A dark interval and other writings by Roshan Sahi

An interval is a space of time between events or states; between objects, units, points or difference in pitch between tones. An interval can also be a set of real numbers between two numbers either including or excluding one or both of them. Or one of a series of fast-paced exercises interspersed with slower ones or brief rests for training.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2007

some poems Listen, a change of sound a secret within slow murmurs of unheard songs unite suffering silence

The stare within reflecting a present emotion shattering past experience casting patterns change form to non-being dies to live transformed

I hold within, knowing not deep within, captured

rises bringing forth what is living to love a moment redeemed time passes.

An entry movement, rhythm wavering through endless passages in trance shifting, shaping the unknown; sharing a vast world forgotten in silent presence now

I journey through interior landscapes exploring something hidden creating within a vision my body co-existent and passing through a world of reality and its manifestations like an instrument played within the dream of the creator I wander ..

Writing these words for you

drown the whisper of drizzle becomes soaked the ground becomes muddy the sense of my emotion becomes a past

The reason why I express of something I desire I have not seen or heard or touched though I keep it safely with tender care I treasure it knowing it is real

I know not what it is I take it as though it would be part of my being reminds me of you

Synchronization between levels of consciousness the experience within the dream the resonance felt within memory I travel through my sub-consciousness, my forgetfulness a perception of reality being an act of inter-relationship the opposites a revelation of the world a patterning of

an interpretation telling history through the present into a future still unknown

..

I woke up to hear the birds in their world of solitude now piercing, now subdued sounds of crisp leaves swept children make small heaps

trees stand still mist woven slowly separates once again revealing colour

my window opened, a quiet tender chill once felt never again realized

distant people sit movements, sound now becoming the breaking: thoughts fade birds chitter, chatter, now children squabble in the hustle and bustle of a shattered silence constructing the early hour

into what is to be this day

An infinite delight in being, transcending transformation an experience of reality a realization within perceives the infinite universe

Rhythm, movement, colour, texture structure, forms and shapes synthetic symbolic representations of light.

Happenings, events, processes a cycle within the finite community, environment, context that which abides diversity

Transmitting and mediating an expression expressing a union between the one and all being

In all things and in all an awakening within the heart to all that pervades a transfusion

transformation to that which is conscious

..

so many feelings trapped in this solitude illusions of wonder.

..

Why wonder caught in this terrible splendid ecstasy of silent journeying passing within darkness drowns

The dazzling light of the morning soft and damp from the gentle rain, a cold wind breeze

the warmth and closeness of an inner wanderer joyfully slow and reflective realizing

..

These words drown to hear the silent soaked emptiness of a feeling flowing reflecting a moment fresh brightly cleansed within generated, delight inspired I wait in openness tearing thoughtlessness nothing remains beyond the ever present fluctuating, ever moving wondering wondrous state of being in itself

Hush of wind blowing through crisp leaves bamboos wave the presence of life felt within all

young bride carrying her new born childthe becoming process of an everlasting way of life

An uncertainty of me sitting here, writing these words not being a part of my life a value, which is deeply a part of

what I understand

Chirruping of birds a meaningless dialogue, becomes a part of what is here an experience

The cast of an early morning sun transforms a cold winter night while houses remain isolated myself, in this forgotten village on the extended porch of a hut

a puppy barks to its own pleasure trying to bite its own tail it is really its own thought creating to make a part of its own understanding of what it chases but never reaches

..

What is it that makes this day so beautiful? the slow murmur the sun still not to be seen to walk Out into the open field Wet soft and tender dark under the sole of my feet this morning light begins

Days in silence waiting unexpectedly passes and changes as though unknown into a space realizing time, now is never more than what was will be an eternally spent moment transcends within becoming an experience again and again. To forget and cleanse a memory which is not what is Forever as though forgetting that now is what is forever; to grasp and become is a change, to what will be yet remain

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007

mandala

Today is the night of Deepavali, I can hear firecrackers in the distance, though, I am sure in Bangalore it must be a real racket as well as very polluting. Still, through various conversations I have had recently, I am reminded of the bomb blasts in Delhi, which in a very complicated way is the tragedy of the modern era; where people are vulnerable on any occasion to be a victim of a larger political conflict. How this is going to resolve and when is there going to be a situation of peace is understood as a very precarious issue. I think what with the earthquake in Kashmir the various flooding in Bombay, Calcutta, Chennai and now the tension and worry of crazy militants moving about causing havoc with a vicious target of picking on common innocent people seems to be an unreal situation. It is very difficult to understand the situation and know what kind of underlying currents are shaping the present times. I think in Europe there has also been some thinking over all this, and I am sure in America too. It seems a kind of global crisis that is prevailing, and I guess a factor that will affect the way in which we think about world events. In some ways this has been somewhat in my mind as to try and understand how situations such as these various events construct our temperament and state of mentality. To become accustomed to issues that are real life questions, and also relatively affecting the way we relate to the world outside and also to the world in us that we contemplate in: the experience of media and information regarding world events too, I feel has immensely changed the perception of our self. The way we are all collectively informed and involve in a social context I think is crucial to the shaping of self. To this I wonder what value and meaning a person who one with nature has, with the present course of world events? Is it such that we have no more the sense of connection and harmony with the world in which we live, and that every information insight into the nature of things now revolves around themes of violence, terrorism and conflict. I feel there is some real underlying meaning of life that we miss in the present information technological system that removes us and changes our perception of things to relate to a world full of danger. This makes me even more conscious when I meet people who ask me 'have I seen what it is really like on television? When children are exposed to the horrors of what is happening... I find it difficult to relate to and say, well there are lots of things actually going on in the world. And we never really know what it is all about... there is also a very beautiful world that is right in front of our eyes that we need to relate to and care for. Reality becomes a very relative issue depending on what we are concerned about, what we see, and what we find meaningful. To be living in a context where there is so much of life going on all around, friendly people, and peace, and yet all this confusion otherwise? I was wondering about the themes - the healing mandala, the screen and boundary. How all this can be seen as a continuum of reflection to the way in which we perceive and conceptualize a mediation of ideas and processes that transform and realize in to deeper meanings and insight in the processes of our contemplation? How is the mandala understood as integral to our relation to the world universe?

