AQAL Views

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” - Rumi When we put aside all the analyses and pause from all the search, we find what they refer in Zen as “the beginner’s mind”, a fresh look as if we just witnessed the wonders of this world. When all is said and done, comes a peaceful feeling of completion and the shear joy of being. When we momentarily drop all we know and the anxiety of the unknown, we can rest in “one taste”, in the unifying consciousness that all are one, we are part of them and they are part of us. Perfection cannot be attained, but it can be noticed and felt. If we pay full attention to what seems flawed and ordinary, we will notice the perfection hiding beneath appearances. In the integral lexicon, ‘AQAL’ means an “all quadrant, all level matrix of reality”, and points to the cross-cultural fact that all humans have first-, second-, and third-person perspectives, and that all humans wake, dream, and sleep (a spectrum of consciousness from gross, to subtle, to causal states). We all live in “AQAL space” and such is our viewing. Images are part of a larger photographic project - 'Integral Lens' - taken during a 5-month journey in United States awarded with the Fulbright Artist Scholarship. ‘Integral Lens’ is a photographic vision aiming to combine a respectful representation of exterior realities with a meaningful expression of our interiority. Choosing landmark locations unapologetic of their strong presence as well as more intimate spots of our urban life in which our daily memories are formed, is intended to share my enthusiasm for design and aesthetics, to contemplate on man’s symbiotic relationship with the material, and ultimately to trigger a more inspirational and uplifting sense for the built environment. During this trip, approximately 9,600 miles were traveled by plane, 4,200 miles by car, 1,300 miles by public commuting, and 750,000 steps walking. In total about 12,000 still images were taken from 150 buildings and locations, 65,000 images in time-lapse video, 20 meetings and interviews, and 300 hours in post-processing and editing. http://karatzas.wix.com/photo#!__integral-lens-i