As an artist, the best feeling I have had is when one of my pictures comes alive before me. There are pictures I’ve done (and they are mostly the ones depicting different forces) where I can see (in my mind’s eye) movement in the picture and can hold conversations with the beings on them. It can seem strange at times, walking through these gateways and yet necessary as in many ways they feed the art that is still to come as they feed the artist in another very real way
Every being we invoke (or evoke) for that matter has their reflection in our own being. This does not mean that they do not exist outside of ourselves. Indeed true connection happens, in my experience, when that inner aspect provides a gateway to the external being or archetype using our rituals as a gateway.
To break the trap of being
shaking off all definitions
and all cages
liberating myself from is
so that I may become
changing in realisation
and self-knowledge
I ascend
“The Other Side (called in the Qabalah “Sitra Ahra”) is this side of reality that is not contained within the frames of Creation. It is the realm of dark, chaotic powers that exist outside the structured universe, the nightside of the Cosmic Tree, and a negative mirror of light and order.” — Asenath Mason
“According to Buddhism, the root of suffering is neither the feeling of pain nor of sadness nor even of meaninglessness. Rather, the real root of suffering is this never-ending and pointless pursuit of ephemeral feelings, which causes us to be in a constant state of tension, restlessness and dissatisfaction. Due to this pursuit, the mind is never satisfied. Even when experiencing pleasure, it is not content, because it fears this feeling might soon disappear, and craves that this feeling should stay and intensify. People are liberated from suffering not when they experience this or that fleeting pleasure, but rather when they understand the impermanent nature of all their feelings, and stop craving them. This is the aim of Buddhist meditation practices. In meditation, you are supposed to closely observe your mind and body, witness the ceaseless arising and passing of all your feelings, and realise how pointless it is to pursue them. When the pursuit stops, the mind becomes very relaxed, clear and satisfied. All kinds of feelings go on arising and passing – joy, anger, boredom, lust – but once you stop craving particular feelings, you can just accept them for what they are. You live in the present moment instead of fantasising about what might have been. The resulting serenity is so profound that those who spend their lives in the frenzied pursuit of pleasant feelings can hardly imagine it. It is like a man standing for decades on the seashore, embracing certain ‘good’ waves and trying to prevent them from disintegrating, while simultaneously pushing back ‘bad’ waves to prevent them from getting near him. Day in, day out, the man stands on the beach, driving himself crazy with this fruitless exercise. Eventually, he sits down on the sand and just allows the waves to come and go as they please. How peaceful!” — Yuval Noah Harari
Do you listen to the voices in the night?
Their silent whispering at the edges of consciousness
teaching and leading, tempting and tricking
Learn or face yourself; learn to face yourself
expand and become, ever become
I tend to see reality as being soft. Oh there is hard reality – deaths of loved ones, physical injury and the pain of growing up. These things tend to be universal. Most reality is a lot softer and open to interpretation. Two people can see the same sequence of events and yet process it in such different ways that an outsider hearing the two talks would find it difficult to be convinced that they weren’t two different sequences altogether. The Mandela effect tends to be strong and things are remembered differently. Add a third person and a third reality emerges.
Sometimes the only way to find clarity is to answer a question for someone or to write or draw it out. From listening to myself give answers, I have often learned things that I didn’t know I knew.
Most times they speak to me quietly
whispered information; new knowledge
and things I need to know
Other times it comes as a shout
imperatives that I can’t refuse
or shouldn’t
more than one they have saved me from rough times
I’ve learned to listen
to those voices
and respect from where they come.