True To Myself by Bodhi Smith

Apr 24, 2020

"true to myself" a new impression from bodhi smith...
 
i hope you enjoy my newest impression and blog today, i want it to be meaningful as i stay true to myself with this image, my thoughts, my words, and the music selections herein...
 
"i cannot live a fantasy. a fantasy is just another untruth. another lie. no mater how much i hope and pray for a fantasy to be real, it is not real and never will be real. i owe it to myself to lead a truthful life with no illusions; to walk my real path and truly be true to myself" ― bodhinku, true to myself  
 
"you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way" ― richard bach, jonathan livingston seagull
  
"remain true to yourself, child. if you know your own heart, you will always have one friend who does not lie" ― marion zimmer bradley, the forest house
 
"it can be so soothing and peaceful to reflect upon the magical universe that surrounds us, especially while sitting under the silent wisdom glowing down from billions of orbs in the starry night sky as you wait for the sun to rise and shine...but be true to the universe that is inside you. and be true to the sunshine within...only you know you. you know what you truly need, so be true to yourself and do everything you can to truly get it"  ― bodhinku, true to yourself 
    
“you have a unique gift to offer this world. be true to yourself, be kind to yourself, read and learn about everything that interests you and keep away from people who bring you down. when you treat yourself kindly and respect the uniqueness of those around you, you will be giving this world an amazing gift...you"― steve maraboli, unapologetically you
      
“be true to yourself. but that's something everyone says and no one means. no one wants you to be yourself. they want you to be the version of yourself that they like" ― marie lu, the young elites  
 
"my great longing is to learn to make those very incorrectnesses, those deviations, remodellings, changes of reality, so that they may become, yes, untruth if you like...but more true than the literal truth" ― vincent van gogh, letters to theo
   
"look at the stars, and let that silence penetrate you...look at the dark night and let that velvety darkness surround you, envelop you, dissolve you. this is the way of the simple heart" ― osho, the buddha said...  
 
and this is the perfect song to hear as you read through my blog today. what you will be listening to is simply my all-time single favorite reggae song, it is truly beautiful music with lyrics speaking of a wisdom which i try to follow in my life, especially now with all that has happened recently... "true to myself" by ziggy marley...perfect lyrics to add to the feeling, meaning, and impression i hope you gain for my photo today...it is an upbeat reggae tune with a melody that adds a wonderful ambiance, along with meaningful wisdom, as you continue to read the rest of my blog today...(just click on any of words in the blue links to listen to the any song in this entire blog) 

"life has come a long way since yesterday, i say. and its not the same old thing over again, i say. just do what you feel and don't you fool yourself, i say. because i can't make you happy unless, i am, i say. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself...day in, day out i've asked many questions, i say. only to find the truth it never changes, i say. if you don't deal with it, it keeps killing you a little by little, i say. call me selfish if you will, my life i alone can live, i say. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself...i don't care if it hurts. i'm tired of lies and all these games. i've reached a point in life no longer can i be this way. don't come crying to me, i too have shed my share of tears. i'm moving on, yes i'm grooving on, well i'm finally free. i've got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself. got to be true to myself...got to be true, got to be true, got to be true to myself (in a way all)...got to be true, got to be true. got to be true to myself" ― ziggy marley, true to myself  
 
"your own truth needs to guide you away from all the deceptions you find everywhere, not only lies from others, but also those from within yourself...you really need to be stubborn and selfish sometimes for your own good, your own well-being. take care of yourself with the truth you value and need to stay healthy. accept nothing short of being real. be true to yourself, but also be truthful with yourself. because untruths coming from others are disappointing to say the least, but it is even more unacceptable to continue to lie to yourself. because if you cannot believe yourself, how can you believe in yourself?" ― bodhinku, be true with yourself 
  
"you are the truth from foot to brow. now, what else would you like to know?"― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi 
 
"lose yourself, lose yourself! escape from the black cloud that surrounds you. then, you will see your own light as radiant as a billion stars. now enter that silence. this is the surest way to lose yourself....what is your life about, anyway? nothing but a struggle to be someone, nothing but you running from your own silence" ― jalaluddin rumi, in the arms of the beloved 
 
