The artist Daniel, my beautiful, eternally beloved husband and father to four sons, has left this world. His great love for his family and the world continues, and thousands of his Soul Portraits are still waiting to tell their story, and make their journey into the world. Hopefully more artists and new Soul Portraits will join us in their continued quest to bring joy, forgiveness and healing.

Because I am lacking the words right now I will show you an overview of some of the Soul Portraits and little bits and pieces of the last year(s) in the artists own images and words. All the writing in italics are Daniel’s own words, either taken from the blog or his notes.

1,600 Soul Portraits in the last year alone, ~ 2,600 altogether so far. Click on any of the images to see them in a gallery.

2012/2013:

 

 

September 2015: “Soul Portraits have a way of knocking. I painted them in the unknown. I had not painted Soul Portraits for more than a  year. I thought I was working. Then something compelled me and I rageously returned and painted many in a number of weeks.”

 

October 2015: After several weeks of on and off unexplained headaches and some word loss, Daniel had extensive surgery and afterwards was diagnosed with Glioblastoma.

“Then one day I was awakened. I sounded broken, I spoke unintelligibly. I forgot almost everyone’s name, friends, colleagues, some family. I was given a chance to live. I greeted the medical report with calmness, didn’t really think about it too much as my mind was opened just enough and it understood things I didn’t even know were things to know.”

 

November 2015: An entire book can easily be written about the month of November. Each day felt like a lifetime, so full of dreams and emotions, healing and forgiveness on so many levels. A month of listening, guidance and understanding of what it means to truly and deeply be your higher self. Please do read the only blog post that month: Love Not Fear and the beginning of this actual blog on our About page.
Here is something from Daniel’s notes after waking up from a dream: “Full of honest love, help and comfort for the larger world, myself and more. Where I go… it’s an amazing night journey.“

Throughout the entire course of this ‘illness’ he never ‘fought’ against it. He had nothing but love for his own cells, and tried to understand what they were trying to tell him. Many moments that could have been very difficult were transformed in the light of prayer and Emunah.

 

December 2015: “A morning walk continues to inspire, confirm, open my heart and lift my spirit. I speak aloud sometimes and thank G-D for my good fortune. It is a wonderful prayer hall, the path is wide and flanked by trees. The morning is quiet. I hear the cars but I am already far away.”

There is a great word for this form of personal, secluded prayer and meditation: Hitbodedut, an ancient and modern way to set time aside each day in nature for speaking directly and openly to G-d about anything that concerns us. Both of us find great comfort and guidance in this practice.

“Do we think our peoplehood would be lost if we agreed to speak softly and with love? We are brothers and sisters (Arabs and Jews).
Our souls would sing together and each dawn would bring bountiful rewards with so much beauty it would make you want to cry.
Our love will create a million tomorrows. 
Come on brothers and sisters, why not?  I’ll start the ball rolling.  I love you.
Whoever you are, I love you!”

 

January 2015: While the medical professionals predicted Daniel to not make it to the end of this month, he keeps ignoring anything to do with his ‘illness’, and stays grounded in prayer, visions of a peaceful future and listening to what is going on inside.

“I am a child of G-D and loved. We are all. We all are.
Why is the straightforward simple honesty of being loved so easy to forget.”

These posts give a good window into this month: Knock, knock and In Fervent Prayer

Daniel continued to go to Shul and traveled to New York with his son to meet a wonderful man from Israel, who inspired him so much and became a true soul brother.

“Our Middle-Eastern tribes, Jews and Arabs, are an old, old people. 
And we love to dance!
One day we’ll dance from Hebron to Jerusalem and throughout the nights and days, throughout the country, until we drop from complete happiness. And then the real day begins.”

 

February 2015: Even though these months were filled with joy and purpose, it wasn’t always easy, and every day a challenge to stay strong and connected. Like on this day: Willy Woo Woo

Many of Daniel’s thoughts are with his sisters, Jews and Arabs and family, and all the women of valor around the world. “You sense how forgiveness, redemption and joy are all that is needed. …Sisters, wonderful sisters, you have a love, deep inside. …your voice is needed. Your voice will be heard.”

“All I know and feel everyday is our ability to love, heal, and have our souls united. …
No wonder I need to keep my ears closed to even the shadow of hate. My soul became tired. I was unable to continue…“ (I Love You)

 

March 2015:  “I’m happy. …The paintings will look very different – it doesn’t matter. I’ve learned this, they are united in a prayer. It’s a wonder. Brothers, sisters, we have two hearts and yet we are destined to have one. We will know joy. Who knew? I’m more surprised than anyone. 
Smiling inwardly and happy today.”

“I remember distinctly hearing that life is bliss. I heard this over and over again. 
It was a dream for Arabs, for Jews.”

 

April 2015: “I write at the top of each post the paintings are a prayer – and each prayer takes me closer to somewhere, something … wonderful.
I am a man who is praying. I rejoice. I sometimes don’t know why (fully, well-enough). As I have said I am not actually the painter. I am the door. I paint soul portraits. When I do, and I look at them, the words I have are outside the letters and the dictionary. I will try.
I’m very happy.”

I think it is appropriate to finally insert an actual image of the artist and his wife (me) in April of this year:

“This week has been extraordinary and full of grace. I’m very happy, blessed.”

 

May 2015: Towards the end of May Daniel started loosing names again, and from the time it took to get the MRI and schedule a second surgery, he had lost everyone’s name. And yet he remained very calm through it all. He made sure to finish walking his 5 miles a day in the hospital corridors, and completed the 5 portraits of the day. He was apprehensive about the surgery only insofar as he was sure ‘it’ was still trying tell him something important.

Daniel (and me, helping) have laid a seed, but it needs all of you to bring it to life. There can’t be peace and joy without you, we need you. Yes, the seed and the souls are still very hidden for now, but they will grow and flourish over time. We decided it was time to:

Rejoice

You might think this link is no longer valid, but I was so very happy to see that amazing people are still responding and ready to dance with us when the time comes. I know Daniel will be there in spirit.

 

I started researching harps, and ordered one to be shipped to us.

 

July 2016:  “We are all ready, we are all beloved.
I will eat breakfast soon. The morning is beautiful. I am very thankful.
May everyone know what is knowable.
I continue. The amount of wisdom we know is a whisper and what God is offering is knowable. We are all brothers and sisters and can love each other…”

“We decided to embrace joy and dance.
Why not? The world will be open and new. I paint.
We are together and rejoice.”

Towards the end of July the names started disappearing again. Then, names of things, concepts, voice, vision, movement…

August 2016: Someday I will be able to write about this month. Daniel continued to paint until he couldn’t move his arms any more. Even without painting or moving, he continued to bring love and peace into the world. Here are some of this months portraits:

 

All that we need will be known to us.
If a particular soul-portrait talks to you or appeals to you please pass it on. Did I tell you? They were for you.

“The answer is Love not Fear”. I lived these words before knowing why.

Thank you for the time. Let’s enjoy. The inner beauty of 10,000 souls will be with us.

September 2016: Daniel went home, with his loved ones at his side, in peace and with a smile on his face.

“Supremely grateful to be healed.”

In eternal Love, through time, space and dimensions,

Esther and Daniel

Daniel loved to pick out quotes for the bottom of a post. I realized I had forgotten this, so I opened a random page in his prayer book, and this is what jumped out:

“My soul will be strengthened and healed and will experience everlasting joy.”