L J Dixon Art
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Exploring Green and Blue

5/10/2017

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     Our escapade continued up through the spectrum and into the redwood forest. I was raised in Northern California and some of my most vivid childhood memories are set in that landscape of towering trees and ferns. There is no place I have been that feels more primeval. The big trees are thousands of years old. For me, they are the elders of the planet, holders of sacred space. Perhaps it's the scale and silence, or the slanting shafts of chiaroscuro light that bring me to a place of reverence. The grand cathedrals in Europe fail evoke that feeling in me the way the redwoods do. My ego breaks down and I feel small. I take a vacation from myself and recall the essence of my being. I feel God in that space, forgiving me for getting carried away with distractions. It is like an anchor, where I can tether being and reel myself in from the chaos.
     The other place that has always been restorative to me is the beach. Sure, placid island beaches with white sand, azure water and gentle rolling surf are wonderful, but the real deal is more rugged. Powerful surf crashing onto rocks and sending foamy spray into the air is what I crave. The roar of breaking waves and thrum of receding water punctuated by drips and trickles finding their way back to the sea is my kind of music. Where the redwoods represent the enduring inner calm of the soul, a rugged coastline characterizes the pulse of corporeal being. Endless rhythmic struggle of elements against each other. Constant erosion and renewal of our planet and our bodies. It is a temple to impermanence. I make my marks upon the sand knowing they will be erased.
     I loved sharing these emotionally charged memories with Elsa. She was no stranger to the coast, but the redwoods were a novelty. The great thing about astral travel is instant communication. It isn't necessary to translate feeling into words and then hope that another can interpret your meaning. Thoughts are conveyed instantly.
     The difficulty of putting this experience into words and pictures hinges on interpretation. Symbols are charged with emotions and one never knows where all the land mines are buried.  I couldn't capture the effect of redwoods and waves on a 20 by 20-inch canvas. I also couldn't adequately describe my experience with words. I hoped to leave enough open space for readers to insert their own most treasured experiences. Perhaps some will reflect on what their trek through the colors would look like and which threads they would add to the tapestry.
      I like to believe that we are evolving toward a pure form of communication. I find it interesting that we use language as proof that we are the most evolved beings on this planet. I must disagree. For me, language sometimes feels like a barrier to good communication. I have heard that dolphins, whales and elephants have certain centers of the brain that are more developed than some of ours. They communicate over great distances without the benefit of a smart phone. Our language development feels like a step in a long journey and my hope is that we are evolving toward a purer form of conveyance.
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Ascending from Red

5/8/2017

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     There were many elements to this story that were hard to depict, but the ascension through the colors was the most challenging. I was tempted to do a separate piece for each color so that I could convey the feeling of being completely immersed in each one. On the journey, we took our time traveling through the colors and reminiscing about what was there.  
     I probably did that meditation 300 times, so there were a LOT of things to take in and it was all there. It really made her happy that I had sent these little gifts to her. It was a truly beautiful place to behold. It helped me to grasp the concept that we are creating reality with our thoughts. What we give our attention to is reinforced.
     Later, when I was in art school, my much younger cohorts were all about dystopian imagery. My art wasn't full of youthful angst and pain, so it was often dismissed as naïve. The amount of violence, betrayal and competition in popular entertainment is alarming to me. I believe it is unhealthy for us personally and as a collective to propagate vast quantities of negative thought. Fear is the antithesis of love. Love can never be diminished by fear, but it can become clouded over so that our attention is drawn to the smokescreen instead of reality.
     It was on my voyage through the colors that I first began to comprehend that love is the only real thing. That concept has been strengthened over the years as I studied A Course in Miracles and A Course of Love. It seems to be a precept for many great spiritual disciplines. If we want to truly live well and make good choices, we must overcome our fears to the point that we realize they were never real.
     It is an interesting exercise to imagine being at the end of this incarnation and having a life review. What if everything in your life that was based on fear just blew away like smoke and all that was left was the love? How much of what you thought was your life would disappear? What would be left? All kinds of things would be gone – grudges, anger, hurt, jealousy, competition, pride, victimhood.
     If only the time you spent extending love, being compassionate and forgiving were left, how long would your life be? Would you be amazed at the amount of time and energy that was put into things that either don't matter or sent you down a rabbit hole? I am shocked when I tally up all the time I have wasted feeling scared, angry, jealous, self-righteous… Not that anyone is keeping score, but it is a thought provoking experiment.
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     Thankfully, our good deeds aren't diminished by the resources we waste. Every day is an opportunity to make better decisions and get around to things that matter. Thank God for that.
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The Return of Elsa

5/2/2017

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     For the record, I have always believed that life is eternal. Death has represented a transition from one way of living on this earthly plane to another kind of existence. I embrace the mystery of how we came to be here and what comes next. It feels like we come here for a short while and then return to our normal state, but I don't claim to have any special knowledge that would prove this to one who doesn't share this feeling.
     It seemed plausible to me that Elsa could find a way to communicate with me, so I just left myself open to receive her message. Sadly, I am not one who remembers dreams on a regular basis. Mostly I recall a few disjointed fragments, if anything. Usually there is no coherent plot present and seldom a person I can put a name to. On rare occasions, I awaken with a detailed memory of a dream that seemed more than a dream. It doesn't fade, it makes sense, it has meaning.
     This was one of those times. I woke up with a detailed, coherent memory and a peaceful heart. I absolutely knew that Elsa was well and happy. In the story, I said that Elsa came to me while I was sleeping. The word "dream" doesn't feel adequate to describe these rare occurrences. If I had to put a label on it, I would say "astral travel" defines my experience. 
     I know many people believe that consciousness arises from the brain, and is therefore, dependent on the physical body. I see consciousness as eternal and the brain as a receiver and processor that interfaces consciousness with the body. Just as a television or radio can interface with a signal and reproduce content, but the content is not dependent on the apparatus to exist. It seems reasonable to me that we can have astral travel experiences without taking our bodies along.
     Not knowing how my message from Elsa would be delivered, I was prepared for something along the lines of a sequence of "random events" that would remind me of her,
or a few words popping into my head. I was elated to get an actual visit with Elsa and it felt normal to go with her to a new place. I had no idea what was in store for me.

     Translating the story into static imagery was a challenge. For example, I have no recollection of what we were wearing. In order to create the images, I had to choose something for continuity in the story. I depicted our astral bodies with a white glow to differentiate them from the physical bodies. I found rayon fiber paper in gold and silver and decided to put us in flowing dresses. If felt a bit cliché, but sometimes it is necessary to take an artistic liberty and fill in the parts that are sketchy.
     My main goal was to tell the story and hope that the images would help the reader connect to the story.
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    Linda Dixon sees art as an
    essential element which makes this transient life joyful, inspiring and meaningful.

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