From Chinese Scroll Paintings to Cubism - Making Spiritual Connections at Kripalu

A 24 hour visit to the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health was a transformative journey.

Multi-Pointed Awareness

I arrived stressed and distracted and left relaxed and renewed with a deeper spiritual connection. This in-camera multiple exposure of Shiva strives to convey a cosmic realm, the place of connection beyond words.

Shiva

The statue presides over the main hall.  During yoga class, the teacher said, "Thousands and thousands and thousands of yoga classes have been taught in this room."

Bread, Vegetables, Spices

The healthy food offerings contributed to the health of mind, body and spirit.

Accidental Orange

In a past part of this life, I worked as a photojournalist.  At many events, navigating around important people or protestors, I was rather obtrusive.  My photographic skin has become thinner, I guess, as while darting around the dining hall taking images I felt very self-conscious. Accidental Orange is a "mistake" due to my rushing.

Raw Material

Nestled in the Berkshires overlooking Lake Mahkeenac, the beauty of the grounds further fed my spirit.

Lake and Trees

I knew immediately that the misty day necessitated homage to Chinese scroll paintings. Pondering a title for this work, I searched for titles of scroll paintings and found that many where plainly descriptive, such as Bamboo and Rocks or Spring Landscape.

This sparse approach evokes that of Cubist painters:  Girl with Mandolin, for example, or Violin and Jug.  These pioneering painters not only inspired my way of photographically seeing the world in multiple planes, but also prompted the use of simple titles that clue viewers into the basis of my abstractions.

I want to go back.

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