2/02/2022 EFFORT = HANDSOME PAYOFF (The Golden Rule)

This morning, severe palpitations caused me to awaken. I have no recollection of having had a disturbing dream. 

Is this what the physical expression of anxiety feels like?

I glance at my alarm, it's only 4:15am! 

I've had my share of trauma the past few years and recently the stress causing factors have increased abruptly and significantly, but this new symptom is rather disturbing. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my racing heart and now, also my racing thoughts.

Experience has proved, that once I'm awake there is no chance of falling asleep again and so I try to calm myself with pleasant thoughts. However anything so deliberate, usually backfires as it feels so untrue.

Then, I become faintly aware of the most Heavenly birdsong, which gradually increases in volume, and I indulge myself in the pleasant and soothing intricacies of the winged genius's delicate composition.

Now it's 5:15am.

I can discern objects in the room and sitting on a small table, I notice my beloved book "Desert Wisdom", nearly within arm's reach, but not quite.  I smile, there must always be some effort to receive that which you desire. It's a Golden rule.

Now I feel happy, I love and cherish this Sacred book and I adore the Wisdom contained within it's pages..

I leave the comfort of my bed, tenderly reach for my book and then sit down again.

My book is marked with pencil inscriptions, references and exclamation marks. I notice numerous bits of evidence, that I am an engaging and eager student.

At various spots inside the book, I have inserted lovely photographs, cards and place marks. I have to take care not to let them slip out. What was so important to warrant all these extra reminders?  I'll have to investigate.

Although I never neglect my habit of reading, I have sadly neglected reading this particular book.

"Desert Wisdom" is an old friend and never complains when I'm absent or "otherwise occupied". Instead, I am welcomed with open pages, intellect, heart and Soul. The text is sacred and if I read and absorb only a tiny paragraph, my Soul feels nourished and satisfied.

Whenever I open the book at random, and my eyes meet with the words and sentences that convey the wisdom of Eons of Creation, I instantly develop a ravenous and insatiable appetite for it's contents. I instantly recognize and feel what I've been missing.

I sit patiently with my teacher, without any expectations, but as I start to connect with the Wisdom, I feel like an empty well, simply waiting to be filled.

I open the book, where I have inserted a card. It is the front of an old, folding Christmas card, which I have cut off from the rest of the card.

On the back of the card, I have written in gold:

"Somewhere in the Universe

is a note that will bring out

the melody of

your purpose in life." 

and below it, at the bottom of the page and also written in gold:

 "Reserveer solank 22.2.2000 vir my eenman-uitstalling "MICHALLENIUM".

At the top of the one page, pg 128, it says: 

K.J.V. "I am the way, the Truth and the Life." 

Then I read the translation from the original Armenic version.

"I am" is the Path, the sense of true direction, and the Life force to travel..

Simple presence uncovers the hidden possibility,

opens the Circle of indecision and gets us moving. 

The self conscious of it's Self shows a way, solves the mystery

of choice, and unleashes our animal energy.

The nexus of individuality reveals a secret track,

scents which way to go, and spurs the adrenaline.

The depth of Identity illuminates what's ahead, liberates choice, and connects us to Nature's power.

The ego, fully aware of it's limitations declares a road,

provides a compass, and fuels the journey.

The eye of I's momentary swirl is the knowing, the confidence, and the vigor.

I feel energized. Many things have been illuminated and confirmed.

I gently open the book where I have inserted yet another card.

What will it's gift be?

I am startled by what I see and what my eyes come to rest upon.

My memory is jolted. Although in principle and practice, it is in no way a part of my monumental 50 piece "Precious Circle", it is technically the 51st collage and which I created during 1999. It was made for the following year, the Millenium - 2000 

 This card was inserted between pages 34 and 35.

I read about the meaning of the words Malkuteh d'Alaha = The 'I can' of the Cosmos. The combined sense of creative fire & willingness to take responsibility for an idea or vision

or

all ruling visions that can dominate the collective mind of Humanity.

I can hardly contain my emotions and wonder, realizing how finely tuned this moment has been orchestrated for me, exactly on this momentous morning, of another day of 2's:

2/02/2022

-Aleta Michaletos

www.aletmichaletos.com

 

STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2018

Added 2024 June 19 Inaugural speech by Pres Ramaphosa, of his second term as President of South Africa.

 Let's hope and trust that this time round (with some encouragement of his new friends) more of these idealistic statements will come to fruition. 

A stark reminder of the promises made then. 

