The Silence Series: Chakra Colors For Meditation – ANAHATA (Green)
At the core of All That Is … is the Heart….
I think this is my favorite chakra. It seems to resonate with me in a deep and profound way. While meditating I reach out towards the heart within; rejoicing in its beating pulse, embracing the connection to my life’s blood, and falling in love with the healing energy. This is ANAHATA, the Heart chakra. The principles guiding this chakra are Love, Faith, Duty, Awakening and Devotion. The energy source of this chakra provides healing and functionality for the respiratory, circulatory, and immune systems. It’s related sense: Touch.
With gentle ease and focus bring your attention to the 4th chakra which can be found in the heart region. Breathe in the rich sustaining color of deep green. This is the source of unconditional love (in giving and receiving) and the home of profound openness. When open, you feel the power of love and the willingness to go forth without fear or resentment. There is a great sense of peace and harmony with yourself, life, and All That Is….
It is a good practice to try to maintain your focus on each chakra for about 5 to 10 minutes.
The sound of the 4th chakra is … YAM.
Breathe in the rich color of deep green and repeat the mantra … YAM … YAM … YAM …
The 4th chakra ANAHATA
I want to give a special thanks to Deepak Chopra, whose teachings are a major source of my inspiration and information for this series.
Namaste….
Music For Backgrounds: Ajad – Reiki Vol. 2 (Reiki Music 2: Music for Love)
The wonder of healing and finding the true Self … resting in peace with All That Is…
Today, I awoke to some very inspiring posts. They brought to my attention the essence of our lives spent in gratitude for All That Is and our remarkable ability to be creative, while discerning our immense capacity to love and be loved…
This morning I wrote a short text to my sister, telling her I loved her dearly. February, is a difficult month for us. Both my Mother’s and daughter’s birthdays are this month. Both, including my father, sadly have passed away. It is just her and I now.
I needed to reach out to my sister, share the love, tell her that she was in my thoughts and I hold her dear….
I am in the middle of my Chakra Colors for Meditation series. A collection of mindful images that I hope promotes a desire to journey within—to find a place of healing, peace, and love. I thought an interlude that included some soothing Reiki music would be just the thing to enhanced your contemplative experience of the day
Remember to breathe softly, focus your attention and stay centered.
Ajad – Reiki Vol 2 (Reiki Music 2: Music for Love) 59:53
Here is the link to The Silence Series: Chakras Colors for Meditation – 1st chakra Muladhara (Red)
The Silence Series: Chakra Colors For Meditation – Manipura (Yellow)
Moving through the moments in life we are empowered by … All That Is….
It is important to maintain your attention on your breath as you move into the energy surrounding the third chakra. Bring your focus to the area above the naval and envisioned the rich hue of yellow. This is the solar plexus chakra known as Manipura, the place of the shining jewel. This area governs how you digest your life, and focuses on empowering your life, and fostering confidence in meeting ones aspirations and intentions. When blocked one has a feeling of frustration, anger and digestive unease. The third chakra controls the liver, stomach, gall bladder, spleen and relates to the sense of light.
Bring your attention to the color yellow and let go of all of your frustrations and fears. Feel the energy propel you, transforming negative and unwanted emotions into positive and life affirming possibilities.
Breathe in the color yellow and repeat the mantra … Ram … Ram … Ram….
Namaste….
Breathe in the color yellow
The Silence Series: Chakra Colors For Meditation – Svadhisthana (Orange)
As we look within the centered Self, we find … All That Is….
The second chakra is closely associated with the Self or Soul. It is an energy chakra that promotes the reproductive system and assimilation. This chakra’s location is centered in the pelvic region. It governs our sexuality, sensations, appetite and our family associations. Svadhisthana means the Self’s dwelling place. This is a powerful energy center that promotes our sexual expression and creative impulses. It is associated with the sense of taste.
As you continue your practice, move your attention from the first chakra into the second. Visualize the color orange and quietly repeat the mantra Vam … Vam … Vam.
Namaste….
Breathe in the color orange
Peace, Love, and Light to All….
The Silence Series: Chakra Colors For Meditation – Muladhara (Red)
Our Mind, Body and Spirit is of one Source … All That Is….
Over the next week, I will be working on a series that will be revolving around the beautiful spiritual essence of the various chakras. And how through a meditation practice we can access their vital energy for harmony and healing. I am going to post each chakra individually, as I build towards a concluding series of all seven chakras. As I progress I will be making different visual versions of each chakra. In the end, I will choose seven that I believe have the greatest continuity as a whole for a meditation practice.
Each chakra represents a core dimension of human life.
First up is the Muladhara (Sanskirt) chakra. It’s color is Red and its sound is Lam. This chakra is associated with basic survival skills. It affects the skeleton, lymph, and elimination elements of the body. The sensory component associated with it is the sense of smell. It is in this chakra center that we are released from uncertainity.
