I first heard of Alex Grey during a lecture from my mentor, Paul Chek, who said, “if you want to see real art, check out the works of Alex Grey”. Of course he was talking about pioneers in our society who used LSD to inspire their contributions to humanity. Alex Grey is an artist who used LSD to reach a level of spirituality in which he expresses in his works. Once you can get over the LSD thing, you’ll be able to raise your consciousness of spirituality significantly. When I say “spirituality”, I do not mean “religion”. There is a difference between the two terms. Religion deals more with a group mentality. Spirituality deals more with an individual’s connection or awareness of something greater then themselves. If you want to get a sense of who you are then you should check out the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (COSM) at 540 W. 27th St. (bet.10th & 11th Ave) in Chelsea. I went there with my wife and friends the day before Christmas Eve 2006 for a special tour with Alex Grey himself talking about his works. The Chapel is more like a sanctuary for those seeking spiritual enlightenment. The room with the Sacred Mirrors series contains 21 framed images that examine the anatomy of the body, mind, and spirit. The lay out of these life-size paintings are so that the observer can create a sense that they are mirrors of the images. One can easily feel that Grey is trying to communicate through his visions that God (the Divine, the higher Power, etc.) is within each and every one of us. Although one could spend the whole day in this one room, the “Family” room is just as intriguing. In this room, Grey displays the subtle energies that exist when humans interact during such actions like kissing, copulating, in labor/pregnancy, and at the time of death. For anyone who is sensitive to these subtle energies, Grey’s visionary talent puts it on canvas. In another room there’s a painting displaying the cosmic interconnectedness when one is in deep meditation. I could talk about all the paintings but the one that really amazed me was “Gaia”. Gaia was painted around 1989 or so after the birth of Grey’s daughter. He said he had a vision (not on LSD) that inspired the painting. The painting shows Gaia, the tree of life, nurturing the planet and all its inhabitants on one side along with all the beauty of nature. On the other side of the tree are symbols of destruction and raping of Mother Earth and in clear detail, the Twin Towers and two airplanes flying by. Also, one can not miss the George Bush looking figure hiding behind a “terrorist” looking man standing alongside a “prickly” penis (or”dick” as he emphasized in the tour, possibly referring to Dick Cheney). All this imagery is all too fascinating since the 9/11 attack was not until 2001, about 12 years after Grey made the painting. Hmmmmm. Whoever said psychic visions are not possible, have no idea. Grey has outwardly expressed his feelings towards hallucinogenic drugs like LSD. He does not advocate it as a party drug, but more so as an experimental narcotic to release one’s ego and explore the subtle energy realm. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that we should all try LSD. In fact, I asked him if one could reach a higher state of consciousness without the use of LSD and through meditative states and without hesitation he said yes. LSD just makes it easier. Many famous individuals who have made significant contributions to humanity are well-known users of LSD. Aldous Huxley to name one. You see, we can all reach this state without LSD. And the reason why it’s desirable to reach this state is because of the enlightenment that comes along with it. Many people in this lifetime go throughout life feeling empty and lost and become addicted in some way or another and need some kind of drama for them to feel alive. Don’t believe me? Turn on the TV and watch shows like “Gray’s Anatomy”. Shows like that are successful because many people can relate to it. What the world needs are more visionaries; more people who “get it” so that they can teach the rest of us. If you want to raise your consciousness up a notch or two, go visit COSM in NYC. It will change you whether you like it or not.
