Pilgrimage The Himalayas Gaynor O'Flynn

PILGRIMAGE THE HIMALAYAS GAYNOR O'FLYNN

A Limited Edition of 100

www.beinghuman.com www.gaynoroflynn.com Published by Beinghuman Ltd, London Š and ℗ Gaynor O'Flynn and Beinghuman 2017 all rights reserved Merit dedicated to all

“Art heals and artists are healers” Gaynor O’Flynn

CONTENTS

ARTIST STATEMENT

A CALLING FATE FLYING FEAR VERSUS LOVE FLAMES OF FREEDOM G.O.D. GOING NOWHERE GO TO SLEEP GYPSY HEART OF DARKNESS I AM I DISSOLVE I DREAM IN THE MOMENT LET IT ROAR NEVER FALL IN LOVE OCEAN OF WISDOM ONE LIFE SHE HAS COME SMILE FOR THE BABY SPACE SUN DANCES WITH STARS THE MOON SMILES THE MOTHER TIME TRIBE VOICE WITHIN WINDHORSE

GAYNOR O’FLYNN

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I am a nomad.

Since my earliest steps, I have needed to explore, move, travel, journey and flow.

In the 90’s I was drawn to the Himalayas. I followed an ancient tradition of wandering yoginis, living simply, travelling, walking, breathing, learning, listening and dreaming.

This wandering became a form of retreat. I followed my intuition, in time and space, in the wilderness, the sacred places, the mountains, caves and temples, seeing sound, energy and vibration as I learned to simply be.

I am profoundly grateful to the mountains, the land, the masters and the people I encountered and the philosophy that forms the core of my life and practice today.

‘Pilgrimage, The Himalayas’ is a selection from the vast body of work I created during this precious time, featuring moving image, poetry, songs, sound and prints.

The retrospective stands as an evocative record of both my inner and outer journey as I look back through time, with kindness, at my younger self.”

Gaynor O’Flynn London 2017

A

Silent sound In the beginning the wind came and moved the great silence Through this vibration, sound was created Through sound's subtle and gross form man made words There is no silence except the great silence Even when listening, be aware Sound is the womb of the visible and invisible Silent sound A

CALLING

I can’t stop myself from calling, calling out your name I can’t stop myself from going, going back again When I feel you, you help me, be me I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you You’re a part of me You know the stars in the night sky, they always seem to call your name You know the world is all around me, driving me insane Then I feel you, you help me, be me I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you You’re a part of me I know you’re everywhere, everywhere I go I know you’re in everything, everything I know When I feel you, you help me, be me I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you You’re a part of me So I can’t stop myself from calling, calling out your name I can’t stop myself from driving, driving me insane Then I feel you, you help me, be me I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you You’re a part of me

FATE FLYING

I fly in the face of fate I am impatient, I never can wait I fly from the ground of my birth In the sky, I find my rebirth I fly on the words of hot air I am blind but I feel there I fly with the wind in my face I defy the laws of my race I fly through the fear in my mind I vomit my fear on mankind I fly as all life is a dream Many lives I will swim in the stream I fly, through the mountains I soar Through the universe, life, to the core I fly through the hate and the love To the higher law of above I fly but then I have to land In the palm of the mother’s hand I land and then I learn to fly Only in my mind I am truly high

FEAR VERSUS LOVE

Fear of loving, fear of knowing, fear of giving, fear of life Fear of crying, fear of dying, fear of living, fear of life Fear of coming, fear of going, fear of being, day and night Fear of doing, fear of showing, fear of darkness, fear of light Then we start to simply be, see reality Then we start to simply know, learn how to grow Love of loving, love of knowing, love of giving, love of life Love of crying, love of dying, love of living, love of light Love of coming, love of going, love of being, day and night Love of doing, love of showing, love of fearing, love all life

FLAMES OF FREEDOM

Close your eyes, close your eyes, step into your world Close your eyes, close your eyes, really see your world Visualize, visualize, how you want to be Realize, realize, you are already free Take a trip, take a trip, take a trip through your mind Feel the breath, watch the breath, the breath of all mankind Visualize, visualize, how your life can be Realize, realize, you are, already free Feel the fire, watch the fire, the flames around your soul Feel it burn, watch it burn, learn how to be whole Hear your voice, hear your voice, singing to be free Hear your voice, feel your voice, your words sing through me Be who you’re born to be, be who you’re born to be, be who you’re born to be Long live, long live, long live your honesty You are, you are, you are, already free Each time you look, each time you look, each time you look at the fire See your truth, know your truth, watch the flames grow higher Know you live, know you die, longing to be free We all live, we all die We are, yes we are, you know we are Eternity

G.O.D.

