NIGHT DAWN

        It should be Winter, it should look like Winter, it is Winter but it doesn’t look like Winter. It’s just a different Winter. Down there isn’t cold, the sea is quiet and the wind seems to be half asleep. Sometimes he sleeps during the day, sometimes he sleeps during the night. Tonight the wind is awake. Something in the sea awoke him. He is gazing soft breezes over the dunes and caressing the gentle waves. He can’t stay in silence for much longer; he just needs to talk with the persistent cloud about the vision below but he doesn’t want to disturb her sleep. Is she really sleeping?
     He comes nearer to her usual spot… Sometimes she is a little higher, sometimes she is a little lower but she never abandons her sky belvedere. She makes her journeys around and leaves her colourful cloudprints behind her. Just above his head he notices a shiny rainbow trail; he follows the trail and finds the cloud at the reach of his softest breeze.
     — Principessa, are you awake? You look so shiny tonight… Everything seems so shiny tonight… What’s happening down there? The luminous woman seems covered with tiny stars and a kind of light-mountain is growing near the coast… Even the Lost Sailor seems enveloped in a veil of light… —he said without preambles.
     — Restless Rider, why do you make the same question so many times? You know I rarely sleep and even when I do some of my drops keep awake in permanent vigil… just like the little bird. How could I sleep tonight when I know that I’m beholding the First Night of Creation? – She asked patiently.
     — What do you mean with The First Night of Creation? Who is creating all those bright things below? And I don’t see the little bird around… Well, I think I’m hearing her voice singing in the distance… It seems coming from that light-mountain in the sea… — He said pointing in the direction of the mountain.
     — And you’re right… She there indeed… One of these days I’ll read to you one of those stories the tiny ant wrote with the words and visions that came from the sea. Do you remember what happens to the stones that the Lost Sailor throws to the water? Well, now they are words and images in the tiny ant’s book. The first chapter is about the genesis of the Tree of Dreams… I know I promised to tell you that story long ago… but I’ve been so occupied… Today it won’t be still the day… or the night. But if you’ll look deeply around tonight then you’ll be more prepared to hear that story…
     The veil of light that you see around the Lost Sailor is just the branches of the primordial tree. The tree has been there all the time. That’s why I told you he wasn’t completely lost… It was the first tree that the little bird planted and she takes care of it with great dedication… The forest around grew from the seeds of this primordial tree… The primordial tree keeps producing seeds of light… that’s why the Forest of Dreams is endless… And what you see growing in the sea are also seeds of the primordial tree assuming new forms and light… How could I sleep, if I have all this beauty and magic to behold? – She partially explained the phenomena around.
     While the persistent cloud was speaking, a beautiful shape of light appeared slowly and began to move on the water heading to the light-mountain. Inside it was travelling the luminous woman with her long hair softly waving in the breeze. On the shoulder of the woman the little bird was singing. This time the woman was in silence, just looking to the light-mountain. The wind stood in silence for some time magnetized with that apparition. Then he exclaimed:
     — If this is the First Night of Creation… then I hope that many of these nights are coming ahead…!
     — And they are, Restless Rider! That light-mountain is an Island of Stars… Deep in the bottom of that island is the primordial seed of the Tree of Dreams… The tree was born and keeps growing from it but the seed is intact… It’s like an endless source. The luminous woman is the guardian of that seed… The little bird is the tireless winged gardener… So, you see, they necessarily must be together… The tiny ant takes care of the practical things for them; those things that creators and dreamers often forget to do… And they love and need the tiny ant… Probably they would dissolve into their own visions if it wasn’t the tiny ant saying simple things like “Take your lunch! It’s getting cold…”, “Don’t forget your coat and umbrella! It’s going to rain…”, “Get out of the sun! It’s too strong today…”, “Don’t forget to prune and water that tiny tree too! All trees are meant to grow even the tiniest ones… They are all part of this forest…” —The persistent cloud said revealing for the tiny ant the same love she felt for the little bird and the luminous woman.
     — Principessa, would you like to visit the Island of Stars with me tonight? —The Restless Rider invited.
     — Well, I think that we’d better stay here just watching… I don’t want to interfere or disturb anything… Let the beautiful things flow freely. That luminous shape is a Light Boat… it sails, it flies and changes shape too… I think it is meant to be for the Lost Sailor and not for us… We’ll keep sailing here in the sky… Did you know that the sea and the sky are twins? So it is the same… We are sailing there and here at the same time… Keep blowing your softest breeze… That’s all that boat needs to keep sailing and flying… And if its light dims a little bit from now and then… all that it will be needed is stopping for some time in the Island of Stars, touch with the soul the primordial seed and sail on through the infinite…
 

Sailing in the Light Boat, photography by São Ludovino.

