April / May 2011
Welcome to this issue of Emergence. Our feature artist is Daniel B. Holeman, from San Rafael, California.
Daniel, as expressed in his artwork, has captured the essence of light being color alive with shape and definition. His work is much like the Mandela, when gazed upon it will bring you to a meditative or as some might say a "journey state" where questions maybe asked and answers maybe found.
Daniel's work reflects his inner beliefs of living from a "Unity Consciousness," from core values of truth, honesty, integrity, fairness, justice and responsibility. This brings Daniel’s life to be an expression of equality for all species and all life, to treat with equality every human, no matter what race, gender, status, position or level of intellect. To be within self, as an expression of peacefulness, humility, compassion, gratitude and generosity is a gift to be shared.
His artistic talent and life-long exploration of consciousness and devotion to self-realization has given Daniel the ability to create profound sacred imagery.
I am please to share with you Daniel's written expression of his work.
"When people are awake they naturally abide by these values, they naturally care for all people, all species, all of life; and when these values are lived you get Peace, Harmony, Security, Happiness and Joy as a by-product. These things cannot be bought or forced (as those currently in positions of power and authority continue attempting). Believing the illusion that one is separate from the whole leads one to pseudo solutions – such as attempting to find happiness by acquiring more money and things, attempting to gain security by using force, acquiring more and more power, etc. True solutions are only found within. It takes us, as individuals, looking within, waking up and living in unity consciousness and as a result of this (which is already happening and is in progress) we will stop giving our power and money away to those in positions of power and authority who are unconscious and greedy. Those in positions of power and authority are diseased by ego – like an extremely obese person who is on a destructive course. They crave power and money and are sick people. It only contributes to collective negativity to hate them or hold them in contempt. So forgive them and look in the mirror and clean your own house and those outside will eventually lose their power as a result.
I see people invest great passion in the "rightness" of their held beliefs. Jews, Christians, Muslims and others, often so sure they are right and others are wrong, the fundamentalist of each ready to kill others in the name of their "god" and their "rightness". In addition to this there is the global (all levels of our civilization) issue of class, power and exploitation of less advantaged and of the earth and her resources. When the earth was less populated it was just an unfortunate state of affairs...now, if it continues much longer, it will destroy the planet (or at least the inhabitants). I am talking about those with wealth and power using their wealth and power for self-gain by exploiting people and resources. This is the root of most the world's problems - environmental crisis, social injustice, etc.
I have listened to many teachers and I have checked in to my own experience and my innermost being to validate, or not; what is said. It is my experience that we are all of the same oneness, and that our "separateness" is indeed an illusion; that this illusion is vast and pervasive and seems very real; that the stronger we indulge in the illusion the more egoic we act, the more ignorant we are and that all suffering we experience is in some way a result of this complex illusion. The illusion is a distortion of the Truth, which is always present behind the illusion and That is all of our One true nature - pure consciousness.
When we are truly in our hearts, truly feeling the connectedness, the love, we then feel joy and peace as we are more being our true nature. Truth does not assert, defend, or try to convince others. Our true nature is Heart, is Love.
The pain and suffering and apparent "wounds" are a result of being in illusion, in one's egoic activity too much. Most of what is going on in our day to day world is just a bunch of egoic programming interfacing with other programming, more like the Matrix (film) than people think. I know it is possible for each individual to wake up out of the dream or illusion to realize one's true nature, one's true being. The requirement is putting that commitment above all else - making realizing one's true nature one's highest priority in life. And that commitment leads in some way to honest self-inquiry (specifically, self-inquiry into the truth of one's self, one's true nature, and what activities of one habituates which keeps one from realizing what they already always are).
And when it comes to "beliefs" it is important not to simply take the words of another and recite them as one's own, or quote them from a scripture, but to listen to others and then always find out for oneself through personal experience. And to share from there (personal experience) what one has found freely, openly, and relaxedly with others - for them to accept or reject as they wish. The diversity of perspectives, when shared casually with others can be a wonderful thing, expanding life's possibilities. Wanting or forcing others to see things the way you do is counter productive and not fun. I think this is one of the downfalls of traditional religions - trying to force or persuade others to their way of seeing things. This behavior stems from an insecurity based on a shaky foundation of beliefs. from a sound and truly stable foundation of Being people do not need to persuade others or force anything onto others.
My devotion is to Truth. My highest priority and commitment in life is to abiding as and living life from my true, natural state. I regularly visit and listen to and speak with true teachers, who talk about this with other who are interested. I have found some great teachers who are quite good at pointing to the Truth. I gladly point to the pointers and you can connect with them here if you wish.
Therefore, to sum up my philosophy I would state simply:
- We are all the same One "consciousness" that can take itself to be anything – and thus we seem to be what we take ourselves to be (including taking ourselves to be separate people). And we ARE unique, individual expressions of the One whole.
- All that we experience in life is based on our interpretation. Our interpretation determines the nature of our existence. This goes deeper than just our surface thinking.
- ALL suffering and unfulfillment is the result of faulty interpretation – of taking ourselves to be a somebody separate from others - separate from the One. Taking ourselves to be an identity different from our true nature. It is like believing you ARE the Halloween costume character you put on.
- Therefore, having the broadest, truest angle of vision, the most accurate interpretation is wise. It is okay to be lost in the illusion, but our species is on a destructive path (ruining of our habitat, etc.) due to this getting out of hand. To continue Life as we know it on this planet we need to wake up and consciously create a better dream of life.
- Truly realizing and abiding as one's true nature (consciousness), the natural state, is the only way to accomplish this. All solution to all problems come from this awareness place.
- The requirement for enlightenment is to make #5 one's highest priority in life, above comfort, security, pleasure, etc. Then one will naturally attract the help and support one needs to wake up and stabilize in living that awakening. Stabilizing involves inquiring into and seeing all the ways in which one has avoided one's true nature, all the programming and habits and fixations, including one's very notion of being "separate".
- The clincher is this - No one outside you needs to change - only you. It is up to You! This may not make sense, but that is only because of the illusion of separation. It also makes it a whole lot easier as that is all you can change anyway, and it is actually distraction and avoidance to be fixated on what seems to need to change in others.
Thus, I have found that the ONLY solution to the world's and an individual's struggle, suffering, or unfulfillment is true self-realization (enlightenment). All other approaches and "solutions" are pseudo and/or temporary and are of the realm of hidden programming, which goes deeper than people realize. All those beings throughout history who have truly self-realized have said the same things – among those things that we are in a state of illusion which is so profound that even our notion of separateness is illusion; that the answer to life's woes is through Truth – which inevitably leads to self-realization – the conscious awakeness. The conscious is always present behind the illusion. It is not "attained", it is what is always there and comes forth when the illusion is busted. All are now invited to wake up from the Dream." With Love, Daniel
Daniel feels it is not so much the beauty as the place it stirs in people that they are responding to. He invites the viewer to dive into a deeper dimension of consciousness while viewing his paintings. The imagery stirs forgotten awareness of a place felt to be home – a warm, familiar and heartfelt state of mind – a welcome contrast to the day-to-day world we live in. His work has been used on TV and videos, book and CD covers, magazines, prints, posters, cards and the internet.
At a young age Daniel had a profound spiritual awakening and experienced the nature of pure consciousness from which the manifested world is created. Since then his life has been about deepening that awareness and sharing it with others through art, lifestyle and conversation (with a few detours along the way). He is now offering spiritual advice and counseling to those interested. His Website is a special world to explore and enjoy www.awakenvisions.com.
Thank you Daniel for sharing so much of yourself, your work and talent with our Inner Tapestry community and the rest of the world.