"the whole world is a form for truth. when someone does not feel grateful for that, the forms appear to be as he feels, they mirror his anger, his greed, his fear. make peace with the universe. take joy in it. it will turn to gold… every moment a new beauty" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi    
----------------------   
 
MEANING
"i always hoped i finally found real magic, not something that was just another illusion. but i found no happily ever after. and i realize now that i need to walk away from the fantasy of living a fairy tale. so i'm stepping off the fake path where i was lost, and i'm now starting to walk onto the path i know in my heart is real, my own real truth. i need this truth, as all the deceptions i believe in are softly killing me methodically and slowly inside. i need to find me again. i need to believe in me again. moving forward, i have to be true to myself to do that."  ― bodhinku, be true to myself
 
pictured here is the "a vere" moai, a.k.a. the "traveling moai", an ancient statue on the tiny remote island of rapa nui (isla de pascua, or easter island) surrounded in isolation by the vast south pacific ocean...
 
this moai seems to be contemplative under the starry sky on rapa nui island, as a beautiful sun pillar glows up into the sky from the horizon a couple hours before sunrise...this is truly the place where he has always belonged and always will find as his home. he greets visitors from all over the world. he gets to meet so many diverse people, diverse in culture, religion, and ideas. he is never judgmental, and accepts everyone for who they are as long as they respect his space and being. this is what makes him smile, gives him real meaning. he is not led away by deceptions. he knows his place. he knows his truth. he believes in himself. he knows who he is and who he was meant to be. he is being true to himself, night after night, day in and day out here on rapa nui...patiently existing as time and weather slowly age, erode, and fade him away back to where he came from, back into the elements of the earth...i want badly to be more like this, like the "traveling" moai here under the stars, glowing the the pre-dawn light under the stars...sigh...
 
and today is another day ending another week to be still under the covid19 lockdown orders from our governments, and consequently i have had lots of time to think and contemplate my life and the path i now find myself walking down along alone...a path that is now my choice, one with none of deceptions i faced in the past, one that is real and not a fantasy of hope, one one that is my own truth, one where i chose to stay stubborn and remain true to myself...
 
and here are a couple more quotes from bodhinku to help bring a little deeper meaning to this image and my deeper darker thoughts...
 
"beautiful lies are worse than a contagious respiratory virus, they can silently infect even the nicest of people, eventually ruining them, leaving them unknowingly lifeless, gasping for the truth..."  ― bodhinku, beautiful lies
 
"she is a beautiful lie,
made up of tons of pretty lies
deceptively controlling me.
she is make-believe,
making me believe her
lies are the truth. i thought
she walks in beauty. but,
she is only a walking fantasy,
showing me the ugly truth of
empty words wrapped in
layers upon layers of lies.
her actions were her truth,
she was a beautiful lie." ― bodhinku, a beautiful lie
 
"when i close my eyes, her lies still haunt and torment me...but that is a good thing, awakening the hunger in me to discover real truth...and i found it, where it had always been all along, had i just opened my eyes" ― bodhinku, discovery of truth
 
"i know the beauty of silence...it is meant to get me out of my damn head, squash my overthinking, and remind me to refocus instead on the beauty all around me, surrounding me with its silence" ― bodhinku, beauty of silence  
 
here is more music you can listen to as you finish reading my blog. this is another favorite reggae tune of mine, "a beautiful lie" by thirty seconds to mars...
 
"lie awake in bed at night and think about your life. do you want to be different? try to let go of the truth, the battles of your youth. because this is just a game, it's a beautiful lie. it's a perfect denial. such a beautiful lie to believe in. so beautiful, beautiful, it makes me....it's time to forget about the past. to wash away what happened last. hide behind an empty face. don't ask too much just say. because this is just a game, it's a beautiful lie. it's a perfect denial. such a beautiful lie to believe in. so beautiful, beautiful, it makes me....everyone's looking at me. i'm running around in circles. a quiet desperation's building higher. i've got to remember this is just a game. so beautiful, beautiful (lie!l lie!).  so beautiful, beautiful (lie! lie!).  it's a beautiful lie. it's a perfect denial. such a beautiful lie to believe in. so beautiful, beautiful, it makes me" ― thirty seconds to mars, a beautiful lie
 