Through a screen: reality, we see inwardly Breaking boundaries of perception An insight into a greater infinite world That is the space within our heart Atom, mandala within knows no self, the universe. Today I reflected on this theme of how we relate to the way of continuity and growth: change. The way plants relate to the changes in the seasons, and also the different contexts within which they exist. How does this also refer to the urban development that is presently affecting natural processes and the way, we as humans effect and become ourselves a part of the whole cycle and system of our own construct and manifestation? To somehow be more at one with processes: those processes which are harmonious and corelative and operative within nature, in change: in peace. I feel this is the healing of the mandala that we have forgotten to tend as humanity: the mandala is wholeness.

23.6.2009

A dark interval

A threshold of inner transformation being, becoming a shadow with shadow seeing within, forms sensing, inner images a cave, my heart space within space dark, silent and empty passages hidden losing sight of self a womb with no dimensions entering into eternal time darkness becomes visible into that memory where identity no more shapes our life - illuminating in our spirit a resurrection of compassion in the light of all present in darkness

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010

...same time jump from this time space to Mr pickle's time space where we can ponder on population potentials, product supply potentials, demographic energy, time accessibility and the like some practical thought: demographic dimensions of thought in action An experimental thought X action recipe: Traditionally a thought was, strictly speaking, an action, but nowadays it's far more likely to turn a thought into thought in itself. 5 oz symbol (175 g) 5 oz reference (175 g) 3 size 1 idea, understood 6 oz issues (175 g) 8 oz criteria (225 g) 2 oz (50 g) topic, subject, concept finely woven fact into reality 2 oz deconstructed philosophy 1 level 0 answer 3 questions Then for the results check which direction the wind blows 12 oz sieved solutions 3 size 1 material 2 cups of tea approx 1 discussion 100% relaxation 1 small action Pre-think the thought to mark 2 (300*F) (150*C) One 8 inch (20 cm) thought form brushed with melted ideas then lined with concept proof mixed with referenced also brushed with ideas and sometimes feelings. Sieve the deconstructed bowl of philosophy, then have a cup of tea and enjoy life until the feeling of being in itself is experienced. In a separate space and time think about the possibilities of a question that may not have an answer! Together then, make up and add a new result of thought processing until, little by little, you start realizing, relaxing whenever

you feel like. When all the thoughts are thought, take time off to do what you want to do. Now change your routine to find new time and space to review whatever seems 'normal', there may be in fact some aspects quite funny. Mix the thought alternately till you find everything quiet and peaceful. This helps reconfigure other dimensions of thought that may not have seemed apparent! Just be around for a while. Combine 12 oz (350 g) of sieved solutions with 6 oz (175 g) of criteria in a new frame of mind, and mix them thoroughly together. Then in a different thought 2 oz (50 g) topic, subject, concept finely weave fact into reality. Stir this, and be stirred by it. Notice symbols. Think of essence. Now take one third of 5 oz symbol (175 g) and half 5 oz reference (175 g) placing the rest in a safe place in your unconscious. You do not need to look for any results giving it quarter diameter (using silence approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in time per milli second. Very gently level it out for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours until you feel better. Leave yourself behind in the thought to cool for 15 minutes before starting to proceed. This helps in altering some pre-conceived ideas of self. When you feel easy and calm about this relax and maybe make a cup of tea if you like or any other refreshment. Generally this helps you to connect to the world. Visit friends. Find new and interesting ideas to think about. As much as possible free yourself from who you think you are. Possibly discover something new about life! Note: the experiment of this practical thought has been explored by people who like 3 1/2 inch square discussions in the future. This recipe can be replaced by infinite number of other recipes, eternally for that matter, without too much thought! - but this is not a thought I usually bother with. I just like it. .....................

Some thoughts... ... aspect of all interactive environments... especially environments in which 'learning' becomes the objective, or more specially, the situation of relationship of different individuals