Nature is G.O.D. he says As he sits high in the Himalayas The water of the Ganges Dripping slowly onto the lingam Nature is G.O.D. he says As he walks in his world The smoke from the fire Purifying the light of his eyes Nature is G.O.D. he says As he looks to the sky The light of his eyes Burning back at the sun Nature is G.O.D. he says As he meditates on me The question on his lips Laughing at my reply Nature is G.O.D. he says Do you meditate? he says Why not? he says G full stop O full stop D full stop, he says Generator, he says, Operator, he says, Destroyer, he says Nature is G.O.D. he says As he laughs, high in his mind The invitation of his path Flowing briefly through my life

GOING NOWHERE

Come with me, come I am going nowhere I am doing nothing I am going nowhere I am doing nothing Come Sometimes I have no words to say Sometimes I want to run away Sometimes I get through every day Sometimes I waste my life away I am going nowhere I am doing nothing I am going somewhere Doing something Come Sometimes I have a lot to say Sometimes I want to sit and stay Sometimes I live for every day Sometimes I still give my life away I am going somewhere Doing something now I am going somewhere Doing something Come with me, come

GO TO SLEEP

Go to sleep And let your loving heart keep you safe and warm And let your loving thoughts keep you safe from harm Nothing can hurt you With love deep inside Nothing can harm you Just flow with your tide Close your eyes and sleep your own way Relax your thoughts as your soul flies away Go to sleep And let your loving heart keep you safe from harm Let your loving arms keep you safe and warm Close your eyes, sleep your own way Relax your thoughts, let your soul fly away Life is a dream and death is sleep Never be scared of the dark or the deep Go to sleep And let your loving heart keep you safe from harm You’re safe and warm, safe and calm

GYPSY

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam I always know how, to take my mind home Though the gypsy I love strives to be free I always know how, to let my mind be She sings and she dances and she flies through the air As though she has freedom, as though she has care She struggles and fights and spits in my face She has no real beauty, she has no real grace I love her and live through her and try to make her see That constantly searching is no way to be And then I relax, listen to her song Fly through the air with her, dance, we are strong She becomes like a child, scared, still and alone Mistrusting all others, mistrusting her own Her heart soft and gentle sings in a key That unlocks the door to our mystery We find the stillness where we are as one Whole in unity, from time begun Then wherever we wander, wherever we roam We love and we live, our mind is at home Always love, always give, we take our mind home

HEART OF DARKNESS

I once travelled deep into the heart of darkness I knew what I was doing, where I was going I used you, for my selfish journey I blamed you when I could no longer see the sun When the clouds of my miserable mind, blocked the light But I knew I had to journey That deep in my heart of darkness, was a small glimpse of eternity Looking out, not in Out not in Out not in Out of my mind I am out today, I was out yesterday Maybe tomorrow I will be in Then those I love can come and love me Those I find can come and explore me But those I seek never find me Because I am out Out not in Out not in Out of my mind Not in the moment

I AM

I am a bird I fly on high If you wait patiently Your hand to the sky I will land until the day I die You fly like a bird Through the air on high I soar in my mind I need earth not sky I look for a hand to help me live and die

I DISSOLVE

AAA I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust I dissolve, I dissolve, I dissolve into dust AAA Into dust

I DREAM

I dream you chase me, want me, await me My dreams of you always come true I dream you find me, love me, are kind to me But in my dream I no longer need you I dream you take me, kiss me, make me Feel the love once more is true I feel you with me, live in me, fear that we Know I still love you So I will still chase you, want you, await you The dream as always comes true I will find you, love you, be kind to you Though I need love more than I need you I will take you, kiss you, awake you Believe in the union of two I will live in you, breath with you, love you and leave you The way I always do

