“Tea and Contemplation” –|– Anthony Satori
“Reading furnishes the mind only with the materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.”
— John Locke
Tea and Contemplation
artist
Benevolent Light
“Benevolent Light” | Anthony Satori
Every day, every moment, the universe is patiently waiting for us to pull softly on the strings of the blinds and let its light flow in. Take a deep breath, calm your thoughts, and center your spirit. And then mindfully take action toward something good. Take action toward love, hope, kindness. Take action toward health, joy, deeper understanding. Even the smallest such act, done with a genuine heart, is an invitation for the universe to immerse us in its benevolent light.
Golden
“Golden” | Anthony Satori
“Believe that with your feelings and your work you are taking part in the greatest; the more strongly you cultivate this belief, the more will reality and the world go forth from it.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke
Four Flowers
“Four Flowers” | Anthony Satori
“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people… rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it.”
— Georgia O’Keeffe
The Achievement of Stillness
“Stillness” | Anthony Satori
“I feel that art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos. A stillness that characterizes prayer, too, and the eye of the storm.”
— Saul Bellow
Lightning Strikes
“Lightning Strikes” | Anthony Satori
Early in his adult life, the great 20th century thinker and inventor R. Buckminster Fuller felt like none of his efforts were coming to any useful fruition. Broke and despondent, he took a late-night walk along a bridge, and even considered ending his life. As he stood at the edge of the bridge, a glowing sphere of white light appeared from nowhere, surrounded him, and lifted him several feet off the ground. A voice spoke these words:
“From now on you need never await temporal attestation to your thought. You think the truth. You do not have the right to eliminate yourself. You do not belong to you. You belong to the Universe. Your significance will remain forever obscure to you, but you may assume that you are fulfilling your role if you apply yourself to converting your experiences to the highest advantage of others.”
The sphere of light then gently placed him back onto his feet on the bridge, and disappeared. From that moment forward, Fuller’s entire outlook changed. He dedicated the rest of his life to the enthusiastic creation and invention of things that made people’s lives better, more efficient, and more productive — no longer worrying about the “success” or “failure” of his inventions — and he went on to become one of the most admired, prolific, and successful inventors of the 20th century.
On the bridge that night, the mystical Voice spoke directly to Fuller. But there is a lesson here for all of us. Even though we may never know the impact we will have on the world around us, if we dedicate our thoughts and efforts to benefiting others and to making the world a more beautiful, meaningful place, we will be fulfilling our highest destiny. As for everything else, it is out of our hands. We must simply leave the rest to fate.
This week marks five years that I have been producing this blog, sharing my photographic artworks, writings, and philosophical ponderings with you, once a week, every week, for the duration. Thank you for taking this journey with me, so far. May we have many more wonders to come.
Dreams
“The Door to Walden” | Anthony Satori
“Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.”
— Anais Nin
Eternal
“Eternal” | Anthony Satori
“I existed from all eternity and, behold, I am here; and I shall exist till the end of time, for my being has no end.”
— Khalil Gibran
The Mysterious
“The Mysterious” | Anthony Satori
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
— Albert Einstein
Reflections
“Silver Rabbit and Blue Dog” | Anthony Satori
“Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question.”
— e. e. cummings
Seek beauty, and the universe will show you beauty. Seek goodness, and the universe will surround you with goodness. Strive for knowledge and wisdom, and the universe will reveal its mysteries to you. Strive to be a source of kindness and joy, and the universe will enfold you in wonder.
Satori Circle | Art & Culture 