co-ordinating and co-existing within a specific environment becomes a space and time for experience. I found the concept of 'transition' actually very interesting. Thinking about the way of entering and exiting into spaces as transitional, or that of eating, or starting to work on something new, or ending ... going from place to place, or even seeing! listening and so on. My understanding of this is more towards a way of connecting moments of experience in our everyday life to those experiences which change and form deeper impressions in our sense of being in a place - situation. Transitional moments of experiences are understood as those that characterize incidents that occur to form a more complex and meaningful interrelationship to other experiences. What may be distinctive of transitional experiences is the way of recognising specific elements that change our ways of relating to the world around us... different, in a sense from what we were experiencing or relating to before the transition actually takes place. I was remembering the ideas of 'threshold'. Possibly threshold and transitional space - time situations have something in common. This led me further to reflect on the theme of action as being a kind of transitional space and time process. Action becomes a threshold towards a deeper interiorizing process of experience in the world of being within the place and time we share. This led me to think of how the action becomes an expression through our visual, tactile, auditory and physical relationship to those who we share within the moment. I like the relationship too of the way forms of human gesture in the action become symbolic and representative of an inner world of experience. How in this way, our body as a physical body, unfolds and becomes a vehicle of transformation... and hence a means of transition. I guess for me all these ideas truly become meaningful in the context of reflecting in art the way we experience. Forms of art as transitional and hence transformative, I feel, is a new threshold into our imagination towards the beautiful variabilitys of transitional situations that we try to explore through seeing, listening, touching, gestures, interactions and most generally in all circumstances in our daily life. These processes become part of our everyday experience. I feel art possibly 'brings to light' by revealing the imminent presence of forms of transition in our everyday experiences. This is possibly also a way of realising interior forms of grace and beauty that we express and relate to each other in our lives.

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... reflection on the 'imagination of material' ... on the way materials as substances are transformed in the work of art ... especially in rituals that become sacramental. How do we creatively engage in the imaginative world within, through feelings and sensing a presence

of life and spirit in inanimate things? I feel this is possibly a very symbolic aspect of art in it's most materialistic way of understanding. Art is made of substance in the same way our bodies are substances, and at a deeper reflective level the meaning and experience of the substance; material world, their lies an experience of joy and sorrow, of love and grief... of emotions that are not innately present in the materials themselves, but become a way of experience through our body. I feel this element of art lies hidden ... and therefore sometimes become a crucial element of art that is not touched upon. Is it possible for us to engage through 'lived bodily encounters of material' ways of perceiving the world within which we exist? Is it possible for us to understand the way we experience the world, as in: come to realize the makings of perception through our bodily organs through those material substances that we identify and classify as objects and things? I was remembering this as one of David Bohms understanding in a book that he writes called 'thought as system'. In this book D.Bohm tries to articulate the possible hypothesis that our perception of the world is based on our imaginative concepts and an idea of what the world is. This perception is easily shaped, changed and altered depending on how we choose to view the world within which we exist. Therefore he proposes that what essentially science attempts to do in society and to the human way of perceiving the world is based on how we prioritize certain ways of perceiving the world which could be a particular way of choosing to understand what phenomena is and not the absolute way of perception. Theoretically all scientific perceptions is symbolic to how we choose to understand the world. Well, anyway... I found the relationship of materials to the transformative world of the imagination very interesting. I feel what art tries to do to our imaginative way of perceiving is to creatively engage our inner world to explore and be open to new ways of reflection, different understandings of the way we experience the world around us and within us. How can we become more sensitive to our inner feelings and emotions that shape and form our inner spiritual life? Materials themselves can become metaphors and representations of our imaginative interior mind. I was reflecting about the dimension of dreaming in relation to the aspect of hope. Dreaming is also a way of hope.

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Creativity of hope

Forms and substances constellations of the imagination in search of the hidden new spirit of freedom Vision of the world: self an extension into Experiments of transformation - to make visible invisible realms of life, of matter, things, words Creator, being of the physical world you nourish our soul Initiating a healing process; expressing an inner condition representing a new experience a necessity a way of living Transformer of substances through concrete processes Contact with material broken, informed inner regenerations forming a new organisation; an order of giving, of sharing, a dialogue: recreation Creating a bridge between invisibility of body and world of substance and spirit Impulses of evolution improvisations in the embodiment of thought into the reality of mind To be silent now, listening slow. In harmony, growing Discovering and exploring

expressions that lie beyond what is expressible To find the way less way To heal wounds of the Universe; inner body Unknown to you and me, beyond self and matter To share in union, eternally infinitely in sufferings and joy To love in honesty, in beautiful hope.

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A work of art
Matter can transform to become sign, symbol and word. A sign can transform to become an idea in the same way symbols and words put together interpret reality. Art belongs to the magical alchemical realm of imaginative transformation within the person and community who respond to material, structure and content of art. This transformation of reality into the imagination, I understand as similar to those transformations of the imagination into reality of an engineer, a medical doctor, a scientist, an agriculturalist, a tailor, a cook... the list can go on, who act upon matter to invent a new way of creative living. What is common to the artist and everyone is the simple magical transformation that is experienced in all our imaginative processes of that reality to which we respond to and enter in to a reality of the inner mind. This experience at times can appear in dreams or through real objects and processes of art. A work of art I propose is that which we as a human culture have nurtured to bridge the unknown shores of our inner imaginative reality. A scientist bridges an idea into reality by discovering what could be in one example; energy. A doctor practices to cross this bridge by healing and bringing to life those who are close to death. Similarly an artist bridges the way form, colour, material and processes transform the viewers experience of matter in to a new realm of reality; in to a new dimension of mind and matter. A work of art is there by a product of the imagination.