"if you’re unwilling to undress, don’t enter into the stream of truth. stay where you are. don’t come our way" ― jalaluddin rumi, the soul of rumi    
----------------------    
 
HISTORY AND STORY BEHIND THE "TRAVELING" MOAI
"you yourself are the most beautiful soul in the world, and every day spent living in truth, being true to yourself, with your true self, will always be a beautiful day" ― bodhinku, true self    

since visiting rapa nui, i have found my dreamland place in reality and i have frequently revisited it in my subconscious ever since almost nightly to this isolated and remote island in the southern pacific ocean. it is here where there are the moai (spiritual statues) who are forever looking inward with their backs to the sea, protecting the island from spiritual invaders. 
 
these are guardians of the night forever and always singing a silent lullaby with a distinct but hidden rhythm that i can both hear and see in my mind's eye...an enchanting beat much the same a symbiotic heartbeat that draws me closer like a lover. to fall in line with the rhythm, i only have to sigh and i am rejoined in rejoicing. it is metaphysical music to my ears, and nourishment for my soul, and a silence i want to hear more and more often in my life these days. there is such a beautiful rhythm in a melody of my heart. 
 
after being lucky enough to have visited this island now three different times and bring it home in my memories, these visions of mystics now seemingly watch over me, sing their silent songs of wisdom to me, help to see me through my dreams, guide me through the doorways in my mind, and my reality with their rhythm into my heartbeat...my lucidity of life....can you hear them singing in silence? can you? can you see the echo in your mind?  
 
my first visit in the summer (remember the southern hemisphere seasons are opposite of those enjoyed in the northern hemisphere), december of 2015 was special, and i left the island in awe, not wanting to leave...so i returned, twice more, once in the fall (april) of 2018 and again in winter (june-july) of 2019...and each time i arrive, i always have to leave, and i leave, but i leave wanting more, i'm not done yet, not even close...i want to go back again because i know i still have things i want to do, and unfinished moments there to spend, to live, to just be...i am not even close to being done with rapa nui, isla de pascua (a.k.a. easter island) in my life, i feel like this is all just only the beginning for me, my relationship with rapa nui is only just starting to develop like a grand and epic love story...for greater adventures and so many more beautiful moments still lie ahead of me the rest of my life, together this island and me...
 
as i stated above, this past summer in june-july 2019, i made the trip to easter island (rapa nui) for my third time in a span of four years...but why in the world would anyone travel to one of the most remote places on our planet, spending a nice sum of money to get there once again, when they have already been there twice already? simply put, the place is silently dreamy to me...and i will be going back again very soon...

is one of my favorite places to go on this earth, i have such a strong affinity for it...there is just something about it that draws me in, draws me back to it time and time again, i truly love it there...a mystique that i just cannot stay away from no matter how hard i try, and i find again and again, that  i am compelled to travel to this tiny and remote south pacific island, returning  over and over and over, so strangely beautiful, captivating, fascinating, and magical for my soul...ella esta mi isla de suenos...  
 
the "traveling" moai pictured here is located within the grounds of the protected ahu tongariki which opens shortly before dawn and remains open until 6:00p.m...no trespassing is allowed during closed hours, and rigorous security is provided 24 hours and all night to watch this famous site and protect all the statues, with trespassers either ticketed or arrested. however, this statue is close enough to the road's edge next to the site, and as such, it can be photographed from the other side of the protective stone wall that surrounds the site in off hours without stepping on to the grounds and breaking the law...

the "a vere" moai, known as the “traveling moai”, is located at the entrance to the ahu tongariki and is one of the most photographed statues on easter island. it is truly "el guardian de tongariki" as it is a singular statue that welcomes the visitor who enters the archaeological site of the ahu tongariki. it is located on the left, close to the wal and the road, a few steps from the access to this magical place, in front of the park rangers control kiosk and very close to the remains of a hare paenga or boat-house.

