Inner Worlds
JUL 2024 | Meditation, dreams and stories
Dear friends
I hope you are well and finding joy, meaning and connection in what can feel like troubled times. I have been very moved to see the anti-racism protests across the UK, particularly in Walthamstow last week, with so many people joyfully making a stand to unite in love. One of the placards quite simply read; ‘Walthamstow says no to hate’.
I myself have been far away from the crowds. Last Sunday I arrived in the Brecon Beacons at Tiratanaloka, a retreat centre where women and non binary people come to train for ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Tradition. I have been supporting the team of women who live and work here. They are very strong practitioners and a great inspiration to me, along with the surrounding river, ancient trees, mossy stones and hills. One of the main things we are doing here is training our minds through meditation, reflection, friendship and study of the Dharma, so that on deeper levels, unconditional love can triumph over hate.
This month’s images are expressions of my inner worlds: meditation, the imaginal realm and dreams. Meditation has been a rich and essential part of my life since the age of 25, when I first walked into the The London Buddhist Centre and learnt the Metta Bhavana, loving kindness meditation practice. Meditation is inherently meaningful. It offers deep connection to oneself and all of life. Through meditation we can connect to beauty, grief, tenderness and something far greater than the small, limited sense of self which we can feel painfully bound by. These images express some different gateways to a more creative and potentially boundless heart-mind.
The Wish Fulfilling Jewel
The Golden Abundance of Ratnasambhava who holds the wish fulfilling jewel. The Buddha of beauty, and the abundance of inner and outer riches.
Love Travels Faster than Sound
A drawing for my dear friend Laura Lamn’s beautiful song Metta Bhavana (May You Be Happy). The drawing features in Laura’s new Album Songbook 'More like Me’. Discover Laura Lamn and her rich music and artistry here.
The Bardo of Dreams
“What are days for? To wake us up. To put between the endless nights.
What are nights for? To fall through time, into another world”.
Laurie Anderson, The Heart of a Dog
Imaginal realms: the novel as a gateway
Unable to sleep in the early hours of the morning, I enter the rich, imaginal world of my novel.
Dwelling with Tara
Meditating upon White Tara and the rainbow light Mandala of Protection.
Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture mama āyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-puṣṭiṃ kuru svāhā!
Until next month.
With much love,
Garavavati
xx
Love your drawings, especially Ratnasamvhava. Xxx
What a lovely post, and lovely pictures. Thank you for the shout out :-)