Lifted is a painting by Brian Commerford which was uploaded on December 6th, 2022.
Lifted
I’ve been on a journey to lead a more spiritual life. This journey relates to this painting of an owl. He is a symbol of wisdom; a being that has... more
Title
Lifted
Artist
Brian Commerford
Medium
Painting - Oil On Canvas
Description
I’ve been on a journey to lead a more spiritual life. This journey relates to this painting of an owl. He is a symbol of wisdom; a being that has come from the dark into the light. Working on this painting inspired me to write the following.
Years ago, I decided that I needed to rejuvenate my spiritual life.
One of the first things that I wanted to do was to come up with a concept of God that was more compelling and personal. To paraphrase a great saint, “not a single step can be taken on the spiritual path without love”. So I decided it was up to my creativity to find images, feelings, and words that would rouse my devotion and ardor.
There were traditional images: Heavenly Father (protective, guiding wisdom, a gentle teacher), Divine Mother (compassion and unconditional love), Divine Beloved (sweet, caring, an angel of light), and Devine Friend (loyal, supportive and always ready to help). But I also thought of the great avatars; Christ, Krishna, Buddha, and Yogananda. I began to immerse myself in their pictures and let their vibrations wash over me. I also began to visualize a great sphere of light around myself. Inside this sphere, love and joy would penetrate every cell of my body.
Taking time each day to do these visualizations, absorbing these feelings and thoughts was very helpful to me. I was changing my own vibrations and starting to draw a Divine response. Yogananda declared “Those who think me near, I am near”. When your heart and mind work in unison, magnetism will draw those forces to you.
The second thing I needed to do was to appreciate my opponent, Cosmic Delusion.
To explain, there are two forces acting on all of us. One is God, who is a force of love, drawing all beings back together, and the other is Cosmic Delusion. The latter goes by many names: Maya, Delusion, and Evil, being a few. This force was also created by God, but it seeks to push us into isolation and to oppose the pull of love, keeping us away from union with the Beloved.
The opposing forces of God and Cosmic Delusion create a vibration of tension which creates this physical world. Understanding Delusion helps explain world history and why man fails to learn from his mistakes. The influences of Delusion are constant and all pervading.
Why does most of the world consider spiritual fulfillment unobtainable or uninteresting? Cosmic Delusion!
Why do people feel unable to succeed and limit their noble aspirations? Cosmic Delusion!
To overcome Delusion, it has become necessary to create spiritual rules. In Christianity they are the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. In Yogic traditions, there are the Yamas and Niyamas. They are all guides to a spiritual life, a path away from Delusion.
When I was young the forces of Delusion subtly but powerfully drew me off the spiritual path. Knowing that this force is always operating helped me work to combat it.
Now in my adult life I have learned a scientific method of meditation. I practice Kriya Yoga as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. Daily practice helps keep me linked to the forces of Light. It blesses my life, and I wish it for those who are searching. Truly, to feel a part of Divine Love is to feel so uplifted and electrified with a thrill beyond any expectancy.
Jai Guru,
Brian
Uploaded
December 6th, 2022