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Tantric Marriage

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I made this piece while I was traveling in India, immersed in asana, pranayama, meditation and lucid dreaming. My studies and resulting experiences gave me a clearer image of the relationships between the Chakras, the nervous & endocrine systems, diet, Prana & Chi, and heightened spiritual experiences.  I wanted to embed these teachings of inner balance into the symbolism of the piece.

From Joseph Cambell’s Myths of Light:

‘The two spinal nerves at either side of the sushumna (central spinal channel), left and right, are, respectively, the channels of the female and the male energies (ida & pingala), which the ordered breathing of the yogi is to bring together.  Moreover, the kundalini itself, the coiled serpent power, is conceived as female.’

‘Her voyage up the spine, therefore, is the flight of an awakened girl burning with desire through a forest of perils and deceptive allures to her own extinction and fulfillment and fulfillment in extinction: a lover’s quest.’

‘The yogi is to realize within himself this ideal through an awakening of the power (shakti) of his own omniscience, defending it from loss in the forest of allure and guiding it up the way to the deity of the head.’

‘The ultimate goal is to transcend duality–and that is achieved at the crown of the head, the sahasrara, ‘the thousand petaled lotus.’

From The Tantric Path to Higher Consciousness by Sunyata Saraswati & Bodhi Avinasha:

‘In Tantra and other Yogas, there is a science and art of weaving the male and female principles within the human body.  Ultimate Reality is One, but we percieve reality as dualistic, that everything has its opposite, and that duality is sexual.’

‘Tantric Kriya Yoga is the left-hand path–Vama Marga–a rotation of conscious sexual forces between two partners, mixing the male and female energies in an internal alchemy.  Out of this comes the same illumination that a celibate Kriya practitioner can experience, but much more quickly.  To connect your energy with your mate’s accelerates your progress.’

‘Kriya is the ancient Tantric science of rotating consciousness through the astral pathways of the body to produce a profoundly altered state of consciousness.  Kriya uses a process of ‘Internal Alchemy’ to magnetize the spine, literally pulling etheric energy into the cerebro-spinal fluid and altering its electrical properties.  The breathing and meditation cleanse the latent tunnels between the coccyx (sacral reservoir of cerebro-spinal fluid) and cranial cavities.  Then the electrically charged fluid (shakti) wells up into the unobstructed channels to flood the brain with cosmic energy.  This Shakti Kundalini activates the third eye, the seat of individual consciousness, and stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands–direct links to cosmic awareness.  It transforms the entire nervous system, so every sense is expanded.  It produces a continuous mild orgasm throughout the central nervous system.’

‘In that moment one experiences union with the beloved.  There is no separation, no “I” as apart from “you.”  In that moment we transcend into the state of Samadhi, blissful union between the individual consciousness and the Cosmic.  Wave after wave of love and peace infuse waking consciousness.  The anxious, striving, separated individual self becomes merged with the total flow of cosmic life energy, bathed in its unchanging quality of intense joy.’ 

 

Prints available here

 

Here are a few related videos that further describe this powerful experience:

Kundalini awakening animation from Parabola music video by Tool & Alex Grey - 2 min

What is Kundalini?  Q&A with teacher Tao Semko – 7 min.

Check out Tao’s youtube channel for more in-depth information on Kundalini.

Fun animated description of Chakras and how to balance them from Spirit Science – 8 min

Dynamo Jack – 10 min.  Fact or fiction?  This healer can apparently project a flow of current from his body into other people and objects, with amazing effects.  A team of scientists use electronic equipment to measure this energy.  In the Yogic system, these powers of raised Kundalini are called Siddhis.  There is a moral at the end demonstrating the dangers of misuse! This version of the film at 4:50 makes mention pulling of ‘the correct proportion of Yin (feminine energy) and Yang (masculine energy)’ into the navel chakra.

 

 

Lotus Dome Culture

 

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Pollenectar

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These pieces are inspired by the symbiotic relationship between plants and pollinators, and the use of bio-mimicry in design.

These pieces invoke the totems of the bee, the butterfly, and the humming bird.  These powerful creatures give rise to the abundance of nature by spreading the genetic information of pollen.  Likewise, to assist and protect them in their mission, we must spread the information of how to transform our world, transmitting the memes of a radically sustainable society through our digital networks.  In this modern age of disconnection from nature and colony collapse syndrome, we may look to the bee hive for models of a thriving symbiotic society.  May we live in harmony with the Earth and harvest the sweet honey of permacultural utopia.

 

Prints available here & here

 

Related video:

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge - 6 min.  This slick animated video showcases many amazing permacultural innovations with cool visuals and music.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” - Bucky Fuller

Queen of the Sun – official trailer – 3 min. - Taking us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world.

