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I am a liar

During a photo shoot, where my focus was to bring out the intensity of her watchful eyes, I also had an opportunity to delve deeper into philosophy of Creation and Creators act of observing Himself through mortals eyes.

 

Ponder over the statement “I am a liar” – If I am really a liar, them I am telling the truth, so how can I be a liar? If am telling the truth that I am a liar, then I am not lying, so how can I be a liar? Staying within the rules of grammar, it is impossible to get out of the circular tangle because the sentence that “I am a Liar” creates an inescapable loop. 

 

M.C. Escher (1892-1972), a famous artist is known for his impossible constructions. “Drawing Hands” is a lithograph he printed in 1948. It depicts a sheet of paper out of which two hands arise on a flat surface, facing each other in the paradoxical act of drawing each other into existence. It creates a tangle in trying to decipher, who is drawing whom! The tangle can only be resolved by jumping out of the loop. Only with an outsiders view, one can realize that it is the hand of Escher that is drawing the two hands. The two hands drawing each other is just a paradox in creation.

 

Drawing Hand

Escher’s drawing of two hands.

 

A friend who meets for coffee, in the excitement keeps talking, only becoming aware after an hour, saying “Sorry, I have been talking about myself for the last hour. We should talk about you. So tell me what do you think about me?” 

 

Here again it is a tangle, though that of the ego. Only you as another person can help break from the conversation by choosing not to talk about the friend.

 

Tangles giving self reference are common in everyday life. We cannot solve our problems from the state of understanding from which they were created. Solutions require a change of view.

 

The spiritual philosophy of Sikhs, Sufis and Advait Hinduism have a common thread  that Consciousness is the only pervading reality of creation. The world existence is false, being like a wave on the surface of ocean, existing only for a moment and then subsiding into the stillness of water. The sub-stratum of creation is Consciousness, which is the only reality, with its creative appearance being totally false. Most of us encounter a big challenge in comprehending this simple philosophy because it means our existence, which appears to be real, is to be accepted as unreal! Here again appears the tangle. To break away it requires to view oneself as being different from the existing body. It is through this changed view that one realizes the existence to be a mere disturbance in the sub-stratum of the Consciousness.

 

These spiritual traditions proclaim Consciousness created us as beings, in order to experience Himself through His own momentary creation. Through our eyes, He desires to watch Himself.

 

On page 294 of Adi Granth, Guru Arjan Dev summarizes this entire philosophy in a few lines.

 

Gurbani G

 

With these thoughts I leave with the photos that were created to bring about the intensity in her eyes.

 

Eyes

Eyes

 

Eyes

Eyes

Eyes

Eyes

Eyes

Comments(23)

  1. Reply
    pratap sjb rana says:

    captivating.. intense.. love it

  2. Reply
    mandeep says:

    Osm shoot bhaiya…..keep up……//

  3. Reply
    Harawant Singh says:

    These pictures reminded me of the Afgan girl made famous by Time magazine.

    Noted the difference when the pictures are seen in various sizes. On this page, the 2nd picture strikes your nerve but when seen enlarged, the 1st picture knocks you off. Superb photography.

    What to say of the photographer??

  4. Reply
    Manpreet Singh says:

    From a Banker to philosopher, this writing reminds me of Rajneesh and of course several of Adi Granth

  5. Reply
    Srikanth says:

    It’s a shame we use the term “enjoy yourself” so casually. In fact “enjoy your Self” is really the essence of happiness.

    The fact that only I control how I define myself and how I relate to the world around me is incredibly empowering. Cogito Ergo Sum.

    Having started my inward journey, I keep asking myself how I can help others discover this incredibly powerful truth. You’ve taken a great step through an innovative medium. {Hat-tip}.

    On a separate note, while I was wowed by the technical brilliance of these pictures, I felt a little more natural emotion from the models would’ve taken these pictures to a sublime level. Great work, keep it up!

    • Reply
      mustafa says:

      Agree with srikanth..the model did not deserve ur brilliance!

