A New Book: SKETCHBOOK OF SOLITUDE . . . Listening Art . . . A Novel

A NEW BOOK...  Sketchbook of Solitude:  Listening Art;  A Novel

Since April I have been writing a new book . . . a novel . . . it is going very well and almost writing itself . . . and I am now three quarters of the way through it and enjoying the process of its creation immensely. It is a New Zealand novel and the overall story is set in the glorious mountains of Central Otago in the South Island. The image below is one of a series of six pictures I have created which feature as section heading images in the novel; and this picture is the book's front cover image.

In beginning at the end of me I saw twice as far . . .

 When I am old I will write a pearl.

The pearl will be 25,000 miles wide

Because it will circle the world

In one second.

It will be the smallest thing

That can do that.

Small as a pea under 20 mattresses.

That is why it will be a pearl.

Then the World will know

What it has lost and forgotten.

And I will be gone.

                

                                          A CIRCLE OF SWIFT SONGS

                                         FOREWORD

IN BEGINNING AT THE END OF ME I saw twice as far. But I was so used by now to coincidences happening almost continuously---synchronistic ‘chance’ seeings happening whenever I looked out at the World around me, and wherever I was in it, that in my stories here I take it completely for granted. It was only, today, some while after I had finished compiling this small book from my larger one, The Light Tree Journal that I suddenly realized that I needed to add some perspective to what was happening in my life in most of the stories. I saw I needed to stand back a little and explain my filling-up process which was constantly going on replacing all I lost of me through the flow of insights I was given.

   Simultaneous with the losing or the taking away was the filling-up---the rushing in---in the exchange of my dross for high energy delicious inspiration---life; which was more than doubly replacing all I ever gave up of me---hence, seeing twice as far. This instantaneous process had become so second nature to me that in my stories I didn’t often stop to give an identifying perspective on what was happening, which would have, perhaps, enabled the reader to more fully partake of the life going on in this---exchange.

   Like many people, I had become so connected to the source of all things that in the living world around me I was aware of what properties they had within them that would tell me about myself: in order to help me grow in light and understanding in my inner life with him. And this, that I might be one with him, who is love, forever. ‘For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; so that, the world, so imbued, had become my mirror---to show me myself, as I really was!---to bring light in my darkness---for I knew I was dark where light had not entered.  And the exchange was all entirely personal and had become delightful.

  Long ago I had discovered that not only was the living world made to provide us with the physical necessities of life---for our outer body---the air we breathe, and food and water, and warmth etc., but with the spiritual necessities of life, also---for our inner body---the dynamic ‘upside down’ provision of the natural world in its spiritual equivalent of ‘air,’ ‘food,’ ‘water’ and ‘warmth.’ …I had been given to understand that we were not complete with just the physical things given to us from the natural living world, we needed its inner gifts, too; which were always abundantly supplied.

   I enjoyed an extraordinary interaction with all created things, being as I was nothing. And while they would always tell me, only the inner truth, the truth which went against my natural earthly self: against my pride and ego---it was always entirely enchanting to me---because I loved the truth more than I loved myself.

   The stinging-points---of humiliation where I felt something to be against me, showing me up, challenging me toward change, became---the living-points; where I found life by light in action. And they became the most exciting places in the world for me! Only at these places could you see the way forwards on your intimate journey in light and life. They were the seeing-places where your life lit up in love and energy, so as you could see beyond. They were the gates to inner growth and greater meaning in your life in the ongoing revelation of your deeper purpose upon the earth: lifting you from the first, natural sphere of life, into the second, spiritual sphere---and from first sight, to second sight. …Intuiting the higher meaning in the unfolding world around you, that undid you a little every day, filling you with all you needed of happiness and love. It was all in quick turnings-again in inner cartwheels of joy, in a deep and secure knowing of your direction and purpose in him to whom we are intimately connected in glorious liberty: love.

