Archive for April, 2010

einstein once said that he felt ‘a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law that reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection’.
i know this to be true…..if we can tune into this rapturous feeling and live in the ‘harmony of natural law’ we can perhaps release our desire to control anything or anyone. this ‘natural law’ guides the seasons to unfold naturally, the whales to traverse the oceans, the birds to migrate and return thousands of miles without maps. all this happens outside our human egos domain and we are part of this ‘natural harmony’.
giving up the need to control anything or anyone and remembering that there’s a time for everything, allows for all things to take their natural course including us and living a life of peace, harmony and love.

i know now that after all that is said and done…..and all the earth shaking, breath taking, fast moving, teeth chattering, adrenaline flowing  adventures are behind us, we go back to where we started from.  what is truly meaningful in life revolves around the mundane day to day simple stuff that makes up the backbone of our lives. ‘one chops wood before climbing mt. everest and one chops wood after’……life is a full circle. 
spring may be here with cherry blossoms at every turn, but winter lingers on a little longer as these sturdy feisty pansies still grace my balcony with color, joy and divine fragrance.  i’m grateful i could stop and smell them whenever i wanted….my beautiful indigo winter companions have inspired many moments in my studio and lifted my spirits on a grey cloudy day.

it’s that time of the year when spring nudges the winter out with soft, sweet delicate pink and white cherry blossoms in tokyo. everyone is out viewing the blossoms – a yearly ritual – as if for the first time!
the desire to view the sakura ( cherry) blossoms represents an eternal quest to find beauty and doesn’t last too long. before you can get your fill of the blossoms, the cool spring breezes carry the petals away and remind our spirit of the fleeting nature of time. one minute you are here and in full bloom like the cherry blossoms and the next you are gone…..gone with the wind!
the seasons change…..like everything else.
the soft petals disappear where they came from and as they float away…..they touch my cheeks and tell me “despair not, we’ll return. till then…let your heart be our resting place.” i feel the calm and inner peace descend upon me and i smile from knowing that this is the truth.
the winds of change don’t wait for anything or anyone and life goes on to repeat the cycle.
each flower, moment or person is much like the other and yet unique.
photo: mrinalini

my friend ines – from uruguay-  gave me food for thought this morning with her wonderful message which i would like to share with you:

migratory birds fly in a ‘v’ formation because they get 71 % greater flying range than if they were to fly alone. when one drops out of formation it feels the resistance and drag of flying alone and quickly moves back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the group formation. when one lags behind – if its sick or tired –  then it’s joined by other birds to help it along till it’s able to join the big group again or till it dies. when the lead bird tires it’s replaced by other birds that take turns to fly in point position….all the time the others behind are honking to encourage each other to move forward.
we humans could learn much from our winged friends…those who have a common purpose, goal and direction can reach their destination easier and faster if they trust and help each other on their common travels. on this journey it’s also very useful if we are willing to extend or take a helping hand as the need arises.
we are after all interdependent on each others skills and resources.

what helps one helps the rest.  what is good  for one is also good for the others…..we are in this together…. if only we could remember the ‘v’ formation often enough.

mil gracias ines.

yesterday I received this note from a friend who visited my ongoing art exhibition:

” today I had attended a funeral in the morning and i walked into the gallery with a heavy heart, but your ‘blue lotus’ at the entrance caught my eyes. it gave me warmth, enocuragement, comfort…..everything i needed. i have always been fascinated by your paintings ever since i first saw them in your dining room, but today i felt even more so.”

thank you dear friend. the purpose of that ‘blue lotus ‘ was served.

whatever people do, think or feel is because of themselves and their belief system, it’s not because of me or you.
it’s coming from them.
so don’t take it personally.
each one of us is co creating our own life experience by the conscious or unconscious choices we are making. we are responsible for the world we find ourselves in.
i remember and try not to take anything personally…..a useful way to avoid many upsets in our life.