........................ A transparent art gallery

... the entry into this gallery is like any other entry i.e. the pavement alighting the ground floor. A large transparent frame for the door invites the viewers to enter in to sub-consciously

the gallery arena. There are no planks on this door that conceal the inside from the outside. The floor is beautifully carpeted by the grey concrete floor pavement. As you enter towards the right there is the invisible reception table where no one sits. Towards the left there is a railing and further beyond a public toilet. There are signs showing to the left, right and centre to different invisible galleries. Altogether there are infinite gallery spaces for different exhibitions that can happen simultaneously when necessary, although usually exhibitions that happen in this gallery are inclined to choose not more than what the viewer chooses to see an artist at work, exhibiting at the same time in the same place. This is because it makes sense to both the gallery viewers as well as for the artists exhibiting. The walls in this gallery are transparent as you may have guessed. What you see in the inside of the gallery are essentially works of art that are existing in the environment that surround the gallery space i.e. the context that positions the viewer to view a certain object or landscape created that exists outside the gallery space. This gives ample opportunity for viewers to interpret the works of art displayed in multiple choice perspectives and narratives. Ultimately the excitement that can be noticed gradually welling in the viewers experience is the non-distinguish-ability of art and reality. Art is reality as perceived by the viewer in this instant. The exhibition continues where there are Cafe's on either side of the road that can be entered into by viewers who notice the close-nit-connection between art and reality. The experience of the viewers reality; becomes a way of perceiving and hence experiencing art at one and the same time as one and the same thing. These various Cafes are friendly and not too expensive. Many interesting stories can be heard by listening to the silent walls and forgotten conversations of other viewers who have passed by these streets, to sit down or stand or walk by and feel the presence of now. Here and there shops can also be accessed by the viewer who may choose to wear garments, shoes, buy food provisions and other useful things. I like the places most of all where I go with my love, sometimes by the river side.

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3.2.2010

My womb

Love of my soul my heart rejoices from the depths of my womb in your beautiful light Presence of love my body joyful, suffering sad emotions changing forever spirit of love you give me courage Divine love beyond worries and anxieties lead me into your love embrace the holy spirit of God in you, in me My body wrapped in this flesh and blood quiet and lonely sometimes dancing, joyfully being in the world infinitely, eternally My womb is a place for resting a place I can welcome you into and share my love, my life forever, forever

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on 'reduction' and the shift between time and space the concept of mind and body, one could say... essentially is the idea of reduction; this is also to do with the inter-connections made through by the physical eye and 'the minds eye',

as in, to the way the physical body relates to the senses, or the mind to the body. Living here is everything in relation to the interior sensory reality of the mind perception and thought; being reality. Being in itself is the mind-body. This was very much the ideas of Merleuy-Ponty in his book 'the Phenomenology of Perception', I think almost similar to the kind of discourse that the Jain monastic traditions had regarding the physical senses and that of the psychological inner way of perceiving (the mind). I find this a truly fascinating dimension of how we as human beings live in these different world dimensions... and create within our life a world of multiple sense systems of existence. My thoughts relating to the way I experience art is another dimension of the way I live my life... and yes, it is analogues to the way I relate to people and the environment within which I interact. Art in this sense is another thought system; a reality that partakes in our experiences of time and space. Thinking and reflecting about time and space, I found the concept that time in a sense is actually nothing but being... similar to the experience we have of space! What in effect we experience as time and space is essentially the idea we share of an existent reality... a sense of being in the moment. I guess that time is no different from place... this is a thought... i.e. time is place.

On the question of Time and Eckharts view (claimed as parallel to reducing awakening to instantaneous) that the birth of the Word in the ground of the mind must accomplish itself in an instant, in the eternal now, on the question of "Isness the only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn 'em all away. But they're not punishing you, he said. They're freeing your soul. ... If you're frightened of dying and holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the Earth". Whatever that means ad infinitum .............................

Fragments

Thinking of -

map and the city a way of representation, a guideline but not the actual thing in itself - the map is not the city in the same way; the object is not the spirit The object becomes a representation of our imagination; takes the object as a process of formative cause, by creating a dialogue through interactions between material and the way of perception - objects create processes of perception The observer is changed by the way of forms making coherent qualities of substance - changing into characters of information, by interventions through experiencing substances and processes as metaphors as conditions of the interior imaginative being The object becomes the subject inter-related by sensory perceptual exchange implicitly, creating within each person a part of the whole meaning : transition to go beyond the material substance into the unknown realm of our bodies in silent emptiness

........................... Improvisation I find the idea of 'improvisation' appealing... in the sense, of discovering how form and colour and possibly material and texture, or even text and narrative become a part of how I explore and express myself through various media of my inner world. Abstract art, in the way that we define 'abstract', is a way of beginning from what one could say 'the unknown'. I do not know what lies in the abstract; art becomes a process of discovering my interactions with material and symbol, to explore and 'represent' that which lies hidden from my visible ... apparent world within which I live. So in this sense, all art is 'abstract'; in that all art that I experience derives firstly from an exploration ... 'a journey' into my inner world of my mind and body, into