   And now as I rewrite this FOREWORD, a confirming perspective of all this comes to me---that, somehow, when we walk through life, the way that is described throughout this book, that mystically and impossibly, we actually own the earth. …We had inherited it. It was incredible, but true. Not only had we been given ears to hear, and eyes to see, but we had been given to experience---live out---this truth within us: ‘blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’

   My heart yearns that these simple inner-life stories of light, fill you with all joy and peace in believing---that you are known and understood---that all things belong to you---for you were loved unconditionally; and that not only heaven, but the whole earth is telling you that---had you a child’s eyes to see and ears to hear!

                                                                   *

The Door to Beyond . . .

The Door to Beyond

It was the way of entrance waiting to be found

The chink of light in every turning round

The glimpse of beyond---

In every dark thing overcome              

A glimmer of hope---                                                                That what was promised was near 

                                                                         *



                                                   An illustration from: A CIRCLE OF SWIFT SONGS; A Circlet of Inner-Life Stories

                                                  (c)  Judith M Evans Deverell, 2019

NEW PIECING TOGETHER: In calming the quivering earth, the watered seed, accepting the suddenness of its dreadful blessing, draws from it a sense of settled place, in which, in secret, to swell and then to split . . .

It is, Loving that Matters

In calming the quivering earth---the watered seed

Accepting the suddenness of its dreadful blessing

Draws from it a sense of settled place

In which---in secret---to swell and then to split

And the pressing darkness that had been upon it---

The veiling shroud---now understood: 

The essential part in its inner growth--- 

And the pain of the stretching was unto the uttermost

Death of it for life must rend aside its earthen skin

And the true dividing of its heart in two parts

That it might live that life---above---rooted below---

For another life it had hardly dreamed of

And never seen

Of what it might become

It had no knowledge

It could not see

The perfected flower---its future destiny---

Un-imagined in such compacted darkness

Yet the sun---reaching in---drew out its heart upwards

What it could not understand it trusted

For all within---responded

Moving beyond itself for joy of entering warmth

It is, loving that matters                                                                   Making all the difference in the dark---                                                    New piecing together  

                                                                        

                                                                        *


                                     Illustration from: Volume Three; 'The Ragged Writings of Everland; Arkiahh Dreaming'

An episode of swirling seas . . .

                         Illustration from: 'Arkiahh Dreaming'

Wheels within wheels, time within times where was no time, moving in four directions all at once . . .

Wheels Within Wheels

TIME within times where was no time

Wheels within wheels

Moving in all four directions, at once

Where the fruit of perfect answers were

Priceless returns of lost things found

The heart’s first dream and least hope 

Was seen and held there---

In all the pear tree’s travels to distant places

In other times

Ground by windmill stones beside the sea

Those tiny pips in pairs the pear tree grew

My answers lost and found

Made bread and meat

And I saw what it meant to be loved in the Lover

Taken with him there---where life was---

Crushed and bruised for the food of life

 

                                       *

                                               Illustration from: Volume Three: The Ragged Writings of Everland; 'Arkiahh Dreaming' 

NEW POEM: 'There is no such thing as nothing; out of nothing were all things created . . .'

There is No Such Thing as Nothing                                        

There is no such thing as nothing

Out of nothing were all things created

More could be made out of nothing

Than out of something

For there was no limitation to it

It was as elastic as infinity

In the containing of everything

‘Nothing’ rejected no, colour

So it was colourless---

But pregnant---with endless possibilities---

Until the brush of one’s imagination

Painted it with what was desired

In the containing of everything:

‘Nothing’ held all, miracles

All that was ever needed

Came of it---by faith

When---in perfection---all things are taken

We are left nothing. Full stop!

And for a long while

Nothing feels like nothing

And the unbelieving---feel cheated

But those that believe---begin again

Knowing they have all things and they do

                                                                   * 

                                              from:  ARKIAHH DREAMING; The Ragged Writings of Everland; Volume Three.  

                                                

N.B.   All my artwork is done completely by hand....(No ‘Photoshop,’ etc.)....I create on paper with pencils and erasers, and different sized ink pens, (and sometimes brush and watercolours,) and a tiny sharp craft knife, for stenciling. Afterwards, I scan the finished picture into my laptop; and from there into my books and this Blog.