When beginning a meditation practice, it is good to be in a relaxed position. Make sure you are comfortable and have your eyes closed. Quiet your breathing by focusing your attention on your in-breath and out-breath. Then bring your awareness to the first chakra at the base of the spine. Bring your attention to this energy center and visualize the color of deep red and begin to repeat the mantra Lam … Lam … Lam.
Namaste
The Path To Everlasting Consciousness And Love (A Yellow Brick Road Remix)
The obstacles we find on the path to Everlasting Consciousness….
The road we travel is often paved with the things that stand in our way.
as I started my journey….
i looked
to the memories behind me
– only once
as i walked along the path
i remembered
the things I’ve forgotten
– only yesterday
as you join me
i embrace
what we share together
– only forever
on the path to Everlasting Love….
We Are The Everlasting Consciousness (A Centered Moment Remix)
In a centered moment. in a vision of clarity, I saw the “I” am as All That Is….
Towards the moment of clarity
a future moment of being
is here
an everlasting presence
to seek
and embrace
– the soul is free
to wander
– the Spirit Is Always….
Feburary 7th 2012 Featured Artist of the Day at ImageKind.com
Dear friends, family, fellow artists and bloggers….
I recently began to showcase my digital art, which is for sell, on the online store ImageKind.com. I was quite surprised and very pleased to find this email in my mailbox telling me of my selection as the “Featured Artist of the Day.” I would like to thank all those who over the past year have inspired and supported me. Below is a copy of the letter I received.
You can access my store at the links provided on my blog or website, or just click the link below.
http://www.newdigitalscapes.imagekind.com
“Congratulations! You have been selected as the Featured Artist of the day at Imagekind.com!
Imagekind is the fastest growing online art site and it is our privilege to showcase your work as being outstanding amidst a field of so many other great artists and photographers.
Did you know Imagekind is the only art and photo site where artists can set their own prices?
Our success is entirely about you, our creative community. Please tell your colleagues, friends and family about the #1 place on the web to discover and purchase original art.
Have a great day and we wish you continued success! ”
Walter W. Smith
Magazine Street – New Orleans (A Window Shopping Remix 01)
The city series….
New Orleans is famous for two distinct areas; the nightlife and party vibe of the French Quarter with its Bourbon Street, and the rather cool, hip, and very left of center (in a moderate way) Magazine Street. M St. runs parallel to its more famous counterpart, Charles Street. But unlike C St., with its two Universities (Tulane and Loyola), trolley cars, beautiful homes and churches, Magazine Street has a rather unique quality about it. Interspersed with its numerous art galleries are small vintage clothing and antique shops, various ethnic restaurants and small corner parks. I really enjoyed this part of New Orleans and would consider living in this neighborhood than any other. If you visit New Orleans, you will find that this is a great place to hang out and enjoy the day.
Window shopping on Magazine Street
Hope you enjoy this three-part series, a short stroll down Magazine Street….
January 21. 2012. 05:59 PM (A Heavenly Slideshow Remix)
2011 and now 2012 promises to bring to the forefront—images and ideas for the contemplative and visionary mind.
Here is just a sample of recent work.
Music by Tomasz Bednarczyk
I Love A Place When It Becomes A Part Of Me
The memories of a place in time brings the heart such joy….
Table Rock State Park in South Carolina
waking up this morning, I could not free my self from the thoughts that surround me
like the stream that flows so fluidly
my mind embraces and caresses the rock of my salvation…
nurturing the journey within….
To The Right Side Of My Design (A Force Of Nature Remix)
A beautiful perspective just to the left of my mind….
To the right side of my design
In the evening I sometimes wonder if that walk today has yielded a new perspective.
Something I can hold onto….
Perhaps the thought that will change my life … tomorrow.
Contemplating The Beauty Of Nature And Design
An Afternoon with the beauty of nature brings the life of design to the mind….
Self portrait with nature and design
Have a great week ahead. Get out and enjoy some nature. Design something beautiful….
Asheville And Art For Cities (A Post Canvas And Paint Video Remix)
Asheville the Paris of the South….
I have had the pleasure and opportunity to travel to some rather unique cities such Paris France, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and here in America, cities like Washington DC, NYC, and Los Angeles. In these major cities there are never a shortage of great art, fine dining, and exciting culture. The streets are always alive throughout the day and into the night.
But I have also come to love the small to medium-sized cities such as Greenville SC, Burlington VT, and my favorite Asheville, NC. Asheville is very beautiful. Bohemian and unique. It is a gay-friendly city and a haven for those who seek a more spiritual lifestyle. It is nestled in a valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. It host for the visitor or long-time resident, diverse experiences to discover the world of art, theatre, music, and outdoor adventure. I simply fell in love with the city many years ago.
