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Pu’ukohola Heiau, Kohala Hawaii. Photographer unkown

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A Memoir

Life is Art 

By Chandraka Dasi Fisher   

Life is art. And architectural works are works of art. Everywhere I look I am inspired by shapes and colors. George Harrison once said “Art (like music) is an insignificant attempt at reproducing what God does every moment." One may not believe in God but we can all agree that theres no greater architect than that which is found in nature. There’s no doubt that when we see images of the galaxy filaments, the largest known structures in the universe, that these are spirals of infinite creativity, created by something which is greater than ourselves, that which is all powerful. Thus, I am inspired by every facet of nature, for in it we find the most ornate intricacies and designs. Even more fascinating are the animal architects, because lets face it, “given their size and lineage, beavers put humans to shame when it comes to architecture.”

Born on ‘the tip of the dragons tail’ in a very beautiful farm community inland from Byron Bay in Australia 🇦🇺 to Irish and French/Native American parents living abroad, I was then shipped back to and raised in the tropical paradise known as Hawaii Nei. Although my three brothers and I were raised by a single mother in poor hand to mouth humble beginnings, our lives were so rich because of our beautiful majestic and magical natural surroundings.

I can remember being in awe when gazing up from the coastline for the first time at the sacred Hawaiian Temple Puʻukoholā Heiau, located in Kohala on the northern side of the Big Island. Behind it lays Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain top on earth when measured from the bottom of the Pacific ocean floor, rising up 33,476 feet. When its telescope laden snow capped head rears itself through the clouds, the sheer grandiosity of such a sight reminds us of the relative minuscule nature of our own designs and it is humbling and inspiring. Moreover, what makes Puʻukoholā Heiau so amazing is that It was built entirely by hand with no mortar, in less than a year! The ‘mana,’ meaning the pervasive supernatural or magical power that surrounds this structure and site is otherworldly, as are the molten waterfalls of lava that cascade over the sea cliffs in Volcano National Park on an oftentimes nightly basis. Undulating and crashing into the sea, ‘Madame Pele’ creates land and therefore life as we know it. Again, inspiring and reminding us that mother nature is the most advanced at creative design.

I was fortunate to travel extensively in my twenties, living somewhat like a gypsy, studying at the University of Hawaii and then studying abroad in Paris for a semester, and couch surfing during other times, albeit not necessarily by choice. I strove to be the first in my family to reach academic excellence, always dreaming of pursuing higher education to the topmost level as I love to learn. However, due to unforeseen family and financial crisis, I was unable to finish my undergraduate studies.

What I did accomplish, however, was exposure to an array of other cultures, climates and some of the most amazing structural wonders of the world. From the ornately carved Temples throughout the island of Bali; to the never ending sea of buildings seen from atop Tokyo Tower; to that unforgettable surreal moment when I turned the corner and saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time and gazed out over Central Park from the great heights of the Empire State building; architecture has and always will astound me.

From the golden, glowing cupids towering atop bridges over the River Seine; to the art nouveau carved niches throughout the streets of Paris,; to the Old beaux arts train station turned Museum at Musee D’orsay, to some of the first flying buttress at Notre Dame; to the gothic and romanesque Chartres cathedral; to witnessing the ebb and flow of the tides at the foot of Mont Saint Michele Monastery in northern France; to the soaring ceilings found in my classrooms At the Sorbonne University; to the harrowing halls of Les Halles Cathedral; to the vivid corridors at Place Des Vosges, to the Pont Du Gard Aqueduct; France is a garden of architectural delights. And I dream of going back again someday to take in the region of Grasse, Bordeaux and Champagne by hot air balloon.

From the grand canal of Venice, to the palazzos surrounding the duomo in Florence filled with sculptures of Medussa and where every stone you come across has a story, where etched areas carved out for candle-bras from the time of Dante still exist; from the frightening and grotesque sculptures found in the Garden di Boboli, to the epic Colosseum and ancient ruins surrounding it, to the girl playing the cello in the streets and to the intimidating, foreboding presence of the Vatican in Rome; Italy will always hold a special place in my heart.

From the reflective dreamscape of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona; to Buckingham Palace and big Ben in London; to the ‘giants must have made this’ Stonehenge and to the beautiful lush green town of Bath in England, with its 18th century Georgian Architecture; to Zermatt Switzerland and the subway lifts that have been carved out into the Alps that eventually reach near the highest peak known as Matterhorn; to the surrounding hilltop castles around Zurich, to the giant chess and narrowest row house in Amsterdam; western Europe abounds in a treasure trove of architectural curiosities.

Back in North America, from old and modern Montreal; to the ever stunning art deco Chrysler building in New York City and the Space age Guggenheim; to the magnificent Estates in the Hamptons; to the stately University Of Virginia at Charlottesville; down south to the lovely historic homes of Savannah Georgia and Charleston South Carolina; to the gem of Jacksonville Florida, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens and to the flamboyant hotels in St Petersburg Florida; the east coast is full of charm.

Across to the Gritty bayou of New Orleans and over into Texas to the exquisite Dallas Museum of Art, springtime at the Dallas Arboretum and Gardens is not to be missed! And from the kitschy Flamingo Hotel along Las Vegas’ strip; to the cutting edge design of the Aria Hotel and down to to the hilltop Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City; this region is full of old clashes with new wild west feeling.

