Ojos Nuevos – wood, cotton – 38″ x 38″ – Pentecost, 2012.
Two weeks ago was the Feast of Pentecost, which is dedicated to that Divine Presence which, for lack of a better way to describe it, we call the Holy Spirit. This is the aspect of the divinity that dwells within all of us creatures, whether we realize it or not. When we do realize it, and begin to cultivate an awareness of that indwelling Spirit, we begin to see the world in a new way.
Ordinarily, the way I see the world and events around me is colored by my own egoism; I approach everything with an eye to how it affects me. And ordinarily, the way I see myself and other people is colored by how I want to the world to be, which means when I or someone close to me doesn’t behave the way I want, I can get frustrated or angry.
However, at those times when I am most aware of and in touch with the Holy Spirit, those selfish concerns fall away. And the less I am looking at the world through Janet-colored glasses, the more I can begin to see things with God’s eyes. Not surprisingly, this is a dramatic improvement. My critical eye softens to a gaze of acceptance and unconditional love, whether turned on myself or on other people, and this is a much more beautiful and pleasant way to see the world! Now the trick is to figure out how to sustain it…
Ojos de Dios, detail