“Yellow and Black Butterfly” | Anthony Satori
“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Zhuangzi. Soon I awakened, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.”
– Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi)
“Sacred Harbor” | Anthony Satori
“Every artwork is a voyage into a sacred harbor.”
– Giotto di Bondone
“Sphere” | Anthony Satori
“It is the possession of a great heart or a great mind, and not the mere fame of it, which is worth having and which is conducive to happiness. Not fame, but that which deserves to be famous, is what one should hold in esteem. Fame itself is only an accident.
Likewise, one who deserves fame without getting it possesses by far the more important element of happiness. It is not that a person is thought to be great by the masses… but that a person really is great, which should move us to value their position. And their happiness should not derive from the fact that posterity may hear of them, but rather from the fact that they are the creator of thoughts worthy to be treasured and studied.”
– Arthur Schopenhauer
“Love” | Anthony Satori
“Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it.”
– Sai Baba
“Vibrations” | Anthony Satori
“In string theory, all particles are vibrations on a tiny rubber band; physics is the harmonies on the string; chemistry is the melodies we play on vibrating strings; the universe is a symphony of strings, and the ‘Mind of God’ is cosmic music resonating in 11-dimensional hyperspace.”
– Michio Kaku
“Three Snowmen” | Anthony Satori
How often do we take the time to really look at things, even something as simple as a holiday card? If we were to slow down, we might see and appreciate some pretty remarkable details. Such as the fact that the placement of each and every one of the gold-colored “snowflakes” on this card’s image was arranged by someone’s hand. Or the fact that the design of the center snowman’s scarf is a combination of red- and blue-checkered patterns with small gold diamonds placed carefully among them. Or we may notice that among the background of blue-lit snow, almost invisible upon first viewing, you can see the silhouettes of fir trees painted softly in the shadows. Every detail of this picture was carefully chosen, painted, drawn, and glued, and the feeling it elicits is one of happiness, peace, and warmth. How easy would it be to receive this card, to look at it once, and then to merely discard it, without ever taking the time to ruminate on its composition, let alone the journey it has taken?
This picture has followed such an amazing path – from an inspiration in someone’s mind, to a creative thought carefully formulated into an image, to an expression finally manifested in colors and shapes carefully laid out on the page. Even after its creation, it continued its adventure through multiple organizations of various sizes and forms – perhaps a card company, a print shop, a distributor, a warehouse, a supermarket – moving every step along the way through the hands of, and in the care of, another person or set of people. And then, at long last, it was chosen by a person, just for you, and it was sent on its final race through the postal service, tousled among all of the bills and envelopes and catalogues and coupons, to finally land in your hands, right now, in this moment. These three happy little snowmen have had quite a journey!
Let us resolve, then, to slow down and to take the time to soak in the beauties and subtleties hiding in plain view all around us. Let us make a deliberate choice to appreciate the meaning and wonder bursting forth in the details of even the smallest, seemingly insignificant objects and experiences that come our way. Let us make a point to inhale deeply of the life-energy in everything around us – nature, art, music, food – and, most importantly of all, let us strive to appreciate the beauty and life-force pulsing from within ourselves and from within everyone around us.
“Sacred Awe” | Anthony Satori
“I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver
Happy New Year, everyone! May you have health, happiness, peace, and prosperity – and, above all, love – in this, your one wild and precious life.
“Pink Rose” | Anthony Satori
“One way or another, we all have to find what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life, and dedicate ourselves to that.”
– Joseph Campbell
“Seek Light” | Anthony Satori
“Artists are here to disturb the peace.”
– Madonna
I disagree.
Artists are not here to disturb the peace. Quite to the contrary, artists are here to point the way to something better, something higher. Artists are here to illuminate universal goodness, beauty, and truth. Artists are here to connect our minds and spirits by shining a light on shared human values, virtues, and meaning. To put it most succinctly, artists are here to elevate consciousness. And this, it seems to me, is quite the opposite of “disturbing the peace.”
It’s true, sometimes the expansion of consciousness can be disorienting in its exhilaration. It can have the side effect of shaking up the status quo, of waking us up from the hypnosis of complacency. But this is not the primary goal of art. It is not even its primary side effect. And if we mistake this secondary side effect for the actual purpose of art, we will miss it entirely. If we proceed under this misapprehension – especially if artists themselves engage in this folly – we will miss out on one of the most sacred and pure paths to enlightenment and enrichment that we, as humans, have available to us.
Other potential sources have failed us in this pursuit, time and time again. Religion, politics, media, education – each have failed us disastrously in this measure, at some point or another, often in what seems to be nothing less than orchestrated concert. And when we find ourselves in this state of affairs, art remains the last and best refuge of enlightenment. And when artists fail to live up to this ideal – when they fail to even recognize it – society suffers greatly.
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“Humanistic scholars and artists used to be, and were supposed to be, as a group, carriers of and teachers of the eternal verities and the higher life. The goal of humanistic studies was… to inspire the student to the better life, to the higher life, to goodness and virtue. But in recent years and to this day, most humanistic scholars and artists have shared in the general collapse of all traditional values. And when these values collapse, there are no others readily available as replacements.”
– A. H. Maslow
“California Poppies in Bloom” –|– Anthony Satori
Hanami is the traditional Japanese custom of appreciating the transient beauty of flowers. Most commonly associated with cherry blossoms, or sakura – which bloom all across Japan for about two weeks during spring – the tradition of hanami dates back over a thousand years, and it was originally celebrated around plum blossoms, or ume. The spirit of hanami can, of course, be celebrated in appreciation of any flower, such as the California poppy, which similarly arrives in full bloom for just a few short weeks during the California springtime.
Every spring, all across Japan, the coming of the cherry blossoms is anticipated with great excitement. The bloom can occur as early as March and as late as May, and it only lasts about two weeks, so the TV news channels and meteorologists keep a close eye on seasonal variables so that they can keep everyone posted as to when the event will most likely occur. And then, when the flowers bloom, they seem to explode off the trees in an overwhelming experience of color and beauty. It is nothing less than transformative to the appearance and feeling of the world around you. And, for just a few short days, the entire culture slows down. People throw festive outdoor parties. They stroll along the streets and avenues soaking in the vibrant pink and white colors of the flowers. And when the night falls, they light and release magically glowing paper lanterns into the darkened sky. Some people write their hopes and dreams on these lanterns. Others write things that they wish to be free of, things that they desire to release from their lives. Some people just hold their wishes secretly in their hearts as they light the flame, and then they watch the lanterns fly silently away into the night sky, carrying their hopes and prayers off into the universe. Hanami is a festival of flowers, but it is really a celebration of the transient beauty of life. It is a chance to slow down and to appreciate what is beautiful, right here, right now, in this moment. It is an opportunity to become aware of what you are feeling in your heart, and to connect with what others are feeling in theirs. It is a chance to pause, to take a deep breath, and to inhale the wonder of being alive.
Perhaps it would be good for all of our souls if we were each to engage in our own personal hanami, in some form or another, every day. Just to pause, now and then, throughout the day, to celebrate – by ourselves, or with loved ones – whatever goodness and beauty there is around us, in that moment. Life is short. But while we are here, if we choose to remain awake and aware, we have this moment. This moment is ours. And it offers us a window into eternity, available to us whenever we wish to access it. In this moment we can choose to experience beauty, to share time, to express love, to find joy. And if we consciously choose to lay claim to our own personal hanami in this manner, every single day, we will have truly won eternity.
Satori Circle | Art & Culture 