My Path to Mindfulness

My Path to Mindfulness

My Path to Mindfulness (Cont.)

After the first death anniversaries of my loved ones, I composed two collages as an obeisance to my parents and a homage to my brother. The drawing/collage of my brother was more about his short life—an individual who loved to travel by ship, by plane, on his scooter, who made everyone he met happy, and who himself was carefree. After his accident I felt as if a brilliant section of the sun was severed off to light up the world wherever he had gone.

I depicted my parents juxtaposed on the façade of a shrine, a curtain veiling them from me. Their essence in a realm where human senses do not function. After they passed away, I felt their essence had merged with the elements. When I looked at the sky, in the water or the clouds they seem to look back at me.

Death was at the top of my mind.

I decided to read about and research the beliefs and rituals of death in various world cultures. I read books on Meaning of Death, Denial of Death, Death and identity, Death and Dying any good books I could find on this subject. This led me further into symbolic art.

Making art and reading about symbolism guided me toward creativity and spirituality. The reading guided me to descend into those recesses of mind that I had never experienced before.