Spirituality

Sri Chinmoy

This is the foundation for my life’s activities and affects everything I do, especially in terms of Art. Since 1995 I have been a disciple of the spiritual master Sri Chinmoy after a period of searching to find the answers to life’s ‘big questions’.

After receiving conflicting and uncertain advice, I decided to seek out what others had written on the subject for my own search into ‘truth’. Not knowing what or whom to believe, I felt drawn to the practice of meditation to answer life’s dilemmas. The Eastern approach to spirituality emphasised this calming of breath and mind to go beyond mental speculation and reasoning to discover a deeper truth within.

Whilst on a gap year, I travelled the world and devoured all the books I could find on the subject and whilst I found many useful texts and beautiful discourses, they all seemed to lack a ‘certain something’ that would satisfy my hunger.

After a while, I noticed a poster for a meditation workshop run by the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Wellington, New Zealand where I was staying in a Backpackers hostel for a few days. Realising, thankfully, that I needed some tuition in the subject, and noticing that the workshop was free of charge, I felt there was nothing to loose in trying the one-day session. Little did I imagine that the group hosting the workshop would be my future spiritual home.

After half a day of exercises, I had found some aspects useful and some a little difficult. I remember trying to focus on the spiritual heart as directed, but having had no experience of this before, I was puzzled at how I should feel this centre. I do recall slumping in my chair in an attempt to sink to deeper depths. Not surprisingly, this didn’t achieve much.

During the meditation exercises, I didn’t have any blinding revelations, visions or experiences to satisfy my mind’s curiosity, however at the end of the session, I looked at a copy of one of Sri Chinmoy’s books called ‘Meditation ~ Man-Perfection in God-Satisfaction’. The more I read, the more I was absolutely bowled over by the simplicity, directness and relevance of what I was reading. After having read countless books that did not appeal to me, here was one that I instinctively knew was written by someone who knew their subject extremely well and could express it without scriptural embellishment or complicated theories. Something deep in the core of my being was very, very moved and in that instant I knew – ‘yes, yes, this is what I believe, someone has written it down for me. This is it!’

On my return to the UK, after I had been practising meditation on my own with limited success, I received a flyer from my local Sri Chinmoy Centre advertising classes nearby. I thought, ‘Oh, I get the hint’ and decided to practise again in workshops, this time spread over a number of weeks. Upon completion, I decided to continue with the practice and have done so ever since. At the beginning, the last thing I wanted to do was join a group and never realised the importance of having a master, and although I cannot pretend to understand now, I do know that I wouldn’t be where I am now without them.

Where then am I? Well, in my inner life I am more settled, satisfied and happy than I had been previously. Also I feel a deep commitment to manifesting the gifts that I have been blessed with. In my ‘Artist’s Statement’, I express this in the following way:-

My work is based upon and flows from my inner life of prayer, meditation and service, during which I focus on the spiritual heart. This is for me the source of joy, love and oneness. These qualities I hope to offer to people who see the work.

Focusing on the spiritual heart also encourages a childlike simplicity which I feel shaping my life and work. This may also explain my preference for bright colours, simple shapes and cheerful, beautiful things.

As a medium, I am particularly drawn to clay because of the infinite ways it can be shaped, treated and used. Its scope and potential are a continual inspiration to me.

Ultimately, I like to make pieces that make people smile. In this way I hope to make this world to be a happier place.