A Cure For Pessimism?

Amidst the daily deluge of corrupt politics, death and disaster in the mainstream and social media feeds, I sometimes imagine being a passenger in the boat steered by the mythical Charon whose eternal task was to guide newly deceased souls across the dark River Styx* to their destination in the Underworld. These journeys were long and fraught with terrors, but these were a mere preview of what lay ahead in the Land of the Dead.

 

Photo Credit: danielgoodantiquarianbooks

Of course I’m being a bit melodramatic, yet keeping our heads above those fearful waters is a challenge we have faced for millennia as we watch and often suffer as world leaders cycle their countries through endlessly alternating phases of constructive good and deconstructive evil. As I suggested in my previous essay, The Nature Of Evil, (https://imaginarius13.wordpress.com/2019/05/06/on-the-nature-of-evil/), we are now firmly embroiled in the toxic immorality that informs evil, courtesy of numerous would-be dictators, their sycophants and their noisy ‘populist’ governments. I am not a scholar of history or politics, so I can only write as an aging observer regarding the inevitable phenomena of life and death that occur in tandem with both.

Armchair philosophers often post sentimental images and feel-good bon-mots at online venues in contrast to proponents of subcultures that revel in the certainties and vagaries of death proudly displaying memento mori as death’s head tattoos, arcane body modifications, clothing and jewelry. Ironically, I find this demographic interesting because I suspect that life is actually being celebrated here with such dark symbolism acting as an apotropaic ward against death.

Much is made of Death and the idea of it in the collective imagination whether it arrives via age, disease, accident, murder, ‘acts of god’ and nature or war and punishment for criminal acts. We variously honor it, celebrate it, welcome it or mourn for those who succumb to it via any of those vectors.

The Gaming Of Life & Death: from AIRPLAY: A Catch Of Jugglers (Imaginarius Editions, 2018)

 

The fear of death has been anthropomorphized to enhance or accompany the human dread of its occurrence. Legends and myths (like the illustration here that visualizes an ancient Egyptian concept of cosmic judgment) have been formulated to explain and assuage fear of it as though it were something that was subject to human influence or control. When it isn’t exploited for political gain, religion, too, helps us cope while encouraging us to live and live well.  

Even those who choose death over life when life becomes too challenging to endure overestimate their own importance as though their own death will matter beyond someone’s casual perusal of a printed obituary or a silent pause in subsequent conversation. Why? Because Death is indifferent; to wealth, fame, brilliance, youth or age. It merely has a job to do. And that job is to fill a blip in time, to punctuate the continuum, the vast, incomprehensible cosmic thread that serves as the referee between order and chaos. 

But lest you think my observations are meant to be discouraging or depressing,  I should note that any discussion of death must include the rationale of those who believe in the concept of a life after life, a ‘ world to come’ so to speak. Having read several ‘testimonial’ accounts (from an array of writers, including a well-respected neurosurgeon), that offer rational-sounding evidence of such a realm, I can only say that I am comforted to imagine that death is not the end of us and that the unknown is not necessarily to be feared. 

So, while many notable religious sages have put forth the idea that each day is a new chance to correct our errors and enhance our legacies, these words alone will not cure the world’s pessimism. In each of our actions, we have the ability to choose between positive and negative thoughts and enact behaviors that characterize either of these if we make ourselves aware of the consequences. 

I am only one person and have no medicine or cure for what currently ails the world, but I do know this: our existence will have merit if we can compartmentalize the world’s ills and choose to live, laugh, let live and be kind to all who aren’t or who don’t seem to want it.

If I can manage to make those sentiments complement the creative work to which I’ve devoted my life, well, so much the better. 

*https://mythology.net/greek/greek-concepts/river-styx/

An Illumination Of Blessings: New Review!