the world of my imagination. Art facilitates a discovery into realizing a deeper realm of my inner reality that lies hidden, a reality of the spirit within me; the ephemeral presence in all things through which I perceive with my mind and body. Art, in this sense for me, is a way of touching the infinite, the unknown eternal spirit that is present in all that I experience as matter, as things, as symbols, as words. I think art catalyzes my inner world of the imagination to discover and explore a hidden mystery. What I understand as 'transformation in art'... is that alchemical process of art between mind and body, matter and ephemeral, towards an experience of realization in our inner perceptual reality, the mind... a reality that is embodied through our living bodily experience; of the environment we live in - both internally and externally. Art, as I understand, is a medium, a process, an experience of our embodiment into the world of life and matter. Possibly, unconsciously, this is what Kandinsky and Mondrian discovered in their art. A sense of the 'abstract' in art, was essentially a discovery of a physical realisation, or what Merleuy- Ponty would understand, as a phenomenological insight into reality, through the body; of a reality that transcends materiality. A form of experience that we as a human community can relate to, can share with, and dialogue into - a reality that is present, a reality that we intuit as existing beyond the material world of cognition; that appeals and inspires an inner spirit to be 'enlightened', to be touched, and to transcend the physical body into a spiritual realm of the mind. This is the mind that imagines, that grasps the infinite, eternal reality of creation. This is the mind that wonders, reflects, recognizes cyclical pattern of change and evolution in nature. 'Improvisations' are temperamental, specific evolutions of our re-creation in nature, in our own bodily perceptions of growth and coming to life within the moment of a particular time and place. Form and colour become compositional elements that inter-relate with each other to bring into play the imaginative freedom of spirit beyond order, beyond structure, beyond things and beyond material. In my mind, patterns in art connect to those patterns we can observe in nature. Art is a inner process of configuring inter-relationships in our imagination. Pattens in nature become a part of the growth, and potentially the evolution of any substance that is in a process of forming, apparent naturally, primarily in our own way of perceiving nature. Possibly, what we appreciate in patterns is a sense of 'stillness', of 'silence' and harmony; of aesthetic beauty. A process of inter-relationship that can be perceived within and extending to, a greater or minuscule level, such as in the atom and the Cosmos. This is, in a sense, how we as in our human nature and culture, have through centuries observed, recorded and appreciate the magnificence of the Universe we live in. We have invented new techniques and mechanisms to enter into the depth and breadth of the Universe, that in early times we would not have believed existed. I am thinking of the advancements of science and technology, which have

through the years become more and more specialized in the developments of devising and recognising that which lies beyond our physical perceptual field. New technologies enable us to explore and discover many realms of reality, of phenomena. These insights into matter and life have opened new horizons into our imagination that have become as in the past, new forms of hidden insight into deeper questions as to the workings and causation of our living environment. Deeper insight has been presented to the world of our cultures regarding how our psychology - as in the imagination, in dreams; the workings of the brain and nervous system, have intuited deeper forms of reality, i.e. the abstract and ephemeral realities. Are these realms of our mental cognition a simulated reality of what we think we have found to be present beyond appearances of different bodily and material phenomenology? In the course of the years through rationalization and logical conclusion we have reasoned out through 'scientific equipments of technology', that reality is 'complex' and most often un-explainable to its logical conclusion as absolutely comprehensible through data basis. Science has enabled our thinking ability to anticipate and charge probable hypothesis, but in the end these are still probabilities and to some degree uncertainties. Possibly this is how Islamic spiritual leaders intuited too; it became apparent that reality is infinite and unknown. It could have been this insight into the realm of reality that is 'unexplainable' that goes beyond appearances into the abstract that in some ways is closer to reality then the reality that we perceive through our bodies. It is possibly this that the Islamic artist has over the centuries tried to explore and discover in pure abstract form! Touched upon by the essence of the spirit; there lies hidden in all forms, both in nature and in the imagination of the artist and the viewer an intuition of the 'unknown'! In principle, abstract art cannot be over-ruled from figurative art, as being superior or closer to the spirit or to the unknown, eternal presence of being. Beautiful figurative forms of art with narratives and illustrations from real life events, have wonderfully informed and transcended the viewers physical and literal perception of reality in to deeper and profound levels of insight of the mysteries of the spirit. Though what I have greatly appreciated in these forms of art, is the intuition that we can share with abstract art ... that reality exists to a greater deeper realm of experience then what the minds eye or the perceptual body can devise. Art, I think in this context, attempts to reach and touch these abstract resources of materiality and spirit through our body and mind.

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.... If art does not go beyond its meaning i.e. the meaning we try to make out of a work of art - then it is no more art!

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Recently I have been thinking over a concept that was an event in London; of a flock of sheep that were driven across the London Millennium bridge (2006). This was to mark and remember old droving rights; where practices of historic drover routes were outlined by Freemen in the City of London. This reminded me again of a dream I had a long time ago (2004), of a battle between a herd of buffalo's and a flock of sheep... where the sheep die because they all have daggers hidden under their woollen coats... like a wolf in sheep skin, though this time, in my dream, the sheep were the ones who were hiding these daggers under their wool, that ultimately led to their death, because the daggers pierced the sheep in the whole confusion of the war against the buffalo's! Later in real life, i.e. this is not part of the dream anymore, I went hunting for sheep skin in the slaughter houses down pottery town in Bangalore. I found this really ghastly sight of a drain dripping with blood and sheep heads stacked up in a pile. I decided to stop pursuing this interest in the slaughter houses and never managed to get any sheep skin; that would somehow heal and potentially redeem my inner conscience of the death of the clever sheep who died because of their own folly and trickery. Recently when I was in B'lore (2009) this image struck me again particularly; where literally thousands and thousands of sheep and goats and cattle and even camel are driven through the city towards the slaughter houses. In fact, this time I noticed special police vans parked near the slaughter houses because there is quite a strong lobby against this kind of mass killing of animals. Shepherds walking through a city with their flock is a common sight during all times of the year. In my reflections, I wondered whether such an activity could be done in a different light; by connecting peoples lives with animals, animals in the city, especially in the city :) Could we imagine a situation where people appreciate the journeys of animals through cities as a way of sharing urban space, a way of living in connection within the animal kingdom? What is the image of animals walking through streets of a big city like London? Well, anyhow, I thought of sharing this with you just as a thought that struck me last night. I did not know that there are special drover rights that allow people to walk animals through cities! There is a funny story I always remember of a Mahoot who is driving his elephant along a busy street in Ahmedabad, in India. As a qualified Mahoot, you are allowed to 'drive' an elephant in the city. The story goes, that this Mahoot was stopped by a traffic policeman and was asked for his licence. The Mahoot apologised to the policeman and said 'if you hold on to my elephant, I can run back home and find it'. This was not what the policeman expected

and cursed the Mahoot, telling him to take his blessed elephant and himself out of this traffic as quick as possible! 'and watch out that the elephant does not get in to a rage!'

