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.
 

*To purchase prints click here

Moga Yoga

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 yogini Maureen Mlller. Check her out on Instagram @mogayoga

Full Lotus – Padamasana
from the “Asana Series”

You may recall that I created a similar image of this pose in acrylic paints about four months ago. Although watercolor is a very different medium with its own character, I still wanted to create interest between the two depictions. In order to do so, I used a more dynamic point of perspective, a slightly different color palette, and simplified the background.   

Half Moon
Ardha Chandrasana
from the “Asana Series”

I find Half-Moon to be a very interesting and dynamic pose. I wanted to find a perspective point that would stress that dynamism while still giving one a good view of Maureen’s entire figure. The symbolic shape used in this image is a combination between a fractal pattern and a more biometric amoeba-like shape. 

Goddess Pose  
Utkata Konasana
from the “Asana Series” 

In this image, I wanted to give a sense of Maureen’s nobility and power. She truly embodies the energy and wisdom of the Goddes and I really wanted to imbue the image with similar quaities.  

OTHER NEWS
As some of you may have heard via social media, I am in the process of recovering from Covid-19. I am still not sure how I contracted the virus and don’t know of anyone else in my networks of association who has contracted it. 
As of this post, I am in my tenth week of recovery and am still not completely well. It has been a long and frightful journey. I was blessed to not be ill enough to need hospitalization, but there were times when I was convinced that I might die alone in my new home. Thanks be to God that I am alive and on the mend!! At present, I am undergoing testing to ascertain if there has been any permanent damage to my brain or other internal organs. Please keep my recovery in your prayers.

Please take this virus seriously and do all you can to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy!

   

Garland Pose

Garland Pose – Malasana
from the “Asana Series” 

Garland pose is another addition to my ongoing series on yoga. The model for this image was the yogi Rondy of Rondyoga.com

The colors I chose for this image are based upon the asana’s connection to the lower chakras: the root chakra (red), the sacral chakra (orange), and the solar plexus chakra (yellow). Garland is a rooting pose which more deeply connects one to mother earth and her life-giving energies. 

The unalome to the right of the figure is a Buddhist symbol which symbolizes the journey to enlightenment as symbolized in the geometric shape at the top of the symbol.

For those of you who don’t know, I began the series in July of last year in conjunction with the yogini’s and yogi who teach at the Black to Yoga here in Oakland. 


Other News

My new website launches next month!
I will have a new website platform that will be launching in the first week of February. There will be a completely new look and a variety of enhanced features that will make it easier to navigate the site and to place orders.  

My new site will allow you to order paper and giclee prints, metal prints..choose your own frames, and have the whole order shipped and ready to hang!

*All of these features will necessitate a raise in my prices so if you want something at the lower price point place your order before February 1st!!

Upcoming Shows

Art of the African Diaspora Show
This show has a main location and several satellite Open Studios so you will be able to see my work at several venues 

Main Show: Richmond Art Center
2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804

Opening Saturday, January 25, 2020
-Awardees Discussion 12:30 – 2
-Opening Reception 2 – 5

Open Studios: Oakstop 17
1721 Broadway #201, Oakland, CA 94612
March 6 & 7, 2020
-First Friday, March 6th  5pm – 10pm
-Open Viewing Saturday, March 7th  11 – 5
-Artist Talks: Saturday, March 14, 2020  2 – 4*
*doors open at 11 and close at 5


Unbound Roots: SOMArts
This show runs March 9 – April 19, 2020


Be on the lookout for more Updates!

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 – 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.

When We Pray – Progress

Greetings Family,

I was unable to complete the whole manuscript of my book last month. Although I was quite enthusiastic to get it done, I think I was a little unrealistic about the amount of time I could actually put not the project without going to a retreat location and write from there. However, I did manage to get four chapters completed which places me at the halfway mark! I have four more to go and will be ready to get back into writing mode as we refocus for a new month.

Unfortunately, I was sick with the flu the whole holiday weekend and spent 85% of my time at home in bed! 😦  But I’m almost well now and plan to get back into the swing of things later this week.

