Articles from April 2016

Published

the power of “yes”

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Sri Prem Baba writes, “When we say *yes* with our whole being, we experience a flow of wisdom that answers all of our questions.” Yes to ourselves. Yes to each other. Yes to the universe. Deeply saying yes, and meaning it, is a great opening — and a powerful, transformational one. Sometimes, especially if our conditioning has taught us that it’s safer to say *no*, saying *yes* can be like releasing a dammed river — suddenly, and with great speed, the water moves freely again. If we’re unaccustomed to it, that movement can seem overwhelming, even dangerous. We can feel like we’ll be swept away in the current, or thrown roughly onto the rocky shore… but for me, learning to navigate in the fast flowing water of *yes*, regardless of how many preconceptions I am forced to let go of, is so much better than drowning in the stagnant and ever deepening pool of *no*!

— heidi kalyani, 2016
from the *nothing is black and white* project: illustration created out of meditation with a single unbroken line

 

Published

loving difference

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Indian author and philosopher, Krishnamurti wrote, “You discover yourself not in isolation, not in withdrawal, but in relationship.” When I zoom out — and see myself in the larger context of a relationship, a group, a community, a culture, a planet — a richer picture develops. The act of discovering contrasts (as well as similarities) can help me clarify me own stories, feelings and needs. And the challenge of truly being in relationship with others awakens a multitude of heart-opening, ego-bursting, illusion-shattering realities that steer me firmly, if not gently, into a greater state of awareness. Yesterday, a friend said to me, “Love is the appreciation of difference”. I agree. And furthermore, I believe that stepping out of our own little orbits and really embracing people — for who and what they are without trying to change them — is an intensely radical act of courage, especially in a culture that has become so suspicious and fearful of “the other”.

— heidi kalyani, 2016
from the *nothing is black and white* project: illustration created out of meditation with a single unbroken line

Published

the necessity of hope

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Emily Dickinson wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without words / And never stops at all.” Hope is a beautiful and precious creature that I nurture and protect with all my strength. I am hopeful — about everything — even on the bleakest days (and at the risk of being called dreamy, idealistic, unrealistic, utopian). Without it, what would be the point of getting out of bed in the morning?

— heidi kalyani, 2016
from the *nothing is black and white* project: illustration created out of meditation with a single unbroken line