TED – Using Nature’s genius in architecture – 14 min. Michael Pawlyn describes three habits of nature that could transform architecture and society: radical resource efficiency, closed loops, and drawing energy from the sun.  The ‘Eden Project’ is featured as an example, using geodesic domes modeled on pollen grains to house verdant gardens.

Earthships Biotecture youtube channel – Tons of videos on design principles of the most sustainable & economical buildings in the world.  Here’s a good one to start with – 5 min.  Earthships can be built in any part of the world, in any climate with local materials. Go Earthships!

Galactik Ganesh

 

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Jai Ganesha, remover of obstacles, patron of arts and sciences, deva of intellect and wisdom!

During my travels I have seen Ganesh depicted in Hindu, Tibetan Buddhist and Thai traditional art. I find it striking that the appeal of the elephant headed god is so multicultural. Lord Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles, the messenger and scribe of the gods. Yogis propitiate Ganesh to remove obstructions from their channels, so that the Kundalini may rise uninhibited and ignite the higher states of awareness.

Worshipped across boundaries of country and religion, may the presence of Ganesh grant clarity to your body, mind and endeavors.  Ideal as an altar piece or yoga studio addition.  Kids love Ganesha  

‘Ganesh is Fresh’ – Song by MC Yogi – 3 min.

 

Prints available here

 

Solar Citadel

 

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The Manipura chakra is located in the Solar plexus, center of willpower.  I have heard Manipura translated as ‘Great Citadel‘ and ‘City of Jewels.’  I am struck by the image of glittering rows of solar panels.

Every half hour, enough sunlight strikes the earth to provide to power to the whole world for a year.  Solar panel technology and production are surging forward, revolutionizing the energy industry, with all its ramifications on the environment and social equality.  We can harness our collective Will to achieve ‘Surya Yoga,’ or Unity with the Sun.

One inspiration for this piece is the archetype of Vishnu, the blue preserver & enjoyer of material reality.  Truly we must be Preservers of our world to enjoy it.  Vishnu reclines upon the multi-headed cosmic serpent Ananta, which translates as ‘endless,’ a symbol of mastered limitless energy.  Vishnu enjoys the love of his wife Lakshmi, Goddess of Abundance.  Lakshmi is often depicted with gold coins spilling from her fingertips, bringing prosperity.  In this piece, the coins transform into hexagons that become the panels of permacultural biodomes, invoking the shift to a sustainable paradigm and renewable energy.

This piece is also inspired by the practice of sun gazing.  Research suggests that ancient priesthoods in many cultures developed systems of drawing energy into their bodies by staring at the the Sun in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset.  Might the Sun provide a revolutionary independence from both fossil fuels and the food chain as we know it? Pervasive Egyptian hieroglyphs like the Eye of Ra (God of the Sun) seem a tantalizing hint of forgotten knowledge now being brought to light…

Prints available here

 

Related video:

Here Comes the Sun - uplifting documentary on the solar power revolution! – 48 min

Eat the Sun - official documentary trailer – Is it possible? – 2.5 min

For more information/video on sun gazing, check out my post on dreamcatcher. 

 

Om Mani Padme Hum

 

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This piece was inspired by the months I spent in Dharamsala, India while studying to complete my Yoga teacher training course. My teacher Sivadas said that there was unrest among the local people because the rains were 3 months late. The rhythmic cycles by which the farmers have planted their crops since time immemorial are thrown into chaos by global warming.

Pause to consider the scope of this… It is now happening all over the world, and all of the indigenous people, without voice in any form of mainstream media, are subject to grim uncertainty about how they will feed their children.  As our world roils in the throes of climate change, population growth, species extinction, and industrial pollution, we face a period of urgent transformation and realignment.

Yet within this ominous prospect, the seeds of hope have taken sprout. Crisis provokes leaps in evolution. I wanted to depict the transmutation of Darkness into Light, for as the suffering of the planet becomes impossible to ignore, we raise the clarion call to compassionate action, represented in the piece as Saraswati, goddess of intellect and creativity.  The message of enlightened activism is transmitted through the global network, bringing our collective will to bear on transforming the very society that is causing the crisis.

Om Mani Padme Hum translates as, ‘Behold, the Jewel in the Lotus!’ As the lotus rises untainted from the mud, so too does our consciousness bloom.

 

Prints available here

 

Related video:

Coalition of the Willing - powerful and inspiring animation -15 min - This short film offers a response to the major problem of our time: how to galvanize and enlist the global publics in the fight against global warming. This optimistic and principled film explores how we could use new Internet technologies to leverage the powers of activists, experts, and ordinary citizens in collaborative ventures to combat climate change. Through analyses of swarm activity and social revolution, ‘Coalition of the Willing’ makes a compelling case for the new online activism and explains how to hand the fight against global warming to the people.

