Eden posted "Carving Time" on his blog to acknowledge my father's critter "I.M.A. Fox"--otherwise known as "Mr. Fox."

There's a wonderful photo there of I.M.A. Fox running in New Mexico. Also scroll down to see my niece Janean's comment.

After reading Susan Ollar's poem "Autobiography in Fourteen Lines," I recalled a poem I wrote over a decade ago--a snapshot of a life in brief. As a Zen master told me years ago: "I know everything about you except the details." This observation beautifully introduces my poem, an escapade of free form images. --Eden Maxwell
__________________

Miles | Stones | Epiphany
by Eden Maxwell
New Jersey, 1997

Small boy becomes man, much sooner than later, shoeshine boy buffing drunken
leather outside bars.

Knives, gang punches to the head and gut, shoeshine boy getting robbed once
more, newspaper delivery kid on bicycle treads, street fighter, street
runner, street survivor, lifeguard, cab driver, truck driver, loner by
trade.

Near death out-of-body experience, cosmic sense of humor, college graduate,
law and order, disorder, mayhem, injustice, corporate executive, mixes well
with others, married man, kite expert, hang glider, writer wannabe.
Unmarried man, soul quest, soul man, no looking back, high wire, no safety
net, cross country rite of passage is made.

City of Angels, magazine editor, editor-in-chief, new age roustabout,
pilgrim lost, unconditional love, rich man, tantric, mystic, save the world,
waterbed, leaves it all, becomes apprentice to sorcerer of art.

Sausalito houseboat dweller, poor man again, minimum wage worker, purging
dogma, book author, ghostwriter, life in Brentwood, near UCLA, Prima Donna
drama, Hollywood Hills denizen, facing the music, divine manifestation,
epiphany on the patio, finds self as creator, adult prodigy, conditional
love.

Garage sale. One-way ticket. Millennium happens, no limits, no box, man
becomes boy again.

A long journey, an odyssey. Survived the mean streets, riches and rags, the
dark side and the light, too. In the end, stumbled upon the holy grail.
Years of wanderlust, returned home to Ithaca, an artist. Full circle, of
course, to the adventure that has now only begun.

Amazement, compassion, gratitude. Daily. Not shaken or stirred.

__________________________

FROM THE MEAN STREETS TO SELF-REALIZATION: FIND YOUR WALKING SHOES

Context is essential for comprehension. Meaningful art appreciation cannot exist without an investigation into how and under what circumstances the art came into being. Read more about Eden and the context of this poem on his blog Eden's Atelier: the soul of fine art.

I met Eden Maxwell in 2008 when I read and reviewed The Artist Empowered:Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist.

Eden's book contains everything needed to sustain creativity over a lifetime. He is a man of soul intent on integrating art, passion, writing, dharma, character, consciousness, culture, intuition, evolution, and spirit. These concerns of heart and mind find a home in his breakout book: An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist. An Artist Empowered is, indeed, a triumph over rejection and a 435 page primer for a creative practice. Eden's book is infused with spirit and hard-won insights. It's simply a magnificent achievement.

He previously appeared on Riehlife:

April 11, 2008: An Artist Empowered--Dharma Infused Artful Living

April 10, 2008: Artist Eden Maxwell’s Life Purpose is Dharma in Daily Life

April 9, 2008: Eden Maxwell on Art in Zen and the Zen of Art

April 8, 2008: Riehlife Rejection Series: Eden Maxwell: Make Rejection Work for Your Creative Life

Here Eden introduces his mother's poem "A Child's Regret." Read more about Adele Richter's poetry on Eden's blog.

Eden's slogan is: "You can't outsource your soul work." It's clear from his loving description of his mother and her poem where the root of that understanding comes from. Here's Eden:

Adele Richter was my mother. She left this world a couple of years ago after a valiant fight with cancer. Born in Romania, she was a remarkably brave woman—she certainly had a Gypsy in her soul. Although she had very little formal education, Adele was smart in the intuitive sense. The Force was with her. Very little got past this lady’s radar.