this ultra cool sculpture is known as “a vere” moai, a name that seems to be recent since its old name and its exact original location are unknown. this moai, which now appears upright on the grass and not on an ahu or platform as usual, spent several years on a slope with its back to the sea and the ahu tongariki. his face, with the carved eye sockets, is currently facing the opposite side to which the statues on the platform look, as if he wanted to show his anger at not having been included in the monument. however, the reality is that this interesting figure, in addition to not belonging to this ahu, has enjoyed greater prominence than its fifteen stony neighbors.

one of his moments of fame was achieved when in 1982 he was shipped to Japan to participate in an exhibition in the city of osaka. when he returned to easter island some time later from his trip abroad, the islanders called him “the traveling moai” and he has been popularly known ever since.

ever since the japanese government, together with the tadano company, collaborated in the reconstruction of the ahu tongariki in 1960, after it was leveled by a powerful tsunami from the massive 9.5 richter scale earthquake that struck chile and sent a huge wave 3700 miles across the south pacific ocean to strike easter island...the friendly relations that arose between rapa nui and japan have always been manifested through a moai. one of the latest examples of this mutual affection is the new moai, made by rapanui artist benedicto tuki, which chile gave to the japanese people of minami sanriku to replace an old replica devastated after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.

the second moment of glory of the moai “a vere” occurred in 1986 when it was used in the experiments carried out by pavel pavel. this Czech engineer was invited by norwegian explorer thor heyerdahl to participate in his second expedition to easter island and demonstrate his theories on the transportation of the statues.

an ancient legend tells that the moai statues walked from the rano raraku quarry to their final position in the numerous ahus or platforms scattered around the island, thanks to the mana or divine power. pavel pavel’s most practical and earthy ideas were intended to make the moai walk using a technique similar to that used to move a refrigerator.

after making a first attempt at a smaller statue now found outside the sebastian englert museum, he used this moai for his final test. on february 5, 1986, pavel pavel, with a group of less than twenty people, well-attached ropes and his particular technique, managed to get the moai to advance a few meters vertically with a rocking motion.

it was quite an achievement making “to walk” this 4-meter-high, 9-tonne moai, which despite exhibiting “wounds” produced by the ropes during its travels and experiments, continues to emanate an energy from another time.

the moai a-vere, as with most other statues, has suffered for centuries from the erosion of the humid and subtropical climate typical of easter island. the most visible sign of this deterioration are the white spots that cover the surface of the statues.

these spots are actually a lichen, an organism product of the union between a seaweed and a fungus, which develops in humid environments and invades the stone creating crusts, reminiscent of leprosy that once existed in rapa nui.

this lichen can alter the surface of the rock in such a way that over time the moai statues could become simple rectangular monoliths. faced with such a threat, experts have begun to restore and protect the first moai from the harmful effects of lichens.

the first cleaning and conservation tests were carried out on the moai statues of the ahu tongariki and more recently on the moai of the ahu ature huki in anakena. in 2015, conaf experts treated the a-vere moai with specific products for the island’s own conditions.

this type of intervention consists of several phases. first, a biocidal agent that destroys lichens is applied, then its extraction is carried out before protecting the surface with a consolidating product. finally, a water repellent is applied, which prevents water from penetrating into the rock but allows steam to circulate to prevent moisture from accumulating inside it and lichen to survive.

this treatment aims to conserve the moai and try to stop the deterioration caused by the action of water and wind, two meteorological agents very present on the island. the problem lies in its high cost and the need to protect hundreds of legendary figures that are a world heritage site.

the budget required to treat the statues affected by the weather is estimated to exceed $500 million usd, an amount that the rapa nui community cannot bear alone. for this reason, some propose that the countries that display looted moai statues throughout history, collaborate economically in the conservation of island statues.

among them, the famous moai hoa hakananai’a that the british museum treasures and whose return is demanded by many inhabitants of rapa nui stands out. others suggest that it would be better for this moai to remain in london as an island ambassador, in exchange for the museum providing resources to help protect the stone giants of easter island.

it is necessary to buy in advance the ticket to the rapa nui national park to enter the site. the ticket is valid for 10 days to visit the different archaeological sites, which can be visited several times, with the exception of orongo and the rano raraku volcano quarry that can only be done once.  

the access to the site is on the west side, where the “traveling moai” is located. in front of it there is a parking area to leave the vehicles. after crossing the wall, you must go to the right to present the ticket in the kiosk of the national park. ahu tongariki opens shortly before dawn until 6:00 p.m...no trespassing is allowed during closed hours, and rigorous security is provided all night to watch this famous site and protect all the statues

"touch the silence with your mind, and you will begin to understand the one who you call yourself" ― bodhinku, touch the silence    
----------------------
   
MORE QUOTES FOR EXTRA MEANING
more music you can listen to as you read on with my blog. this is another favorite song of mine, one most people might have never heard before, "love is my religion" by ziggy marley...this song is very poignant to this image, as well as very soothing at the same time and easy on the ears as you read along...  
 