A new Imaginarius post will appear in the next few days, but for now here are two bits of news:

First, this lovely gift of a new review arrived in my inbox today from The Jewish Book Council: http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/an-illumination-of-blessings?A=SearchResult&SearchID=24017253&ObjectID=8702674&ObjectType=35

For those of you who are not familiar with it, An Illumination Of Blessings was published in 2014 as a Kickstarter-funded project.The illustration above is from the book  for the Havdalah ceremony blessings. You can learn more about it here: http://magiceyegallery.com/BookPage.aspx?id=1

In addition, I’ve been invited to be part of the Stray Book TV Pittsburgh Authors Episode on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015 to present my book, An Illumination Of Blessings (Imaginarius Editions, 2014)! An interview with Q&A and book signing will follow. If you are in town and would like to attend, please rsvp here:

http://www.sstraypublishing.com/stray-book-tv.html

 

 

Update #7: Notes From London: Above & Below-At The Crossroads…

Today, on Mother’s Day, I remember mine with fondness and one of the many bits of wisdom she imparted to me in my artistic endeavors which I paraphrase here: When you undertake a task, do it with all you’ve got and whatever the outcome, don’t be discouraged; every perceived roadblock only means you are facing a door that will lead you somewhere new and unexpected. So, having received my official sign-off note from Kickstarter, it is with a mix of sadness and relief colored with hope that this will be the final update for this project before we move on to its next phase.

Although I didn’t reach my stated goal at Kickstarter, I don’t intend this to be the end of the road for Notes From London: Above & Below. But first, here is something I’d like to share with you.

The Kickstarter experience is both exciting and terrifying. Exciting for the opportunity to learn the new skills necessary to present and promote a project like this, yet terrifying for someone like me who, for the most part, thrives in the comfort zone of my studio and quakes at the idea of putting myself out there in the meleé of thousands of projects all vying for financial support. When anxiety comes to sit on my shoulder like some hyperactive raven, I find myself thinking “What if nobody likes this?” or “What if I work really hard but still don’t make it?” At times, it’s almost enough to put the kibosh on the whole thing. Yet, that saner, optimistic part of me usually comes to the rescue reminding me that I walked into this knowing that despite all my hard work, failure is always a possibility but not necessarily an option.

That said, I want to thank all of you who pledged your support this time around. Knowing that you all appreciate my work and understand my dedication to crafting unique content and high quality art and books makes it easy to carry on from this point.

Because Notes From London: Above & Below has been press-ready since this campaign began, I have decided to complete publishing arrangements for it and release a modest limited edition of the book within the next few weeks. Remember that your pledges will not be charged to your credit cards now that the campaign has concluded. Instead, you may pre-order your copy at this link:  http://magiceyegallery.com/PicturePage.aspx?id=1370

Each copy is on offer for US$30 + shipping worldwide. If you have any questions, please contact me at: ilene@winnlederer.com. Again, I thank you for your confidence in my work and I’m looking forward to sharing Notes From London: Above & Below with all of you!

Update #5: Notes From London: Above & Below: Miracle?

If material miracles are possible, then this campaign for Notes From London: Above & Below,at 5 days left to go and funded at just 22% of its 3,000 goal will certainly need one- if it is to become a book you can hold and enjoy for years to come. And If you are a latecomer to this campaign, then by all means, do visit this link and lend your support!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1330347473/notes-from-london-above-and-below

As a professional writer and illustrator, I am also a realist who agrees with Israel’s former Prime Minister David Ben Gurion when he said, “...in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles”. I say this because many strange things have happened both over my personal life and career; unexpected meetings that led to connections with people that led to certain important tasks and outcomes that I’ve only come to understand in retrospect. While it’s not quite over, the trajectory of this project is one of them. And I feel certain that it will become a stepping stone to an event or project yet to find me.  That said, Albert Einstein provided the perfect segué to Mr. Ben Gurion’s comment: “There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; or you can live as if everything is a miracle”. And the latter is exactly what I plan to do, since hope is the essential catalyst in all human endeavor.

