Stream of Consciousness
Here is one of my favorite Buddhist tales from my groundbreaking book, An Artist Empowered:
Time Out | original fine art print | Eden Maxwell
An old monk and a young monk were walking along the road when they came to a rushing stream. It was neither too wide nor too deep. They were about to wade across when a beautiful young woman, who had been waiting on the bank, approached them. She was elegantly dressed, and she fluttered her fan and batted her eyelashes, smiling at them with big eyes.
“Oh,” she said, “The current is so swift, the water is so cold, and if my kimono gets wet, it will spoil the silk. Won’t one of you please carry me across the stream?”
And she edged invitingly toward the young monk.
Now the young monk thought the woman’s behavior was disgusting. He thought she was spoiled and shameless and ought to be taught a lesson. On top of that, monks are not supposed to have anything to do with women. So he ignored her completely and waded across the stream. But the old monk gave a shrug, picked up the young woman, carried her across the water and set her down on the other side. Then the two monks continued on their way down the road.
Though they walked in silence, the young monk was furious. He thought his companion had done entirely the wrong thing by indulging that spoiled young woman. And even worse, by touching her he had broken the monk’s rule. He raved and ranted in his mind as they walked over hills and through fields.
Finally, he could stand it no longer. Shouting loudly, he began scolding his companion for carrying the woman across the stream. He was beside himself with anger and completely red in the face.
“Oh, dear,” said the old monk. “Are you still carrying that woman? I put her down an hour ago.” He gave a shrug and continued down the road.
CONNECTING ON A DEEPER INTUITIVE LEVEL
My art-making is based on the physical flow of spontaneous intuition, which involves a remarkable journey. Impulses of energy and information surge down my arm and, through improvisation, I compose visual jazz with line and color. If the art-making is magic, then the art is magic.
What does my painting Time Out reveal to you? There is no right or wrong answer. Trust your feelings, not the opinion of others, including art critics and so-called experts. Remember, if you see it, then it’s there. Enjoy. Click on the painting for more details.
To get a better feel for the scope and range of my art, please visit my collection of original Fine Art prints: each signed print features museum-quality materials, permanent pigment inks, plus acid-free matting that I attach to the artwork using conservation best practices.
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