My mother’s concise longing for connection poetry reminds me in many ways of Emily Dickinson’s work.

A Child’s Regret
by Adele Richter
1976

My mother was so
Small and tender, I am told—
You see, I don’t remember.

I was so little
And did not know
Someone so young
That I loved so much
Would soon go.

Who will help me grow?
And now the snow
Covers everything,
And I will never know.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is joined at this event by four distinguished panelists. In addition to the interaction of the panelists, you'll see short videos on the panelists' work. Here's the link for April 11, 2008 session (9-11 PST) at University of Washington, moderated by Daniel Goleman, author of "Emotional Intelligence" The Scientific Basis of Compassion: What We Know Now & What We all Can Do inspired by Lama Tenzin's vision. It's being broadcast in 28 languages.

Emphasis on child development and good parenting for raising children who are compassionate and engaged.

April 10, 2008: Artist Eden Maxwell’s Life Purpose is Dharma in Daily Life
April 9, 2008: Eden Maxwell on Art in Zen and the Zen of Art
April 8, 2008: Eden Maxwell: Make Rejection Work for Your Creative Life
Part of Riehlife Rejection Resources

_______________________
Riehlife:What do you mean by dharma? As you know, it's one of those words with multiple meanings, depending on context. Why do you choose that word? Did you meet this word through meeting the Dharma? Do you have a daily spiritual practice co-existent with your art practice?

Eden Maxwell: Although the Sanskrit word Dharma has no precise equivalent in English, it does have three main meanings in Buddhism.

1) Reality or Truth (as it is, i.e., not relative)
2) Teaching
3) With a small "d"---the elements of experience

When I combine all three meanings, it adds up to my purpose in life, the reason for which I have come into this world. For what good are these definitions individually, if not to fulfill your mission on Earth?

So, in this context, I use dharma to mean your purpose in life.

When I came across the word dharma many years ago, I immediately embraced it with a feeling, knowing this word articulated and embodied my quest for meaning. As time passed, I realized dharma had been a good word choice since finding your purpose is an act of intuition based on firsthand experience, which is also the source of great art.

Although many people in the West eventually reflect about their purpose in life, it is most often a passive and passing thought relegated to a yearning, a memory. Dharma is an action word; it is something you do, not think about, or analyze.

In our culture, we pass through the educational mill conditioned to choose precut careers from a menu instead of embarking upon a soul mission. The industrial age needed human cogs on the assembly line, not people thinking about dharma; most of those who did consider and question meaning in life were the artists.

Today, you might think, well, society has come a long way and, for example, we do need doctors. Yes, there are many doctors, yet few of them are healers, which is a calling based on a gift, dharma, not a diploma. You can extrapolate to your own conclusions about everything else from there. It's also important to know that a gift might be innate, but not inevitable. Many are called; few choose to go.

Riehlife: Do you have a daily spiritual practice co-existent with your art practice?

Eden Maxwell: To co-exist in this regard is a good way of putting it.

Spirit, art, and truth are aspects of awareness, like facets on a gemstone; if you're aware of one, the other two are nearby.

My appreciation of the transcendent is connected to everything that I do---from painting, writing, washing the dishes, or name your chore. So, I don't think, "Well, now I'm in spiritual mode, grunt work mode," or any other mode. It's all one meditation along my timeline strung together second by second through awareness, which is a function of one true freedom---self-discipline. This approach is easy to understand, yet difficult to believe until you prove it to yourself.

Being present is a form of prayer, regardless of the activity. Since we can't compartmentalize awareness or schedule it in your appointment book, we appreciate the need for remaining vigilant---so we don't succumb to the insidious traps of ego, and suffer the consequences.

Riehlife: Why do you write about dharma? Why is this important for the artist?

Eden Maxwell: There is no more fundamental word than dharma, or why you have come into this world. So, its smart for the artist to confront this concept. In my book, An Artist Empowered, I pose three core questions.