  6. Reply
    Surupa Chatterjee says:

    First thank you for the arresting sketch and then the insight and its funny I am reading this on Shivratri the day Shiva is worshipped. Quoting from speaking tree…
    (In the yogic tradition, Shiva is not worshipped as a god but considered as the Adi Guru, the first Guru from whom know-ledge originated. For the ascetics that is the day he became one with Kailash; he became like a mountain — absolutely still. After many millennia in meditation, one day He became absolutely still; that day is Mahashivratri.

    Shiva is referred to as Triambaka because he has a third eye, the eye of vision. The two eyes are sensory organs; they feed the mind with nonsense because what you see is not the truth. You see a person, you think something about him; but you are not able to see the Shiva in him. These two eyes don’t see the truth, so another eye, an eye of deeper penetration, has to be opened. In our tradition, knowing doesn’t mean reading books, knowing doesn’t mean listening to someone, knowing doesn’t mean getting information from here and there. Knowing means opening up a new vision into life. )

    I loved the stunning expressive eyes of your post and also the text….Your photography is a journey into yourself and as you share you take us a bit on it and also help us in seeking ours…….

    Regards

    Surupa

  7. Reply
    Janet Cropper says:

    Great post Amardeep. Love it!

  8. Reply
    Adarsh Goindi says:

    Completely agree with you “In all form, He Himself is pervading” ” through all eyes, He himself is watching”. My philosophy says our existence is a paradox, He is supreme who has created us n it is He who makes us see what he wants us to see, it is He who makes us do want he wants us to do….Guru Arjan Dev says ” Sarab Kala Kar Khelai Khel ” – with absolute power, He plays his play. ” Mol na pa-i-ai gunah amol ” – His value cannot be estimated; His virtues are invaluable. I believe eyes are His window to view the world and express, for the expression of eyes is greater than words. Your work is commendable and expressions are everything.

  9. Reply
    Dr. H.B.S. Seth says:

    HAM NAHIEN CHANGE BURA NAHIEN KOYE, PRANVAT NANAK, STHIR NAHIEN KOYE

  10. Reply
    Dr. H.B.S. Seth says:

    JIS KE SIR UOPER TU SWAMI, SO DUKH KESA PAWE, BOL NA JANE MAYA MADH MATA MARNA CHEET NA AWE.

  11. Reply
    Dr muktinder singh says:

    Guru Amar das ji has beutifully converesed with Mind through eyes in Anand Sahib
    E Netr-oh mere-oh har tum meh jot dhari
    Har bib avar na dekhoh koi
    Nadri Har nihalia Eh Vish sansar tum dekhde eh har ka roop hai

  12. Reply
    M Bugi Ansari says:

    GREAT Images-

  13. Reply
    Ravinder Kaur says:

    As usual your photography is intense. Excellent Amardeep

  14. Reply
    amarjeet kaur says:

    To tell anything two or three eyes are not needed, only one can speek enough when the person in front of her or his is looking eyes from special angles……… BEAUTIFUL PHOTO CAPTURES…..

  15. Reply
    Ruchika Singh says:

    Whoa excellent work as always…It’s intense yet scary at the same time. Great capture and so true he knows it all the one above.

  16. Reply
    Jim Faist says:

    Great images, wonderful words of perception.

  17. Reply
    Baljit S Sidhu MD says:

    Thank you for this lovely post. I also enjoyed the comments of Surupa Chatterjee and Adarsh Goindi

  18. Reply
    Karamjeet Singh says:

    At times I wonder how nature created so beautiful things,eyes being the wonderous of all-crystal clear and expressive.Its the poets and photographers who bring out the intensity of their expressions,you being one of them.It created a synergy of responses that is another story.Good luck and good going…

  19. Reply
    Salman Rashid says:

    Ufffff! Speechless!

  20. Reply
    Dhruv Jolly says:

    Tibetan Knots … _/|\_

  21. Reply
    Desh Sidhu says:

    You are very gifted. We are not the illusion, but makers of this illusion. Gurbani is my basis of existence and your words are echoed in Gurbani many times over

  22. Reply
    Ajay Tripathi says:

    Amazing photography!
    But more than that is the doctrine of “I am a liar”!

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