QUOTE OUT OF CONTEXT

The important thing is to realize the least distorted image of the workings of the universe. We are part of the universe; we are both observers and actors. Whatever we do or think or say is part of the ongoing creation. Therefore we need a reasonable framework, a knowledge based on wisdom and compassion that unifies the different viewpoints and celebrates the diversity.
First, let those who adhere to an organized religion follow its message of love and disregard the rest. Trust yourself to recognize your own spirituality if you are seeking it.

NUMBER TEN

Ten introduces Zero and closes the circle, returning to before One. So, in the depiction of ten the Zero is shown as a bud and this bud contains the O from on top of the A, standing for Awareness of the true Self, which is all there is in the transition from life to death.

I also read the cards as the circle of life and death:

1. The Bardo state (Death after the ‘Judgement’)
2. Conception and life in the womb
3. Birth & divine infancy
4. Childhood
5. Youth
6. Coupling
7. House of seven energies, spiritual awakening
8. The “best” years
9. Old age
10. Death & confrontation with the pure Spirit

NINE

THE OCTAGON

Here the Å is incorporated in the octagon itself. The center of avareness is in the center of the cross - and the cross is an ancient religious symbol, older than Christianity.

SEVEN

The house of seven energies is the human body with the seven chakras.

HEXAGON

PENTAGON

NUMBER THREE AND FOUR

I did the Triangle again and then the Square made up of three Triangles

ONEANGLE

In the same way that I got from three to two I now shrink the line, which is the ‘Twoangle’, to a point, the ‘Oneangle’ but a point is only an idea, it doesn’t actually occupy space. How to represent this?
With the sight of my telescope I focus on the Point and here I place the o on top of the A as a symbol of my center of Awareness.
The small Å being part of the Great Å is symbolizing the unification of the individual Awareness with the Universal Awareness of the Great Spirit.
It is both the sight and the Seer.

TWOANGLE

I am doing another series of ten pictures. The theme is figurative expressions of the numbers from 1 to 10.

I began with the triangle – that’s the one I posted for New Years.
You all know what the pink triangle means, but that’s just my personal gay joke. Here the form of the triangle symbolizes Being, the eye in the middle is pure Awareness and the color pink stands for Bliss. This is the trinity of the Great Spirit taught in Hinduism as Sat-Chit-Ananda.
The signature symbolizes the single Awareness of the worshipper floating in rapture because I let A stand for Awareness.

When I was in school in Denmark we had the letter ‘Aa’ which is pronounced like an open ‘O’. Later the Swedish form ‘Å’ was adopted and I used it in spelling my name ‘Åge’.
So, with A standing for Awareness, Å would stand for Double Awareness, that is Self-Awareness, and it is in this sense that I now use it in this series.

Representing higher numbers is simple enough but going back to two and one poses a problem.
If you shrink one side in a square until it disappears, you’ll end up with a Triangle; in the same way if you shrink one side in a Triangle you get a ‘Twoangle’ - and it looks like a Line.
A Line, for example the line between the sunny and the shady side of the street, is a symbol of separation, which again is the basic principle of Duality. So this days picture is an attempt at a pictorial representation of the number 2 with a bit of philosophy thrown in.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THE BLUE LOTUS

Ulysses: "On the tenth day we reached the land of the Lotus-eater, who live on a food that comes from a kind of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships. When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man under them. They started at once, and went about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what had happened to them, but were for staying and munching lotus with the Lotus-eater without thinking further of their return."

THE SERIES COMPLETED

Here are the two last drawings in the series:

SPIRIT OF THE WILD

This is the eighth in my series. I had a definite plan for the picture, but the result still was a surprise.

NUMBER SEVEN

I surprise myself with every new picture!

NUMBER SIX

BARON SAMEDI

IS NUMBER FIVE:

NUMBER FOUR

FINALLY FIRING

Two and a half months into the ceramics class the first glaze firing happened and I saw the results of my experiments. Only about half of them were satisfying - oh, well!

NUMBER THREE

My friend Georg from Denmark was here recently. He is a painter and naturally we talked shop. I complained that I had a hard time getting started, now, when my setup in the new house is perfect. He told me that to get going he gave himself the task of painting ten pictures like a series. I have taken the idea up in a series of ten drawings in pencil. I bought some very soft black pencils when I went to Costa Rica and there I made a drawing that is kind of a forerunner for the set. I have already posted that and recently the two first of the actual series, and here is the third.

HERE'S A NEW ONE

NEW DRAWING

THE LIVING SPACE

RAKU

Raku is a Japanese firing technique that takes only about an hour. I had two bowls fired today and that was the first things finished this semester. I haven't been too happy about this class but today's result made me feel better.

PAINTING AGAIN

This painting is called 'Summer Things'. That was the badly translated title of a French movie that I didn't particularly like, but it fits the picture better.

PARANOIA-DIALOGUE

I tell myself I’m so lucky – within the frame of the possible.

Do you know the possible - or the impossible for that sake?

Well, I know one thing that’s impossible! – You cannot live forever.

So, within your slow descent towards mortality, you are lucky? That’s what you’re saying?

Yes, I know I am lucky – but I do not always feel it.
And then I feel guilty for not appreciating my luck.
There are also assaults of negative moods that must not take root.
And then sometimes I feel that I should not give in to the pleasures that accompany my luck – like I’m using up my good karma.

You complicate things. Just live your life and keep your heart open.

But I’m kind of misanthropic. I mostly just tolerate people.

Oh, you are just too focused on young male beauty.

And so what? It doesn’t hurt anybody - au contraire!

What do you mean?

Well, I mean it could help someone – it could be my natural way to be positive.
I think openness is positive. And I just do open up towards young men - like a flower turns to the sun.

But you always sit and gape at their beauty.

Just live your life, you said – and now you want me to cramp my style. I think you are the one who complicates things.

We are just driving each other crazy!

Shit, no! We are just passing the time.

Are you actually going to post this?

What do you think?

It was you who said openness is good.

But it can be boring.

ALIEN FRIEND

My friend, whose name is Ned Lap Ehsey, comes from a parallel universe where he is in fact something like my alter ego. Because of our super-universal connection he succeeded in transferring himself to our universe for a short visit and this is how I am able to present you with this authentic photo of a being who is truly alien.
Ned says: "What do you need two eyes for? To have one is like only having the 'Third Eye' - I can see things with mine that you can't even see with your two eyes . And what do you need nostrils for? You can breathe through your mouth, just keep it open!"

ANOTHER DUNUN VILLAGE

This Gathering was small and sweet. Early September Indian summer weather.
Wadaba, The Great Panther, blessed us with his presence thanks to Aaron who raised money for his transportation. For those who don't know: Wadaba is a master drummer in the traditional village music, right at the source of African drumming.

The blogger with Wadaba

Peter and Nathan

Wadaba dancing Dununba, the Strong Men's Dance

The Dunun section

A perfect tomato

Cooling off at the swim hole

Mister T

Nuyma

Ronin and Madu

FLOWERS

In the evening the house on the other side of the street reflects the rays of the setting sun:

STARTING UP AGAIN

I lent Shawn a book on Daoist art and seeing it inspired me to try out my Japanese brushes:


My next experiment resulted in this minimalist drawing:


Tony didn't think it was finished. Looking at it he took a paper and drew some lines with a ruler and said I could use that. Since he had used a ruler I thought I would continue with the templates used for curves in technical drawing, but in the end I drew over it all by hand:

THE PARTY

The house-warming party was great. The house is ideal for party and we drummed for hours without any complaints, which is promising for the future.