The Path Beyond.

'The Path Beyond The Meaning of Life'
Rachael Wilmot. Oil on canvas 36" X 36"

This is a painting by Rachael Wilmot. She of course went on to actually paint the destinations she hinted at in this painting, and you can catch-up with those at http://www.illustriousartworks.com./

The scene is the crossroads at Neuadd Chapel above NANTERNIS village, a few miles South of New Quay on the West coast of Wales (U.K.). This ordinary view is a metaphore for a metaphysical situation, as suggested by the title of the painting, and the destinations on the signpost behind the self portrait of Rachael.

She occupies the foreground, and certain states of awareness are visually aligned to the body. The cat (Mutti) is a symbol for 'gut' instinct, and level with the stomach. The heart is level with the signpost, and ones' direction in life. A set of choices presents itself when we arrive at the crossroads. That signpost has 'philosophical' directions. Turn right for PURPOSE (Nanternis), take the left for KNOWLEDGE (Llwyndafydd), and straight on for MEANING (Cwm Tydu). The route we are on is AWARENESS (Caerwedros, and ultimately Carmarthen, Swansea, and the rest of the world). Rachael stands at the present moment.

If we take the road to MEANING, we immediately pass the chapel and cemetry, which is aligned to the head and thoughts. If we follow the lane we end up on the horizon, and probably 'out on a limb'. The path beyond The Meaning of Life is indicated by a simple visual trick.

I wonder if the HEXAGRAMS are a similar 'simple' visual trick ?