"love is my religion...i'll take you to the temple tonight...all my days i've been searching to find out what this life is worth. through the books and bibles of time, i've made up my mind. i don't condemn, i don't convert, this is a calling have you heard. bring all the lovers to the fold, 'cause no one is gonna lose their soul...love is my religion...hey you can take it or leave it, and you don't have to believe it. i don't want to fight, hey let's go fly a kite. there's nothing that we can't cure, and i'll keep you in my arms for sure. so don't let nobody stop us, free spirits have to soar. with you i share the gift, the gift that we now know oh oh oh...love is my religion, love is my religion, love is my religion...hey you can take it or leave it, and you don't have to believe it. well i'm done searching now, i found out what this life is worth. not in the books that i find, but by searching my mind. i don't condemn, i don't convert. this is the calling have you heard, bring all the lovers to the fold, no one is gonna lose their soul...love is my religion, love is my religion, love is my religion...hey you can take it or leave it, and you don't have to believe it...love is my religion, love is my religion, love is my religion...hey you can take it or leave it, now that you believe" ― ziggy marley, love is my religion
 
"three things can not hide for long: the moon, the sun and the truth" ― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada
 
"those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living" ― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada
 
 "silence the liar with truth"― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada 
 
"the gift of truth excels all other gifts"  ― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada   
 
"there are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting" ― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada
    
"knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom...mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power" ― lao tzu, tao te ching  
 
"there is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide. no matter what people call you, you are just who you are. keep to this truth. you must ask yourself how is it you want to live your life. we live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone. no one can help us, not even the buddha. so consider this carefully: what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?" ― dalai lama xiv, the art of happiness
  
“i trust in the universe to unfold as it should, to reveal my path and guide me silently along on my journey. but i also recognize that sometimes fate requires a little push. that while the cosmos may quietly provide me with the blueprint to my destiny, it is my duty to speak up, to get my hands dirty, and build something of it.” ― beau taplin, the blueprint
 
"whole in its splendor of silence, bound together with the synchronicity of ragged breath, pounding heart and unbridled passions. broken open only in longing, shattering every illusion, unwilling to wear the veils or masks of the past. desire crashes like waves upon a shore taking my breath away; a storm that is at once exhilarating in its power as it is nourishing with its life-giving rains. here is the playground of the soul; the raw, wild expanse of form and feeling balancing on the knifes edge of sanity, rising in the blinding culmination of ecstasy. here is a place of unity; two rivers that merge as one and flow like liquid fire to the sea. here is a journey to the stars; every sound a prayer to the divine, every act of worship upon the altar of the other in deepest reverence and purest love. this is what they must mean by eternity; this sacred space formed by beating hearts, breathless rasps, and open souls joined of one smile. these are the moments of radiant bliss spoken in all ages of the world and silently breathed into the syllables of all languages" ― c. ara campbell  
 
“we must pass through solitude and difficulty, isolation and silence, to find that enchanted place where we can dance our clumsy dance and sing our sorrowful song. but in that dance, and in that song, the most ancient rites of our conscience fulfill themselves in the awareness of being human" ― pablo neruda, toward the splendid city
 
"there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. it's your mission on earth." ― paulo coelho, the alchemist
  
"the future will end up finding out the truth about the past"― paulo coelho, adultery
  
"telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie and making someone smile" ― paulo coelho, by the river piedra sat down and wept
 
"only when you have known yourself can you go anywhere else. then wherever you go you will carry a blissfulness around you, a peace, a silence, a celebration”― osho, awareness: the key to living in balance
 
"she was struck by the simple truth that sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people..." ― nicholas sparks, the choice 
 
"people lie by omission all the time. people will tell you most of the story...and i've learned that the part they neglect to tell you is often the most important part. people hide the truth because they're afraid" ― nicholas sparks, safe haven  

"truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside to be realized"― osho, the buddha said... 
 