Light voyagers I, photography by São Ludovino.

Light voyagers II, photography by São Ludovino.

Growing free, photography by São Ludovino.

Growing hopeful, photography by São Ludovino.

Growing stronger, photography by São Ludovino.

 My sky is your sky I, photography by São Ludovino.

Little bird I, photography by São Ludovino.

Bridge of Light, photography by São Ludovino.

Perennial Light I, photography by São Ludovino.

Perennial Light V, photography by São Ludovino.

Perennial Light VII, photography by São Ludovino.

Anchored I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Flying boat I, photography by São Ludovino.

Night in the harbour I, photography by São Ludovino.

 My sea is your sea I, photography by São Ludovino.

Quiet Eden, photography by São Ludovino.

 Pointing the direction I, photography by São Ludovino.

Pointing the direction II, photography by São Ludovino.

 Together in the infinite, photography by São Ludovino.

 Talking to the wind I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Swift voyager, photography by São Ludovino.

 Slow voyager, photography by São Ludovino.

 Tireless voyager II, photography by São Ludovino.

 Suspending time II,  photography by São Ludovino.

 Suspending time III,  photography by São Ludovino.

 Simple life I, photography by São Ludovino.

Fishing time, photography by São Ludovino.

 Curious view I, photography by São Ludovino.

 My streets are your streets I, photography by São Ludovino.

 My streets are your streets II, photography by São Ludovino.

 Sounds from the soul II, photography by São Ludovino.

Light in the forest I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Light in the forest V, photography by São Ludovino.

 Through the walls, photography by São Ludovino.

Sleep serene and warm III, photography by São Ludovino.

Building the Flying Boat, drawing by São Ludovino.

Flying Boat II, drawing by São Ludovino.

 Dedication I, drawing by São Ludovino.

 Carrying the Sun, drawing by São Ludovino.

 Luminous IV, drawing by São Ludovino.

Moving Mountains, drawing by São Ludovino.

SEEDS OF LIGHT

SYMPHONY OF LIGHT

     On that day the sky seemed divided in two. On one side it was completely covered with clouds and on the other side was completely blue with the exception of the persistent cloud. There she was, fully dedicated to observe and understand the secret process of growing a Forest of Dreams. Somehow, after so much time sharing the dedication of the winged gardener, she already felt a gardener too.

     She was opening her arms and hands very widely and swirling gently over the growing forest, drawing in the air beautiful uprising spirals. For some moments she closed her eyes to feel more deeply her own movement and life saluting her. Then, with a sudden blow, the wind appeared next to her.

     —Principessa, I think I heard you calling me! Or it was you just raining?! You are raining, principessa! The sky is completely blue, you are the only cloud here and you are raining in a sunny day!!! Are you trying to make rainbows? — The wind asked completely amazed.

     —I’m not raining! Though sometimes I feel like raining and make rainbows in sunny days like this. Can’t you see this is not rain and you didn’t hear my voice; I was silent the whole morning. But you are right… It’s raining, but not drops of water. It’s raining light and what you heard was the music within the drops of light. They are millions of seeds of the expanding forest… Can’t you feel it growing constantly around us? — She asked stopping swirling for some moments.

    —Well, principessa I can’t say that I see a forest… but I really see shiny sparkles of light in the air, more than yesterday and the other days before. And I’m hearing something, a kind of soft music… You told me that the little bird and the luminous woman used to sing but I hear more than voices… Where are they hiding the orchestra? Under the sea or inside the seashells?! — He joked.

     — There’s no orchestra… All this music comes from their minds and spreads in the air even without your help, restless rider… It’s a silent language. But you can hear “something”, then you are beginning to understand their language… — she explained.

     —Language? It’s strange! I never thought about that before… but what’s your language, after all? I know it’s different from mine but I can understand you perfectly. How can we understand each other so well, if we speak such different languages? — He asked with a pensive expression.

