philosophy

Prana (Inner Light)

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"Prana (Inner Light)" | Anthony Satori

“Prana (Inner Light)”  |  Anthony Satori

Ancient writings from the Indus Valley tell us that the universe within us is as vast as the universe outside of us.

     “As great as the infinite space beyond, is the space within the lotus of the heart.  Both heaven and earth are contained in that inner space, both fire and air, sun and moon, lightning and stars.  Whether we know it in this world or know it not, everything is contained in that inner space.”  (Chandogya Upanishad, 1.3)

I have always been fascinated by ancient texts, especially ones which strive to tell us something about the spiritual world.  Such writings have always felt to me a bit like “messages in a bottle,” sent by people who lived millennia in the past, ancient seekers who discovered certain truths about life that they believed to be of such profound importance that they were willing to employ every means at their disposal to preserve them for later generations to discover. 

In some of these texts, the Sanskrit term “Prana” is used to indicate Vital Energy, or Inner Light, referring to the spiritual energy field that vibrates within, around and through us.  Prana is our own personal breath of the Divine, our own individual connection to the Source of Life.  One of the realizations that these ancient seekers wished to share with us is that every human being holds the ability to connect with the Universal Spirit through meditation, introspection and study.  What an insight!  It is both empowering and humbling to realize that we each have the potential to explore the vastness of the Universe merely by quieting our thoughts, centering our minds, and remaining still long enough to discover it within ourselves.

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In Bloom

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"In Bloom" | Anthony Satori

“In Bloom”  |  Anthony Satori

“Being aware of one’s life, one’s revolt, one’s freedom, and to the maximum, is living, and to the maximum.” – Camus

The vital energy of the universe is bursting forth all around us.  When we become aware of this essence, consciously choose to pay attention to it, and tap into our own inner resonance with these universal vibrations of beauty and life, we are in that very same moment awakening the infinite connection to the eternal that resides within each of us.

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Respice Finem

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"Shadow Flight" | Anthony Satori

“Respice Finem”  |  Anthony Satori

Perhaps you desire to have more balance in your life, or more peace of mind.  Hold this aspiration near to you.  Whenever you have the opportunity to take an action, speak words, or pursue a thought, ask yourself, “Will this bring me closer to having more balance/peace in my life?”  This is what respice finem means: Consciously choose your desired goals, and apply that understanding to how you place your energy and attention in this present moment.

“Respice finem, that is to say, in all your actions, look often upon what you would have, as the thing that directs all your thoughts in the way to attain it.”  – Thomas Hobbes

Aspire to good things.  Defy labels.  Reach for new heights.  Keep the goals you wish to achieve ever in your mind, while continually returning to the present moment, because it is in this present moment alone that we have access to both the pleasure of living and the power to act.  Make small progress every day toward your aspirations, and even the shadow you cast will be amazing.

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Moonbeams and Wind

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Moonbeams and Wind | Anthony Satori

“Moonbeams and Wind”  |  Anthony Satori

“You’re not like the others.  I’ve seen a few; I know.  When I talk, you look at me.  When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night.  The others would never do that.  The others would walk off and leave me talking…  No one has time any more for anyone else.”  — Clarisse M.   (Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury)

The Galleria (Milan)

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Interior, The Galleria (Milan, Italy) | Anthony Satori

Interior, The Galleria  |  (Milan, Italy)  |  Anthony Satori

It is difficult to rival the Italians when it comes to architecture as an art form.  Consider the awe-inspiring Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, in Milan, Italy.  It is a magnificent structure built with dramatically arching panes of glass, intricate cast iron latticework, and an interior filled with paintings, mosaics, and countless other elements of architectural and artistic style. 

It was designed by Giuseppe Mengoni in 1861, and it was built between the years 1865 and 1877, also by him.   The building was named after (and financed by) Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of a newly unified Italy.

Other interesting facts:

1)  It was intended to be exactly what it is, a shopping mall.  And, over 100 years later, it still is.

2)  Whenever you go to a modern shopping mall anywhere in the world and it is called “The Galleria,” it is a reference to this specific structure.  (Whether the builders realize it or not.) 

3)  In an ironic turn of fate, Mengoni died soon after the Galleria’s completion.  He fell off the roof of his own creation.  (It is 154 feet tall.)

On a lighter note, a few years back I ate a Big Mac there.  Madness, I know.  A Big Mac in Italy, the land of incredible food.  But there was a method to my madness.  First, purely for the sake of the sheer juxtaposition of experience, it was novel and fun.  Second, I have a healthy appetite, so there was no chance that one burger was going to slow me down.  Third, and perhaps most significantly of all, you can’t have a Big Mac there anymore.  That’s right, in 2012 the Galleria refused to renew McDonalds’ lease, and after a protracted round of legal jousting it was decided that the fast food giant would never return to the mall.  That spot is now occupied by a Prada store.  There was, of course, no way for me to foresee this at the time, but it definitely makes me all the more glad that I did it.

I suppose the point is, enjoy the moment.  Have fun.  A Big Mac is only as mundane as you allow it to be.  Engage with the unique texture of wherever you find yourself.  To be alive is amazing… savor it.

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