I was addressing the theme of Love inspired by Rumi in my creation of the “Resurrection of Love” triptych. But it appears that neither Prayer nor Love are through with me yet.

My efforts to strengthen my intuition and maintain a more consistent connection to my guides are steadily convincing me that we are forever and always surrounded by Love. It’s not that I didn’t already know or believe this, but my vision was clouded by my own biases and preconceptions. It is one thing to understand a thing conceptually, but truly knowing it in the depths of one’s spirit is something drastically different.

Most of us believe that God is love, that our souls have come here to give and receive love, that we are loved unconditionally; but very few of us have been able to truly experience the power and depths of divine love – let alone consistently dwell in that state of experience. At best we have epiphinal moments through which we are able to experience glimpses of glory. We know that familiar feeling you get with family or old friends when you feel completely safe, whole, known, accepted and loved. Those moments when all is right with the world and we silently wish that we could suspend time in such a way that would allow us to spend the rest of our lives suspended in that moment.

I am coming to know and rest assured that there is only love. That each of us is loved and cherished with a depth that we will never truly understand on this side of the veil. That our higher selves and guides pray with us, for us, and undergird each of us with an unfathomable love! Find the courage to trust it. Let go of fear and cling to love. What has been holding you back from love – both spiritually and romantically? Be quiet, become still, open your heart to Spirit and in the darkness of that silence, you will come to know that love is all in all.

SYMBOLISM

I made use of the repeating heart motif because it is easily recognizable within modern cultural iconography. This motif is repeated throughout the composition not only as a symbol of love but as a means of guiding the eye downward through the image. The heart motif with its downward edge helps push the eye downward from the heart of the angelic guide, down through the bottom of the heart shape surrounding the angel, then down through the hands framed in the heart shape, then we dive once more into the heart of the human figure which will also help guide our gaze into the power of love symbol located beneath the figure. A love that is always flowing downward to each of us through various levels of being.

The angelic being who floats in the large heart above the figure is also engaged with the human figure below it in meditation and prayer. This figure also holds and receives divine love with its heart. A love that is echoed in the heart of its human companion. This connection is symbolized in the identical hearts the two figures share. The two figures are communicating heart to heart through the medium of love. Earthly intuition is perceived in the gut, but spiritual intuition is perceived in the heart and transmitted through love. This being holds its hands in the form of a teaching mudra – as it imparts divine wisdom and blessings upon the human figure below.

The halo above this figure is a symbol of divine grace, majesty, and power; while the symbol directly below the figure is an Adinkra glyph indicating divine love.

Since this image is a companion to the When We Pray series it was imperative that the hand motif occupy a prominent role within the composition. As in the other pieces in the series, the hands symbolize the hands of the divine as an ever-present source of comfort, protection, support…etc. In this case, the hands have formed the shape of a heart to symbolize the presence of divine love which surrounds the praying figure within. The hands operate almost like a frame that we gaze into to find the small but significant human being within them. Not only are we surrounded by love, but it serves as the very framework through which all humanity must be viewed.

The figure within the divine hands is deep in prayer and meditation. His closed eyes and traditional meditative posture indicate his turn within- while the halo and biomorphic energy field surrounding him are indicative of the higher spiritual energies he is receiving as a result of his practice. His hands form the mudra associated with blessings and wisdom. His practice brings him both divine blessing and love, but also provides wisdom into the deeper spiritual insights that are only available to those who consistently go within. The symbol below the figure is a West African glyph indicating the power of love. A love which is filling his heart as symbolized by the heart shape within the chest of the figure.

To purchase the original image please use the link below:

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The Awakening

INSPIRATION

If you recall, last month I spoke about my creative rut and accompanying blues. The 1 piece I did manage to create during the darkest portion of that period “Moonlight Blues” played an integral role in the creation of the piece featured this month.  It’s a shame that even the most spiritually in tune of us often miss the significance of certain events or decisions when we are caught up in the midst of them.  

For each of us there are ingatherings. Periods in our lives when we are struck by pain, hurt, loss, rapid change…and it affects us so deeply that we are forced to withdraw,  step back from life and the world, and just be alone (ingathering). During these times we are forced to grow, transform, stretch our inner being beyond the limits we had convinced ourselves we could not reach. During these periods of ingathering, we are often able to undergo rapid growth and experience profound shifts in spiritual awareness through which we are literally elevated and transformed. 