Below is a summary of each chapter of the project. As you can see below I don’t necessarily complete the chapters in order because my brain just won’t work that way. I meditate upon which chapter should come next and trust that Spirit will guide me to the write one, as it inspires me with the needed content.  Hope you find them of interest!

WHEN WE PRAY:

8 MEDITATIONS ON THE AESTHETICS OF PRAYER & THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

CHAPTER SUMMARIES

Preface

Since the book is really a series of essays or meditations (or monographs??) I don’t think a formal introduction to the contents/concepts is needed. However, I do think it important to basically set the tone for the reader and provide a few insights about the overall direction of “When We Pray” and my reasons for developing its content.

When We Pray
Making the Connection: Prayer, Aesthetics & the Spiritual Life
This initial essay will paint a picture of the overall conceptual framework that allows the reader to begin to see and understand the connections between prayer, aesthetics and the spiritual life. In this section, I will define some essential terms, provide some historical and contextual grounding, and lay the overall framework for the more specific points of discussion that will comprise the other meditations.

When We Pray
The Aesthetics of Enlightenment: the Universal & the Particular – COMPLETE
It is here that the real work begins. I delve into the most misunderstood paradox in spirituality, how the seemingly particular act of going within through prayer and meditation ultimately leads to an ever more intimate understanding of that which is most common to all – the universal. This essay will delve into this paradox and help us to understand how the aesthetic dimensions of spiritual life help us to better understand the universal and the particular.

When We Pray III
Making Special: Sacred Symbols, Sight & Geometry – COMPLETE
What does it mean to make something special? How does our concept of the sacred relate to our use of symbols and the ways in which symbol is used on the spiritual path? This meditation will examine these ideas and relate them specifically to the process of spiritual growth and discernment – particularly with regard to the ways both humans and Spirit utilize symbols and signs as a means of communication.

When We Pray IV
The Work is all Divine: The Role of Imagination in Prayer & Manifestation – COMPLETE
In this essay, I will explore the ways in which imagination and manifestation play a central role in prayer and the spiritual life. It will present the conceptual framework and context through which manifestation and imagination helps us to see understand the inherent connection between prayer, imagination, and the process of manifestation.

When We Pray V
Awakening: The Art of Prayer & the Art of Life – COMPLETE
We use the term “art” in relation to a wide range of human endeavors that stretch from the actual creative work of the “Arts” to the facility with which we live our lives. This meditation will explore the term “art” by defining it in a manner that allows us to connect it with aesthetic experience, inspiration, and the spiritual life. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the notion that prayer is an “art” and how human beings can harness the aesthetic dimensions of prayer in order to live inspired and artful lives.

When We Pray VI
In Defense of the “Woo-Woo”: The Aesthetics of Mysticism and the Spiritual Life
The contemporary scientific model and its accompanying evidence-based approaches in the softer sciences have given mysticism a bad name. Even many Spirituality and New Age professionals will often shy away from the mystical or qualify any mystical statements by apologizing for becoming to “Woo-Woo”. In this chapter, I will address this phenomena and put forth a perspective that argues for mysticism and spiritualization as key components in prayer and spiritual development. This meditation will explore the ways in which the aesthetic dimensions of mysticism and mystical experience have always been and continue to be integral to prayer and the spiritual life

When We Pray VII
In the World & of the World
This chapter will focus upon the more practical aspects of living the spiritual life by examining how our spirituality should deeply ground and connect us to the world in which we live. How does one think about and frame their response to the world’s problems from a spiritual perspective, and what can the aesthetic dimensions of our spirituality bring to that discussion? There is a real and needed place for social activism, global thinking and reflection upon the ways in which our spiritual life can be brought to bear upon the needs of our current place in human history.

When We Pray VIII
Coda: There is only Love
Ultimately, love is all there is. This final essay will serve as a concluding segment that will weave together the various strands from the previous meditations through an examination of the concept of divine love. It will provide an overarching vision that incorporates the key concepts from the meditations. However, it will not be a summary, but rather an inspirational vision that is both a didactic and beautific discussion on love and the ways aesthetic insights can aid us in the expression of love in our every day lives.