     —Perhaps our languages aren’t so different, after all. Once, long ago, all the languages were one. Somehow, in the deep of our souls the memory of that primordial language remains… It’s the silent language within us that allow us to understand the other languages… This music in the air is also a part of that primordial language… The more you able to listen to your soul, the more you’ll be able to hear this music… One day, you’ll be able to hear the whole symphony… — she spoke full of hope.

    —That would be very pleasant… The most of the times, I can’t even hear my own thoughts… — he confessed.

    —What thoughts? The ones you fabricate and are completely aware of or the thoughts that spring spontaneously from your soul? The more genuine thoughts are like rivers flowing inside… they flow constantly, even if you don’t notice… Sometimes, they can even take you to places you didn’t even dream to go… some are like shadows, some are like shining stars, some are like wild simple flowers and some are like gigantic sequoias occupying all your brain… Once a poet⁽¹⁾ said his thoughts were his herd… All I can tell you is that I have an endless herd of thoughts and I’m a gentle shepherdess… — she was saying when he interrupted her.   

    — I thought you said you never read a book…

    —Well, I read the essential… and learned or relearned a lot… In each book I relearned what I already knew though sometimes I wasn’t aware of that until I read it… Now I’m just reading the wisest book of all, the Book of Nature and Dreams… And I can assure you that it is as endless as this magical growing forest… — she said covering the whole horizon with her eyes.

     —Can you borrow me that book for some time? — He asked without a hint of irony.  

     —There’s only one original of this book and it’s impossible to make copies… It’s a unique open book… and the original is available to everyone. Pick the original yourself… It’s all around you… And now, would you be so nice to allow me going on with my dance… I want to hear every note of this sparkling symphony… You know it comes both from outside and within… Open the book with your heart and you’ll hear the raining light…     

⁽¹⁾ Alberto Caeiro, heteronym of Fernando Pessoa in Guardador de Rebanhos / Guardian of Herds.

Found in my pocket I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Growing in the sky III, photography by São Ludovino.

 Growing in the sky IV, photography by São Ludovino.

The unsustainable lightness of life, photography by São Ludovino. 

 Rising up I, photography by São Ludovino

The other half I, photography by São Ludovino.

Falling up, photography by São Ludovino.

Growing in the sky II, photography by São Ludovino.

Purely existing V, photography by São Ludovino.

Lonely dreamer, photography by São Ludovino.

Multiplying the seeds, photography by São Ludovino.

Light eater, photography by São Ludovino.

Neighbor of the rainbow, photography by São Ludovino.

 Illuminating the jungle, photography by São Ludovino.

Siamese souls II, photography by São Ludovino.

The infinite joy of living I, photography by São Ludovino.

Simple souls IX, photography by São Ludovino.

 Seeds of a thousand nights V, photography by São Ludovino.

 Carrying the light I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Primordial light, photography by São Ludovino.

Fishing the sun II, photography by São Ludovino. 

Twin dreamers, photography by São Ludovino. 

 In the nest, photography by São Ludovino.

 Found in my pocket II, photography by São Ludovino.

 Dreaming rainbows, photography by São Ludovino.

 Seed of light I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Seeds of light I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Seed of light III, photography by São Ludovino.

 Winged light III, photography by São Ludovino.

 Found in the jungle I, photography by São Ludovino.

Sanctuary I, photography by São Ludovino. 

Sanctuary IV, photography by São Ludovino. 

 Atoms of rainbow I, photography by São Ludovino.

 Atoms of rainbow II, photography by São Ludovino.

 Sanctuary V, photography by São Ludovino.

 The light within the night, photography by São Ludovino.

Water of life I, detail, photography by São Ludovino. 

 Water of life II, detail, photography by São Ludovino.

 Water of life III, detail, photography by São Ludovino.

Water of life IV, detail, photography by São Ludovino. 

 The Essence I, photography by São Ludovino.

The Essence II, photography by São Ludovino. 

The Essence III, photography by São Ludovino. 

 The Essence IV, photography by São Ludovino.

 The Essence V, photography by São Ludovino.

 The Essence VI, photography by São Ludovino.

 Melting wall, photography by São Ludovino.

Light always remains, photography by São Ludovino. 

Moon painter, photography by São Ludovino. 

Sleep serene and warm, photography by São Ludovino.