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2010

The Gardner

Lost in this beautiful mystery of life my spirit is nourished by the silent earth, my heart quiet in the world of an unknown slow, gentle presence growing in your loving hands faithfully, eternally

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

Cybernog Epic Cybernogs are a society of people who believe they are the 'New Race'. They are a super intellectual group of highly qualified individuals who have come to rationally understand with all reason that the human race that they are by default a part of, is a slow sluggish degenerate bunch of wasters. Cybernogs cannot believe that they actually genetically belong to the same breed or even species as the human race. Their view on human society is similar to the way we understand animals. Human creatures are not very intelligent, half witted easy goers. And what is worse, is when human beings are lazy and dysfunctional! This makes Cybernogs most enraged. In actual fact a Cybernog is a human being, though he or she would hate to acknowledge this; in the same way that a human being would hate to acknowledge that they are related to the rat or even a cockroach!

As you may have guessed the Cybernog society are a gated community. They have bought a vast area of land in the heart of London. They have created a huge dome structure around this area of land so as to enable them to ultimately control the climate, the air, light and noise that surrounds them. They believe that by interacting and being with other people is polluting. People are essentially contaminated with all sorts of viruses and disease that will as far as the Cybernog understands cause final death to all living beings. As we know Cybernogs are very advanced, they are super ecologists. The only way they believe that a future will exist is to separate themselves from the rest of the world. The process of this making was initiated by a politician who belonged to as you can guess the conservative

party. This is as we all know what their vision for the new world is: i.e. to live in a peaceful world where a government will no more have to be 'voted' in. Every single person in this society will believe and belong to the one and only party... thus creating the Cybernogic civilisation of all times.

Cybernogs are by nature vegetarians. They know the dangers of eating animals which have been corrupted and polluted not only by other diseases found in nature, but also because of their suspect soul. The Cybernogs are a race who understand themselves as the race that has been chosen; the race that is born again. The race that is purest and most holy. They cannot afford to have other animal souls interfere in their spiritual reality.

As for God, the Cybernogs have a God named Zap. Zap is omnipotent as Gods are. The difference of the God Zap is that Zaps presence manifests itself through technology, especially the internet. Of all forms of energy, the internet is the most potent source of energy that Zap is revealed. Therefore Cybernogs believe that if you are truly good and worthy, and you access the internet, Zap will answer all your needs. For the Cybernog the office space is the new Cathedral. The computer or any form of accessing the internet is a shrine. Worship is considered as a means towards accessing the computer and receiving whatever the individual desires. Money in this world has no more value. Everyone are equal. If not, they are not meant to be in the Cybernogic city.

Many months pass. All seems to be going well. Each Cybernog believes in the future of the New World as truly realised. In this new race, there is no class division, there are no issues, no political debates and yeah, no worries about the wretched other people living in other parts of the world.

Cybernog is the place to be. All the technology that is ever possibly available is there. Highly sophisticated Robots are used to produce organic agriculture. No worries of having to keep pets, because for Zaps sake there are no damned animals! The waters in the swimming pools are super cleaned and filtered in the best ever technological sense... leaving no trace of any virus or contamination of the past. The whole Cybernogic world is inter-connected. Everyone know what the other person is doing... because the technology is such that Cybernog people (I dare name them as 'people'), have receptors that can read other peoples mind. No one needs to actually go meet people, because the technology that they are using is such that talking to each other... is like speaking into a live radio show... the only thing you need to do ... is tune yourself into a number that orients the wavelength to suit the person

you want to talk to... and yo, no surprise you can speak! I guess just like we use cell phones. What is more ... the wavelengths are reading the persons mind rather than articulating thoughts through words. Ah... technology can become so sinister. Cybernog people become more and more concious of the fact that the other Cybernogs they are interacting with, are not as friendly and passionate as the person they would have hoped the other Cybernog to be. An idealism they had set out to become; was that of an 'only chosen people' now felt very different. The other amongst this one society, became apparently different, and at times a frustration.

Within a couple of weeks, as bitterness and cynicism crept into each others lives Cybernogs became more and more agitated and angry. This caused a sense of pessimism and criticism amongst each other. All Cybernogs entered into a vicious circuit of blaming the other for being nasty and unfriendly, of being selfish and negative. The situation became worse and worse. The whole Cybernogic city buzzed with curses and aggressive attacks against each other. For as you may know, the technology was created such that there would be a just and fair system. The hope is of accessibility amongst all the citizens of the Cybernog world. Technology was available whether people wanted it or not.

It is in this environment of craziness that a revolt begins. Cybernogs started to attack each other with whatever technology they had at hand. They started using their Robots to fight each other. The systems that were used to enable processing work, were now used as a way of attacking other Cybernog computers. As you can imagine this was blasphemy. Any Cybernogs system collapsing would entail them losing faith and belonging to the new race to which they belonged.

