My mission was to illustrate Michael Neil’s album Between Sleeping and Waking (2010) with my photography. The Music, the seven different songs of the album and the album title inspired me to take a mystic approach in my work. The images for each of the seven songs represents a theory of seven interconnected, yet nonlinear phases on the Spiritual Path of the human being. The concept was inspired by Owe Wikström’s book Det Bländande Mörkret (1994). Mr. Wikström is a Lutheran priest, psychotherapist, a professor in Theology and Psychology of Religions in Uppsala University, Sweden. The pictures were taken in four different continents between 2005 - 2010. Listen and download the album: http://www.musiczeit.com/album.php?album=1570&Michael+Neil+Between+Sleeping+and+Waking More images: http://www.flickr.com/zachris

1. Between Sleeping andWaking (2010)
Album By Michael Neil
Photography and text:
Zachris
August 21 2010

2. The Concept
My mission was to illustrate Michael Neil’s album Between Sleeping andWaking
(2010) with my photography.
The Music, the seven different songs of the album and the album title inspired
me to take a mystic approach in my work.The images for each of the seven
songs represents a theory of seven interconnected, yet nonlinear phases on
the Spiritual Path of the human being.
The concept was inspired by Owe Wikström’s book Det Bländande Mörkret
(1994). Mr. Wikström is a Lutheran priest, psychotherapist, a professor in
Theology and Psychology of Religions in Uppsala University, Sweden.
The pictures were taken in four different continents between 2005 - 2010.
My personal mission is to combine Zen Buddhism and Photography.

3. I THE REALIZATION II THE FORETASTE
III THE REFORMATION
IV THE MERCY V THE DARKNESS VI THE ENLIGHTENMENT
VII BIG BEING

4. 1 THE REALIZATION
Like spring presages the summer, anxiety
reveals the dream.
The realization is a sudden moment of
understanding the difference between Holy and
secular. The spiritual yearning becomes True in
this very moment.
Heart departs from Ego and the personal values
and habits are going through changes. Personal
hindrances in spiritual growth such as hate, self-
pity and bitterness are overtaken by the first
steps of proactive and empowered actions.
This realization leads to respect the powers
bigger than oneself and to cultivate personal
humility.
The journey begins with a prostration. The Leap of Faith

5. After the excitement, joy and contentment
the beginner starts to understand the
length of the Path.
The Beginner is on the mercy of the emotions.
In this psychological phase the Beginner
examines suffering and its causes. Giving,
forgiveness and empathy are re-learned.
The short flashes of everything being
interconnected and interdependent creates awe
and joy. One can experience these Holy
messages in Persons, Art and Nature.
The further yearning for Holy is guiding the
swimming against the stream, towards the
springs. The Aesthetic experiences are steering
the way to the next phase of Ethical actions.
Journeyman, there is no path.The path is made by walking.
-Antonio Machado
1I THE FORETASTE

6. Save the Planet!
The Sociable human seeks likeminded groups to
practice spirituality with hopes to create change
with meaningful actions.This philosophical phase
questions the wanderer’s personal mission and
ethics.
The ego-driven “old me” is unfolding: the
hedonist on the mercy of the emotions, the lazy
dreamer, the evil. The eyes are opened to the
hypocrisy in the people, the corrupted
structures of society and the egos in religious
organizations are understood in a new way.
The frustration is testing the spiritual maturity:
it prepares one for the next leap on the Path.
One who fully abandons oneself for the sake of
others can find the true nature.
III THE REFORMATION
WhatYou PracticeYou Become.

7. Loosing control and fully forgiving.
Mercy is stronger than emotions, greater than
will, beyond principles and has nothing to do
with intellectual reasoning. Mercy comes
without terms and conditions. Mercy is the
forgiveness we do not deserve. Mercy is the
free fall into our biggest fears.
Mercy is communicated by the teacher.
The teacher appears when the pupil is ready.
Mercy makes one realize the mortal inability of
the human being.
The closeness of Death suddenly increases
focus. One wants to understand beyond
religions. There is confidence to continue the
path.The Holy era begins.
All compounded things are impermanent.
1V THE MERCY

8. The long Night of austerity.
Demons and fears are encountered in the
retreat to the Darkness of self-examination and
questioning. Senses are worn out during the last
hours of the pilgrimage as the powers of ego
and emotions are fading. The night is darkest
before the dawn.
Good deeds are just deeds. Life is here and now
for the sake of others.
Yearning is replaced by Commitment and Faith.
Trust overcomes fears. Darkness prepares to
meet the Holy.
There is NoTruth of Suffering,
Of the Cause of Suffering,
Of the Cessation of Suffering, Nor of the Path.
- The Heart Sutra
My God, my God, why did you abandon me?
- Mt 27: 46
Todo via Nada
V THE DARKNESS

9. Nirvana is beyond concepts.
“Why can’t mother, Nature and God get married together?”
- Good daughter Hilda, 4 years
V1
THE ENLIGHTENMENT

10. To serve, to help, to teach.
The Master returns from the mountains,
entering the marketplace with helping hands.
The Master maintains Great Dialogue for the
sake of all sentient beings. The Wisdom and
humbleness guides the teacher’s spiritual
awareness. The Master speaks with quiet tone
and with right timing.
The Master continues the journey in all
interconnected phases of the Spiritual Path and
beyond. Self-awareness of the phases creates
true empathy.
“He goes his own way, making no attempt to
follow the steps of earlier sages.”
To save the poor and educate the rich
VII BIG BEING

11. To Listen and download
Michael Neil’s album ‘Between Sleeping and Waking’
go to www.musiczeit.com
To see more photography
www.flickr.com/zachris
ThankYou