Craig Photography – Five Question Interview

Long time friend John Craig, is the owner of Craig Photography located in Pittsburgh, PA

Besides doing wonderful photography, John is also the author of a very popular, internationally read Blog called "Craig Photography"

Very interesting reading can be found cradled by the beautiful photographs that you will find on John's blog. Check it out now.

Among the reading you will find that John does five question interviews with people. These interviews make for some very interesting reading.

John recently interviewed me.

Here are his five questions and the five answers.

This is the beginning of the interactive blog - The Bi Polar Archer

Feel free to ask your questions now...

1. When did you get a first glimpse of reality?

A: I was eight years old. I can remember it as if it was is happening right now - at this very moment;

I am standing on a blacktop back road in front of my grandmother's house.

As the heat from the sun rises from the blacktop underneath my feet, I feel my hand wipe a crossed my eyebrows gently taking some of the salty sweat away before it stings my eyes.

I have the basketball in hand, I hold it against my side as I wipe the sweat from my hand, and then the other hand.

I’m now holding the ball with both hands, I bounce it off the blacktop, once, twice, and a third time. I look up at the rusty hoop that has some old red paint barely clinging to it. What is left of the net is tattered and torn. I notice backstop is a very weathered homemade board that is attached to the wooden telephone pole with rusty nails.

I can feel my legs bend and then I push up I feel the ball as is floats upward from my fingertips and it goes and goes and then it hits the front of the metal ring and come bouncing back to earth. I had missed the shot, just as I had many times before. Sometimes making it and sometimes missing it. Kind of like life;

Sometimes we hear the voice of GOD,

more often though, we hear the voice of our own individuality.

I walked over to the top of my grandmothers steps and stopped to talk a break.

At that very moment I made a statement;

A statement that would forever change my life…

I said “I will know everything there is to know about GOD, life, and why are we here, what is here? I will accept nothing less than this.”

I felt a shudder deep inside me, a shiver run down my spine, and then a sense of peace that I never felt before.

I also had a knowing that this path was not going to happen overnight but rather;

this was to be a walk...

a walk of wonderment...

a walk of peace...

a walk of a love so deep, so unconditional...

that every part of me knew GOD was our true reality…

2. How do you accept your own self honesty of what you know?

A: I know there is no individual self knowing, but a sharing that is eternal love.

Love is a meaningless word - until it is shared,

Then it is simply you…

When you choose to release “all” that you’re not,

All that remains is unconditional love…

When will you choose to awaken...to forever remember...who you truly are?

3. How do you guide somebody who is looking for answers but not sure of the question?

Excellent question!

So many want answers till they are allowed to have them.

Then they draw a blank.

For in that very moment they draw that blank, they have briefly observed their mind, and it went quiet.

Enjoy this peace of mind, for each moment you observe your mind, "the peace eternity" will you be holding…

The you that is observing your mind - is who you really are "as spirit"…

For questions to come,

Allow yourself to first watch your mind and patiently wait for your next thought to come, and shift all your attention from your thoughts to feelings, place a hand on the middle of your chest and breath into the center of your chest deeply, continue this breathing deeply into the center of your chest;

then simply allow the questions to float to the surface, and then ask them…

4. Hypnotherapy, photography, bi-polar disorder, what gifts have they given you?

A: Hey now, that's (three) more questions - you said just five!

Just messing with you! Ask as many as you want.

Hypnotherapy - 21 years as a regression Hypnotherapist,

in working with people from all over the world,

of all different spiritual, and religious beliefs, or no religious beliefs,

This work has reinforced my knowing...that we are "but love"…this is an eternal - priceless gift…

In life we are pretending to be separate from “who” we really are…

From this - does all pain come…

Photography – Symbolism of light – I know you’re not too fond of long answers, but give me some leeway on this one.

It will be worth it - I promise - (grinning)

Walk with me – as the light cradles us…sharing light has been a gift…

Light...

