Vissi d'Arte

"J'ai vecu pour l'Art, j'ai vecu pour l'Amour...."

One of my favourite piece by Maria Callas... Whenever I listen to her she never fails to take me closer to my soul, creating a direct link with the Divine.  As Gainsbourg once said; "Il y a l'art mineur et l'art majeur", she is definetely one of the highest representation of Art Majeur!

As I listen again and again to "Casta Diva", "Un bel di Vedremo", "d'amor sull'ali rose" I shiver to the depths of my sensitivity and think what a great privilege it is to be born a human being in order to experience such beauty!

New website!

I finally found the time to build myself a new website as I was getting bored with the other one (which will still be online for a while until my registration expires).

here's the link:

http://mariannesimonin.weebly.com/

 "Self portrait" by Marianne - 2009

YOGA VASISHTA SARA

The words of these scriptures always inspire me!.
Click on the following link

Yoga Vasista sara

Photo by Marianne - Lalita Ghat, Varanasi

Saraswati Devi

 

ॐ वाकदैव्यै च विद्महे कामराजाय धीमहि। तन्नो देवी प्रचोदयात्‌।
AUM Vaakdeviyai cha Vidhmahe
kaamraajaaya dheemahi
tanno devi prachodayaat.

Saraswati is the Goddess of the Arts, knowledge, and wisdom.  Saraswati means "the essence of the self"; the Sanskrit word sara means "essence" and swa means "self."  In Hindu mythology She is the divine shakti of Brahma, the Creator of the universe. Since knowledge is necessary for creation, Saraswati symbolizes the creative power inherent in each artist, student or teacher.

In the last few months my connection with this aspect of Shakti has deepened. She started manifesting more strongly during my stay in West Bengal, and keeps re-appearing through unexpected circumstances in my life.. Tonight after attending my Indian classical music lesson I realized once more the importance of Tantra sadhana.

 

 ॐ श्रीम भ्रीम सरस्वतये नमः

(click on sanskrit to listen to her mantra)

 

 

0 longitude walk at 0 degree temperature

Early morning walk in Greenwich with Alessandro,
a very refreshing and uplifting start of the day!  

The footpath tunnel linking Island Gardens to Greenwich,

nobody at this time, great feeling.

(photos © Marianne Simonin - 2009)

The song of a bird

"Everyone wants to understand ART.

Why not try to understand the song of a bird?"

Picasso

(All photos © Marianne Simonin - 2009)

Red Mars - White Moon

RED & WHITE

Red is Shakti - White is Shiva

What a beautiful sight tonight in the sky!!

Mars -  a planet with a very powerful influence
(I know as I am strongly affected by it according to my jyotish chart! hence I make a point of paying my respect to the mangala yantra on my shrine every Tuesday)

The Moon - eternally beautiful, enigmatic.

RED Mars + WHITE Moon against BLACK Night

Black - Blue Black - deep Prussian Blue - one of my favourite colour in painting...the colour of Kali!

May this sky be auspcious to all those who took the time to raise their head on this cold wintery night of January.

This is a couple of shots that I tried to take with my broken camera, they are shaky and Mars looks more purple than red... but I still like them!

Secrecy of the womb

This morning I was reading one of my books when a couple of words caught my attention and then became the title of my new poem.  The energy unfolded from within me and I started writing these lignes which I would like to share because we ALL have been there.  If only I could write a poem each morning upon rising!   

Secrecy of the womb
Warm, moist & fragrant is my world,

Legs folded towards my chest

I bathe in the darkness of light,

.......No desires.....

Oh, that mighty Love carrying me

From place to place

From now to next,

I can hear Her voice

The fine tune of Her song

Reaching me from far, far beyond.

Warm, moist & fragrant is my world,

Nothing to see

Nothing to say

Just feeling

That mighty Love carrying me

From place to place

From now to next,

Cradled in Her waters

I feel free

I feel me.

Warm, moist & fragrant is my world,

A soft red glow

All around me,

Legs folded towards my chest

I bathe in the light of darkness

.....No desires, yet.....

The cosmic sound

Her cosmic breath

Keeping me asleep,

Nothing to see

Nothing to say

But I can hear

That moaning sound of ecstasy,

Calling me deeper

& deeper toward Thee,

The throbbing of Her heart

The throbbing of Her pulse

The heat of Her Love,

Fragrant

Moist

& warm

Is all I remember,

Mother in Her full power!

Her Love

Licking, kissing

Every inch of me,

Her warm breath

Absorbing me

In the cosmic embrace

And Her mighty power.

Legs folded against my chest,

I cannot see

I cannot say

But I can hear

The fine tune of Her voice

Soothing me.

Dark, mysterious & powerful is my world,

My senses growing

My awareness expanding

An irresistible urge

To know Thee,

Bathing in Her waters

That can no longer carry me

I feel a desire

That is new to me.

The urge to see

The urge to be

Independent of Thee.

Oh, and the sound of Her throbbing pulse

Is now expulsing me,

Floating in a river that is too big for me.

That mighty Love

Carrying me

From place to place

From now to next,

In search of Thee...

..............................

In the recess of my mind

In the darkness of my soul

In the secrecy of the womb.

(© Marianne Simonin - 2010)

Kamakhya Devi - Assam 

( photo © Marianne Simonin - 2009)

Promises in the dark

.....Blue Moon.....

What a great way to start the New Year with a Blue Moon!.   I had a very nice celebration, and although I went to bed well past 3am,  I was still up quite early and spent January 1st all day in my studio, feeling inspired and energized, drawing, painting and listening to a lot of Spanish music.. it did remind me of my flamenco years.   As I drove home in the evening, I moticed the moon for a split second between two rows of houses and couldn't believe its size and the intensity of its light!  I even thought for a moment that I was having a vision, but later it appeared again, bright and full, beautiful and magical!...   Once in a blue moon... indeed it is.. as the last time we had 13 moons in a year AND on New Year's eve, it was over 20 years ago...  
Back home I took a few photos as it was shining bright and high, right in front of the window of my sitting room.
I felt it as auspicious as well as the beginning of new directions, renewed energy and healing.  This year I would like to passionately follow my artistic and spiritual paths as ONE, paint at the feet of Ganga Devi, walks the streets of Kashi, learn sandhya-bhasa and meditate on the blue Hill..

kāmākhyāṁ kāmasampanāṁ kāmeśvarīṁ harapriyāṁ I
kāmanāṁ dehi me nityaṁ kāmeśvarī namostute II

kāmākhye varade devī nīla parvata vāsinī I

tvaṁ devī jagataṁ mātā yonimudre namostute II

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

KASHI - 12 months to find you.

My new 2010 calendar is now ready!  These photos bring so many special memories to me.  Each image has its own story. To preview or purchase click on the title of the calendar. Happy New Year!

Kashi - 12 months to find you