“who can tell truth from falsehood any more?
i say it, and you feel it in your hearts:
no man or woman on this big small earth.
how should our sages miss the mark of life,
and our most skillful players lose the game?
your hearts will tell you, as my heart has told me:
because all know, and no one understands" ― e. e. cummings, 100 selected poems
 
"love is the voice under all silences,
the hope which has no opposite in fear;
the strength so strong mere force is feebleness:
the truth more first than sun,
more last than star..." ― e. e. cummings, 100 selected poems
 
"seeker of truth
follow no path
all paths lead where
truth is here” ― e. e. cummings, 100 selected poems
 
"it must be good to die in the knowledge that one has done some truthful work and to know that, as a result, one will live in the memory of at least a few and leave a good example for those who come after. a work that is good may not last forever, but the thought expressed by it will, and the work itself will surely survive for a very long time, and those who come later can do no better than follow in the footsteps of such predecessors" ― vincent van gogh, letters to theo
 
“your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself" ― richard bach, illusions 
 
“he looked at the stars again, and he realized that it's not the stars that create silent light, but rather light that creates the silent stars" ― don miguel ruiz, the four agreements
 
"artists use lies to tell the truth. yes, i created a lie. but because you believed it, you found something true about yourself" ― alan moore, v for vendetta  
 
"your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding of the truth" ― khalil gibran, sand and foam 
 
“let my thoughts come to you, when iam gone, like the afterglow of sunset at the margin of starry silence”― rabindranath tagore, stray birds  
 
"if you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the sky at night. all the stars are a-bloom with flowers...” ― antoine de saint-exupery, the little prince
 
"it is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. if you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a person of true wisdom....what matters most are the simple pleasures, so abundant that we can all enjoy them...happiness doesn't lie in the objects we gather around us. to find it, all we need to do is open our eyes" ― antoine de saint-exupery, the little prince  
 
“i will love the light for it shows me the way, yet i will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars” ― og mandino, the greatest salesman in the world
 
"the stars are god's dreams, thoughts remembered in the silence of his night" ― henry david thoreau, the journal of henry david thoreau  
 
"dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. go forward and make your dreams come true" ― ralph waldo emerson 
 
“we search for happiness everywhere, but your treasure is within you already. but to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego, and enter into the silence of the heart" ― elizabeth gilbert, eat, pray, love
 
“again, it comes down to shutting out the noise that isn't supposed to be there and listening to your inner silence" ― c. joybell c.
 
"love yourself. forgive yourself. be true to yourself. how you treat yourself sets the standard for how others will treat you" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you    
 
“follow your passion. stay true to yourself. never follow someone else's path unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path. by all means, you should follow that" ― ellen degeneres 
  
"this life is what you make it. no matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. but the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. girls will be your friends...they'll act like it anyway. but just remember, some come, some go. the ones that stay with you through everything, they're your true best friends. don't let go of them. also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. as for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. and baby, i hate to say it, most of them, actually pretty much all of them, are going to break your heart...but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soulmate. you'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? so keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about" ― marilyn monroe 
 
“if you try to be anyone but yourself, you will fail; if you are not true to your own heart, you will fail. then again, there's no success like failure” ― bob dylan
 
“art and love are the same thing: it’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you" ― chuck klosterman, killing yourself to live (85% of a true story)
 
"i believe with all my heart that the cliches are true, that we are our own best friends and best company, and that if you're not right for yourself, it's impossible to be right for anyone" ― rachel machacek, the science of single  
 
"life is funny. things change, people change, but you will always be you, so stay true to yourself and never sacrifice who you are for anyone" ― zayn malik

"time appears to be most wasted when someone seeks truth in lies" ― munia khan
 
"a lie has many colors, while white is the only faithful color of truth" ― munia khan 
 