In the meanwhile the Robots were now in a state. The circuits that commanded them to function in an orderly way turned in on itself and the all the systems started to corrupt the other system

By this time the Cybernog society could not cope any more with what was going on. Every Cybernog was in a mental state of complete collapse. All were in a situation of utter despair and psychological discognivity. The whole technology with which they were working with imploded into their brainwaves and thus caused irreparable damage.

In all this chaos, the London city police had been desperately trying to find the password that would allow them to enter into the vicinity that the Cybernogs had isolated for themselves.

The city council realized how dangerous Cybernogs were to the rest of society.

When at last the place was broken into what the police found were a group of psychotic people completely deranged.

Cybernog Convention 2011-02-24 As you know the Cybernog society did not of course die away. There was much talk and debate around how London police dealt with the whole issue. A new interest around the notion of being a 'Cybernog' has emerged, and for Zaps sake we do live in a democracy, whatever that means! So now we know for sure that the Cybernog society has become officially recognised as a new evolutionary development in the human race. There are those who identify themselves as Cybernogs. The whole situation of being a Cybernog as you can guess is laden with controversy. A lot of what the Cybernogs believe is apolitical and 'antihumanist'. Cybernogs are trying their very best to disassociate themselves from humanity and become this new breed of aliens living on planet earth.

We are in year 2020, there is the biggest Cybernog convention ever. By now hundreds of thousands of people are desperately trying to claim their real identity as being a Cybernog. To be a Cybernog is fashionable. This proves to be complex. For as we know, to become a Cybernog first and foremost, you need to be a Super intellectual. You need a minimum qualification of a Doctorate if not two. The convention of Cybernogs is all about the future of the Cybernog. There are innumerable discussions around what ideologically the Cybernog societies want to become, and how can they be an independent society who do not share any type of characteristic of the human kind. There are many seminars taking place in this convention to name a few: is the genetic development of a Cybernog to be a self energising source of living matter. Ideas are developed around how the human being can be genetically modified to grow nano scales on their bodies that can act like light sensors to produce energy source in the same way that photosynthesis occurs in plant life. This will then entail a Cybernog never to have to eat, drink, or even excrete any more.

Another seminar that is taking place is around the important issue of space travel. The Cybernogs believe if birds can fly across the Atlantic from pole to pole why is this not possible for a Cybernog to do so? Would it be possible to touch in on some magnetic force that will attract and repel flying objects? What about using the simple technological knowhow

of wind currents? Could we pluck ourselves out of Gravity to enable us to travel wherever we wish?

Issues around time are very worrying for the Cybernog. Cybernogs realise how critical time is in this life experience and wishes to exterminate or at least change the meaning of time itself by splitting microseconds as a way of extending time. The Cybernog intuition is such that the concepts of time and the ideas around eternity and the infinite are essentially relative to our understanding of the future. If it were possible that our minds never believed that we ever die, that in it would change our perception of not only who we are as living beings but our association with the rest of the world. The perception of the cosmos in time will appear to be instant and absolute.

Amongst other topics there is one seminar based on the topic of transcendence. For the Cybernog the idea of transcendence is a banal issue. We transcend every split micro second of our lives. The perception of transcendence is no different from waking up in the morning and having a cuppa tea! So when the discussion around eternity and the infinite comes to surface, the obvious conclusion to whom the Cybernog is as a 'being' or better still a 'system' is thus identified with that being that is forever within systems; the system being not other than the particle matter that makes this living Cybernog a part of the cosmic system. This is the transcendent. The Cybernog lives the life of quanta.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2010

Ha Ha Ha Ha is the new voice code that enables one Cybernog to know the other. By voicing Ha Ha you are recognised by super sensors whether you belong or not to the Cybernog society. There are of course far more complex and intricate ways of recognising a Cybernog, I have to say this is one of the ways. Now, the Cybernogs are generally going through a difficult phase. They know that the whole Cybernog concept is working, though, maybe for the Cybernog it is working too well. Many human beings they find are identifying as being a Cybernog, though they have not clearly understood the discipline and commitment of being a Cybernog. The Cybernog society wants people for sure being totally dedicated to the

cause of transference of their human nature into a true Cybernog. The Cybernog society decide to set up a Cybernog mission, or other a noggie mission for short, to convert people thoroughly in to believing and wholly being subservient to God Zap.

Zap Governance

An adage

The new form of Cybernog legislation is known as Zap Governance. It is the year 2021. Most nations in the world are using E-Governance to monitor civil society. The Cybernog society have figured the necessity of Hyper surveillance and believe the only way to monitor reality through a system is by believing in the judgement of Zap. Zap, as we know is God of the Cybernog. Zap is the energy force that lies mysteriously hidden in the internet. Whenever anybody access the internet, Zap is watching and collecting data of your whereabouts and what you are doing. This entails a complete subservience to God Zap, because you will never be able to do anything without Zap knowing what you are up to. Human societies as a whole have been developing. E- Democracy is in vogue. E-Governance has been voted in, which means that there is no ruling party as such. Everybody in society have a choice and voting system set on every policy and change that society want to make. Every decision is

done by consent via the internet, and the final judgement is laid out by computer programming which we know is the work of Zap.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2010