Just as the caterpillar cannot transform into the beautiful butterfly unless it withdraws from life and enters into its cocoon – a kind of ingathering. It must first go within. While in the cocoon, every cell in its body literally dissolves back into primal goo and is then recombined into an entirely new being.   It is literally transformed. From the prefix trans – to move beyond or through, and form – the physical manifestation of our material world.  We too must transform.

For me, the place of wrath and tears that created Moonlight Blues, was actually a time of ingathering. It was literally the cocoon of my transformation. From within that shell, I received an awakening. I was able to literally receive a divine transmission which elevated my outlook and frequency. My intuition has been awakened and strengthened, I have begun to connect intimately with my higher self and guides, and I have also been able to allow my spirit to fuse more fully with my physical being thereby uprooting many deeply held negative energies. There has been an awakening – a quickening that has pushed me to a new way a being with a new higher vibratory baseline. This Awakening is the inspiration for the similarly entitled work shown here.  

 

SYMBOLISM

“The Awakening” is the next phase of the process of ascension and descension I had been depicting in the ascension series (Ascension I, II and Breaking the Veil). The ingathering experience has given me deeper insights into the process and some of its more subtle nuances. The image depicts a single figure seated in deep meditation. If you know anything about meditation you understand that the act itself is a form of ingathering as one becomes still, goes within, begins to decompress from the body/mind’s constant barrage of sensory stimuli so that one can be renewed. As she receives divine transformation her head lifts up towards the heavens and in a gesture of receptivity and thanksgiving for the spiritual energies she is receiving. There is an opening, an infusion, a download if you will that will energize and awakens parts of her being (both physically and spiritually) which had previously lain dormant. The ability to literally float upon the air and phase in and out of  physical reality was a common feat documented on the life stories of many spiritual masters. 

As the figure floats upon the air bolts of lightning spread out beneath her. These thunderbolts represent not only spiritual power but the subsequent ability to affect the physical realm of nature – an ability that is also shared by those who have ascended and is usually narrated in the form of healings, walking on water, stilling storms, speaking with animals…etc.  Those who reach this level of mastery have power flowing through them that has a spontaneous effect upon others around them. This phenomena was responsible for the veneration of relics and other sacred items that belonged to holy figures. For example, the bible speaks of people being healed by the touching the discarded garments of the apostle Paul and other noted saints. 

Her hair rises up as it is filled with the sacred energies that are being received and course through her entire being. These energies are both spiritual and physical. Her hands form a mudra symbolizing power and transformation, while her eyes open up toward the heavens above. All the while she is supported by the divine hand of god which serves as a support, source of uplift, and grounding protection from any lower energies.

The burning fire bursting forth from the figure’s heart symbolizes healing, regeneration, and the development of a richer sense of intuition and connection to spiritual realities. There is so much discussion in circles about the third eye and its power to open one to spiritual insights, that we often forgot the true seat of all knowing is not from the mind or upper chakras, but from and within the heart. The same spiritual fire depicted within the figure’s chest is also mirrored above her in each of the smaller orbs that comprise the outer portion of the heavenly circle above. This divine connection is maintained within the awakened heart.

The other symbols within the piece are all loosely based upon numerological theories. The large circle above her is an adaptation of the Fibonacci scaling system which is directly connected to Phi and the golden rule of divine proportion found throughout nature, art, music, the human body, and symbology. The circular scaling sequence and the spiraling energies within the circle are all part of this system. The floating circular shapes are healing glyphs fashioned of copper that have been purported to heal those who come into contact with them, while the 9 pointed triangular shapes within the glyphs are indicative of the 9 personality types found within the Enneagram.  The number 4 is associated with the earthly plane so the four glyphs are earthly symbols which help to keep the figure grounded as the heavenly energies descend and fuse with her physical nature.  As in many of my other images, the figure is encircled within a biomorphically shaped ring of power which is indicative of both spiritual power and the auric energies.

This image will be the cover for my next major project. I have begun the process of developing 2 books for next year. This image will serve as the cover of project number 2. A large format coffee table book entitled: When We Pray: Seven Monographs on the Aesthetics of Prayer and the Spiritual Life. Look for further details by the end of March 2017! 

To purchase the original image please contact me directly at:

Damon’s Originals

To Purchase a Print use the link below:

Prints by Damon

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