 |
| Seed Meditation, 1979, Mixed Media on Bristol, 8x10 |
I always thought of this piece as a prototype for art my making on a spiritual level. It represents a sort of personal breakthrough on all kinds of levels. All of the crazy stuff I did here integrates somehow. Small as it is, when I come across it I get the same fulfilled feeling I had the day I completed it 32 years ago. This one piece has had quite an effect on everything after it--it seems.
So I've been watching You tubes on a variety of subjects, and came across the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra sung by Hein Braat over and over for an hour and ten minutes. At first it sounded like more new age nonsense performed by some western dude trying to impress everyone with some secret he's discovered.
and of course I'm better than him for recognizing this. I wondered what the words meant, and if this guy knew who he was actually praying to. Of course I had a laugh thinking he was duped into praying for the downfall and destruction of Western culture like an occupy guy or something, and of course he would be the first to go. What a putz.
Well.
Looked it up. Turns out this is one of the most widely known mantras of contemporary Hinduism. It is thousands of years old. It is the great death-conquering mantra of the Rig Veda--possibly the most significant centerpiece of all religious expression. Kept listening. An hour later I'm sitting here tears streaming down my face apologizing to the universe for being such a creep. It is so beautiful. Many thanks to Hein Braat for sharing this incredible piece of music. I so apologize for my arrogance.
While all this was going on, I was inspired to look through the files, and came across this 'seed' meditation piece from all those years ago. Somehow the
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and the art connected. If I may be so presumptuous as to show my silly artwork with it, here it is.
\\///\