2012: A Time for Change trailer & site- from Conscious Evolution to Practical Solutions. – 2 min. A truly beautiful documentary on the global paradigm shift. I love the vision of this film and highly recommend it.  Full version available to stream via Netflix.

HOME - A stunning documentary made entirely from global airbone footage – 1 hr 33 min. A snapshot of the modern world, with all it’s wonders and challenges.

THRIVE – Official trailer & site – 4 min.  THRIVE is an unconventional documentary that lifts the veil on what’s REALLY going on in our world by following the money upstream — uncovering the global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of our lives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, THRIVE offers real solutions, empowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future.  This bold documentary includes interviews with some of the great luminaries of our times.  Full documentary can be streamed live for $5.  Check out the 12 Sectors for many articles and videos presenting a holistic worldview. 

 

 

Cyberspatial Telepathy

 

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Digital media networks give rise to a collective hive mind, uniting vast alliances for the causes of social and environmental justice.

I intend for this piece to draw attention to an issue I feel strongly about; the mining of coltan for use in consumer electronics.

Coltan is a rare mineral that can withstand high degrees of heat, so it has become an essential ingredient in the battery capacitors of our consumer electronics, including all of our laptops, mp3 players and cell phones. Coltan is mined in the Congo by slave labor, including what the United States Department of Labor listed as the “worst forms of child labor.” Gorillas are slaughtered and the meat is sold to miners and armies that control the area. Warlords kill to control the mines, and the soldiers mass rape the local women as means of psychological warfare against the men. 5.4 million deaths have been attributed to the mining. I think that this is a dark truth worth knowing as we surf our facebook profiles and use our phones to call our loved ones, for our technologically privileged lifestyles come at a terrible price.

When we realize where our toys are coming from, it illustrates our responsibility to use that technology to sublimate the very system that produces it. We have the power to spread memes that will resonate in the hearts and minds of millions of people. We can use the power of our digital networks to organize and transmit a message of Unity.  Already we are seeing the use of social networks in coordinating massive global protests as part of the Occupy Movement. Let us use these tools for the benefit of all beings.

 

Prints available here

 

Related videos on electronics and social networks:

World Wide Web Foundation - 3 min - Animated infographic about internet access.

The Real Mobile Phone Wars - 24 min - As the high tech age takes over more and more of our lives, manufacturers will go to any lengths to get the sometimes scarce minerals that go into them. Coltan is one such rare ingredient. Few of us know that in the middle of Africa much human suffering is created in the pursuit of it.

The Story of Electronics - 8 min - animated description of how to redesign our electronics supply chain for sustainability

Internet Censorship - 3 min - Animated infographic on the importance of a free internet by GOOD.

 

 

Shaper of the Merkaba

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As I learn to manipulate digital clay, shifting pixels around in a virtual environment, I work to deepen my lucid awareness of waking life as yet another virtual world, as malleable to our imagination as the clay.

The Merkaba, or Star Tetrahedron, is a geometric shape composed of merged opposing pyramids.  This pattern is the basis of the Sri Yantra, which in Sanskrit translates to ‘instrument’ or machine,’ and is thought to be a symbol for reality itself.  While I was working with this sacred geometry in a digital 3d modeling program, I was struck by the idea that I was shaping a reality within a reality, much like the practice of Lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreams occur when a sleeper realizes that they are dreaming, and thus realize that the very convincing and detailed world  in which they find themselves is occurring within their own minds, and is therefore responsive to his or her will.  A lucid dreamer may bend the laws of gravity to fly free like a bird, pass through walls as if they were made of vapor, teleport to astonishing mental landscapes, alter the flow of time, and have profound mystical experiences.  Waking from a lucid dream leaves me feeling incredibly energized and full of joy.

From Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen Laberge:

“But why are people interested in learning to be conscious in their dreams? According to my own experience, and the testimony of thousands of other lucid dreamers, lucid dreams can be extraordinarily vivid, intense, pleasurable, and exhilarating. People frequently consider their lucid dreams as among the most wonderful experiences of their lives.

If this were all there were to it, lucid dreams would be delightful, but ultimately trivial entertainment. However, as many have already discovered, you can use lucid dreaming to improve the quality of your waking life. Thousands of people have written to me at Stanford telling how they are using the knowledge and experience they have acquired in lucid dreams to help them get more out of living.”

For more information on how to access this incredibly potent state of consciousness, check out my lucid dreaming resource kit on dreamcatcher. 

 

Prints available here

 

 

Anapurnadevi

 

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The Goddess of Nourishment, reminding us that the Earth’s abundance can support us all, if we rise to our role as her steward.

A story about Anapurna:
‘Once Shiva told his consort Parvati that the world is an illusion and that food is a part of this illusion called maya.’

