Memoirs and musings of Darius Bashar. Toronto portrait photographer and writer, in pursuit of all things real, raw and intimate.
The last time you got to say I love you.
The last time you were able to pick up your kid before they got too big.
The last time you’ll hear your parents voice on a voicemail.
We almost never know when it’s the last time.
If this summer was your last summer, what is one thing you’d want to do, create or be?
Let it all go Let it go Let go god .
Make space and listen.
Dear Heart, Is there anything you'd like to share? Is there a gift for the rest of us in there? Love, Mind + Body
We each have a gift to share with the world.
A key take-away. A purpose. Our legacy.
That gift almost always originates as a trauma.
That trauma has brought much insecurity and pain into our lives.
Some of us decided to bury our gift/trauma in a dark corner because it was too messy.
That very trauma has ALSO made us uniquely qualified to share our gift through our story.
We do not have to share our story with the world. That is our choice.
At some point we should do the math and determine if the risk is worth the reward.
Do we share our gift with the world or do we keep it to ourselves?
My heart feels congested. It also feels distant and muted. Maybe it was the flu. Maybe it was the super moon. Maybe it was something else. My morning meditations have not been the same.
My signal is full of static and interference.
For now, I will rely on my mind and body to support me while I mend my heart antenna.
I will go back to the basics, until the storm passes.
Photo by Sam Burriss on Unsplash
After Gord Downie's passing this fall, there was an outpouring of love and recognition for the legendary Canadian rock musician.
I remember hearing dozens of stories on the radio from other musicians who intimately knew Gord.
Gord was that guy who would always be on the side of the stage, at music festivals and concerts, dancing and cheering other bands on. It didn't matter if the band was a major headliner or if this was their first real concert. Gord would always find a way to show genuine love.
What Can We Learn From This Beautiful Man?
Competition is an illusion that keep us apart. You don't have to believe or participate in it.
You can choose community over competition.
What would happen to your life (and the world), if today you decided to be your industry's Gord Downie and found a way to forever be a fan.
That's my goal with photography. I want to be the world's biggest fan. It doesn't matter who shot the photo. If it pulls at my heart, I want to cheer and dance from the sidelines. I want to lose myself in that moment and forget about silly concepts like "me" and "you".
I want to close my eyes and watch as everything collapses into just "us". just "one". just "love".
Illustration by: Rebecca Hendin --> www.rebeccahendin.com
Why trauma? Why all this pain and guilt? Why monsters? Why me?!
Then, without warning, a voice whispered:
Silly boy, don't you see, I gave you darkness and pain so you could help and heal from a place of "lived-it" I gave you integrity so you would not swallow your voice, when courage didn't show up I gave you sons and daughters so you would always remember your actions echo for eternity Silly boy, don't you see, I gave you monsters so you could hitch them to your cart and LEAD
Our most important task as creative beings is to make space, so that God can flow energy through us.
If you want to create more, you will need to let go of anything that is needlessly filling you up. Otherwise, there will be no room for greatness to flow through you.
Letting go can feel overwhelming. It requires radical self-awareness and honesty, both of which will leave you stripped naked and exposed.
Sure, naked can be terrifying, but it can also be one of the most liberating human experiences - if you let it.
See the full photography collection for the above photo here.
“You want to change the world - It’s simple.
Listen carefully to your heart and find the courage to share her unabridged message with anyone who has ears.”
