"Oa'oa" by Bodhi Smith

May 05, 2023

 
happy
in actions,
happy
in body,
happy
in thoughts,
happy
in mind,
happy
in heart,
happy
in spirit,
happy
to be alive,
happy 
to just be,
happier
in this moment
happier
 
MY THOUGHTS
when she is on top of me, i'm on the top of the world in my happiest of happy places  ― bodhi, oa'oa
 
h​appy ​friday, and happy c​inco de ​m​ayo! and to go along with being happy today, this impression is named after the ​t​ahitian word “​o​a’oa” which means “extra happy”...
 
​happily ​located beside an exotic black sand beach on the remote island of ​t​ahiti ​n​ui in​ the middle of the south pacific ocean within​ ​the extensive f​rench ​p​olynesia​ archipelago​, these three coconut palm trees are giving off happy vibes as they playfully dance under the southern hemisphere stars with the colorful ​m​ilky ​w​ay floating across the tropical night sky above...
 
​somewhere that you desire to revisit over and over is ​a​ happy place, somewhere that fills both your mind and heart with good feelings, joy, love, and peace is a happy place...it's in that very place where you want to be right now if you had your choice...the place where everything is peaches and cream, all smiles and giggles, filled with only good feelings, floating bubbles, rainbows, singing birds, and happiness...
 
a happy place, a happy time visiting with happy trees surrounded by happiness... that should be the new definition of paradise  ― bodhi, oa'oa
 
​and if you've been reading my blogs, you know that ​both trees and stars are easily my two favorite subjects to photograph. and when i can get the two of them together, i'm truly in my happiest of happy places...because when i'm under the colorful canopy of a tree, or under the glowing canopy of stars, i'm most at peace, i'm most free, i'm most at home...and when i find myself under both, i'm most happy in my happiest of places...
 
t​here is no path to happiness: happiness is the path​ ― ​gautama sidhartha buddha​
 
​we​ all have happy places, ​these ​places we love and long to return to time and time again. places that make us laugh, feel at peace, feel at home. a smile forever floats to your face at just the thought of your happy place...for some, it's a place of great memories, like on a tropical beach ​under the canopy of coconut trees under the canopy of stars​. for others it's a state of mind found in meditation or relaxation. for the lucky ones, that happy place is a person, and when you can find that kind of love, hold on forever no matter what, never leave or give up, always fight to keep hold of your happy place​ and happy, happy, happy you will be​...
 
here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart...i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart) ― e.e. cummings
 
now here is a great tune, a totally happy tune to go along with my thoughts and photo here today on cinco de mayo 2023...such a light and airy melody with lyrics as positive as positive can be,,,plus, having the exact same name as my impression ("oa'oa" translates to "happy"), makes it even more the perfect song to accompany my words and picture here: "happy" by pharrell williams.
 
it might seem crazy what i am about to say. sunshine, she's here, you can take a break. i'm a hot air balloon that could go to space. with the air, like i don't care, baby by the way, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you, because I'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do...here comes bad news talking this and that. well give me all you got, don't hold back. well i should probably warn you. i'll be just fine. no offense to you don't waste your time. here's why: clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do...uh, bring me down, can't nothing, bring me down. my level's too high to bring me down. can't nothing, bring me down, i said, bring me down, can't nothing bring me down. my level's too high to bring me down, can't nothing, bring me down, i said. clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do. clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you. because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do...uh, bring me down (happy, happy, happy, happy} can't nothing (happy, happy, happy, happy) bring me down, my level's too high to bring me down (happy, happy, happy, happy). can't nothing (happy, happy, happy, happy) bring me down, i said. clap along if you feel like a room without a roof , because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you, because I'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do. clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth, because i'm happy. clap along if you know what happiness is to you, because i'm happy. clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do ― pharrell williams, happy.
 