There is one final update to this campaign that will be posted at its conclusion on May 10 after 3:20PM. Until then, here is one more illustration from Notes From London: Above & Below for your consideration. It is my interpretation of the famed Lewis Chess set, now divided between the National Museum of Scotland and The British Museum. I’ve chosen to present this image now because I’ve long been intrigued by the idea of chess as a game, not unlike the Kickstarter business model, whose rules and roots lie beneath the workings of our world:

Modeh Ani: An Appreciation Of Miracles

 

This week, the rare confluence of the Thanksgiving and Hanukkah holidays, each a unique tale of struggle, survival and miracles, has inspired me to present the Modeh Ani next for An Illumination Of Blessings. Here’s why: I’ve been thinking about the nature of miracles, how our perception of them has changed over time and the subtle reference to them in this blessing.

When we think of miracles, the big, cinema-worthy Biblical ones such as Noah’s postdiluvian rainbow, the parting of the Red (Reed) Sea in Exodus or the appearance of manna in the desert usually come to mind. Biblical history tells us that such phenomena  mysteriously appeared to precipitate a great crisis or in the wake of one and were meant to induce our fear, obedience, humility and faith in G-d. But in the absence of such grand miracles since post-Biblical times and the influence of our scientific understanding of nature’s laws, it’s easy to imagine those reactions fading into memory. And as we live our mundane day-to-day lives, it’s easy to blink past the one ubiquitous miracle we cannot afford to take for granted; waking up each morning.

We’ve often heard of friends, family or celebrities going to bed one night and waking up dead. News of such a passing is especially unsettling when, like me, you are a contemporary of some one lately deceased in this manner, leaving no opportunity for closure either with loved ones or with unfinished tasks.

Of course, we can’t know the extent of our own timelines, nor would most of us wish to. Nevertheless, beginning each morning with a certain mindfulness can enable us to meet each day’s challenges with the physical and emotional strength needed to recognize and accomplish our goals. Certainly, there’s nothing new about this idea; such philosophies generously pepper myriad self-help books and motivational speaker’s scripts. Yet, a simple blessing like the Modeh Ani has both the spiritual and scientific chops to make it worthwhile learning and remembering.

The Modeh Ani was first composed as a Kabbalistic (mystical) invocation among the Sephardic Jewish community in the Seder Avodas Hayom attributed to the 16th century Rav Moshe ben Makhir of Tzfat (Safed), a contemporary of Rav Yosef Karo, the compiler of the code of Jewish law, The Shulchan Aruch (The Set Table). Soon after, the blessing appeared in a 1687 Ashkenazic prayerbook (siddur) called the Derech Yeshara. Uniquely, it makes no mention of G-d’s Name allowing its recitation immediately on awakening before relieving ourselves and washing our hands. According to halakhah (Jewish law), it is not permitted to pray with G-d’s Name before washing, so the prayer was composed as a compromise alluding to G-d’s Name but not actually saying it. 

Recited each morning, the Modeh provides an opportunity to express our gratitude for the return of our soul to our bodies. Rationally, it can be said that we haven’t gone anywhere; that sleep is merely a restorative, physiological process, but that only begs the question: why were we given the ability to sleep in the first place?

The late Lubavitcher Rabbi succinctly commented on the process of soul (neshama) renewal as we sleep and its return to us when we wake (found @ chabad.org): “If we didn’t sleep, there would be no tomorrow. Life would be a single, seamless today. Our every thought and deed would be an outgrowth of all our previous thoughts and deeds. There would be no new beginnings in our lives, for the very concept of a new beginning would be alien to us. Sleep means that we have the capacity to not only improve but also transcend ourselves. To open a new chapter in life that is neither predicted nor enabled by what we did and{what we}were, up until now. {Sleep is necessary} to free ourselves of yesterday’s constraints and build a new, recreated self.”