Light can be very symbolic.

The passion of the red light as the sun rises and spills light, erasing darkness and confusion,

Illuminating togetherness, as everything your eye sees-touches everything else,

Perfection of the dream, as the symbolism of oneness touched by the light,

The symbolism is shared by everything, as sharing is who you are as spirit,

Spirit sees only love, for love is all that is true...

The noon sun light casts harsh shadows, and raccoon eyes,

The darkness of the eyes, is symbolic of the confusion of separation,

Symbolic of living inside of the rat race of the dream,

Yet, get close to a white object and the light reflects and lightens the raccoon eyes to a beautiful blend of tone,

This is symbolic of walking the path of forgiveness and love,

This is an illuminated path to awakening,

Hold out your hand so that another can share it and remember who you are,

You are what you have always been,

You have tried to hide from who you are,

You have tried to forget who you are,

Then you have tried to remember who you are,

When you have forgotten for so long it makes remembering difficult,

So let you, help you,

You are love,

You are sharing that love that you are,

You are peace,

You are that golden light as that end of the day,

That golden glow softly caresses your skin,

It illuminates you in all your beautiful radiance,

Yes, this is symbolic of who you really are,

That warmth, that glow, that love that is you,

Remove your belief in who you’re not,

Who you are is all that is left,

That all that you are is amazing,

Just be you...


Am I really the bi polar archer?

No, I am but a spirit,

The same spirit that is you,

For we are but love, and we are one...

Bi Polar Disorder

This is symbolic of duality;

- up/ down – left /right –forward/ back- ying /yang- heads/tails - you get the picture.

Duality- a “me” here / and a “you” there.

A subject and an object.

I felt a need to experience the pain of feeling completely and totally separate from GOD for half a year.

I have repeated this exercise for many years in succession.

Understanding and feeling the pain of man, woman, child does not healing make –

I have experienced the deepest and the darkest fears that we can experience, and this too does not healing make…

Healing only comes from letting go of what you’re not,

to then embrace what you are…

All perception of separation from the unconditional love of GOD is a nightmare,

All true sharing - is a walk toward awakening from this nightmare perception of separation…

You can choose to turn on the world news right now to see evidence of this nightmare,

or choose to look eyes of a child and see the innocence of that child - to remember that the real you as spirit is “now” and will be, forever innocent…

Choose to remember that you are eternally - GOD’s only child…

You are not this small little individual self that really is away from unconditional love…

but rather the perfect spirit that you have been since before time ever seemed to be…

All bad dreams end when you awaken from them…

Love is that which is waiting for you now…

Knowing the deep pain of our perception of separation from GOD is not real – Yes, this has been a precious gift…

5. Have you transcended the illusion?

Since we have never really left the unconditional love of GOD - from which we are but an extension – eternally created, for the purpose of sharing unconditional love…

In true reality - Hasn’t “everyone” - “as one” transcended the illusion?

Time - is the buffer that “seems to exist”- but is really just there to allow you not to be startled by awakening from this “ individual separation (EGO) illusion” too fast…

So your answer is yes "you" have transcended the illusion...

Bonus Question

*. How do you live with “that everything is ok accepted what is going on around you”?

(Poverty, African, ect,ect..)

Like everything, you can look at this two ways;

The EGO way is “Finding someone to blame”

Example of projection and passing blame:

What’s wrong with the government spending billions of dollars on defense, when you can’t go into any major American city without seeing homeless people starving right here in our own country!

Here’s another EGO judgment for you;

What’s wrong with the President who says he’s a Christian but is quick to start a war and push, and push, and push even when most of a county has said enough already.

Christ taught - love your neighbor as yourself

Forgive everyone for anything they have ever done to you

EGO is that part of your mind who’s thoughts are only of the individual, but pretends to care about others – really it is focused on who you can blame for all the injustices in the world…

" If I (individual I) was in charge things would be different…If I did this, If I did that, If I….things would be better…I would be a better parent than…." - all EGO thoughts

EGO is the part of the mind that has, and wants nothing to do with GOD.