​i'm happy, i finally got to feel it all, feel how good it can be, feel how good it is. feeling i got it all, i'm happy​ ― bodhi, ​happy  
 
 
 
A COUPLE MORE TUNES
i often think in music. i live my daydreams in music. i see my life in terms of music ― albert einstein
 
i always include song lyrics and links to the music in my blogs because of the deep connection i have to music. every single one of my photo impressions is tied to a specific musical tune and its lyrics, often my titles are the exact same as the titles of the songs to which they relate...
 
my deep affinity for music is truly what drives the meaning for each one of my blogs...and connecting to music is one of my main bridges to take me away to my happy place...
 
that one song can do so much, it can carry me away in a second's notice to a happy place, right to her, even when she is thousands of miles away ― bodhi, happy place 
 
everyone has one song that triggers a specific emotional response. it might be the song that you danced to under the starlight on the beach, or that drive song you always sing along outloud when you're behind the steering wheel, or a song that takes you right back to the first time you kissed the love of your life...the reason we have such a deep connection to music is because it's hardwired into our brains. in fact, scientists have found that music stimulates more parts of our brains than any other stimulus...

music significantly benefits our mental health and well-being. a study conducted by mcgill university in canada found that listening to music increases the amount of dopamine (neurotransmitter transmitting pleasure) released into the brain, literally helping to take us to our happy place in our mind and body. now, the field of psychology is exploring music as a viable treatment for depression...
 
​it seems like music is always there to help guide me on the path to my happy place ― bodhi, ​happy​
 
this ​next ​song i've selected is another one perfectly matched to the meaning of my impression today...it's a happy upbeat love song from 55 years ago that really stands up to the test of time, released back in the very year i was born in 1967, truly a happy year for me getting introduced to this beautiful planet on which we live: "happy together" by the turtles.
 
imagine me and you, i do. i think about you day and night, it's only right to think about the girl you love and hold her tight, so happy together. if i should call you up, invest a dime and you say you belong to me, and ease my mind. imagine how the world could be, so very fine, so happy together. i can't see me lovin' nobody but you for all my life. when you're with me, baby, the skies'll be blue for all my life...me and you, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be: the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together. i can't see me lovin' nobody but you for all my life. when you're with me, baby, the skies'll be blue for all my life. me and you, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be: the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together...ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba. ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba...me and you, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be: the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together. so happy together, and how is the weather? so happy together, we're happy together, so happy together, happy together. so happy together. so happy together. ― the turtles, happy together.
 
 
and ​this tune released about a year ago in 2022 is about realizing the need to get out of your head and quit thinking so much in order to be happy...sometimes what makes you happy is being comfortable in your own mind and body, and when you find that, it's easy to be happy with that special someone when they finally enter your life...this great little tune really resonates with me about discovering how to be happy:  "i'm happy" by imagine dragons.
 
happy, happy, happy, happy. happy, happy, happy, happy. what's wrong with me? is there somebody else inside my head that doesn't want me to be happy? i know my rights, i live until I die. i've got this bed, each night i go to sleep and dream i'm swimming in the deep end. you're my buoy and i'm sinking. life flies by me, but i'm thinking you saved my life and now. i'm happy because finally i feel i got it all. started out with nothing at all. and even when i might fall down, i know my luck come back around. they telling me that i should love myself, sometimes i fail. but then you hit me like a whiplash, yelling in my corner. she's a wild one, yes, i should warn ya. life flies by me every morning. you saved my life and now i'm happy. because finally i feel i got it all, started out with nothing at all. and even when I might fall down, i know my luck come back around. they tell me to write a paragraph of everything i love about me. write a paragraph and send it in the mail to a future me that's trying desperately to start a family. teach them to love themselves. teach them to love themselves. teach them to love themselves. i'm happy because finally i feel i got it all, started out with nothing at all. and even when i might fall down, i know my luck come back around. i'm happy because finally i feel i got it all, started out with nothing at all. and even when i might fall down, i know my luck come back around. happy, happy, happy,​ ​happy. happy, happy, happy, happy ― imagine dragons, i'm happy.
 
happy in actions, happy in body, happy in thoughts, happy in mind, happy in heart, happy in spirit, happy to be alive, happy to just be, happier in this moment ― bodhi, happiness
 
 
 
A COUPLE MORE QUOTES
p​raise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. ​t​o be happy, rest like a giant tree in the midst of them all​ ​― ​gautama sidhartha buddha​ 
 
d​o you want to be really happy? ​y​ou can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you’ve got​ ​― lao tzu, tao te ching
 