I’ll close here with an apocryphal tale that you can take for what it’s worth. It addresses both the spiritual and physiological rationales of sleep. At an alleged 2008 international conference of neurologists, the main topic was the phenomenon of fainting when arising from sleep. A British professor presented a paper on her investigation of this issue, concluding that fainting is due to the rapid motion occurring between laying down and standing up. She pointed out that it takes twelve seconds for blood to reach the brain from our feet and when we stand up too quickly, that process is compromised causing one to faint. The professor suggested that one should sit up slowly, counting to twelve to avoid dizziness or fainting.

Her presentation was being received amidst much enthusiasm when another professor, an observant Jew, requested permission to speak. “Among Jews,” he began, “there is a traditional prayer called the Modeh Ani with which we express our thanks to the Creator of the World for permitting us to wake from sleep healthy and whole. It is recited while seated in bed immediately upon awakening. This prayer contains twelve words which takes exactly twelve seconds to say when done slowly and with sincerity.” The time, the audience’s enthusiastic response was quite likely directed at the Creator of the World…

 

News From Imaginarius: A New Kickstarter Project!

Dear Readers:

For the past three + years, I’ve been enjoying your visits and comments to my posts here at Imaginarius. And today I have some exciting news for you!

I’m pleased to announce the launch @Kickstarter of my new book project!

My book is called An Illumination Of Blessings and is now in progress as a unique visualization of 36 universal blessings. A chapter of commentary will be included to provide perspective on the evolution of my images. In the spirit of my recent book, Between Heaven & Earth: An Illuminated Torah Commentary which interprets the Five Books of Moses in a new light, An Illumination Of Blessings will be like no other book of blessings you’ve ever seen.

You can see why at this link to my Kickstarter page where a little video will tell you about my creative and funding goals for this project. You can also select from my gifts to you in exchange for your help in supporting my efforts:

http://kck.st/17F0To0

I’ll be posting updates to the progress of this project at Kickstarter, at Facebook, and here at Imaginarius. Your questions and comments are invited and welcome!

I look forward to hearing from you and working together to make An Illumination Of Blessings my artistic legacy for your family and friends for generations to come.

With Warm Wishes for Peace And Blessings,
Ilene Winn-Lederer/Imaginarius

Parashat T’rumah: Mirroring Heaven

Although each of the Torah’s fifty-four parashiyot contain stories and precepts that are meant to guide us in living and working towards our spiritual and cultural fullfilment, it is this week’s reading, Parashat T’rumah with its intricate, symbol-laden descriptions of the desert tabernacle that resonates with especial clarity for me as a visual artist.

In my book, Between Heaven & Earth: An Illuminated Torah Commentary (Pomegranate, 2009), Parashat T’rumah is illustrated with a double page spread depicting the various implements and ritual objects prescribed for use in the sanctuary. The images shown here are selected details from that illustration which appears on pages 54-55. Entitled, ‘As Above, So Below’ it draws inspiration from the eponymous alchemical maxim referring to the dual concepts of the heavenly sanctuary shown to Moses on Mt. Sinai and the earthly sanctuary that the people were required to build so that God would have a place to ‘appear’ among them. A detailed description with footnoted references may be found in the AfterImages section of the book on pages 149-150.

Signed copies of Between Heaven & Earth: An Illuminated Torah Commentary ($36.00+Shipping) may be ordered at: http://www.winnlederer.com or by email from: ilene@winnlederer.com. Allow up to one week for delivery in the US; if required sooner for a gift or special event, express services are available. For organizations, the author is available for on-site presentations of the book’s creative process and book signings.

Bits Of Whimsy: New Drawings

Recent posts have been pretty heavy stuff, Biblical, insufferable moralizing, blah, blah. So for comic relief here are a couple of new images; no text but the titles: The Evil Magic Of Caffeine (top) and The Cluckfosters Step Out (bottom). Want to write a bit of collaborative flash fiction? Maybe these will inspire you…