Sometime ago, I visited the Postosja Caves in Slovenia. These caves are typically made of limestone. The insides of the caves are amazingly majestic with huge stalagmites that have formed over centuries!! 

When you stand inside these caves- surrounded by magnificence that took centuries to form. You see the amazing and yet unassuming beauty of your surroundings and still there is a bit of harshness to being in a cave. A sense of being cut off from rest of society. And a flash of insight dawned on me.

An a-ha moment- as we strive to build enterprises and businesses, we are quietly away from the world and prying eyes- slowly building our products. We have to continue working at it diligently but also strategically. Simply chipping up does not help to create a masterful artwork, we have to strategically evolve and bring to fruition one plan over another to create the landscape (our final product or enterprise) of our dreams. 

In alternative healing where crystals are believed to contain special soothing and healing properties, Stalagmites are of particular consideration in building strength and sustenance. They take a long time to form and by their presence they instill in us the patience to diligently work at our goals and plans. Not to look for an immediate “return of investment” but believe that in time, we will receive the fruits of our efforts.

It is important to note that, yes, we all should avoid danger as much as possible, but if confronted- we need to face our challenges head-on!!

Standing there inside those immensely wonderful caves me gave a very clear and deep insight- about the act of creation itself!
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When we typically think of creation, we think of all our external actions and what we have created in our life. Have we created a successful career for our self? A large bank account? A successful business or enterprise?? 

This was such a vital lesson, as its guidance is not limited to just creating a successful career or enterprise. Afterall, our most important creation in our life- is our very self!!

Who have we become??- are we happy with who we are, who we have become- our life situation, our state of mind, our relationships and so on… at some level all these makes up our external self. Then there is our faith, our beliefs, our psychological make up, our way of thinking and all the intricacies of our mental dimension, which makes up our inner self. 

It is very essential to remember that, to create a life of immense depth, value and beauty takes time!!

I recently posted one of my first abstract visual artwork. If you have not still seen it, then check it out… 

It was inspired after my road-trip across a third of Canada. That is saying quite much- since Canada is the second largest country in the world!! 

So, my road-trip from Calgary to Montreal in Quebec and back was over a total of 3000 kms. Given all the other fun adventures I had ‘not planned’ along the way- it was a five-day trip. Which also means I pretty much drove straight thru each way- with just couple of hours of rest in the car itself by the side of the road, in the middle of Ontario jungles!
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The reason I am giving all these details is that- I have done many road-trips in my life… (you can check out my other Travel-stories) those where I was the main driver and also where I have been nicely driven around. In fact, most of my Europe vacations have been road-trips, so that way, I can get a true feel for the region I am visiting.

BUT there was something special about this road-trip. It was my longest road-trip where I was the sole traveler, driving myself thru hypnotically straight paths (well, you need to drive thru Manitoba, to understand what I mean- hey, my fellow-Canadians get it!! 😊), dirt roads thru dense woods and jungles and also thru large cities all within a span of a few days.

Most of the trip was not planned, but I had some spectacular experiences- like the time where a dirt-road (which is  meant to be Hwy-1, world’s longest road) in the woodsy wilderness of Ontario suddenly stopped and there was nothing ahead.

​I just could not believe my eyes. "Where is the road?? After all, it is supposed to go all the way to the end of Prince Edward Island, the other extreme end of Canada (on the east- Atlantic side)."
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And as always, when I feel stuck, I pray- and it was all almost instantaneous- I asked the Divine for guidance and suddenly I see a semi-truck right behind me. I frantically waved it down- and asked the driver about the road ahead.

He pointed at an area a little off to the side and there was just dirt and some wild grass between where I was parked at the end of this section and to where he was pointing and he said- the road starts again over there!! 

Just the ‘freaked out’ look on my face was a clear indication to him, that I was new in Canada. Most of my road trips before that time were in the USA- and while driving in the USA, I was used to proper paved freeways (as they are called in the USA). 

He smiled and simply said- “welcome to Canada” and indicated, I could follow his truck thru the grass as he was going there anyways and this way- I will not feel scared about driving thru the wild woodsy-jungle area. 
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Within minutes we got back on the highway and though I tried to wave at him thru the window, I am not sure if he caught it in his side mirror… but he did wave at me and drove off.

This road trip was full of such amazing incidents. I will share more of these with you as I feel it helps you as a reader to get a true flavor of what it means to live a fun, complete life- while also being an ordinary person- no guru, no one who claims special abilities- but a simple ordinary person, who has chosen to live an extra-ordinary life. 

Extra-ordinary, since every life which is lived completely with complete presence is always extra-ordinary. It does not need one to swing on a high bridges over some deep abyss or take off a Cessna 185 and fly oneself over the beautiful Canadian Rockies (like I have done)- we just need to feel the fear, wonder what to do, not know how to do it- but still continue on the path with complete trust that the Universe will put the floor down for our next step just as our first foot-step falls to the ground. 

I don’t need to know the way, till I know, I can trust that it is there- even though in the darkness of the night I can barely see a few feet ahead with my headlight.

This is one of my initial abstract artworks. It was inspired after my road-trip across 1/3 rd. of Canada. That is saying quite much- since Canada is the second largest country in the world!! You can read the full travel-story here…

But, when I got back from this trip- there was something so enthralling about the magnificent Prairies with its tall grass- looking golden-green in the bright rays of the mid-day May sun, that I decided to capture its essence- which I feel is easier done in Abstract art, where there is the gap between the artist’s creation and the viewer’s interpretation- and that gap can hold the true essence of that work.

It can be the divine space, where two people can look at the same art and completely feel two separate things about the same work!

This painting here tries to capture the essence of the beautiful Prairies of Manitoba in summer along with the wild jungle-paths thru Ontario.

It is made using acrylic paints with sgraffito painting technique- no brush… only fingers and knives! 

Though sgraffito technique is typically used for pottery and ceramics, I have used the similar principles for creating this abstract artwork. ​