​h​appy is he who has loved much, and although he may have wavered and doubted, he has kept that divine spark alive and returned to what was in the beginning and ever shall be​ ​― vincent van gogh, l​etters ​to theo​
 
home is not just where you are from, it is where you belong. some of us travel the whole world to find it. others, find it in a person ― beau taplin, buried light
 
look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars… and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. everything is simply happy. trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. look at the flowers - for no reason. it is simply unbelievable how happy trees are. ― osho
 
​n​o​​body is responsible except you. ​n​o​​body can make you angry, and nobody can make you happy​​ ― osho
 
​be a dog...​joyful, joyful, joyful,​ ​as only dogs know how to be happy​ ​with only the​ ​autonomy​ ​of their shameless spirit​ ​― pablo neruda  
 
​"t​he secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon​" ​― ​paulo coelho, t​he ​a​lchemist
 
​be happy now without reason, or you will never be at all...the journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination​ ― bdan millman, way of the peaceful warrior​
 
to me you are stardust sprinkled across a night sky, forever in my dreams, but not out of my reach ― teresa medeiros, yours until dawn
 
keep your spirits high in the branches of a tree and do not peek out too far ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi
 
only from the heart can you touch the stars in the sky ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi
 
 
 
SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS PHOTO
​a happy place​ is that very place where you want to be right now if you had your choice...the place where everything is peaches and cream, all smiles and giggles, filled with only good feelings, floating bubbles, rainbows, singing birds, and happiness... ― bodhi, happy​
 
this image is quite me--blue and green tones, very minimalistic, just my favourite subjects--​three ​tree​s​ and the milky way...it was taken a little over two months ago during my trip to french polynesia in february 2023 from a black sands beach on the southeastern shore of tahiti nui...
 
this impression consists of two compositions taken separately: one of the coconut palm tree  taken just before sunrise at 5:4​3​am on february ​23​rd, 2023 (f/​11​@​24​mm for 11 secs, iso-64)... and one of the middle portion of the milky way arch and the stars (taken about 1.5 hours before sunrise at 4:2​4​am on march ​23​rd, 2023 (f'/1.4@24mm for 15secs, iso-2500)...the two photos were then merged together into one picture using layers in adobe photoshop cc...
 
in my photography, i always use filters to create longer exposure effects, saturate colors naturally, and balance the light in my composition in-camera...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter in my completed impressions...
 
to get the effects and balance i was looking for in the palm tree exposure of this composition (f/​11​@​24​mm for 11 secs, iso-64), i used two progreyusa filters. along with the progrey g-120z antarctic magnetic holder. to secure these filters to my nikon d850 with a nikon nikkor​ ​24mm prime ​f/​1.4​ lens. ... 
 
first, a 3.0 nd progrey antarctica filter. to bring the light in the image down 10 stops and permit for the long 11 second exposure which naturally saturates all the red, green, and blue (rgb) colors in the image...
 
combined with the second filter, a 0.9 gnd progrey aurora filter. inverted to help balance in-camera overall the image the way i envisioned it...in this case, to stop down the much brighter light in the bottom left part of the sky, the pre-dawn light of the impending sunrise, an extra three stops and help permit details in the shadows of the sculpture to come out better in the exposure... 
 
for the separate exposures of the stars which include the middle of the milky way arch (f/1.4@24mm for 15sec, iso-2500), no filters were necessary, so none were used...
 
i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my induro phq3 series 5-way panhead with an induro (now benro) stealth carbon fiber tripod. in combination with the progreyusa filters. which i use with every photo i take...
 
contemplate without thinking. be certain only in your uncertainty, content to be completely incomplete. stop the rush. slow down time. breathe and notice. slow down everything. let it all be. shut off the noise. hush. relax. seize this higher moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colours of light whisper as they envelope you. see the melody and harmony that float about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken! ― bodhi, my world
 
leave you today wishing that bright joy 
and spiritual peace fill your life...
imploring you to make every moment count, 
no matter what, always and forever, 
for that is the only thing that truly matters... 
 
and above all else,
i hope this message and impression find you well.
 
namaste,
bodhi
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