IN THE MOMENT

Learn to live, in the moment Relax and give, in the moment We all can live, in the moment As the moment slips away Learn to love, in the moment You can rise above, in the moment We are in love, with the moment As the moment slips away Learn to love all you are, each and every day You know you’ve got to love all you are as the moment slips away Learn to see, in the moment You and me, in the moment We all can be, in the moment As the moment slips away Learn to roll, in the moment Loose control, in the moment Always whole, in the moment As the moment slips away Learn to love all you are, each and every day You know you’ve got to love all you are as the moment slips away Learn to die, in the moment Come back and try, in the moment You and I, in the moment As the moment slips away, the moment slips away, the moment slips away

LET IT ROAR

I feel it in my bones now The energy comes and goes now The waves of sound they blind me I am blind but I can see I feel it start to rise now The starlight in my eyes now My lightening strikes I’m not scared My thunder roars, I go nowhere I let It roar, let It roar, let it roar, my thunder roar I surrender my life now To a power that is right now A kick up my own arse The time has come to take part No more indecision This life is for the living Space and time flow through me This life I’m who I want to be I let It roar, let It roar, let it roar, my thunder roar I’m living for the truth now I shout it from the roof now This life I am only me I am wild I am free So I feel it come and go know This energy I know now My lightning strikes and I’m prepared My thunders roars and fills the air I let It roar, let It roar, let it roar, my thunder roar

NEVER FALL IN LOVE

May you and I be kind May we know beyond all mind May the earth and sky become as one May all fear in life be truly gone May the spirit of peace sing our song May the spirit of chaos make us strong May we forever simply be In love beyond duality In love with the whole, wild and free In love with the one who lets our mind be Neither in or out of love with you or me

OCEAN OF WISDOM

My love’s an ocean A great big ocean Love is everywhere My love’s an ocean A wild blue ocean Love is everywhere Flowing forward and flowing backward Moving without care Moving upward Moving onward Love is everywhere, everywhere My love’s the wind The strong wind Love flies everywhere My love’s the wind The moving wind Love flies everywhere Flying with me and breathing through me Love flies in the air Breathing in and breathing out Love flies here and there Love is in the air, in the air

ONE LIFE

One life I am with you One life I run away One life we live as strangers One life we seize each day One life we are honest One life we always lie One life can be forever But in life we have to die One life we come together One life we fall apart On life of many seasons In our head and in our heart One life we are lovers One life we are good friends One life we live forever Beginning not end

SHE HAS COME

Oh she has come, she is with us now, we are one She has come to play, with our mind, never go away, be kind Her days, they are long Her ways, they are strong Feel her in the air She is everywhere Here in our dreams, the woman we love, plots and schemes She takes us now, in her heart, of her we are a part Her days, they are long Her ways, they are strong Feel her in the air She is everywhere Oh she has come, she is with us now, we are one Don’t be afraid, when she comes, to takes us away Go in love, not in hate, never resist or wait Her days they are long Her ways they are strong Feel her in the air She is everywhere Oh she has come, she is with us now, we are one

SMILE FOR THE BABY

You can smile for the baby That lives in your soul You can live for the baby The baby is whole You can care for the baby The seed deep inside You can hope for the baby Your sorrow can hide You can talk to the baby Your hopes and your fears You can smile for the baby For all of your years Let it know your heart Let the baby’s life start Born free of strife Give all of your life Never see you cry In love with your baby Until the day you die

SPACE

I need space to let my love flow I need space to let my music flow I need space to feel the notes in me I need space to make my harmony And every night I go home to the stars I spend some time on Venus and on Mars Every night I travel to the moon Space lives in me, hear it in my tune I need space to let my music be I need space to feel the melody I need space between you and me Space becomes my destiny And every night I go home to the stars You know I spend some time on Venus and on Mars Every night I go up to the moon Space flies through me hear in my tune I need space I love space I love space I love space

SUN DANCES WITH STARS

Sun dances with stars Stars dance with moon Moon dances with sky Sky dances with earth Earth dances with life Life dances with death Death dances with time Time dances with me I dance with you You dance with life Life dances forever

THE MOON SMILES

How can I love more than now?

