Winter 2008

The other day I went into a paint store. I was painting the floor of my studio and needed the perfect neutral grey. I found it. "Crucible Grey". I painted the floor and it looked great. I sure liked that "Crucible Grey". Then, someone brought it to my attention that I had mistaken its name. Really, the label read "Cubicle Grey". I shrugged and said, "I guess we see what we are looking for".

WORK IN THE INVISIBLE - Rumi

The prophets have wondered to themselves, "How long
should we keep pounding

this cold iron?How long do we have to whisper into an
empty cage?" Every motion

of created beings comes from the creator. The first soul
pushes, and your

second soul responds, beginning, so don't stay timid. Load the ship
and set out. No one knows

for certain whether the vessel will sink or reach the harbor.
Cautious people say, "I'll

do nothing until I can be sure." Merchants know better.
If you do nothing, you lose.

Don't be one of those merchants who won't risk the ocean!
This is much more important

than losing or making money. This is your connection to God!
You must set fire to have

light. Trust means you're ready to risk what you currently have. Think of your fear and

hope about your livelihood. They make you go to work
diligently every day. Now

consider what the prophets have done. Abraham wore fire
for an anklet. Moses spoke

to the sea. David molded iron. Solomon rode the wind.
Work in the invisible world

at least as hard as you do in the visible. Be companions
with the prophets even though

no one here will know that you are, not even the helpers of
the qutb, the abdals. You

can't imagine what profit will come! When one of those
generous ones invites you

into his fire, go quickly! Don't say, "But will it burn
me? Will it hurt!"

Inspirations:
Alan Hovhaness, 12 Armenian Folksongs for Piano
Alan Hovhaness, Visionary Landscapes for Piano
Lou Harrison, La Koro Sutro
www.bobartlett.com
www.glumbert.com/media/kineticsculpture
www.barackobama.com
American Peace Award
Integral Naked (Will be featuring Bo's paintings in mid-December, and mine in mid-January.)

Betsy