What many hear from the EGO part of their mind is something along these lines;

Since EGO has completely forgot the fact that God “is unconditional love” -

The EGO feels like GOD is a punishing tyrant – who’s wrath will smite you for all your sins, you no good sinning bastard, you undeserving low life, right now you should bow down before the white haired creator of all, and beg for forgiveness, even though your chances are slim to none you will get forgiveness because you are so bad!

The EGO is not at all sane, yet it is the voice that us usually strongest in our minds.

In truth, you are none of those above things that the EGO tells you that you are.

GOD is unconditional love –

Anything that you love in life is but a symbol of that which is true love…

It is but a symbol of GOD…

So, if you love the peace you have in your country, and feel someone is trying to take it away.

What are they really trying to take away from you?

Yes, that’s right GOD.

EGO mind’s purpose for People is for you to have someone other than your individual self to blame.

What good does this do you?

It helps you not to feel guilty.

You can’t feel guilty if it’s not your fault something bad just happening.

There are just small life plays about the real issue.

You incorrectly perceive you have really left unconditional love of GOD and are now an individual identity.

All sadness comes from this feeling of loosing unconditional love.

That guilty feeling that you have left it and now are an individual separate from GOD is so great that;

You do not want to look at it…

You do not want to feel it…

You want it gone forever, but you not sure how to do it…

So usually we project it onto a perceived someone else.

Now I am innocent because of the fact that you’re guilty.

The Holy Spirit way of looking at life

The Holy Spirit is the other voice you hear in your mind…

It is the voice that always leads to thoughts, feelings,

and actions that based on unconditional love...

The voice the always leads to sharing…

The voice that leads to caring and acting unselfishly...

The voice that leads to forgiveness - for all whom you felt had wronged you, yourself included...

This is the voice that leads you on the path to awaken to the unconditional love of GOD…

To awaken to eternal peace love and joy…

To awaken to an eternal kingdom – a kingdom that you have only left only in a dream…

The love that awaits you in this very moment is as timeless and eternal as you are…

You are a perfect spirit, dreaming of exile from perfection…

Awaken and remember who you are…Smile, the eternal smile of joy…

I will always love you… as I have always loved you…for we are one…

“When you hold onto your thoughts by believing them - you suffer…

when you question them, forgive, and release them you don’t…”

The practice is this;

Observe any and all thoughts you have in every waking moment.

Forgive any thoughts that are not of complete and total unconditional love…

Forgive those thoughts, and then simply release them from your mind - as if letting go of a dove.

Imagine those negative thoughts gently being carried away from you by a large dove.

Act upon;

Any thoughts that are of a wonderful sharing;

A simple smile at a stranger…

Saying ‘Hi”…

Letting go of being too busy to listen…

Hugging someone…and feeling the love of sharing as you do…

Making love to someone, and feeling “as if” the two of you are becoming one…

Helping someone who needs help, just because you can…

Giving away something that someone else needs more…all receiving, is done though giving…

Watching children play…then joining in the fun and feeling the freedom of the innocence… an innocence that seems familiar to you, as it’s who you really are as spirit…

Dancing…closing your eyes and letting the music into your heart…letting the beat of the music move your body…setting your inhabitations free, yes watching as you let that dove go…

Playing music…feel your spirit talking as you are making music…allow the words to flow into notes…notes that are shared…

Talking to a homeless person…sharing of thoughts…feeling your soul…

Feeling your connection to everything around you…flowing in the peace that you are connected to all that you see…

Thoughts of loving - just to love… completely and totally absent of all fear…For the real you fears nothing…

These thoughts and actions are but some of the steps to the real you…to that timeless eternal you that you are in this very moment…

if you have ever said;

“Please guide me.”

then take my hand, and walk with me…