Change?

Hmm...ok so this is my blog. I see...I haven't been back to it for some time. I want to do something new, something interesting and don't know quite where to start. I am bummed that I have not taken all of this time to cultivate my experiences into something more tangible for people to read and relate to. I stopped taking pictures, interviewing people and doing things that I love. I am not even sure I like this blog spot anymore. I want to begin but should I start a new blog? How do I change...? Arrghhh.

Conceptual/ Visually Poetic Films: Our First Idea

Here I am in India. I came with so many hopes, dreams, and especially ideas. It is amazing to see how one's wishes are always fulfilled, but at the right time of course. There is nothing like the right time. One time I read in my horoscope that "desires change you" and I have experienced how this is true. Your desires will change you because time will transform and purify you to the point that you are ready for the fulfillment of those desires, of course I am talking about spiritual and seva related desires. It is actually all a very long story that I will have to write later, since it is now 10pm and time to sleep, but the gist is this: I have desires for using all fields of art for the purpose of spreading the highest message which is  the essence of all beauty, and the origin of all art, in this world. Actually, art exists for this very purpose and you can look at it this way without having to get all esoterically philosophical and cautious: The means is the end. Art is a servant of truth yet artistic expression and truth are somehow related, somehow a similar thing.....hmmmm.

Anyway, all of these wishes are coming true: people are manifesting and they are like desire trees; the come ready to participate in this spiritual artistic revolution. It is almost like they are ready made, born for this, and are now starting to slowly manifest themselves. It just takes one person who is willing to sacrifice themselves for this and then naturally everything else manifests. Something like magic.

Many projects go hand in hand with all of this and one of these is to receive ideas from devotees and friends around the world for the production of conceptual films that can be artistically and creatively presented to the public on behalf of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math.

Here is one idea, and I would appreciate if anyone could add their ideas whether visual, philosophical, or artistic, in the comment section.

This anonymous friend wrote the following:

"What kind of input would you like from me as far as you seva is concerned?

Do you want ideas like this one?

Maybe you could explore the process of the exploitive action.

I mean, why does someone that knows better, act in a way that is unbecoming or exploitive.

Break down the whole processes.

How we came to be in this body, and what that entails;

The desire to fulfill the senses, and the way we are to varying degrees, slaves to our senses.

How the mind can become muddled in our desires and lifetimes of trying, in vain, to be happy as an exploiter of our surroundings.

And then lay out the process of breaking free from the material concepts of happiness.

I don't know, just throwing it out there. Is this the kind of Ideas you want?"

Of course! 

Any slokas? Video clips to direct us to? Photos? Artwork? Memories? Experiences? Incidents? Realizations? Concepts?

Very much needed. The idea is to make this short poetic film and show it in museums, libraries, youtube, universities, and maybe enter it in film festivals...

Letter of Intent for the Academy of Art University: Art, the Modern Day Veda

      While preparing for this scholarship, I wondered about the original ideas that might have motivated the creation of such a school and I found an evocative quote. Richard A. Stephens, Chairman Emeritus of the Academy of Art University said: "We are in the pursuit of truth in this World of Education...instructors instruct the things they know and practice. Artists teaching artists. Instructors instructing the truth. That's honesty and integrity, and the Academy of Art University stands for these principles."

      These ideals resonate with me not only for attending this school but are synonymous with my goals in life. I believe art should not only stand for the principles of honesty, integrity, and truth, but it should take consciousness to a higher state of perception. Art is a powerful medium in this world and through art one can become an instrument of expression and beauty.

      My inspiration and interests in the field of art are instinctive, but the meaning of this inspiration and the function of these interests became clear and purposeful throughout my continuous visits to India. Under the auspices of a saint and in the association of hundreds of pilgrims from all over the world I experienced that the search for truth is real and universal.

      After reading, studying, and experiencing in my everyday life the teachings of the essence of Vedic wisdom, and the value of this wisdom, I found that all mediums of art are instruments for uplifting human consciousness; art can be like the new "Veda" of modern civilization. My current residence in India has prompted me to finally make these interests and realizations the very purpose of my life. I have therefore developed an interest in the art of presentation whether it be film, the performing arts, broadcast journalism, or in general, multimedia communications.

      My aspiration is to learn how to master the method of artistic multimedia presentation at the Academy of Art and therefore manifest this desire to serve humanity in a way that is most natural to me– through the creative process in the association of artists and those who live for art. I also want to inspire, and become part of, a creative artistic culture that can benefit the world, an ideal similar to a comment made by Elisa Stephens, president of the Academy of Art: "Experts and futurists tell us that the future will be driven by the 'creative class'...We consider ourselves the stewards of a learning institution dedicated to teaching the truth in the artistic and creative process."

      The work I am presenting is a result of assignments I have been asked to complete during my residency in India and abroad. As the writer, editor, camera operator, and presenter of these various works it is not quite my ideal artistic presentation, but the creation of these various works has helped me realize my inner taste for artistic expression. My specific goal is to make short thought provoking films, to participate in film festivals internationally, and showcase this artwork in exhibitions worldwide. Please click on the video links to your right titled: "Samples of My Work".

