EMPATHY

More than often, a lot of us judge. Is it wrong to be judgemental? Well, if we categorise judgemental approach as good or bad, it itself becomes judgemental! Don't you think!

The human self has the learning ability that works on the principle of duality. Duality, while the apparent truth, is seem as one by the enlightened: like the two sides of the same coin.

'You don't walk in my shoes so don't judge my walk'... This is infact the truth. Each one of us comes into the material world with the purpose of learning something. This learning may also come via the cause-effect relationship (as symbolised by the 'lotus' in Hinduism and Buddhism) of the Karmic baggage.

The point is, none of us can possibly be harmed if we have an attitude of compassion (read, Love) towards everyone, human or not. From compassion comes the ability to accept. From acceptance, we see ourselves in everyone and the false boundaries of 'individuality' are blurred. This leads to the feeling of oneness: belongingness to one giant organism: the living, breathing, Earth (or perhaps the entire cosmos). From 'oneness' comes 'empathy' and from 'empathy', we HEAL.

Let us all try and be healers to those whose lives we touch.

Namasté

7 Chakras in Brief

Fields of Scotland

Another landscape in acrylic.

I have used neo-impressionist style at places, especially to add light and shadow... Most of the painting is plain colours with minimal shading.

Georgengarten, Hannover, Germany

Step-by-step how to paint the scene from Hannover, Germany

I began with pale and bright lemon yellow for the canopy and shades of ochre for the ground.

Painting was made keeping in mind the distance.

Lodalen, Norway

Another one of my step-by-step landscape posts...

This one is based on a picture of Norway.
I think one day I shall settle in the Nordic lands... *wishful thinking*

(Please do pray for me :P )

Glen Brittle, Scotland

I am down with fever and after several hours of sleeping and lying down and getting bored, I decided to make a quick painting.
My muse was 'Glen Brittle, Scotland'
My medium is acrylic.
In this post I have given serial pictures to show the painting evolve.
I am not particularly happy with the end result but then, I couldn't sit any longer.

Perhaps I will add some finishing touches to it later.

RED ORANGE YELLOW FLICKER BEAT

I never do reviews of songs. I dare say this is a start, it however is a first.
I couldn't help it, it was compelling: the beauty and sheer genius of what Lorde has composed (salutes!!!)

The song 'Yellow Flicker Beat' is a beauty beyond description (I am talking specifically about the lyrics and how they have been sung. )

It is a poem, nay, an amazing poem!!

Here are the lyrics:

"Yellow Flicker Beat"

I’m a princess cut from marble, smoother than a storm.
And the scars that mark my body, they’re silver and gold,
My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones,
It keeps my veins hot, the fire's found a home in me.
I move through town, I’m quiet like a fight,
And my necklace is of rope, I tie it and untie.

And now people talk to me, but nothing ever hits home
People talk to me, and all the voices just burn holes.
I’m done with it (ooh)

This is the start of how it all ends
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it
I’m speeding up and this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
We're at the start, the colours disappear
I never watch the stars, there’s so much down here
So I just try to keep up with the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart

I dream all year, but they’re not the sweet kinds
And the shivers move down my shoulder blades in double time

And now people talk to me, I’m slipping out of reach now
People talk to me, and all their faces blur
But I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison
And I’m locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me
I’m done with it (ooh)

And this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
And this is the red, orange, yellow flicker beat-beat-beat-beat


Full of fire and head strong will power, this song does describe Katniss and what she felt like. The way Lorde sings it, the song successfully makes the most inattentive of audiences know exactly what is inside a rebel, what is pain and grief and what is the flaming hot colour of the red orange yellow flickering fire that oppression and injustice lights up.

When there is just so much pain that the person becomes numb to it, that is the fire that lights up a rebellion.

Every single line can be spoken about, however I particularly love the way Lorde sings the line 'And I’m locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me' . Beautiful!

The song also highlights her dilemmas and fears. As it progresses, we can visualise Katniss growing stronger and deeper into the fight. Her "dark" rebellious side that very aptly touches the fringes of 'ruthlessness' is what makes the song so realistic. However, what makes the song surreal is the minimum words doing so much talking!

Pure genius, Lorde!