Lesson: Repetition is one of the best ways to remember something

I just painted this picture a couple nights ago. It is a self portrait. Every object in it, including the cloths, my hair style, the scarf etc are symbolic of a part of my experience in Bali. If you look at the globe, it is turned so that Indonesia and Bali are displayed in the front. While I was painting this picture, I was thinking of the love and balance that I felt in Bali. People in Bali were very spiritual. They were also very creative and musical. The combination filled a need within me. Now, I am afraid I will lose sight of the goals I set for myself while I was there. I find myself being tempted to give in to the pressure of Boston/East Coast life again and to think of Bali as just another trip. However, this picture helps remind me what was important to me and how I felt there. I hope to do a series of paintings to compliment this one for our apartment.

My painting style here is totally different than the impressionistic oil landscapes that I usually do. While in Bali, I was able to spend a day with a group of painters. They had me copy one of their paintings and I tried to paint it in their style. In the painting above, I tried to keep to the Balinese painting style: Bold, simple and sensual.

I am still trying to finish up all of the work that was due over the summer. My project for Bali, which includes this painting, is the last thing I have left other than getting ready for my first class tomorrow. I was lucky enough to be able to design my own course for the trip, but, sadly, I have a lot to finish for the project besides just this painting.


Quote For The Day:

" How does seeing the difference permit unity?Quite simply, because physically speaking there cannot be unity, since the physical plane consists of shapes, and all shapes are different. Unity only exists in the heart. It is a feeling: Love. And in love the notion of self disappears; only the other remains."

- Svami Prajnanpad

So, by loving all things that are different, we find unity because love has the power to unify?

I have to be honest; these Hindu quotations seem to be driving the same point home again and again. Though, I suppose why I bought this quotation book was A) For the AMAZING pictures of different parts of India that accompany each quotation, which you are sadly unable to see and B) Because there is a part of me that truly does believe that caring more about the world and people beyond yourself is helpful in creating harmony and productive communication that can lead to healing.

Nevertheless, I also believe that in order for the communication between a person and his environment to be most beneficial, that person must also be aware of his internal voice and feelings. The key is balance ;) This is easily said and difficult to achieve.