I wonder why they call it the Badlands...

Actually, I do know why they call it the Badlands - I was just being facetious.

I'm at the Badlands modeling for a workshop (Dramatic Portrait: People and Nudes) for Doug Beasley. It is really fitting that I'm here because as of late I've been on an intensely personal spiritual search, and Doug's philosophy on photographing people and nudes comes from such a like-minded approach. He encourages his students to really get to know their subjects/models, and I think we can all agree that that is a cornerstone of making very powerful and substantial images, especially with portraits and nudes.

I'm getting along fabulously with all the participants, Doug, and my fellow models - Jordan and Dave. I'm getting lots of sun (and using a ton of sunscreen), getting well-fed, and feeling very connected to the world and people around me. It's like seeing something for the first time - I'm so intrigued, curious, and accepting towards everything. I feel still and love down to my bones. It's not always and continuously present, but it becomes more frequent and stronger each week the more I practice being aware - present - conscious of every moment. And that's all that I could ever hope for.

Because that's all that we ever have. It's this moment right now that means everything. There is no past or future. All there is, is this moment.





I get to see and work with good friend Dave Levingston for a good portion of a week in about a week and a half. We'll have a wonderful time of conversation, connection, collaboration and creation, for sure!!


____________________

Dave Levingston. <-- Check out his awesome new website!

Limitations and Potentialities

Short-ish post, as I have very limited access to the internet for an indefinite period of time, but I didn't want to leave my readers hanging.

Matt's gallery show went spectacular! We had over 1,200 people come through Matt's exhibit studio in the Grain Belt Building, and he sold quite a few prints, and had even more interest for people buying in the near future. The real money type, like, "I want a 8 foot print of that image, no matter what the cost" type. So, I think it's very safe to say that it was an uber-successful show.


On a completely unrelated matter, I am growing. Everyone is usually growing every day, I realize that, but this is very significant for me. Much more significant than anything else I've considered significant before.

My spirituality, my peace, my sense of calm, figuring out who I really am, the nature of my essence... that understanding and that strong current of awareness, of consciousness, has been filling me slowly but surely throughout the weeks and months. But it really took the 'straw that broke the camel's back' to bring me to that most important point in my life. It was a slap in the face and a huge blessing in disguise. It was the turning point.

No need to go into the details, they are essentially unimportant, except to know that it was the turning point for me. Of course, of course, I have SO much learning and growing to do, and will always continue to progress for the rest of my life - for it is the journey, not the destination. But the dysfunction has ended, the denial has stopped, the running away has turned into running towards. Everything that has happened in my past, I am so grateful for - because it has brought me here, to this sacred NOW. I don't regret, nor would I change one single thing in my life. It has happened because I willed it to happen, and everything in the future will happen because I will will it to happen. It's about the cosmic design of the universe, and the subtle patterns within.

Now, I know some of you think this is totally radical, completely out of character, or just plain nonsense. And that's completely okay and wonderful. And you're right, this progression or awakening or consciousness (or whatever you want to label it) in me are all those things. There's no way I could ever really accurately describe what this is, because our - and any, every - language has it's limitations. These words are only pointers to the truth of what is and what I am.

Perception is the world, and the world is perception. We are not separate beings, we are connected and interconnected with every single thing on this planet. Every single thing. Our destiny is to merge with infinity.


___________________________

Matthew Scherfenberg.

Rise

In reality, I had been falling for a long time. But I finally hit the bottom, and after I came to, I started to brush myself off and get back on my feet.


My body was disoriented, but my mind was startlingly serene. Without knowing so, I brushed off my restraints and scars, started to climb out of my hole, and then I discovered I could fly.










Paradoxically, it feels like I fell from the ground to the endless sky.







________________