The first one is this: Why am I an artist? One way or another, the answer to this question is liberating, as it lays the groundwork for everything else: dharma realized, original work, strength to persevere, and understanding that, as the master said, it is better to live in fulfillment than in hope. If you, the artist, don't know why you're here, plenty of other folk will be happy to supply the answer for you and this is shaky ground.

Riehlife: What does Zen Buddhism have to do with art? What about the art in Zen Buddhist tradition? What is art in the Buddhist context?

Eden Maxwell: The source of all great art is intuition; I say this because spontaneity, creation, cannot be planned. Planned art is design, and that's another subject.

In Zen Buddhism, the fundamental concept is to intuitively grasp the truth; there are no lengthy discourses, and no reasoning for a logical answer.

Those who practice Zen reject the phantom world of dogmatic beliefs, pointless ritual, and hardwired concepts; you are capable of perceiving the world directly; this is power; this is the gift each true artist paints, writes, dances---name your form.

The Zen Buddhists have known for centuries that while intuition can be understood, it is difficult to express. Writing about intuition is even more arduous, and at best opaque. The wisdom of Zen lies in this inexpressible knowing that reveals itself solely through firsthand intuitive experience.

Nothing is more profound than direct personal experience of a thing, which is the point of both Zen and art.

Art as self-expression is a modern concept that began with the Renaissance some 500 years ago. Art in the Buddhist tradition is not about self-expression, as everything is connected.

Remember, Buddha, who predated as well as inspired Zen, saw no separation in reality; in this philosophy, there is no you; there is no me.Taking the concept further, certain Buddhist artists wouldn't sign their works, for doing so would be an act of ego, which Buddhist philosophy teaches causes suffering.

Traditional Buddhist art portrays the cosmology of this philosophy. Then, there are artists who call themselves Buddhists and create a personal art. We must be careful about what we understand and what others claim to understand, as these understandings might be quite different---even though they seem to be living under the same philosophical roof.

In Zen Buddhist art, as in a Zen rock garden for example, we find an essence or simplicity that you might call minimalism, where less is more.

Riehlife: Talk about your approach to rejection in the arts. How does this relate to your spiritual practice?

Eden Maxwell: As a writer and a painter, I have been on the receiving end of both acceptance and rejection‹and each has its own set of issues. It all comes back full circle to the core question: Why am I an artist?

If you know your purpose and the value of your process, then nothing will deter you from your mission, your dharma.

Rejection, as it turns out, isn't the bane most artists believe it is; rejection is a mirror that reveals truth about your dedication; you are compelled to confront your own self and that is a moment of awareness.

If you are to learn from rejection, use the experience as a moment of reflection, not a pool in which to drown.

Should my art be rejected, I understand that if they could see it, could appreciate it, then they would. Also, a rejection from an anonymous party is no cause for faltering. I have seen great art ignored, and mediocre embraced.

Having goals is good; wanting to share your unique gift is good; making art is good. Keeping these desires in mind, I also realize that getting attached to any outcome is a self-made prison. Releasing your attachment to an outcome frees you to see other opportunities.

The Law of Non-Attachment shouldn't be misunderstood. I strive to have no attachment in how a particular outcome manifests. I work; I create; I have faith in fulfilling my dharma; and my evolving strength tells me the Universe is handling the details.

So, no matter what is happening, I focus on the true goal, and the goal is this: understanding.
In this context, dharma is my spiritual practice.

Eden Maxwell's breakout book An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist—Now is, indeed, a triumph over rejection and a 435 page primer for creators as promised on the cover.

"An Artist Empowered," infused with spirit and hard-won insights, contains everything needed to sustain creation over a lifetime. It's simply a magnificent achievement.