The Moving Train

The Kalkamel train is a steady vein of adventure that pulses with life through the vast villages and grasslands of Bengal. Individuals from all walks of life looking to reach their desired goals and destinations sit next to strangers that will soon become family during the twenty-two hour trip to Delhi. Almost all trains in India provide general class seating, second-class seating, and for the overnighters, a second-class three tier sleeper, or a second-class A.C. sleeper. The second-class sleeper seems to be where all the bustling unfurls with the many beggars, musicians, and hijras (men dressed as women) that parade through asking, and sometimes demanding for donations.
Each stop the train makes welcomes a cash opportunity for the dozens of roaming snack stands that anxiously await for the train to pull up to their platform. With all enthusiasm they heave themselves up the stairs and down the aisles calling out the names of their goods. “Cha! Cha!” says the little man with the deep nasally voice. “Chips! Chips!” yells the rounded belly man. “Pani, bottle! Pani, bottle!” shouts the middle-aged mustached man. The bobbing heads wrapped in colorful Indian blankets peek out of their sleepers to call out the name of their designated snack as they reach for their money. In the next compartment a group of Muslims elegantly sip Chai and comb their pointy beards.
As the train chucks along, the windows become displays of a landscape beautifully polluted by dusty trees, hay stacks, faded skies, multifariously shaped houses, and the colorful figures of people passing stool in the fields. Soon, a congregation of middle-aged Bengali men erupt in folk songs, clapping and harmonizing to the fluctuating tunes of their songs. The day seems to go by slowly yet there isn’t lack of stimulation, nor a deficiency of snacks for the passenger of the Kalkamel train.

How Short Is Life?

How short is life? Did you ever stop to think about? To wonder how short is my life going to be and how am I spending it? What will happen when I die?...

Wherever our spiritual teacher is there is a group of people from all parts of the world who have traveled the globe just to get his association. Amongst the international group now there is Sripad Bhakti Achintya Madhav Maharaj who is a priest from Russia. He is very unique and always has ideas and examples for presenting spiritual concepts. He is a big strong man with a sweet yet stern looking face. He looks a little intimidating because of his extremely focused personality but once you get to know him and he gives you his surprise smile and random outbursts of jokes you see how sweet he is. He does a lot of preaching in Russia and always has some new presentations and ideas to share. He is especially unique because he uses video clips and other types of media presentations from different places like youtube etc., and transforms their meaning into spiritual concepts based on the philosophy of Bhakti Yoga. Today he showed us a movie clip about life and how short it is. It is made for an Xbox commercial I think. Have a look. But, if life is so short? What are you going to do? Play video games?

A Panorama of Kolkata

The city of Kolkata, apart from having a population of more than 4 million people, 16 different official languages, and a variety of different religions and spiritual practices, is quite the stimulus for getting into documentary filmmaker mode.

Every outing presents a colorful palette of life varying form the brightest to darkest shades of existence. The people of Kolkata, as embodiments of the richness of their culture, eat, sleep, bathe, groom, and even die in public, boldly and openly displaying all aspects of life and Indian culture in such a way that will surely change the tourist’s vision of existence. Kolkata is known to be the city of the artsy, the quaint, the intellectual — indeed, anyone with a zest for life and its mysteries. It is also well known for its diverse spiritual practices and demigod worship amongst which the worship of Durga is most popular. As a radio-television-film major from San Jose State University, I am stationed at a yoga center, which is the destination of hundreds of international pilgrims that travel afar to join in daily spiritual practices under the guidance of a spiritual teacher. With camera and tripod in hand I roam about amidst this picturesque world looking to expose the essence of my surroundings and creatively broadcast it to the world.

Limbo

There are times of transition when one feels like she is in some sort of limbo. I have just made a big move, I have decided to leave my official enrollment at school to go live in India and make spiritually educational films for the public. I have been editing video to give to my Guru and have been somewhat progressing but I do have a feeling like I’m in a limbo. Like I do not know what I am doing, who for, and what is my result.

Actually, if I could for once feel like I am not expecting the result, it would be so much easier. Yet that is not exactly the feeling that I have. There is a deeper question,: who am I, what am I doing? Everything must begin from this type of inquiry. If one sincerely inquires and hankers to know the truth, then it will surely come and reveal itself.
If I stop expecting position, name, fame, etc. from the things that I do and clearly identify these tendencies within myself, then maybe I can change….I must be willing to accept that these things are within me, otherwise there is no room for change. I remember doing network chiropractic care in Santa Cruz and S.R.I. which is a type of breathing exercise in which you identify your weaknesses and try to nourish them through breath and the acceptance and acknowledgment of their existence. Once I was able to accept my situations and feelings etc., and therefore identify them, I could heal. My body would actually heal. All of these things originate from the subtlest part of our existence and can make physical changes. So my limbo situation, it is temporary but if I can use this distress to take more shelter of prayer and divine guidance, that will be my utmost benefit and in that regard, that negativity will become positive. It will become a positive event for me if I can take more shelter of prayer.