Have you ever heard a song or smelled a scent that momentarily over took your entire being? Have you ever seen an image or a symbol that did the same thing? I have!

It began about ten years ago. I read a book called Navajo & Tibetan Sacred Wisdom The Circle of The Spirit by Peter Gold. It described the remarkable similarities in symbolism and imagery and practice between the Navajo Indians and those who practice Buddhism. It began my journey into art. What truly struck me was a section called "The Great Symbol." It describes a symbol that is very sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Navajo tradition. It is the Sa'ha Nagahai and is represented as a simple cross or as a cross with one axis having two legs attached. It unto itself represents the human experience of the sacred world. To complete it and turn it into the representation of the state of absolute beauty (Bi'keh Hozho) you would add some extra lines that would give the cross a spinning effect. To my surprise it turns out to be the swastika. I instantly got a sick visceral reaction. You see, I am a Jew. I realized that every time I saw a swastika I had this negative reaction. However, I also realized that the only reason I had this reaction is due to an evil man who took a beautiful meaningful symbol and redefined it via his horrific deeds.

A few years after that I was displaying my art at a festival, and a Hindu couple approached me and expressed their appreciation for my art. We began talking and I told them of my interest to develop a series on the swastika. The fellow began to tell me a story of how, here in America, when a Hindu buys a new car they are supposed to hang a swastika on the rear view mirror to ward off evil. Whenever they did this they had people throwing rocks at their cars and so they decided to put the symbol underneath the car seat so there would be no misunderstandings. He added that he felt sad and subjugated because of that concession. It was then I realized, by allowing anyone to turn beauty into ugliness or steal powerful positive symbols and traditions and make us believe they have the right to redefine them, we are giving up power and the only way to get it back is to reclaim the beauty. So I decided, who better than a Jew to do it. Every day I would get up and go to my drawing area and sit down to begin a series of paintings incorporating the swastika in its original settings and I just could not do it. I was paralyzed! This has gone on for all of these ten years until now. It is time to see the beauty, to reclaim the positive and enjoy the rich heritage of these three traditions, Hinduism, Buddhism and the Navajo Indians. You are seeing the first of several paintings which will explore the beauty of Bi' keh Hozho - the swastika . It goes back to ancient India: suas means auspicious and tika means mark. The universal meaning is life in Balance.
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