I was so struck by Eden's sense of Dharma and creative life, that we've collaborated on providing three featured Riehlife posts this week:

April 10, 2008: Artist Eden Maxwell’s Life Purpose is Dharma in Daily Life
April 9, 2008: Eden Maxwell on Art in Zen and the Zen of Art
April 8, 2008: Eden Maxwell: Make Rejection Work for Your Creative Life
(partnered with) Riehlife Rejection Resources from the WRITE PEN! archives

So, Read On! (That's where you can read all my book reviews.) You can also read my reviews on Amazon. If you do read a review you like there---mine, or someone else's---please vote that it's helpful. That helps the reviewer, and, it helps the book reviewed as well.

Are you bringing your gifts to fruition?

Clif Johnston hosts Eden Maxwell today on his Zen Junk Tumblelog. Click here to read a comprehensive interview.

Eden Maxwell, author of "An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist—Now" is soulful and his soul reaches out to include art, writing, dharma, character, consciousness, culture, intuition, and evolution. His book "An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist" asks three core questions to the artists in any discipline:

1. Why am I an artist?
2. Where does my art come from?
3. What is the intrinsic value of my art?

By linking a sense of Dharma with our creative lives, we can more easily and deeply answer these three core questions. I invited him to share more about his understanding on the multiple meanings of Dharma and how these link to the creative life (over time) and to our daily lives.---JGR
__________________

Riehlife: Tell us about dharma and how dharma connects with art. First of all, what does Dharma mean?

Eden Maxwell: Although the Sanskrit word Dharma has no precise equivalent in English, it does have three main meanings in Buddhism.

1) Reality or Truth (as it is, i.e., not relative)
2) Teaching
3) With a small "d"--the elements of experience

When I combine all three meanings, it adds up to my purpose in life, the reason for which I have come into this world. For what good are these definitions individually, if not to fulfill your mission on Earth?

So, in this context, I use dharma to mean your purpose in life.

Magic Couple, 17" x 14", by Eden Maxwell

Riehlife: Why do you write about dharma? Why is this important for the artist?

Eden: There is no more fundamental word than dharma, or why you have come into this world. So, its smart for the artist to confront this concept.

Why are you an artist? One way or another, the answer to this question is liberating, as it lays the groundwork for everything else: dharma realized, original work, strength to persevere, and understanding that, as the master said, it is better to live in fulfillment than in hope. If you, the artist, don't know why you're here, plenty of other folk will be happy to supply the answer for you and this is shaky ground.

Riehlife: How did you feel when you first encountered the word "Dharma"?

Eden: When I came across the word dharma many years ago, I immediately embraced it with a feeling, knowing this word articulated and embodied my quest for meaning.

Riehlife: How did your understanding and appreciation of this word grow?

Eden: As time passed, I realized dharma had been a good word choice since finding your purpose is an act of intuition based on firsthand experience, which is also the source of great art.

Riehlife: How does Dharma bring your soul mission into focus?

Eden: Although many people in the West eventually reflect about their purpose in life, it is most often relegated to a yearning, a memory. Dharma is an action word; it is something you do, not think about, or analyze.

In our culture, we [tend to] choose precut careers from a menu instead of embarking upon a soul mission. The industrial age needed human cogs on the assembly line, not people thinking about dharma; most of those who did consider and question meaning in life were the artists.

Riehlife: Do all artists fulfill their destinies?

Eden: A gift might be innate, but not inevitable. Many are called; few choose to go.

Riehlife: Do you have a daily spiritual practice co-existent with your art practice?

Eden: To co-exist in this regard is a good way of putting it. Spirit, art, and truth are aspects of awareness, like facets on a gemstone; if you're aware of one, the other two are nearby.

Riehlife: How do you practice in daily life?

Eden: My appreciation of the transcendent is connected to everything that I do--from painting, writing, or washing the dishes. So, I don't think, "Well, now I'm in spiritual mode, grunt work mode," or any other mode. It's all one meditation along my timeline strung together second by second through awareness, which is a function of one true freedom---self-discipline. This approach is easy to understand, yet difficult to believe until you prove it to yourself.

Riehlife: Speak about your sense of presence.