The moon smiles at me I have all I need I feel the earth rise in me The stars live in me My smell swallows me I miss no more I feel life’s ocean swell in me How can I love more than now?

The stars shine through me The moon is my smile The thunder roars in me Each step is a mile Hail is my heart The wind is my feet The rain washes me The sun is my heat How can I love more than now?

Life lives in me Death awaits me I have all I need I am beyond, beyond, beyond

TIME

Time will take you where you want to be, time will show you what you want to see Time will always be there for you, time is part of all that you do Time feeds your body and soul, every second of your life time has a role Time is with you all the way, every moment of your life time has a say Time mends your broken heart, time shows you where to start Time wipes away your tears, time helps you face your fears Time watches all you do, every second of your life time is true Time is there in the dead of night, time holds you in the first light Time will teach when its time, to leave your life become divine Time will teach you how to pray, time the first and last day Time the teacher the path the way, every second every hour every day Time is me and time is you, sun, moon, sky black or blue Time loves your lovely heart, time immortal no end no start Time the master of us all, tme will come when you call Time the teacher the path the way, very second every hour every day Time will tell you to stay or go, time will teach you all you have to know Time the beginning and the end, relax, trust, time is your friend

TRIBE

My tribe has no words to describe the indescribable Right or wrong My tribe has lost the path to nowhere beyond anywhere Good or bad My tribe has lost the music you cannot hear Cry or laugh My tribe searches hard for the stone Seek or find My tribe is whole in confusion Bound by chaos My tribe is a collection of wise fools

VOICE WITHIN

My voice within is laying low Ignored, abused, nowhere to go Should and could are shouting loud My voice within is strong but proud My voice within is my best friend She feels ignored as my ear I bend She starts to sing of truth and love Downloaded, direct from my above No spam, no virus, my voice is true Guiding me to coding new My voice within screams loud and clear Stop, relax I’m simply here Stop, relax I’m simply here Stop, relax I’m simply here

WINDHORSE

Switched on the TV yesterday Saw a memory of another way Felt a longing deep inside So strong a feeling I couldn’t hide I let the wind horse take me home Heard a song on the radio Knew I sang it many lives ago Touched my heart, touched my mind A song from my tribe, from my kind I let the wind horse take me home Saw a face in a crowd So familiar but I was proud A smile that took me back in time A smile that vanished into my mind I let the wind horse take me home I let the wind horse take me home I let the wind horse take me home

GAYNOR O’FLYNN

Gaynor O’Flynn is an artist, curator and nomad.

For 30 years she has created art across art disciplines, across the globe. She believes in the power of art for social and inner change and embeds this belief in her art, practice and life.

O’Flynn works with song, voice, text, performance, technology, print and moving image to reinterpret ancient wisdom for the modern world. Her art, practice & belief is not in tune with the modern art world’s zeitgeist as she believes the role of artists is to heal, unite, and serve humanity.

Pilgrimage is central to O’Flynn’s life and work, art locations include New York, Benin, Istanbul, Budapest, Dakar and Easter Island. She founded Beinghuman in 2000 with an artwork created in Spiti, in the high Himalayas.

She has worked with award winning artists and luminaries including Bjork, PJ Harvey, Martin Creed, Richard Long, Germaine Greer and New Order. She also works with over 1,000 artists in The Beinghuman Collective, on location and in her East London warehouse. She is a campaigner for humanitarian and environmental issues including ‘Fair Trade For Artists’ and has spoken to millions on mainstream media. O’Flynn’s work has also broadcast on BBC, C4, ITV, National Geographic and Canal +. In 2015 she launched Artists For Nepal at La Biennale Venezia in association with Venice Agendas, has curated Kathmandu International Art Festival and worked for The Dalai Lama.

O’Flynn works with meditators, philosophers and neuroscientists exploring the intersection of mind, body, light and sound. O’Flynn is a consummate early adopter who embeds technology in her art practice and has created interactive art works since the 90’s, turning her voice, brainwaves and body into light. Commissions include Kinetica Art Fair, Istanbul Performance Festival, Art 15, London, UNESCO and The British Council.