From the golden gate bridge in San Francisco and to Seattles skyline as seen from Queen Annes neighborhood; to Tilikum Crossing in Portland Oregon, to the Hearst Castle along Big Surs Pacific Coast Highway; to the posh Spanish influenced State Street in Santa Barbara; to the Bel Air mansions of Beverly Hills and to the old Hollywood hotel glamour; the West Coast dazzles.

And lastly, back to the islands that will forever be my home across the sea to the classic Moana Surfrider and ‘Pink Lady’ Hotels along Waikiki Beach, to the classic Diamond Head surf; to the Greek inspired Grand Wailea Maui and to the million dollar museum collection at the Hilton Waikoloa Village; Hawaii’s greatest architecture kisses its sun-soaked lapping shores in a rainbow of color.

And the list goes on. What a myriad of marvels I have had the chance to discover, yet there are still so many on my list that I wish to see and experience first hand! Oh sweet life thank you for reminding me to dream big, dare to explore, and discover the divine!

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Rediscovering Tumblr! A wonderful way to start a travel blog if one so desires 😘

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Majestic Mauna Kea and Moon

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These thoughts on the meaning of poppy symbolism isinspired by a dream, which is pretty uncanny as the poppy is a symbol of Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams.

I love this association. If you've ever seen a poppy in its process of growth, you've observed just before blooming, the bud hangs its head - heavy with the promise of blossom. In fact, the cocooned bud seems to droop in somnolence, as if enchanted or perhaps the bud is pregnant with floral dreams.

Most of us are familiar with the hypnogogic (hallucinogenic/narcotic) properties of the poppy. From the Chinese poppy opium is derived. The ancient Greeks understood this, and so we see another link to Morpheus and poppy symbolism.

Morpheus lived in his own world - a world of dreams, fantasy and complete nonadherence to traditional reality. He was destined to live here and rule the realms of dreams - it was in his genes. He was born from "night" - his mother is Nix, the goddess of night and dark creations. Morpheus' dad is Hypnos the deific governor of sleep.

To me, this speaks of the potential found in unconventional reality and messages wafting up through our dreams like a sweet fragrance - waiting to be recognized.

Poppies are also sacred to Demeter who was said to concoct an infusion of poppies (like a tea) in order to sleep through her sorrow while Persephone was absent. The theme of sleep is carried through as Persephone's cyclical excursions to the underworld were timed with the seasons. She would leave her mother Demeter in the winter to join her husband, Hades. Her absence marked the winter, her submersion in the underworld signifies a kind of "closing the shutters" and slumber in the cycle of life.

Poppy symbolism is also associated with the Muladhara chakra (I write in more details about thePoppy/Muladhara connection on my blog). Poppies come in many colors, but they're typically dressed in red, the chakra color corresponding to the Muladhara. Further, this chakra prompts human awareness to be fed from rich, nutritive soils and encourages that nourishment to be pulled from our roots and moved up through the rest of the chakras. We blossom at our crown only when we can move well-being up through our roots.

In Chinese symbolism, the poppy represents rest, beauty and success. However, its associations with opiate-induced stupors also lend meanings of sloth, dependence and an inability to temper pleasure with the banalities kicked up by living a pragmatic life. Honest masters know enlightenment is induced from within and through a connection with the infinite. Dependence upon external substances/influences to lift the veils of illusion is considered a lazy approach to enlightenment.

In Christianity, poppy symbolism is recruited to represent death as a period of tranquil slumber. This association is seen in metaphor as the red petals of the poppy symbolize the blood of a sacrificed Christ. Themes of resurrection and immortality (salvation of the soul) blossom as the poppy (and the spirit) never really die, just renew and ascend.

Poppies are also featured in the legendary poem, Flanders Field by John McCrae:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

-Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

The poem elicits feelings of transience, perhaps even the futility of conflict/violence. Moreover, the poem stirs up ephemeral concepts of life, how existence is at once fleeting yet also continual. It is a remembrance poem dedicated to fallen comrades in battle. The poppies McCrae refers to grow on the battle-ravaged fields of Flanders. The red of the poppies has often been compared to the blood sacrificed in war for the sake of gaining advantage or battling for higher ideals. To this day, poppies are worn by veterans and those honoring soldiers for Remembrance day as well as Veterans day.

I hope these thoughts on the meaning of poppy symbolism has inspired you to grow new perspectives about this incredibly potent flower.

If the poppy really sings to your intuition, don't stop here. Learn more about the poppy from your local botanist, garden center, library or better yet - meditate upon the poppy - you'll be amazed at the insights you can gain in this way.

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Morpheus the God of Dreams/Visions When we think of poppy, the first thing we all think about is Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, from whom the name of the drug Morphine has been derived. Which is perhaps why Morphine is made from poppy seeds. He was the messenger of the gods, and was sent to sooth people after a traumatic experience or for pleasurable escapades of thought, through vivid dreams and visions. He could transform and make himself look like others, which helped him gain the trust of the people he was conveying a message to. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/poppy-tattoo-meaning.html

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Beats Antique - She's Looking For Something (ft. Lynx and Janover) (by Daemos360)

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Cinder cone on Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa in distance -- SHOT OF THE DAY by SparkyLeigh on Flickr.

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Denis_Ruth_St_Denis on Flickr.

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Lovely lady on Flickr.