Symphony of Loves by Alireza Karimi Moghaddam
Sunflowers are a simple miracle. They grow from a seed. They rise from the earth. They are natural. They are bright and beautiful. They bring a smile to one’s face. They produce seeds that are nutritious, and from these seeds oil is produced. … Sunflowers were even used near Chernobyl to extract radionuclides cesium 137 and strontium 90 from contaminated ponds following the catastrophic nuclear reactor accident there.
Now sunflowers carry new meaning. They have become the symbol of a world free of nuclear weapons. This came about after an extraordinary celebration of Ukraine achieving the status of a nuclear free state. On June 1, 1996, Ukraine transferred to Russia for dismantlement the last of the 1,900 nuclear warheads it had inherited from the former Soviet Union... David Krieger (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation – from an essay originally written in 1998 and revised in August, 2015)
That meaning and understanding is deepened and deepening today. As the art I shared last week suggests, even amid war, we choose what we see. We choose how to be. A friend recently shared that her Ukrainian and Russian friends “see a future beyond the conflict that is liberating in ways unimaginable.” Muse reminds ‘that is one of your roles now: seeing beyond what is and living into a brighter future’.
Looking beyond the immediate danger when you are in it is challenging, perhaps one of life’s greatest challenges. I think of pictures of the Dalai Lama as he was escaping his homeland and see the image of calm, faithful groundedness. Stability from the inside out.
All of nature reminds me of that. Trees, grasses, winged creatures, furry fauna, and, yes, sunflowers. Now more than ever. Sunflowers that pop up along the roadside with the resilience of dandelions. What in these floras lives too in us that rises to greet the spring?
Indeed, it is challenging to imagine a world at peace. Yet surely that is the deep longing of us all. So, imagine we must, as it is our thoughts, our imaginings, our dreams that rise as tomorrow’s reality. Sunflowers and art, beauty and nature are salve for the soul, stirring and guiding our deep longings and imaginings.
Sunflowers remind me of color, resilience, and of nourishment intertwined as food for the body and the soul. Art reminds me of beauty, creativity, and of depth. That and being a long-time fan of Vincent van Gogh’s work is perhaps why I was drawn to the image posted last week and shared again below with words from the artist.
I was hesitant to share the image last week as I didn’t know the source. My heart (in apparent consultation with Muse) though, said ‘yes’. What opened from that choice was a discovery of the work of the Persian artist, Alireza Karimi Moghaddam, whose fascination and love for van Gogh comes through powerfully and appreciatively in his art.
When I learned who the artist was (thank YOU dear Pivot Reader!), I found a recent post with the image (Colors vs. War) and the artist’s words in apparent response to the invasion of Ukraine:
When politicians are busy making a mess creating endless ugly taint,
When the jungle's rules are coming back with all the quaint
We can not turn our backs, just talking and making a complaint
Our bullets are colors and flowers, and more than ever, restraint
So that future generations will know among all the constraint
We tried to sow the seeds of hope with eyes full of the plaint
The ruins will be rebuilt as what the dreams willing to paint
And values would be back, and history will force us to reacquaint
Discovering Moghaddam’s work and background opened me to an old memory of judgement about the Iranian people, based on an experience I had decades ago teaching a class with many Iranian students. Although I felt I no longer held the judgement, I looked in the dark corners to be certain, to clear any remaining judgements, and to forgive. The work of imaging a different world requires us to shine light in our dark corners and to do the work of releasing attachment to old ‘stuff’ lurking in the darkness. Like the miracle that is a sunflower, shining light in dark corners is the prelude to the miracle of imagining a different future.
This week let’s plant sunflower seeds in the ground, in each of our hearts and in hearts around the world, especially those who experience the darkness that leads to violent choices. Let’s imagine a ‘symphony of love’ being heard around the globe to move us moment by moment, step by step, thought by thought, image by image to a peace-filled future.
You can see more of Alireza Karimi Moghaddam’s work here:
https://mymodernmet.com/van-gogh-illustrations-alireza-karimi-moghaddam/\
and here - https://www.fancyvangogh.com/ (his store!)
and here - https://www.boredpanda.com/illustrations-vincent-van-gogh-alireza-karimi-moghaddam/
Colors vs War by Alireza Karimi Moghaddam