‘The Divine Mother who is worshipped as the manifestation of all material things, including food, became angry. To demonstrate the importance of her manifestation of all that is material she disappeared from the world.’

‘Her disappearance brought time to a standstill and the earth became barren. There was no food to be found anywhere and all the beings suffered from the pangs of hunger.’

‘Seeing all the suffering, Mother Parvati was filled with compassion and reappeared in Kasi and set up a Kitchen.’

‘Hearing about her return, Shiva ran to her and presented his bowl in alms saying, “Now I realize that the material world, like the spirit, cannot be dismissed as an illusion.” Parvati smiled and fed Shiva with her own hands.’

‘Since then Parvati is worshipped as Annapurna, the Goddess of Nourishment.’

May we tend the Earth to end world hunger and nourish our bodies with the vital chi of fresh food.

 

Prints available here

 

Related videos on urban agriculture/permaculture and genetically modified food:

Aquaponics Design – 5 min. How to yield a million pounds of food per year on 3 urban acres.

TED – A garden in my apartment – 8 min.  How to make open-source aquaponic window farms.

Food Inc – official documentary trailer – 2 min

The Future of Food – full documentary – 1 hr 29 min

‘THE FUTURE OF FOOD examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world’s food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today.’

Vandana Shiva on the Future of Food – 5 min

Vandana Shiva – Time to End the War Against the Earth - article

Introduction to Permaculture – 40 hours of free college

“Permaculture means ‘permanent culture,’ (or ‘permanent agriculture’) and …’is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem.’ (Bill Mollison)

This course will explore, through lectures, discussions, field trips, and required projects, a design/thinking methodology that seeks to provide for our physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., while doing so in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner.”

 

Pranasynthesis

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Cosmic Christ

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Enlightenment is a biological process.  Cross-examination of ancient systems such as Hatha Yoga, Chi Kung and a host of others reveal underlying physiological truths: By the cultivation of breath-energy and intentional circulation of electricity through the body, we regulate the flow of our natural biochemistry, channeling nutrition, hormones and vitality to every cell of the body like the veins of a leaf.  Through right diet, posture, breath, and exercise, human beings can awaken the inner fountain of longevity, and even the heightened sensory perception of great spiritual masters.

Presented with the image of these masters, we might then ask what spiritual potential we hold within ourselves?  People have been achieving states of Illumination or Enlightenment for thousands of years, identified by traits such as a radiant aura, the ability to heal through touch, and a universal message of peace.  Sometimes stepping forward to become great teachers, they grant us a glimpse of the blissful, primordial Awareness that lay within us all.  Though their teachings may become distorted, unifying wisdoms such as the Golden Rule ring through the lineage of masters.  In this age of globalization and ecological crisis, may we foster understanding across spiritual traditions, creating a synthesis of the great teachings to coax the latent potentials of the human being to full emergence.

Being relaxed is a cross-cultural attribute of enlightenment.  When the body is tense, blood vessels constrict, and circulation is hindered.  When the body is relaxed by physical practice and deep meditation, the energies of the body can cycle freely.  It is in this relaxed state that electricity can be made to flow from the intestinal battery coil of the lower dantien, through the chakras (neuro-endrocine plexuses) to untapped centers in the brain.  This results in a process of transformation with profound effects on every facet life, including enhanced creativity & strength, and decreased need for sleep.

One of the most foundational practices we can adopt in support of these enlightened states of mind is to energize the body with proper diet.  Many blockages and chronic illnesses in the body can be swiftly cleared by drinking organic fruit and vegetable juice as the main dietary staple.  Public awareness of the cancer & diabetes-reversing effect of a plant-based diet is growing rapidly:

Forks over Knives - official documentary trailer, 2 min (full movie can be viewed on netflix).  Hear the science of how a plant-based diet can reverse chronic diseases without expensive pharmaceuticals.  Interviews include recovered patients, researchers who study Chinese cancer rates, firefighters and a vegan mixed-martial arts champion.

The Gerson Institute – official site at gerson.org.  A wealth of resources and successful case studies on how to cure the majority of diseases through diet.

Dying to have Known – full documentary, 1 hr 20 min: This film is about Gerson Therapy.  It features many interviews with patients, scientists, surgeons and nutritionists who testify to the therapy’s efficacy in curing cancer and other degenerative diseases, and presents the hard scientific evidence to back up their claims.

Let us live in alliance with plant-life.  By cultivating the outer landscape to yield produce that is full of life-force, we help to cultivate a vital inner landscape for our bodies, which in turn creates the platform for experiences of Cosmic Consciousness.  As blood circulates through the microcosm of the body, may we circulate the knowledge of health through the macrocosm of society, and thus engineer a mass revolution in consciousness.

 Prints available here & here.

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Thanks for reading about my artwork. I hope this page serves as an inspiration and a resource for your personal journey.