Words of Wisdom From a Mad Man

I say just simply this:

Heal the mind.
And then work for the air, the trees, the water and the animals.

And the people? Tough. If you want to live in my world, come and go through what I went through to live in my world. You don't just come get in my world. You have to do something to earn my world. I wouldn't let a lot of those people in my world if I had the say so about it. I don't have to destroy them, all I have to do is just say no. I don't want that in my world.

I don't want that confusion in my world.

You don't have to let those people in your mind.

You let the people in your mind that are helping your mind. And your mind is the only mind.
You are the mind. You are the earth, you are the air, the trees, you are the animals, you are everything. You are the child of god. That's the truth. Period.

Yosemite

Yosemite National Park

I hope you all enjoy the shots from my trip to Yosemite. As Frank Lloyd Wright once said; 

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.  

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver...... Martin Luther

  

All things are artificial, for nature is the art of God. Thomas Browne

 Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ....John Muir

Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it. .....Henry David Thoreau

Happy Independence Day!

Let Independence Be Our Boast

EVER MINDFUL WHAT IT COST!!

This weekend while we are all setting off fireworks, celebrating freedom and being with our loved ones eating BBQ, let us NEVER forget the men and women who make that possible for us. I hope that it never slips anyone's mind that the ONLY reason we are able to enjoy the freedom that we have, is due to the sacrifice made by people who, without knowing us all, are fighting for us and who have laid their lives down so we could sleep safely and peacefully at night.

We have no chance of being free unless made and kept so by those better than you or I; those who are NOT able to sit and have BBQ with their family because they are busy keeping us free, those who will NEVER again be able to be with their families on Independence Day because they have given up everything just to insure that we could have this day to celebrate.

I know that the 4th is supposed to be a happy time, but I can not stop thinking of everyone who passed on defending our country and those who are still out there, in harms way EVERY day.

So this weekend, while you are popping open your beer or eating your grilled goodies, remember those that are keeping you all in the lives you live, undisturbed by it all, while they sweat and bleed for us.

I want to say Thank You to all the men and women of the armed forces, but that just doesn't seem enough. It feels to me like saying "I'm sorry" to someone when a loved one passes away. It seems such a very small thing to do or say to offer some little comfort to those who make it possible for me to not only voice my opinion, but also make it possible to live the life I lead.

SEE LAST YEARS INDEPENDENCE DAY POST HERE: http://socalwendie.blogspot.com/2009/07/independence-and-freedom.html

Heart of Stone

Yosemite National Park

Who says it is bad to have a heart of stone?

This is a natural occurring "heart" shape on a cliff face in Yosemite National Park in California. I took this picture and just knew that I had to do a post regarding the heart of stone.

Art Squared Entry # 2

Lord Ganesha and The Mantra of Compassion

Om Mani Padme Hum

pronounced: Ohm - Ma Nee - Pod May - Hum

This chant brings you joy & peaceful vibrations.

Om Mani Padme Hum, the famous mantra of Chenrezig, written in Tibetan script. It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha are contained in this mantra. Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer), out loud or silently to oneself, invokes his powerful benevolent attention. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect.

Om, symbolize one's impure body, speech and mind, and also the pure noble body, speech and mind of a Buddha. Buddhism claims that an impure body, speech and mind can be transformed into pure ones of a Buddha, who was once impure and later by removing their negative attributes, achieved enlightenment on his path.

Mani, the jewel, symbolizes factors of method, compassion and love, the altruistic intention to become enlightened. "Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfills the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfills the wishes of sentient beings", the Dalai Lama says.
PADME means lotus and symbolizes wisdom. Growing out of mud, but not being stained by mud, lotus indicates the quality of wisdom, which keeps you out of contradiction.
Hum, The last syllabus, means inseparability; symbolizing purity & can be achieved by the unity of method and wisdom.

Ganesha is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The laddoo (sweet) he holds indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms.The lotus flowers, and swastika painted on his hand are symbols of spiritual knowledge.

Art Squared Entries

Day of the Dead Alter Piece

I LOVE the Day of the Dead and it comes through in some of my work. I decided to do an entire piece dedicated to the DotD for the Art Squared Show I entered. This show is taking place at the:

 The Market at Serendip

36 N. Liberty St. Powell, Ohio 43065

Contact us at: 614.358.2784

A little more info on this piece, besides the Sugar Skull, starting at the upper left hand cornor, is the Mexica symbol for flower or "Xochitl", on the upper right hand cornor is the Virgen of Guadalupe and patron saint of Mexico, the lower right hand cornor hold the Mexica symbol for movement or "Olin" and finally on the lower left hand cornor is the sacred heart, a symbol widely seen on mexican art. I also have scattered "Loteria" card around the piece. Loteria is a game similar to bingo but played with pictures and is traditional in Mexico. Finally I have included a poem written by the ruler poet Nezahualcoytl (Hungry Coyote) during his life in 1431-72

"I am honored, I am made glad. With sweetness my heart is filled. My soul becomes drunk. I so long for the place of the flowers."

The place of the flowers to the Mexica is something akin to Heaven.

Peep Show

Just for a laugh,

Enjoy the Peep Show!

Ok you all can make fun of me, but this always gets a laugh outta me! Just a little something to make you all laugh and forget it's not yet Friday