Posted 2018  

One is not often handed a second chance in one life time.
Some words that come to mind when I think of our new President...
Patience, capacity, vision, wisdom, resilience, respect and dignity

Key ideas from Pres. Ramaphosa's inspiring inaugural speech.
A NEW DAWN
NOW IS THE TIME
'2018 will be a year of renewal and a year of hope'
'Seize this moment of hope and renewal'
'We are bound together by a common destiny'
'We are united through fundamental matters'
'We will build a new nation'
'Things will change...that means renewal and revitalization'
'We want to turn the tide on corruption'
'We are one Nation & One People'
'We should put negativity behind us'
'There's a mood of optimism'
'A focus on ethical behavior and ethical leadership'
'Don't act improperly or unethically'
WE MUST TURN THIS COUNTRY AROUND
The power of his healing and inspiring words where like a balm to the Soul of all South Africans.
It touched me in particular as he freely used all the words I painstakingly searched for and collected from the daily Newspapers during 1989-1994 and in the process, created the mammoth 22 meter long, PRECIOUS CIRCLE, consisting of 50 individual, positive collages. Miraculously it ended on the day of Nelson Mandela's inauguration.
I delight in sharing a few of these historical collages with you.

https://www.aletamichaletos.com/gallery/PRECIOUS%20CIRCLE

 

 

 

ARTIST & SATIRIST

I've always been a devoted fan of Pieter Dirk Uys, but my first personal meeting with South Africa's top satirist, was in the late 80's or early 90's,  at a function held at the Presidency, where he entertained the guests, of whom a few prominent ones where his inspiration at the time.
Several years later in 2010, I had the pleasure to visit his brilliant brain child and ongoing creation EVITA SE PERON, in Darling in the Western Cape.

Aleta and Pieter 14 October 2017 (Pretoria)

 

 

Pieter and Aleta in 2010 (Darling) 

The past 10 days, I had the unexpected pleasure to attend all 3 of his solo shows which he presented at Brooklyn Theatre in Menlo Park, Pretoria.

On Thursday 5 October we attended his performance: 'THE ECHO OF A NOISE'

and then again the following Thursday 12 October, it was  'AN EVENING WITH EVITA', after which I had the distinct feeling that I should present him with 2 of my limited edition art prints which I thought would 'tickle' him. 

When I saw him after the show, I promised to bring him 2 small gifts the following Saturday.

The 2 particular works I had in mind was a signed art print of: 'CULTURE QUEEN', which I thought EVITA would love and then also,

'CULTURE QUEEN' 1989
 

because of his infectious positivism and many references to a 'NEW SOUTH AFRICA', a signed art print of no.50 of my 6 year long, PRECIOUS CIRCLE project: 'NEW PRESIDENT -  NEW SOUTH AFRICA'.  And so last night, the 14th October, we attended his final performance:  'ADAPT OR FLY', and afterwards I was fortunate to spend some time with him and was able to honor the promise I had made.

PRECIOUS CIRCLE (1989-1994)

 

 

 

Pieter Dirk Uys writes me a thank you note. 

A truly memorable and satisfying time was had by everyone and I look forward to see what next our beloved 'national treasure' will conjure from his many hats!

 On the far right is Jean Pierre Verster (Director at Salon Classical Music and technology)

PRECIOUS INDEED.....

PRECIOUS CIRCLE & THE MANDELA'S RETURN HOME

MIXING (FAMILY) BUSINESS & PLEASURE 

On the 5th November 2013, (exactly one month before Mandela passed away) I delivered 54 art pieces for my solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum. 

PRECIOUS CIRCLE: 50 Pieces
The trio of Mandela portraits:
REBIRTH 
GOD BLESS MADIBA &
MANDALA MANDELA 
& an oil titled:
UNITED AT LAST IN THE CAUSE OF PEACE 

 Now, 3 years later, on the 5th January 2016, my daughter Saskia, graciously offered to help me pack and transport them back home. We hardly have time to visit each other and this was one of her rare days off duty. Her two boys, William and Andrew were on vacation and it was an ideal time for the 4 of us to spend a chunk of time together, the boys to have a cultural boost and some urgent work to get done.  

5 November 2013 
The museum assistant, Jackson, wheels in the work.
Photographer:Aleta Michaletos  

  

5th January 2016

No playing around when you need to get things done. 
Slowly but surely getting there
Photographer: Saskia Botha

5th January 2016

Who needs to work out at a gym?
Getting stuck into meters and meters of packaging material....
Photographer: Saskia Botha

 

5th January 2016

Who ever said being an artist means glamour or being able to spend all your time in front of an easel? It's all lot's and lots of hard work....
Photographer: Saskia Botha

5th January 2016
At last, after 3 solid hours of hard labor, all is finally ready
to be gently moved to our vehicles and then carefully transported back home.
Photographer: Saskia Botha

5th January 2016
Always happy and smiling, Saskia 
Photographer:Aleta Michaletos

5th January 2016
William, eager to help with the precious delivery 
Photographer:Aleta Michaletos

5th January 2016
Andrew carefully carries his parcel, proudly sporting an improvised Superman Cape, made from packaging material.