"unfortunately in today’s world, a liar seems to be more reliable than a truthful honest soul" ― munia khan 
 
"the mirror is the worst judge of true beauty"― sophia nam 
 
"there is no more profitable investment than investing in yourself. it is the best investment you can make; you can never go wrong with it. it is the true way to improve yourself to be the best version of you and lets you be able to best serve those around you" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart  
 
“you think of yourself
as a citizen of the universe.
you think you belong
to this world of dust and matter.
out of this dust
you have created a personal image,
and have forgotten
about the essence of your true origin” ― jalaluddin rumi, hush, don't say anything to god
 
"when you feel a peaceful joy, that's when you are near truth" ― jalaluddin rumi, the soul of rumi 
 
"the truth was a mirror in the hands of god. it fell, and broke into pieces. everybody took a piece of it, and they looked at it and thought they had the truth"― jalaluddin rumi, in the arms of the beloved  
 
"truth lifts the heart, like water refreshes thirst" ― jalaluddin rumi, the soul of rumi  
 
"questioning cannot unravel the secret of truth, nor will giving away your wealth and position. mere words do not exalt the heart. pain is the price that the heart has to pay" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi 
  
“oh please just let me sit here under the stars, on the threshold of two worlds. lost in the eloquence of silence." ― jalaluddin rumi, the soul of rumi    
----------------------  
 
ABOUT THE IMPRESSION 
"this is truly the place where he has always belonged and always will find as his home. he greets visitors from all over the world. he gets to meet so many diverse people, diverse in culture, religion, and ideas. he is never judgmental, and accepts everyone for who they are as long as they respect his space and being. this is what makes him smile, gives him real meaning. he is not led away by deceptions. he knows his place. he knows his truth. he believes in himself. he knows who he is and who he was meant to be. he is being true to himself, night after night, day in and day out here on rapa nui...patiently existing as time and weather slowly age, erode, and fade him away back to where he came from, back into the elements of the earth...i want badly to be more like this, like the "traveling" moai here under the stars, glowing the the pre-dawn light under the stars" ― bodhinku, the traveling moai  
 
the impression which you see here is made up of one single long exposure...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter...to get the effects and balance i was looking for, i used one important filter here...for this, i chose to use the magnetic progrey g-120z holder along with the reverse 0.9gnd progrey g120 aurora filter, turned longways (length-wise) for the composition to create a balance in-camera overall the for the image in the exclusive way i envisioned it in my mind's eye before even clicking the shutter release, as the glowing sun pillar breaking through the stars in the middle of the composition from the horizon line was much brighter, about 3 stops brighter than the rest of the darker parts of the night sky and shadows on the moai statue...
 
i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this semi-long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my trusty dolica tripods in combination with the progreyusa filters which i use with every photo i take...
 
"when you truly love yourself for who you are, not who others want you to be, that day is going to be a beautiful day...understand that you are who matters the most...be true to yourself...let that understanding fill you up with love, and let that day be today, and today is a beautiful day...no matter how heavy this day might get for you, it is a beautiful day, you will be surrounded by those that love you, and the one who truly matters the most, and you will be in love, with all your heart, soul, and spirit" ― bodhinku, what matters most
 
"contemplate without thinking. stop the world. slow down everything. shut off the noise. relax. seize this moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colors of light that envelope you. see the melody and harmony that floats 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!" ― bodhinku, my world
 
above all else as always, i hope this message and impression find you well.

namaste,
bodhi
-------------------------------------------------

please visit me at:
http://www.bodhismith.com
http://www.instagram.com/bodhismith
http://www.facebook.com/Bodhi.Impressions
 
#progreyusa #gnd #filters #dolica #tripod #nikon #d810 #longexposure #astrophotography #silence #heaven #heavens #ancient #timeless #stars #astronomy #glow #bright #rapanui #easter #island #chile #isla #pascua #parque #national #ahu #tongariki #a-vere #traveling #moai #statue #solar-pillar #dreaming #dream #sueno #inspiration #tranquility #love #joy #wish #hope #believe #faith #namaste #impressionist #expressionist #surreal #bodhi #bodhinku #jalaluddin #rumi #osho #coelho #neruda #gautama #siddhartha #buddha