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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Polarity: The Balancing Of Desire

INSPIRATION

Most people think the second chakra is all about sex and sensuality, but to limit this chakra’s energies to such a narrow bandwidth is literally majoring in the minors. Sex and sensuality are one the many by-products resulting from the actions of the 2nd chakra’s core responsibility: the balancing of polarity. Polarity is the action or power that connects two opposing forces. In this case, the old adage “opposites attract” is right on target. An easy example lies in the action and attraction of yin and yang both intermingling and interpenetrating one another. Polarity is the energy which binds the power of dualistic forces. As beings of Spirit and matter our very existence is an exercise in the balancing of dualistic forces in polarity.

The 2nd chakra is also associated with the moon, water, emotion, and the gift of clairsentience (the ability to receive information through feelings). This emphasis on motion and change compliments the dynamic movement of forces needed to maintain polarity among opposing dualistic forces. Likewise, the age-old association of the moon and water with feeling and emotion matches the mercurial nature of emotions themselves – as we can be happy one moment and sad the next. Humans can experience the depths of emotion and then enter a complete state of shock that renders us incapable of feeling. These are the mysteries of the sacral chakra. Upon close examination, you will find that the binding agent between these forces, the glue which acts as the substance of polarity is human desire. It is my contention that it is this connection to desire which links the sacral chakra so closely with sex and sensuality.

Each and every moment of each and every day we are desirous of any number of things. To be human is to experience desire. Desire itself is decidedly neutral – for without it none of us would be able to accomplish anything. But if left unchecked or untempered, our desires can so easily become an enemy from within. A trojan horse that is capable of undermining and destroying all our hopes and dreams. If we repress our desires we dam the flow and our manifestations become dull and lifeless. However, if we allow our desires and passions to overshadow everything they will eventually consume us. Therefore, we strive to maintain an equilibrium among our various desires through the action of polarity. Just like water, our emotions, energies, needs, and desires must flow. Shifting and re-forming as needed to fit the multi-form contours of our desires as they expand, contract and intermingle according to the demands of daily life. One of the most easily identifiable areas for observing this need for polarity lies within the realm of sex and sensuality.

Polarity: The Balancing of Desire

SYMBOLISM

The predominant color representation for this chakra is orange. For each chakra, I use a minimum of three variations of that particular color ranging from warm to kool. All other variations in tone are created by mixing a particular hue with white. For this image, I used the orange found in the lotus as the primary tone of the entire image. This tone colors the lotus, serves as the base tone for the background and was painted as a lighter layer on the flower beneath the seated figure.

The 2nd, or sacral chakra is symbolized by the six-petalled lotus with its accompanying  Sanskrit character (Savadhisthana). This same decorative flattened Lotus motif is found at the top and a more realistically rendered lotus is found underneath the seated figure.

The seated figure is meditating in the full lotus position with his hands pointing downward in the shape of a triangle. The triangular mudra has its opening in the location of the sacral chakra. I opted not to place a small graphic image of the chakra within the space for two reasons: I wanted to keep the imagery consistent with the remainder of the series, and I felt that a bright graphic image there would draw the viewer’s eye directly to that location where it would remain stuck – thus sapping energy and movement from the overall composition.

In many ways, this particular piece has been the most difficult one to create thus far in the series. The choice of which chakra to work on next has been Spirit-led and intuitive. This exercise has also meant that a major portion of my focus for this series has been an exercise in tuning in for guidance. Not only tuning in but more significantly, exercising the courage and discipline to trust and follow that guidance once it has been received. In “learning to trust my gut” as the old folks used to say. Learning to balance my inner feelings and hunches with the knowledge and skills I have acquired along the way has been a source of tremendous growth for me. I look forward to the coming year with courage and wonder.  I have finally begun to realize that the process is as important as the outcome. Balance is the key. Namaste’

Look out for a discussion of the 6th chakra next month!

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