Posts by Andre van Zijl
The Case For Being Nobody
At the Cobb Institute Andre van Zijl is somebody. He is our Visual Arts Laureate and a regular attendee at many of the gatherings. But what Andre desires most of all is to be “nobody.” Inspired by the teachings of Ramakrishna, the 19th-century mystic and spiritual teacher, Andre has strived for ego transcendence and spiritual humility. By recognizing the transient nature of the self and surrendering personal desires and attachments, one can attain a state of egolessness where the boundaries between oneself and the universe blur, leading to a profound sense of oneness with all existence. This is not attained without struggle and suffering. Here Andre shares his story of his journey through the dark night of the soul and the lessons learned from the other side of ego.
Read MoreExpanded Universal Awareness
Artist Andre Van Zijl says that he approaches “a blank surface, canvas, watercolor paper, or document with Beginner’s Mind. I don’t want to get in the way of what is waiting to be birthed through me. I am not an artist making art, or an author writing a book, I am a deep-sea diver coming up for air.” In this piece, the Cobb Institute’s Visual Artist Laureate discusses his creative process, his philosophy of art, and some recent works.
Read MoreTo Love More
Love! How to know what it is? What kind of LOVE do we speak of when we use the word LOVE? Is it a feeling, a presence, a noun, a verb? Can it be drawn out from its dark cave of unknowability by the deliberate poverty of the pure soul, and romanced into the bright glare of noon, for all to see?
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