Well, it’s over...again. 魂--"Soul" or "Spirit" in Japanese, my third collaboration with the famous butoh dancer Yasuchika Konno, and my first experience with the swami, spiritual teacher and sitarist Atasa Sangeet, over and done. I’m happy, inspired, exhausted, sad, angry, disappointed, energetic, spacious, in love, in light, and free, not all at the same time, but in waves that kind of unfold an emotional blanket with dreamglowy seams.
20 paintings sold, I got three commissions, and about 50 people came to the collaboration. Amazing success. Go We! With this final collaboration I wanted to give Niihama a spiritual expereince, “spiritual,” here meaning Universal, or deeply human; The Soul Level, or the Human Being level. I invited a butoh dancer who breathes bushi and budo, the real deal, traditional Japanese through and through, and yet avant-garde to the max, contemporary corn-rows, contemplative outlook, his chiseled mind and trained body channeld dance from the creative void--is he acting or for real?, terrifying, people gazed transfixed; the shaman took them away, deep into themselves...god it was breathtaking. And I invited a Japanese sitarist who went to India in his twenties and met his guru Osho, who gave him his name which means "The Soul of Music." He now teaches meditation and the joy of living creatively around Japan. Together our three souls created a space where people could forget themselves, remember their Selves, and ride the crazy waves of humanness; emotion, celebration, expression, invention, and our innate spiritual awareness (unlimited compassion, the human heart and soul.) I think we succeeded. I put Tibetan prayer flags and Japanese shide around the outside of the gallery to create a kind of sacred atmosphere. Shide can designate a space open for god, and tibetan prayerflags (prayers for peace) can bring to mind the people suffering in the world, inspiring compassion. Yasuchika made everyone take their shoes off at the door, another ritual for the invocation of the sacred... While people were arriving and sitting down, I played the drums, bells, and sang the Vajrasattva mantra to purify the space and please the local gods. Then Atasa and Yasuchika came out, we all bowed, Atasa gave a little talk, made everyone laugh, and then began the performance with three chimes of the Tibetan bell. I started playing the singing bowl, and the sitar slowly began to fill the room, making everyone high. Suddenly, Yasuchika, who had been sitting like a stone in meditation, sprang into the space and began his terrifyingly controlled, breathtaking dance. “The dreadful thing is that Beauty is not only terrifying but also mysterious. God and the devil are fighting there, and their battlefield is the heart of man...” Dostoevski. Atasa went back and forth between his sitar and flutes, I played the djimbes tabla-style, lightly muted with scarves, and Konno danced for about 30 minutes. After that we took a break. The lights went up and everyone walked around looking at my series of paintings, "Subtle Worlds" Second half, Atasa led us all into an amazing tonglen meditation, hands on our heart-chakras, and then two of Atasa’s friends joined us for a final jam. They were beautiful women, one played the Hang and the other her voice. “You will love her voice.” Atasas said. “She gets all here melodies directly from...” and he gestured upwards. The Japanese woman’s voice sounded like a musical instrument, Bjork mixed with Inuit throat singers, and the Hang sounded like a haunted steel ufo, taking us to the ghost world. They were a perfect accompaniment for Yasuchika’s final dance. An excerpt from the end of Atasa’s tonglen meditation: “You know how this world is a kind of hell for many people. Many people have so much suffering. Imagine taking all of their suffering into your heart and, holding it in there, the heart is so strong it transforms it into joy, and breathe out wonderful joy and peace, sending it to all the living beings.” Promply at nine, the owner of the gallery told us to stop. My friend Hachidai’s three year old daughter gave us all flowers, we thanked everyone for coming, chatted, cleaned up, and then a group of us went to eat dinner before ending up at my house. We drank sake and stayed up till 5:00 talking about everything. Atasa spoke to Yasuchika and I about the importance of selfless art and bringing beauty into the world, “not just reflecting beauty, but actually bringing more beauty into the world.” He spoke seriously about letting the self die. “Who is dancing? There is only the dance!" When your ego dies and your art is all that’s left, then it can really heal you and others. Then is comes from a more universal demention..a soul, or subtle level, one that resonates in a more mirroring kind of way for the guests.
5 comments:
How was your show???? Should share it!!!
satoru
Ive read your blog right now. Sorry late to be here. Amazing. Im really regret I was not there!!! Even though it was your final show in Japan. I believe you will back for your collection in Japan.
Anyhow see you soon brother. I reserved my ticket to Niihama. I will be there 27th morning. Gonna hang out together!!
I miss you, David!!! Gonna have party!!!
Love Love Love. Satoru
I LVOE YOUR FUCKIN BLOG DAVEE!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!
love ya man. HOW'S IT GOING!? WTF?
I don't know what to say because we haven't talked in a while but I'm sure your practice is accelerating. I can hear and feel us waking up...
Give me a call...303-494-5627 Ok???
Prrreeezzz..I wuv you :(
david you are a strong writer with a stronger mind and a limitless soul. i have often thought of posing to you the question of good books to read about buddhism. But then i read your words and think they will be enough to tide me over until you write a book of buddah of your own.
"I’m going to Kansas for graduate school" means you will finish your JET contract and move home? I am happy for you if this is the case! Perhaps we'll see each other back on the prairie, as our paths never seem to cross in the flesh on this crazy island.
thank you!
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