The Fabric of Earth

The Fabric of Earth - c Lynda Lehmann


This is an old photo I took years ago when flying home from Arizona, where I'd had an extended visit with my family.  It's not a great photo. I shot it with a digital point-and-shoot that probably captured less than 5 mega pixels.  So it's grainy, as well as having been shot through the airplane window.  The funny thing is that when I found this image while cleaning out some Photoshop files tonight, I remembered that very moment when I glanced out the plane window and saw this spectacular view of mountain ridges (which I presume were the Rockies).  I had that wonderful impulse of Joy, expressed by a quiet "Wow!" that we all get from time to time when we see something awesome and beautiful.  We have a sense of its largess and significance, although we might not be able to define why.

It seems that somehow, taking photos not only reminds me of a given moment in time, but that I can also, often remember my state of mind, even that very moment of Consciousness, that fleeting minute during which I was treated to a glimpse of something Profound.  I knew I was seeing something important, because it gave me pause, not only to feel a sense of joy, but to contemplate the Wonder of the Universe, the Wonder of Being.  And so I must conclude that taking photos of the natural world cements my Consciousness in Moments of Beauty, anchoring me more closely to the Heart of Life, if you will.

When I'm lying on my death-bed, I don't want to define myself by my riches, possessions or popularity.  I don't even want to define myself by the highs and lows of my art journey, or by how I assess whatever successes or failures I may have had.

I want to define myself by my relationships.  That means relationships with other individuals,  those outside myself with whom I have chosen to spend segments of my life, and by my Relationship with the Universe.  This will depend on how many Moments of Beauty I have beheld (to use an old-fashioned word) and how many I've taken into my Soul that will forever Enrich, Inspire, and Nourish me, even as I pass from this Earth.

NOTE:  I've capitalized various words to give them emphasis.  Not proper usage, I know...

NOTE: You can click on each photo to see a larger version. All images and text on this blog are copyrighted material, and may be used only with written permission, except where syndication rights have been granted. All other rights reserved. Please visit my sites at http://LyndaLehmann.imagekind.com/ or http://www.absolutearts.com/lyndalehmann/ if you would like to see my acrylic paintings and more of my photography and digital art. You can find a list of my other sites and links in my blog's sidebar. Or google my name for more links. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Consciousness

Entity

Balancing Act

Quixotic Rainbows

Consciousness

I've long had a fascination with consciousness. The idea of consciousness includes concepts like ideation, mindset, attitude, memory, mindfulness, conceptualization, creativity. One can go on and on adding aspects and dimensions to any description of consciousness, and that is precisely why it fascinates me. The human experience is so unlimited and multi-dimensional, as to appear infinite. The older I get, the more I become intrigued both by my own creative drive and by the creative proclivities of people around me. Our consciousness, both individually and collectively as an evolving species, is something to celebrate!

Working with my husband on the house these past weeks, has me painting moldings and doors in my sleep! Thank goodness I can squeeze in an hour or so in the evenings, to produce some digital art. The creative act expands my mind and releases me from the ties to everyday activities, which can get pretty repetitive.

I hope you find these images to be contemplative or meditative, or at least engaging. My favorite is "Quixotic Rainbows." I enjoy the colors and the idea of patches of rainbows, moving through time. And I like the spatial relationships in this one. Which do you like the best, if any?

All images and text c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or my gallery at Imagekind, where you can choose from several sizes and paper types or buy my prints plain or matted and framed.

Passages: The Road to Self-Knowledge

Masks

We hide behind our masks: our jobs, affiliations, and credentials. Each of us strives to live a good life. But we get caught up in the pursuit of creature comforts, entertainment, and ego-driven goals. These strivings obscure self-knowledge.

Only mindfulness is the path to the heart of your life.

Passages

The Yellow Door

The light is within you.

All images and text c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or my gallery at Imagekind, where you can choose from several sizes and paper types or buy my prints plain or matted and framed.

Monolithic Thinking and Imagination Deficit

Origin of Mind - c 2005 Lynda Lehmann

Ronald Isom wrote a post called The Primacy of Imagination on his blog Metrogadfly Documents, that piqued on one of my pet peeves. He describes people with rigid mindsets that will not allow for input or processing of new information, and certainly not for any level of rational debate.

I know a few people like that, whose picture of the world is so fixed as to allow not one iota of doubt to enter their minds, that their "picture" might be stilted. They are so busy defending their rigid snapshot of the world that wonder, creative impulse, empathy, and a feeling of connectedness are impossible for them. They are truly alienated from the universe, walled in by monolithic thought.

While I respect the feelings of such people and recognize that nature and nurture may have come together in such a way as to foster such traits in their personalities, their resistance often makes it difficult for other people within their spheres of influence, to express themselves!

What's your opinion on this subject?

All images and text c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or my gallery at Imagekind.

A Prayer for One Humanity

MATRIX

by Lynda Lehmann

We are not strangers, walking on separate shores.

We are not strangers, toiling at tasks not akin.

We are not strangers, flowing from different founts.

We are not strangers, flailing weary against tempest's din.

We are not strangers, tossed on disparate streams.
We are not strangers, crossed by whim of dissimilar fates.
We are not strangers, called by night winds unmingled.
We are not strangers, molding edifice from unmixed clays.

We are not strangers, flinging stones into monolith waters.
We are not strangers, adrift in remote galaxies.

We are not strangers, wandering lands not primevally bound.
We are not strangers, sailing different-hued seas.

We are not strangers, plucking seed from alien pools.

We are not strangers, repelled, in polar descent.

We are not strangers,

pretentious, autonomous fools!

We are not strangers,

traversing Infinity's frame.

We are Cosmic Dust, crowned with stars,

One Silver Light....

warmed by the same Amber Flame.

Wishing everyone joy and peace at holiday time and always. We are One Humanity. See you in 2008!

The above image is "The Storm Breaks." Poem and image c Lynda Lehmann. All rights reserved.