my compassion tree
for a long time now i have connected to the beautiful energy of Avalokiteshvara , or Chenrezig , the buddhist god of compassion . He has 1000 arms with 1000 eyes in their palms , showing the vast strength of his compassion which is big enough to be able to see, and bless , all the suffering in the world .
i have also had the idea for a long time to represent him as a tree with 1000 leaves .
one day in the 1st lockdown here, i was thinking of this in my mediation time , and thinking yet again that i didn't now how to do it , and the clear message came ' just start with the leaves " .. so i did ...
i took all the paintings down from the end wall of my studio, and dedicated it to the compassion tree
each leaf has the name on of someone i am connected with , close family and friends , and then on out to people i know less well
the compassion tree grew all through last year on my studio wall. There was no pressure in making it , sometimes i would have a busy phase , painting big sheets of paper with varying greens , turning them over to draw round my hands so many times , sitting outside cutting out hands , painting , naming , sticking them up in batches . Other times there were lulls of days or weeks , and it came to a standstill at the winter solstice after 526 hands . I really don't know if it is done, if there need to be a literal 1000, if i will add more at some point . I do know that the comfort of this tree has become a presence in my mediation world, where it has always been complete , and teaches me about receiving and giving love and compassion. It opens my heart to sit with this tree , it connects me with all these people i can't meet up with , and with the blessings of knowing them all , and of the simple fact that we are all connected , truly .
here are a few photos of the process
i have also had the idea for a long time to represent him as a tree with 1000 leaves .
one day in the 1st lockdown here, i was thinking of this in my mediation time , and thinking yet again that i didn't now how to do it , and the clear message came ' just start with the leaves " .. so i did ...
i took all the paintings down from the end wall of my studio, and dedicated it to the compassion tree
each leaf has the name on of someone i am connected with , close family and friends , and then on out to people i know less well
the compassion tree grew all through last year on my studio wall. There was no pressure in making it , sometimes i would have a busy phase , painting big sheets of paper with varying greens , turning them over to draw round my hands so many times , sitting outside cutting out hands , painting , naming , sticking them up in batches . Other times there were lulls of days or weeks , and it came to a standstill at the winter solstice after 526 hands . I really don't know if it is done, if there need to be a literal 1000, if i will add more at some point . I do know that the comfort of this tree has become a presence in my mediation world, where it has always been complete , and teaches me about receiving and giving love and compassion. It opens my heart to sit with this tree , it connects me with all these people i can't meet up with , and with the blessings of knowing them all , and of the simple fact that we are all connected , truly .
here are a few photos of the process