three biscuits and a fairy cake There once lived a family of three biscuits. There was a daddy biscuit, mummy biscuit and a baby boy biscuit. The biscuit family's best friend was fairy cake. Fairy cake was the most beautiful fairy cake. One day their friend, cuppa tea invited them all to come and join in a party at 4pm. The three biscuits and the fairy cake were so delighted to hear this. They all had heard from the baker what a wonderful house cuppa tea lived in with his wife tea pot and their little one, sugar pot. Mamma and Pappa biscuit could not wait to visit cuppa tea and their family. As the time was coming closer daddy biscuit started feeling for an unknown reason slightly nervous of this whole visit. He could not quite put his finger on what it was but felt uneasy. He talked to mamma biscuit about this, who in turn discussed the matter with fairy cake. Fairy cake very tenderly smiled and said all would be fine. She responded by promising the biscuits that in any sticky consequence she would be there to help. This assured the biscuit family, for they all trusted fairy cake. Mamma biscuit got all the family to lie down in the afternoon to have a short siesta before they set off. Closer to 4pm they all got ready. Daddy biscuit wore his smart chocolate coat, Mamma biscuit wore her beautiful strawberry flavoured jelly outfit. And the little baby boy biscuit wore his sweet cream jacket that would make any one feel happy and content with life. They all glided out of their biscuit box and met fairy cake who lives on the next shelf. When fairy cake emerged out of her beautiful foil wrapping, all the three biscuits looked at her in wonder and amazement. She was wearing beautiful icing with silver sweeties sprinkled on top. Her dress was made of very delicate fluted butter paper.

They all set out together gliding on a tray, each one on a different saucer. Cuppa tea and tea pot and sugar pot were all keenly waiting at 4pm on a grand table. Oh how glorious they did look with their fine china ware outfit and golden rimmed handles. The intricate designs and stainless tablecloth were splendid. Everything about the cuppa tea family looked so attractive. As soon as they saw their guests arrive tea pot welcomed them in. Mamma biscuit commented on how beautiful their finely laced table cloth was woven. No sooner had they sat down to have a chat when they heard a creek in the door. They all heard the footstep of a person. This, all present at the table knew was the dreaded moment. The clock struck 4. Hell broke out. Cuppa tea rushed to the closet so that the biscuits and the fairy cake could hide. Tea pot knew if she were to remain on the table this would tempt the person who was just about to enter to have a cuppa tea, so she very gracefully placed herself behind her friend the kettle. Fairy cake knowing what was at hand used her best powers and transformed her friends the biscuits into three wild autumn flowers from the garden. She herself transformed into a vase whereby she could hold her friends close and be together.

The lady who entered into the house went up to the radio and switched the 4pm classical radio channel. She spotted a story book on the table titled 'three biscuits and a fairy cake'. She sat down by the table to read it.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010

God as nothingness

I have been thinking for a while of the experience I feel of God as being emptiness within, maybe no-thing. Through my search I feel struck by the emptiness of all my spiritual findings. Emptiness not in the negative or positive sense, I feel it is a true sense of emptiness that I understand as the mystery of God.

I have been affected by the thought that the idea of God is nothing... or rather nothingness... and maybe hence the idea of God is based on the concept of zero... or sunya, or emptiness. Maybe God is the meaning of an experience of mystery and a sense of absence in our lives; that which is ephemeral and transcendent? That which is based on the concept of an absence within... and possibly in the world at large? I have felt in the last few days an experience of God as being a dimension within us that has no form or identity. Maybe God lies in that space like the zero, neither in the opposites. I feel the aspect of God being an emptiness within us, as an experience of touching the mystery of being in the world. A sense of openness to the infinite within us... which at times feels like the vast cosmos... and yet this vastness is our very being.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2010

meditation

meditation i feel, is that experience when i reach a zero-sum. may be a nothingness. or an emptiness.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2011

Ah ...

I have been contemplating around the theme of enlightenment, I rarely do... so I take this opportunity to jot down some thoughts that comes to my mind in this 'flash of a moment' to reveal that which apparently lay hidden. The one thing that became most obvious to me was that enlightenment is not a thing... this of course was not lying hidden; it is commonsensical knowledge! Well, considering that enlightenment is not a 'thing' in itself it dawned on me that enlightenment is a process. Ah, that was a true revelation. What does enlightenment as process mean? I guess the first tool that helped me deconstruct this was to understand enlightenment as being similar to food we eat: consume, digest, are affected by and practically defecate. This is strange, does it mean that moment to moment we consume enlightenment as when we need? I guess when we are hungry for some news from our inner being, in the transition stages of digestion we feel content for a while from what we receive

as valid truth essences, and possibly after a while those truth essences that seemed ultimate truths now have little meaning and use until what ever remains ... I do not know, I guess, heaps up as large quantities of soul debris ?

Back to the original idea of the process of enlightenment; I found one other thing that seemed to touch a corner stone of 'being in the world': it is the idea that each moment of our lives we transform anew. This rings bells in my toes around the idea that enlightenment as a process is about living in every minute changing moment; to accept these unique moments as real dimensions of our living experience.

21.7.2010

the dark empty space a beautiful deep darkness en-wrapped within, my soul emptiness; eternally infinite quiet gentle being, becoming

..................................

7.8.2010

Writing poetry is a way of finding thinking of nothing particular just wandering late in this hour when my mind calls for freedom. I search in the written word for a means towards being anything like a dream or in love Unknown to you or me where reality lies hidden from either of our lives to exist beyond what we know

the future seems forgotten in the past, laden with worries fears, thoughts of joy confused and bemused I am wildly awake drinking tea! a late night. I'm glad. Thoughts are allowed for a new life in me and you, forgiving; of what? A question that never had an answer like what makes us? this or that? or why? let the world be what it is; beautiful, gentle. My heart is a mirror of love that lies quiet for you to see in the dark