From the Collection:
Giving Voice to Visuals #11
“Enlightenment is not a change into something better or more, but a simple recognition of who we truly already are.”
– James Blanchard Cisneros
The story goes that a Samurai went to see a holy man who lived on the mountain and asked him the question, “Master, what is the difference between heaven and hell?” The ancient hermit paused for a few moments and then said in a loud accusing voice, “You have no honor! Your children are pigs, and your mother is a prostitute!” The Samurai was shocked that this holy man would talk this way, but the master continued to heap scorn and criticism on the Samurai and his whole family until the warrior could take it no more. The fires of anger and hatred swelled within the Samurai as the old man continued to criticize him, and in a fit of anger the Samurai took out his sword and, with his face contorted in fury, he raised the sword to chop off the head of the holy man.
In that moment, the master paused, looked the Samurai squarely in the eye and said calmly, “That is hell.”
The Samurai was stunned as he realized how his own rage and anger had created a personal hell in his life. He also realized that the master had knowingly risked his own life to teach him this lesson. The Samurai was humbled and felt a profound gratitude. He fell at the master’s feet with tears in his eyes and thanked him from the depths of his heart for teaching him this life-changing lesson.
The master then said, “That is heaven.”
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There are those who believe that heaven is not a location or postmortem destination, but a state of mind attainable right here on earth. Put differently, if we seek the path of enlightenment—the path of self-transformation, self-improvement, and inner-peace—we can receive our flowers right here on earth.
Atlanta-based photo-artist, AD Kaya Clark, gives her subjects their flowers. “Every individual through my lens is a muse,” once stated Clark, who uses her art to “facilitate horizontal exchanges between myself and those featured in my work; photography comprised my initial inquiries in art as a conversational platform.”
Let the conversation continue.
Photo by AD Kaya Clark
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