The Four Slices of Life

“Nature’s Own Hand Painted” 16” x 20” Oil on board

All my paintings, including the just-finished one above, give a nod to the four slices of the Big Wheel from the Without a Net Map, below. I’ll talk about this painting in relation to these four areas of life.

Spirit.
Here we wake up. Call it Awareness Cultivation, call it Spiritual Practice, call it Living in the Now…this slice tends to the essence of our nature, beyond all the labels and self-images we give ourselves.

This painting’s natural setting, vibrant color, peaceful vibe are some of my favorite expressions of spirit.

Awareness.
Here we clean up. This slice is the curious and authentic inquiry into the ways we forget our essence nature. Here we descend through the layers of ingrained impressions that hide our light. We see the truth of our misalignments with willingness and acceptance, opening the way for equanimity.

Inquiry is expressed in this painting’s mix of strange but beautiful creatures, all looking intently, and, like our shadows, not all the most lovely, adored beasts of the kingdom. A look at our insides reveals a host of strange, heretofore unknown marvels that don’t always make sense.

Passion.
Here we grow up. We lovingly care for he requirements of life as a human with grounded attention. Neglect of the more mundane aspects of life can thwart our humility and leave us out-of-touch with the subtle beauty of everyday moments.

This painting’s animals are not lined up for a portrait or seated in heavenly meditation. They are meant to be going about life, attending to their usual activities, although this surreal scene is not the natural habitat of most of them.

Fellowship
Here we show up. Since the Without a Net Card Deck was published, my paintings all represent groups of animals in relationships. Our place in the world is not separate from our fellow humans, and tending to our interconnectedness with intention is paramount to having peace in our life.

This painting is a fellowship of unlikely companions from all over the world, showing a sense of global unity. They meet for unknown reasons and unforeseen outcomes, but they are brought together to show the many ways diversity and connectivity can coexist.

Note: Wake up, clean up, grow up, and show up are taken from Ken Wilbur’s teachings. He’s a heady fella, but I noticed he broke down the approaches to awakening in the same categories as Without a Net.

The Big Wheel, from the Without a Net Map.