Here is my tribute to a great city….
Music For Backgrounds 03: Brian Eno – Discreet Music
Discreet Music is an exquisite moment in classic ambient music….
I love the work of Brian Eno. Followers of ambient electronic music are quite familiar with his work. Throughout the years he has been well received and recognized as the founding father of the ambient music genre. This song entitled Discreet Music embodies the term classical ambience; circa 1975. His work, and especially this piece has always been an influential support mechanism for a lot of my creative pursuits and processes (most notably—repetition and pattern in my visual design). Some of my favorite moments with this piece has been the repeated playing of the song while entertaining guests for dinner. I believe it is perfect for any setting while enjoying a wonderful epicurean delight.
Once again in keeping with the structure of “Music For Backgrounds” I am imploring a song of some length. Discreet Music clocks in at just over 30 minutes long.
Peace in ambience….
Below is a small excerpt of his career.
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (born 15 May 1948), commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.
Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex, England, taking inspiration from minimalist painting. During his time on the art course at the Institute, he also gained experience in playing and making music through teaching sessions held in the adjacent music school.
He joined the band Roxy Music as their keyboards and synthesizers player in the early 1970s. Roxy Music’s success in the glam rock scene came quickly, but Eno soon tired of conflicts with lead singer Bryan Ferry, and of touring, and he left the group after the release of For Your Pleasure (1973), beginning his solo career with the art rock records Here Come the Warm Jets (1973) and Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (1974).
Eno extended his reach into more experimental musical styles with (No Pussyfooting) (1973) and Evening Star (1975), both collaborations with Robert Fripp, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) by Genesis where his work is credited as “Enossification”, and his influential solo records Another Green World (1975) and Discreet Music (1975). His pioneering ambient efforts at “sonic landscapes” began to consume more of his time beginning with Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978) and later Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks (1983) which was composed for the documentary film For All Mankind. Eno nevertheless continued to sing on some of his records, ranging from Before and After Science (1977) to Wrong Way Up (1990) with John Cale to most recently Another Day on Earth (2005) and Drums Between the Bells (2011).
Winter Fog On the Blue Ridge Parkway
On a cool, brisk Sunday afternoon the fog rose along the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains….
In 2012 I hope to explore in-depth various elements of video, video art, and video abstraction. There is a lot to process in the machinations of creativity, productivity and presentation. And it will certainly take a moment or two to master linking all the various social media outlets to accommodate the various video formats.
Some of the elements I will be working with are natural atmospheric landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes. “Winter Fog On the Blue Ridge Parkway” was filmed while ascending from Asheville, NC to the higher elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The mountains here are quite beautiful, even when shrouded in mist. Hope you enjoy the piece.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Simple – A Walk With Nature
I love this challenge. I wanted to somehow continue the theme of my last few posts. They have been centered around self-reflection and nature as a background. As I thought about this post, it really dawned on me how simple life becomes when we take a walk in the woods. The beautiful serenity and calm that evokes reflection; a oneness with All That Is—and a simple joy.
The woods at Lake Greenwood
Two Bikes and A Tree (A Distant Discovery Remix)
I often wonder where the path of discovery will take me….
A tale of two bikes and a tree
before the day begins
it never seems to end
the winding road
the uneasy path
has left what we hold
so dear
so far behind
because the dream we find
is no longer here….
A Tree (A Moment Before You Go Remix)
Sometimes it’s a beautiful day sitting by a tree with your thoughts in hand…
At other times it’s moments before you go at an abandoned monorail station….
You and I have been here before
distant thoughts
keep me there
where you are….
Supported reflections by the band Trouble Books and the song Abandoned Monorail Stations.
The Complexity of Thought When Speaking
Standing in front of you, the words begin to form….
The ambiguity of discernment
Looking within the box of paradoxical ideas, I found only my thoughts….
But you listened
and heard….
Lake Greenwood and Shore
Another beautiful afternoon at the lake, on a brisk cool day….
Our day at the lake was very memorable
“I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets.” – Hamlin Garland
“Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” – The Buddha
Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful 02 – Mountain and Sky
Just a glimpse of a peaceful moment … fleeting … mountain and sky….
Through the shadows, mountain and sky
A photograph taken while hiking in the mountains of Tennessee….
Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful – Lake and Sky
Moments that give us peaceful reflections are all around us….
Giulas over at the blog The Eternal Solitude of the Restless Mind says this is a wonderful prompt for the beginning of the new year. And I agree wholeheartedly. As we move forward—working hard, playing hard, and living life to the fullest, it is important to slow down and find a peaceful moment. A time out is needed. So a visit to a beautiful lake on a lovely day, can be just the ticket. It will rejuvenate the mind and body.
Hope you enjoy my visit to the lake.
Lake and sky on a beautiful day
It was a cold, brisk day but warm in statue….
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 