‘WONDERLAND 2...face your fears’

a painting by Richard Lorenz

‘Wonderland 2...face your fears’ is the second installment in the Wonderland series of paintings.

After finding our path in ‘Wonderland...the journey begins’, we come to realize that the only one holding us back from our highest potential...is ourselves. We are our own worst enemy.

Our ego (Red Queen), born of this waking world, has created the very obstacles to our truest potential...our greatness. With her encouragement, we have created our own monsters and demons. These irrational creations are our own insecurities and fears. They don’t really exist...except in the world created in our own minds.

The Red Queen represents the ego...the person we think we are...the puppet that has been influenced by this waking world since the day we arrived. She seems hell bent on determining who we are through whatever means possible:  TV, radio, social media, internet, music, peer pressure, social, geo-political, gender, work, religion, ethnic propaganda...and the list goes on.  We are so bombarded each and every moment of each and ever day about who we should be, look like, sound like, what we should eat, how we should dress...indeed...who we should be, that we may have totally forgotten (or have never known) who we really are! This is the purpose of the ego...create the YOU that you are not.

The three headed Jabberwocky represents our greatest fear(s). This fear creates two of the greatest enemies of Truth...Hate and Anger. Fear, Hate, and Anger...the perfect storm on the path of Truth...the journey of finding our way.

The Jub Jub bird is never far when there is Fear. This bird is there to encourage and support our irrational fears. Sadly, often taking the form of friends, co-workers, class mates, and sometimes even family.

Truth however, comes in all shapes and sizes. In Wonderland, Truth shines in the form of bubbles. These magical orbs have the power to give the viewer a true reflection of themselves...the real YOU, with all the potential hidden deep within. It is Ego’s job to sabotage this understanding of our true path. She will quickly pop any realization of our true self and replace them with her own ideas of what should or should not be.

The beauty in Wonderland however, is that these bubbles (Truth) can always be found. They are everywhere. They penetrate the darkest corners of this world...even the lair of the Red Queen.

Hope and Truth can always be found in Wonderland, even if we are not looking...it’s all around us. The universe has conspired and created greatness in us...even if we are not conscious of it yet.

So, the journey has begun. Now...face your fears...and the veil of shadows will fall. Don’t you want to know what’s on the other side?

- Richard Lorenz

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