A Spiritual Makeover
Welcome aboard my ship sailing along a journey of self-discovery. My expedition begins in November of 2010, when a rapid decline in health sends me to the ICU, keeping me there for two weeks. It is a life-threatening condition, one that tries to damage my body with multi-organ failure and disrupts the lives of my family—both near and abroad. Little did I know that this would be the precursor to years of healing, self-discovery, creativity, and the birth of the “new me.” The catalyst: a profound near-death, out-of-body experience.
The Moment of Truth
After months of heavy doses of steroids, my 95-pound, 5’ 8” body had jumped in weight. Kick-starting my body felt like a restarting a space shuttle that takes months to prepare for takeoff. It was also a time of solitude, as I had to be kept disinfected. As a life-long meditator, this provided me with copious amounts of time for some much-needed self-reflection, spiritual healing, and reconnecting with my higher self.
From among the many planes of self-discovery, one recurring thought emerged. I just had to find a way back to my “first love” and my truest passion—my art.
The Rebirth
As an artist from my earliest childhood years, I was trained in commercial art in India and earned another art degree and a master’s degree in the US. However, for years I worked as a faculty member in international education and in the corporate world (IT). Now, the calling was crystal clear: I needed to return to art, my “true calling,” and fully immerse myself in it. I could no longer allow a seemingly successful society to shape my life, to pull away from a talent that I can’t explain.
So, I took the plunge and quit my full-time job, going from earning tens of thousands of dollars to... well, subzero. Then, in 2014, Graphoria Inc. (Graph from Graphics and phoria from Euphoria) was born.
The Art
My work is very abstract and intuitive, while also integrating what I learned as a child in India. I meditate before I paint. The subject of the artwork is spiritual or meditative, as I am in this state when I paint. Much of it mirrors the beautiful experiences from my out-of-body experience, which drew me toward a magnificent white light and cocooned me in a warm embrace that showed me unconditional love and eternal peace. It showed me that I was a part of the universe—I was a part of full and united consciousness.
The Technique: Art of Allowing
Time passes, and I get lost in the moment. What flows through my body as I paint is none other than life force energy—it is the creator of the work. In the meditative state, I feel myself step aside and allow this life force energy to do its job.
The artwork transpires from swift and sweeping movements that incorporate heightened colors and intense textures to communicate—much like a classical dancer. The creations take on a life of their own. The painting communicates when it needs more love and attention. Sometimes I don’t even know how a painting came to be—it’s like something deeper than my consciousness brings it to life.
Art Heals
In this ongoing journey, I have opened up to the understanding that my job on earth is unfinished. Reconnecting to my truest self includes my commitment to art, but also to the service of humanity—it is my desire to spread the understanding of how meditation and art create therapeutic healing for the soul while balancing the mind, body, and spirit.
Thank you for joining me on my quest for universal truth. It is a journey that has brought me to a positive state of health, harmony, peace, joy, and powerful spiritual awakening.