spread features artwork Flying Ganges by Thomas Fuhs, USA
influence: multi-faith, yoga (devout Yogi)
Introduction
Why compile a book of creative works based primarily on spiritual questions? Simply, it is precisely when we are struggling with doubts, confusion, misunderstandings or the relentless, nagging sense that there is something more, that spiritual discovery begins:
Why am I here? Is there a God? How can there be so much negativity and pain in the world? What is the purpose of life? Is there more to reality than what my five senses perceive, what I’ve been taught, what I’ve always believed to be true?
Psychologists tell us that the ego begins to develop around the age of two, as a way of forming a sense of identity. No wonder then that the questions also begin at this age, the endless whys that allow the toddler to begin to make sense of the world and to explore the differences between you and me, self and other.
As we mature, the questions drive us, ideally, to a fuller understanding not only of who we are as individuals, but also of our connection to the people and world around us. They help us discover our roles in this lifetime and our relationship with God or spirit, nature, the universe. For whether we accept or reject the notion of a higher being, the underlying question must be considered as part of our self-exploration.
Illuminations sprang from the desire to examine the questions that are universal and timeless, then follow the questioning process as it leads along the spiritual journey, while simultaneously exploring disparate experiences, cultures, and spiritual beliefs.
By exploring different perceptions and examining very personal expressions of spirituality, we hope to gain enlightenment and a greater understanding of ourselves and others, while also celebrating the remarkable similarities that exist among truth-seekers.
May this book provide moments of illumination for all who venture within.
Questions are the creative acts of intelligence.
— Frank Kingdon