Come What May...
The beautiful music in this video is by the amazing Wah! I have been listening to this while I was wrestling with Lord Ganesha as of late. Looking to create an image that reflects his energy. But its not always easy. An image calls itself into form. The trick for any artist is this: Can we listen carefully enough to the divine to hear the call? I have been listening intently to Lord Ganesha for months. Listening for an image to emerge into view. Hearing the ephemeral voice on the edge of my awareness whispering "Let go." And so I do. And it whispers, "Let go some more." And I say, "I am! Really, I am totally letting go!" And Lord Ganesha laughs. Not a condescending laugh. Just a laugh that says, "I accept what you think you think." Now, after all these attempts, I am pretty sure there is always more space to let go into. This video documents my process of letting go over and over again. It doesn't have a clean conclusion. No finished painting emerges from these attempts. I am still a work in progress. I did eventually finish a satisfactory image of Lord Ganesha and it is included below. This final image I did not film as I felt I needed to be alone with the letting go. When I film myself, its always as if I have someone watching over my shoulder. The constant clicking of the camera takes me away from the surface I am working on. And that surface, i.e., the canvas, the page, the blank paper- that is the window of infinite depth that leads to that letting go place. Lord ganesha is the remover of obstacles. The energy of Ganesha helps us understand that the essence of removing obstacles is simply receiving everything that comes your way as a gift. Ganesha helps us live in the letting go and the acceptance for the varied and crazy gifts of life on Earth. Come what may.
