exerpts taken from the diary of a broken soul

Durant Hapke

Oh, I'll have a big bite...

Gray Ash,

Bring it.

Rock the funk.

Dude, your work is bliss -- awesome -- black steel, heart pounding, gasses bubbling.

Last week I was picking up some smokes at the corner store (the people who run the place are so damn funny, the man, it's a wife and husband deal, only has one arm -- you should see him make change -- fast, man, scorching), and these two kids (punks -- maybe nine or ten) were crashing their bikes together in the alley out back (which always smells like fish). I mean for real, full speed collisions.

One kid had blood coming out of his mouth and a badly skinned knee, the other was screaming bloody murder. After the first big bash I witnessed, I thought they would jump off the bikes and go cuffs to fist, but they just backed up their bikes and went at it again.

I watched for a while, half expected the cops to show up, but no dice. Anyway, that memory shot across the bow when I was scooping your action.

You must know this artist, WD Barlowe:

http://www.godsdemon.com/

Inspiration of the "big" kind.

He's a freak.

I understand his work is all done wile he's in some kind of funky trance state.

Durant "lover of wings" Hapke
 

truelighth

I can't believe I never looked at this thread before! Your work is wonderful. I am already a big fan of black&white and I really like your art.

Honestly, your Death card gave me the chills, but in a good way. So powerful! I also really like the 2 of swords, 9 of swords. They are brilliant. So are the others. I will definately be watching this thread and your next cards with anticipation from now on :D.
 

poivre

You do have a gift!

Luv the pictures and thanks for this thread!

ros
:)
 

sacredashes

Durant Hapke : :D I didn't know Mr. Barlowe before but I know him now. Thank you for the link, I saved the image because it said something poignant without words.

When pictures touch the soul without words, it is the communication of the highest kind. In the language of angels, there are no words, just the transference of uncorrupted thoughts.

truelighth & ros : Welcome to my world. I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves here.. I hope you'll drop by again. :heart:

J : You're right.. I thought about it. Worrying about which side complicate things, doesn't it. Just make up my mind and go through with it.

Btw, your request is granted.. here comes the Knight of Wands.. I was wondering if I wanted to portray him this way but I decided that he is the way he should be.. for this deck at least.

*********************************************************

The original Knight of Wands landed his meteor on a mountain somewhere across this planet during a full moon and decided to stay there for good.

So I had to audition for a new Knight and I found him spoiling for a fight. The fire surfer will be sorely missed but I know he is in good hands.

Ash
08.11.2007
 

sacredashes

5 Of Swords

Removed 05.01.2008
 

rogue

The old Adam and the fruit story. It's good to see you using biblical references too Ash. I'd have probably stuck a halo on him too though, because of the fact that he actually passed this spiritual test that indicated his desire for oneness with god, even if it made him a bad dog in the mean time. We've always got to deal with that kind of duality in our human shells.

But what of the tempter that waits for their victim reach out for the fruit only to sadistically pull it out of range? Who would you blame for playing that kind of game?
 

sacredashes

lampkin said:
But what of the tempter that waits for their victim reach out for the fruit only to sadistically pull it out of range? Who would you blame for playing that kind of game?

Who ever said we had to explain the actions of others, when we are only in control over our own? That responsibility is neither ours to carry nor is it our right to lay blame when we give the other party power over us.

Wish him good journey nevertheless, for one who has good to offer has good in him and one who has only "poison", well, maybe that's all he has to offer.

In creating this deck, I realized that the difference between the 2 and 10 of Swords is our reaction to what happens/ed outside.

In the 2, we are unable to comprehend the simplicity in accepting that all else fails if we are discordant inside while the 10 is a quiet acceptance that yes, it's unfair and it's cruel but my dignity is mine to surrender regardless what, who, when, why or how.

*Editted to add:

In answer to your comment:

The great Gautama Buddha was asking for alm one day from a woman. She was angry because there were too many people asking for food and she couldn't feed her own family. In anger, she scooped up a spoonful of stool and offered it to him.

His follower became angry and confronted the woman because of her disrespect but Buddha stopped him. Buddha told his follower that he cannot claim Buddha as his Guru if he would lose his temper at the woman for he (the follower) learnt nothing from it.

Buddha then turned to the woman and told her gently, "Amah (Mother), you keep it. You can give what you wish to give but I can choose not to accept what you are giving as well."

Graciousness and dignity cannot be taken away by others but it can be surrendered. Who do we blame when we choose to surrender what dignity we have left?

It gets heavy when we carry all these burdens that are not useful to our growth. It's toxic for the soul.
 

sacredashes

lampkin said:
I'd have probably stuck a halo on him too though, because of the fact that he actually passed this spiritual test that indicated his desire for oneness with god, even if it made him a bad dog in the mean time.

Take a closer look...He's not Adam... :)
 

rogue

Cain then? Who is he? He must be the tempter himself. I see.

That Buddha story runs parallel to the Jesus story when the guy came to arrest him Simon Peter cut off his ear. But a pile of crap would not entice anyone, so I don't see how this answers my question. Maybe if the pile of crap was cleverly concealed inside a chocolate pie, that would make a bit more sense.
 

sacredashes

lampkin said:
But a pile of crap would not entice anyone, so I don't see how this answers my question. Maybe if the pile of crap was cleverly concealed inside a chocolate pie, that would make a bit more sense.

**rolling my eyes... NOW I know you're trying to antagonize me, J** :D

That's just it, it wasn't meant to entice Buddha, it was meant to insult him. I don't know if she knew who he was because he certainly didn't have to put himself through that if he wanted food. He was a Prince for goodness sake.

But he choose a path of the renunciate and gave up all attachments.

She was the vessel delivering a temptation (**for him to give in to his ego and react to her insolence).. so look not at the object offered (**stool or if you insist, switch that to oreo cookies, cheesecake, apples, bread, steak, burger, salad, etc, etc, etc... that she waved in his face but refused to give him)... It changes nothing because he maintained his composure and kept his dignity intact. To rise above it or give in to the ego.

I honestly don't hink changing a slight variation would make a difference to people who already grasp the larger scheme of things.

Imagine if he took the other choice and utterly lost it, returned her insult with hurtful words and stomped off back to the palace. Then, to make sure she learnt her lesson, ordered her entire family slaughtered!! :bugeyed: HHhhmmm.... doesn't inspire a whole lot of respect, does it?

Have you heard what Victor Frankl said after years of captivity in the Nazi prison camp? Only he and his sister survived the horrors but he realized during that space of time that, "Man has the capacity to behave like saints or swine. Which is actualized depends on decisions, not conditions." I found his words very powerful and in 2 sentences, he summed up the whole of our potential.

Too often, we get distracted by the object but they're all symbols. What they mean to us makes it temptation. It's easy to accept only good things but the challenge offered by those with "poison", that's truly where the golden opportunity lies if we know the value behind it.

So the fruit was the distraction but in attaining it came knowledge, awareness but it also came with mortality thus the swords are like tombstones marking the beginning of an end of our innocence.

Take what was offered but in the end, the decision to take was still ours regardless of the deception used. Coming up with reasons and excuses doesn't change that fact.

If it's any consolation, I know the moral behind the story but it doesn't mean it's easy to follow. It's way harder than it sounds and honestly, I struggle with it everyday. So when we talk of enlightment, it's the doing that makes someone enlightened, not the saying part coz that's easy. :)

Ash