Pray For Me

I woke up this morning feeling some kind of way, kinda sad. Discovering that someone was bootlegging my art online, and deleting messages from racist trolls had put me in an irritated mood. I'm self aware enough to recognize the way I was feeling so I tried to uplift my self with a little exercise and prayer/meditation but I really couldn't focus or get into it. I had a lot of different troubling things on my overactive mind, and I needed to get out to an appointment I was running late for. On my way out to the meeting, a homeless man was begging for change, I ignored him because I was in a rush, I usually at least acknowledge someones presence when spoken to. My meeting went on as planned, happy to get the job done but disappointed that my investments had not performed as planned. Walking back home the same homeless man was on the corner panhandling. I thought to myself, screw it, I'm having a shitty day, mine as well make this guy a little happy. I  reached in my pocket to give him whatever change I had. Two shiny quarters, "Here you go, man, 50 cents." He said, "Thank you, God bless you!" At this moment I was reminded of what a mentor Dick Gregory said once, "give to the homeless and ask them to pray for you." I didn't really think about the philosophy behind it but I remembered. So I asked the man "Please pray for me, do you pray?" He said, "Yes I do, I will pray for you" He smiled, with his face lit up, and began to gently cry. We stood out there in front of Dunkin' Donuts and had a 15 minute conversation. We talked about spirituality, religion, philosophy, our families, the meanings behind our biblical names, and so on. "Okay David, I gotta go man, take care, and don't forget to pray for me brother." David eagerly said, "I will, I will." As I walked away he hollered out "Nathan wait a minute" and I turned around, and he said with joy in his heart, "If no one told you today they love you, I do, I love you brother" and I was touched, realizing that no one had told me they loved me today, my eyes began to water. I hugged him "Thank you, brother, I needed that."

Reflections On The Corner

Reflections On The Corner 

It's cold, light breeze, almost home. Been walking the streets all day, from Jersey City, to Manhattan, to Queens and back. I am in good spirits. Always love to have a plan for the day, and successfully work my plan, but the long walks plus the heavy backpack of supplies were wearing me down. As I come out of the subway I look up to the night sky. The last hint of sunlight was fleeing to the west, leaving the sky a cool blueish purple hue with orange streaks radiating from sun giving the clouds a warm rosy gleam. For a moment i was awestruck by the beauty. Then (((Woop Woop))). Quickly, I snap back to my environment. Sirens, traffic, police, people moving all around, as I come out from beneath the ground, into a sea of activity. I see a plaza full comers and goers, buyers and sellers. 

Time to take a break, I walk down the block to the corner where there are benches waiting. There is one bench free, the other is occupied by a homeless man, laying flat on his back, already passed out for the night. The homeless man is familiar, he has been begging in front of the same convenience store for years. When he is awake he talks a lot, but I can never understand him. Now the day has given way to the night, I sit back and rest my feet. Things are quieter on the corner. 

Thinking back on the day I am reminded of the women on the train that stopped me as I was getting off. She asked me "What are you?"  I think to myself wow that is a deep philosophical question that you want me to answer in five seconds as I get off the train. I ask back "What am I?" she says "Yeah, where are you from?" I think, Oh you want my ethnic background. I answer back, "I am Black." Still not satisfied, she says "yeah, I know that, but what else?" I shrug my shoulders, as the door closes between us. I am thinking "I don't know what else to tell you lady." with one second remaining. 

Later, the question "What are you?" lingered in my mind. That question has led me to ponder on the mysteries of life and my own humility in the face of the unknown. Who am I? It is a good question, not just my ancestors ethnic background but who am i as a human being. It is something I continue to explore, and research. The question inspires me to read about the nature of atoms and quantum physics, research the scriptures and study the philosophies. My truth, my experience as a spiritual being, living a physical life. This is what I attempt to express through the visuals I create. Art is my work. A talent should not be buried, but shared. And I am thankful, I love what I do. 

My mind now back on art, I pull one of my new postcards out of my pocket to admire the good print job. Moving it slightly to watch the colors vibrate in the streetlight. Then suddenly a sound of a man being muffled "mphff, mphff, mphff." It is the homeless man, he has awakened from his slumber. With his hand stretched out to me, It is clear he is asking for change. I think "why not", and give him the change in my pocket. He nods is head in thanks and moves on. And it is time for me to move on too, get back home to my studio. I have work to do. 

Peace.

Nathan Jalani Taylor

Art project postcard

See Kicksarter Art Project Here

Seven Laws Of Positive Manifestation (Info-Graphic by Nathan Jalani Taylor)

Seven Laws Of Positive Manifestation: Fundamental Keys to Achieving Goals

1. Pray: Connect with the universal divine force of creation with positive affirmation and gratitude for inspiration and guidance.
2. Daydream: Allow yourself to freely dream of the future you want, everything begins in the mind.
3. Write: Very important step to write down ideas and goals, increase the power of visualization with drawings, photos, or prototypes.
4. Research: Learn as much as you can about your desired goal, the internet and books are great tools.
5. Plan: Starting from the end write a step-by-step plan of how to reach your desired goals.
6. Action: Step-by-step, execute your plan with action from the beginning and in the proper order.
7. Persist: Continue and repeat the process, you will have set backs and failures. You may take a break, or adapt your goals, but never give up!