In light of the catastrophic forest fires that were devastating the amazon rain forest, this piece acts as a visual prayer. May all beings have what they need to thrive. A simple request. The words are inspired by the Loving Kindness Meditation (also known as Metta).
“May you be safe”
“May you be healthy”
“May you be happy”
“May you be free from suffering”
As the Amazon forest was burning, I felt powerless. Unable to solve the problem, unable to do anything about it. Yet, I had a strong urge to do something. I did what I could, and that meant making art.
Although this visual prayer may not directly cure the world of all that ails it, it gave me peace of mind. The loving-kindness meditation has three parts, but variations are welcome. The first round sends loving-kindness to yourself. “May I be safe”. The second round, the energy is sent to another human. “May you be happy”. The final round is sent to all living-beings. “May all beings be free from suffering”. This simple meditation can be incorporated into a daily routine, and takes as little as 7 minutes each day.
The process for the piece was a tedious one. Each star dotted on the canvas was done intentionally. Although I may not be able to draw every star in the universe, I could capture a few. This painting glows in the dark, with each star radiating some light when left in the darkness.
One thought on “May All Beings”