In a few days from today, I will be putting up an art installation as part of the annual Kalaghoda Arts Festival, the details of which I will post next.
Being a vipassana meditator my on-going project made me think very much of the attitude and intention of an artist. While reflecting I remembered Gurji Geonkaji's words,
" A balanced mind is very necessary. But a stage where you are totally free from ego, where the ego is totally dissolved, takes a long time. When one has reached the stage of anagami, then at the depth of the mind the ego has significantly melted away and at the stage of arahant there is no ego at all.
But for ordinary Vipassana meditators, at least they have to make sure that they have started dissolving their egos. Any artist who is pratcising Vipassana properly will see a big change in her field of art whatever it may be. The art shold be pure in the sense that it will never be used to arouse passion in the minds of others, anger or hatred. With the practise of Vipassana she will become a better artist wit the effect that through the medium of art one will be able to give people a sense of peace and harmony. One has to judge wether this wholesome direction is developing or not."
Guruji S.N.Goenkaji.
From time to time I find myself returning to these words of Guruji and often I have not been sure if I understood at the experiential level, neither did I know if my art could in someway convey a feeling of peace and harmony to people. I have never consciously tried to alter or filter my work ever but if my upcoming installation does bring delight to people then I think I came a hair-breadth of a hair-breadth closer to what Guruji is talking about.
May more and more people get a glimpse of pure dharma :)
love + light!