Photographer:Aleta Michaletos

PRECIOUS CIRCLE - youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hu6GdfQDAA

'PRECIOUS CIRCLE' (1989-1994)

In 1989, I conceived the idea of ‘Precious Circle’. This was in direct contrast to the ‘vicious circle’, which was unfolding in South Africa at that stage and all the negative events portrayed in the South African press on a daily basis, over a long period of time.

It is intrinsic to my nature to try and salvage something from even the most sombre scenarios, by discovering the positive aspects to it.

After days of deep thought and introspection, I decided to make the ‘enemy’ my ‘friend’!  From now on, instead of criticizing what I read in the Press, or allowing it to influence my psyche, I would take responsibility for what I focused on and what I thought.  My philosophy was that my ‘new’, positive thoughts would influence my actions and following that, my actions would influence society.  This idea, multiplied, could change a complete society as we know it! Daily I became more passionate and energized as I realized the tremendous and far-reaching potential and transforming energies, of ‘Precious Circle’.

Every single day, I made clippings of the positive headlines reflected in South African newspapers and magazines.  These words were eventually sorted into different categories.  Aesthetic collages where then created from these clippings, each portraying a different inspirational theme, such as ‘happiness’, ‘hope’, ‘winning’, ‘beauty’, ‘peace’, ‘dreams’, ‘religion’, ‘morality’, ‘joy’ and ‘peace’.

    

When I started the project, events were unpredictable and the scenario was changing so rapidly, that no one knew with certainty, what the future would hold. At this stage, Nelson Mandela was still in jail.

Although I had no idea where the project was leading me to, I had absolute faith in its power to transform and attract, as I was gradually becoming aware of unexpected and increasing ‘blessings’ that were manifesting in my life.  One such ‘blessing’ was an unexpected invitation to present a retrospective exhibition at the Schloss Ettlingen, in Germany, 1991.  (Up to now, hardly a pipe–dream for even the most well-known South African artists)  I was developing an uncanny conviction that my ‘daily ritual’ was positively ‘magnetizing’ me.

During a very bleak period in South African History, ‘Precious Circle’ became my personal contribution to finding sparks of hope, by literally ‘reading between the lines’.  I was totally committed to perform my daily task until I received a definite ‘sign’ to discontinue my daily practice.

Every day, with painstaking attention to detail, sheer perseverance and almost superhuman effort and discipline, I continued my quest.

Sometimes, out of sheer desperation, I would take a negative word such as ‘unhappy’, cut off the ‘un’ and triumphantly preserve the ‘happy’ and likewise ‘unlucky’ would become ‘lucky!
Concentrating on the ‘positive’ and ‘optimistic’ in a time such as this was like a continuous prayer or meditation and it brings to mind the words of Chagall: ’Work is my prayer’. ‘Precious Circle’ documents the hopes, dreams and aspirations of a whole society caught up in a process of inevitable change, during a crucial time in South African history.  Although ‘Precious Circle ‘has a timeless and universal message, it is vital to contemporary history and its power lies in its simplicity.

A strong sense of color and balance marks each of the thought provoking collages of which the end result reminds one of a carefully constructed puzzle, where the smaller parts fit together perfectly.

The events of May 10, 1994 (the day Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President), was ‘the sign’ that I was waiting for! Miraculously, the newspapers of 10 May and 11 May reflected and contained all the positive words I had been searching for, for the past 6 years!  At last, the ‘Circle’ had completed itself, resulting in 50 collages, spanning a monumental 22 meters.
During June and July of 1994, I held an unusual dual exhibit at the Pretoria Art Museum.  The one part consisted of a long wall where ‘PRECIOUS CIRCLE’ took pride of place and the second, complimentary exhibit was titled: ’DRAWING ATTENTION TO TRANSFORMATION & REGENERATION’. The latter consisted of a series of drawings and watercolors reflecting the internal and external process of change experienced by every South African. ’REBIRTH’ was included in this remarkable series.  It symbolizes the opposing forces, which are reconciled in Nelson Mandela.

A museum official coaxed me into entering a competition for the ‘United Nations Art and Philatelic Award’.  ’Rebirth’ was the winning piece and thereby miraculously propelled me into joining the ranks of Dali, Chagall, Miro, Warhol and Vasarely, (some of the previous contributors).

From this experience I have learned that ‘luck’ is: when being prepared, meets with opportunity.

The 50th and last collage, created entirely from all the positive words as reflected in the press on 10 May and 11 May 1994.
Fine art prints are available
contact Aleta: aleta@aletamichaletos.com
website: www.aletamichaletos.com