Eden: Being present is a form of prayer, regardless of the activity. Since we can't compartmentalize awareness or schedule it in your appointment book, we appreciate the need for remaining vigilant--so we don't succumb to the insidious traps of ego, and suffer the consequences.

Riehlife: What does Zen Buddhism have to do with art?

Eden Maxwell: The source of all great art is intuition; I say this because spontaneity, creation, cannot be planned. Planned art is design, and that's another subject.

Riehlife: What about the art in Zen Buddhist tradition?

Eden Maxwell: In Zen Buddhism, the fundamental concept is to intuitively grasp the truth; there are no lengthy discourses, and no reasoning for a logical answer.

Those who practice Zen reject the phantom world; you are capable of perceiving the world directly; this is power; this is the gift each true artist paints, writes, dances---name your form.

Nothing is more profound than direct personal experience of a thing, which is the point of both Zen and art.

Dharma Kites, 22" x 17" by Eden Maxwell

Riehlife: What is art in the Buddhist context?

Eden: Art as self-expression is a modern concept that began with the Renaissance some 500 years ago. Art in the Buddhist tradition is not about self-expression, as everything is connected.

Remember, Buddha, who predated as well as inspired Zen, saw no separation in reality; in this philosophy, there is no you; there is no me. Taking the concept further, certain Buddhist artists wouldn't sign their works, for doing so would be an act of ego, which Buddhist philosophy teaches causes suffering.

Traditional Buddhist art portrays the cosmology of this philosophy. Then, there are artists who call themselves Buddhists and create a personal art. We must be careful about what we understand and what others claim to understand, as these understandings might be quite different---even though they seem to be living under the same philosophical roof.

Riehlife: Are there correspondences between Zen Buddhist art and Modern Art?

Eden: In Zen Buddhist art, as in a Zen rock garden for example, we find an essence or simplicity that you might call Minimalism, where less is more.

No matter what your art form or field of expression: visual arts, performing arts, or writing---one thing is for certain: you will encounter rejection. When you do, what is the most healthy and useful way to respond? Eden Maxwell, author of "An Artist Empowered: Define and Establish Your Value as an Artist—Now" offers these suggestions:

1. Know why you are an artist.
2. Know your purpose and the value of your process.
3. View rejection as a mirror that reveals truth about your dedication.
4. Confront yourself and this moment of awareness.
5. Use rejection as a moment of awareness, not a pool in which to drown.
6. Stay focused on results, but unattached to the results of your efforts.
7. A daily spiritual practice helps you keep life, art, and rejection in perspective.

Eden expands here on these seven suggestions.

Riehlife: Eden, talk about your approach to rejection in the arts. How does this relate to your spiritual practice?

Eden Maxwell: As a writer and a painter, I have been on the receiving end of both acceptance and rejection and each has its own set of issues.

Why am I an artist?

It all comes back full circle to the core question: Why are you an artist?

If you know your purpose and the value of your process, then nothing will deter you from your mission, your dharma.

Riehlife: What is the true purpose of rejection, in your view?

Eden: Rejection, as it turns out, isn't the bane most artists believe it is. Rejection is a mirror that reveals truth about your dedication; you are compelled to confront your own self and that is a moment of awareness.

Riehlife: How can the creative person learn from rejection?

Eden: If you are to learn from rejection, use the experience as a moment of reflection, not a pool in which to drown.

Should my art be rejected, I understand that if they could see it, could appreciate it, then they would. Also, a rejection from an anonymous party is no cause for faltering. I have seen great art ignored, and mediocre embraced.

Riehlife: How can the artist balance the need to have goals and yet to hold these goals lightly?

Eden: Having goals is good; wanting to share your unique gift is good; making art is good.

Keeping these desires in mind, I also realize that getting attached to any outcome is a self-made prison. Releasing your attachment to an outcome frees you to see other opportunities.

I strive to have no attachment in how a particular outcome manifests. I work; I create; I have faith in fulfilling my dharma; and my evolving strength tells me the Universe is handling the details.

So, no matter what is happening, I focus on the true goal, and the goal is this: understanding.