30"x40" acrylic on canvas, 2018
 
In Sanskrit the word maya means illusion. This painting was a contemplation of the things that vie for our attention and confuse our consciousness, while honoring the stillness of true knowing beyond all illusion. In its simplicity, the Devanagari symbol for the sound of OM illustrated this experience even for those who were illiterate, so all might access the states of our understanding and the goal of meditation. The symbol’s three graceful curves represent our human wakefulness, dream state, and deep sleep. Beyond those states of being, the swoop of maya is set like a barrier obstructing clear seeing. The work of the spiritual aspirant is to move beyond illusion to turiya, the state of absolute consciousness, deepening peace, and fulfillment. The white linear patterns are reminiscent of broadcast static - like something interfering with sensory clarity. The softer brown patterns on the lower left are as willows or footprints, suggestive of the transient and transforming nature of all things. The masses of filmy color over other layers invite the imagination towards polishing a mirror to attain a clearer reflection. Secondary colors of purple and orange play against muted tones to delight sensory perception while grounding in earthy neutrals - a parallel to any seeker’s journey of self-awareness.