Recently I realized that I know nothing. Or very little. I mean I can still understand a mathematical formula, come up with a good reason to buy a call option, or see how fractional reserve banking made every bank broke. But my clever ideas about what I consider of upmost importance for me: the spiritual realm, crumbled to dust during one profound experience of temporary death of ego and mind. Which made it easier in a way. Once I admitted I know “shit”, it made it easier to get the shit out of way.
And that is precisely what I need in order to receive inspiration for a painting like the one above.
Nikola Tesla, who was in my opinion one of the greatest man of modern history, said: ”My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which “We” obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but i know it exists.”
I so hear you brother Nicola. Although my ideas about where I’m headed after my body dies underwent a major meltdown, different sort of realizations dawned upon me. I know that the key word in your quote is “receiver”. I am very much aware that claiming an ownership of an idea is a blind act of egoic grasping mind, which was the obstacle to receive the idea in the first place. You see the irony: mind was the ONE obstacle that had to be cleared in order to tap into the Universal source yet it’s the only thing that would ever claim ownership of anything. It is when the mind finally shuts up that the “Instant Divine Download” can happen. All great scientists, composers, musicians, artists and gurus knew it. And I’ve been blessed with few “downloads” myself, so maybe I am not preaching about sweetness of honey that I never tasted. I RECEIVE from the “Core”, it is already there (everything is “there”). I cannot think it into existence with mind effort.
How that translates into a painting is that I let the idea of me being a painter or the idea of new painting altogether die. I become as blank as the canvas which is untouched, yet pregnant with infinite possibilities. What helps me to do that is meditation of any sort: yoga, sitting in silence, contemplation without attachment. But to be honest, any activity can be the portal to inspiration. The key is to “lose” yourself in the activity. When the “doer” disappears there is only “doing”, and then miracles can happen. Such moment of grace can happen at any random time. It’s not like I consciously decide that today I’ll get a vision. It can happen just as much when I’m sitting on a toilet or when I’m sitting on a yoga mat.
For me, the miracle is a vision of a painting. I see it clearly and suddenly, without warning, in one timeless moment. It comes as finished product, a present wrapped from Universe, with my name on it. It’s a blessing from the Creator saying: Hey man you stopped putting your clever self in my way for a while so I thought I’d send you a little gift, I hope you like it”
Then there’s only one thing left to do: chose between the cemetery of “logic”, fear or laziness that talks you out of it or lifting your ass off the chair and manifesting it into tangible world. It was a gift, but you can’t keep it, you can only pass it along. And what a JOY that brings to you and all those who pass by!
May all of you receive such gift and pass it along, many many many times. It’s Christmas after all!
Much Love & Light on your journey,
Jan
