About “Helden Galerie”

“Helden Galerie” is the dream of an American photographer from New York City who is currently living and working in Hamburg Germany. “Helden Galerie” in English means “Hero’s Gallery”. It’s mission is to help raise much needed capital for the worlds charitable non-profit organizations. In doing so “Helden Galerie” hopes to aid these organizations to continue their individual missions which include environmental, conservation, education, housing the homeless, feeding the starving, providing medical aid, disaster relief, medical research, clean energy research, etc.

It has been said that “Artist will save the world”. Well this just may be the way it is saved.

“Helden Galerie” is entered in the Google “Project 10 to the 100th” www.project10tothe100.com ; names at Google involved with the contest: Bethany Poole, product marketing manager at Google, Andy Berndt, managing director of Google’s Creative Lab.

“Helden Galerie” as a non-profit charitable organization would sell donated Fine Art Photography, donating 50% of the proceeds to the worlds non-profit charitable organizations. Here is where the Hero part comes in. “Helden Galerie” receives donated Fine Art Photography from world class international photographers, new up and coming photographers as well as celebrity photographers. “Helden Galerie” would offer this art for sale, donating a total of 50% to non-profits and charities. The artist directs 25% of the sale from his/her donated photographic art to the charity or nonprofit organization of his/her choice. The art buyer when purchasing an image from “Helden Galerie” also chooses a charity or nonprofit organization to receive 25% of the proceeds from the purchase of the art. In doing so both, the artist photographer and the art buyer, become Hero’s. The art that is sold is not just beautiful to the buyer but also to those who are helped as a result of its sale. This is truly “The art of Compassion”. Please tell your friends to support this dream.

If you would like to support “Helden Galerie” you can leave pledges supporting the idea either on this blog or by contacting Google and supporting the idea. If you are a photographer you may donate a photo art series or a single motive to “Helden Galerie”  for sale. If you work for a charity, non-profit organization or you support one and you would like to register it with “Helden Galerie” please enter the information at the end of your comment post. If you would like to invest capital, “Helden Galerie” will soon have a page where this will be possible. Please keep checking back for information concerning being able to make cash donations.

“Helden Galerie” will be coming live onto computers around the world very soon. Thanks for your support.

Christopher St. John

Founder of “Helden Galerie”

Photography Show “Fragile Existence”

We have heard a lot in the past year about CHANGE, but change does not happen by listening to the word being spoken over and over again. It happens when people get behind and support Ideas that represent CHANGE. Make CHANGE happen, be a part of positive CHANGE, support CHANGE in the way companies act, in how people act, helping others instead of just helping ourselves. This is the CHANGE that was spoken about over the past year, a CHANGE to a more compassionate self, a CHANGE to companies that see as part of their bottom line the equity in helping others, in supporting ideas that spread  our capacity as humans to be great not because of what we keep but because of what we give.

My name is Christopher St. John, I am a graduate of Miami Ad School (Copywriter). In my third Quarter I was in a concept class that had a contest project to create a campaign for a non-profit organization that
operated in the Miami area. It’s mission is to teach at risk youth who lived in violent surroundings ways and methods not to get caught up in the violence that was going on around them. I won the contest. I did not have a partner in this class
so it was up to me to execute the campaign. I knew I could not do it by myself so I asked other students if they would help, knowing full well that each student I asked had a full class schedule and project load already. To my surprise everyone I asked to help said yes. Together we produced the first campaign for the Non Violence Project. I guess that is what hooked me into wanting to develop an organization that could effectively raise funds to support not one but many charitable and non-profit organizations.

The idea I came up with has the potential to do just that. It’s name is Helden Galerie, which means Heroes Gallery in English. Helden Galerie is a grass roots organization that is quickly gaining support. We have been on facebook as a Cause for a little over 2 months and already have 329 Cause Members. Again I realized that I cannot do it alone, that I needed help, so I am asking you for your assistance. You can learn about our full mission and how Helden Galerie can make a difference for all who live on our planet at the About  Helden Galerie link on this blog, http://heldengalerie.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/about-helden-galerie/(Please leave a comment) or show your support by joining the Helden Galerie cause on facebook. http://apps.facebook.com/causes/132082?m=2bb70939&recruiter_id=22833649

Another way you can help is if you are a photographer you can submit an image or a series of images for the first Helden Galerie Photo Show. If you are not a photographer you can send this email to any photographer you may know. Because of limited space not every one who submits work will be chosen for the show. But everyone who submits work will be a Hero and will be contacted to possibly be included in the Helden Galerie webgallery. The text below explains the what you will need to know about the show in order to submit your entries.

Helden Galerie is organizing it’s debut show. We are currently looking for Photographer Artist, who would like to participate in the show. The image or images you submit should be your visual translation of the show title Fragile Existence Along with your image submission you should also include a charity or non-profit organization you support or have a close bond to.

The Fragile Existence show is a great way for you as a photographer to bring attention to your work, as the show will have high profile international press coverage.

The city of the event has not yet been chosen. The cities that are still being considered are Hamburg and Berlin. The show is to be held in mid 2009, the exact date is to be announced. (The event language will be German and English, other languages are welcome.)

The photographers who are represented in the Helden Galerie Fragile Existence debut show will be listed as the first Helden Galerie Artist Patrons. They will be accepted as life long members of the Galerie and will be given this recognition at all future Helden Galerie shows. Become a Hero, take part in the Helden Galerie debut show Fragile Existence.

You must be 18 years of age or older to submit images for the show. Helden Galerie is accepting submissions from photographers from all over the world.

Many on this world lead a fragile existence, form people to animals to echo systems, your depiction should be your visual translation of the show title. This is not to say that the images need to depict images that show death, destruction or despair, they can be images of hope, beauty and triumph. In the end the image or images, you as a photographer submit, will be up to your artistic interpretation of the show title Fragile Existence.

Submissions will be accepted until March 20th, 2009.

Please submit images as low resolution files (516 pixels x 774 pixels 72 dpi)

Include:
Your name.
Email address.
Website (if you have one).
Country you live in.
Charity or non-profit organization you support or feel a bond to.

Every Photographer Artist who makes image submissions will be contacted to be informed as to the status of their submissions.

If you are interested in taking part in the show and would like more information please contact me (Christopher St. John) over my XING or facebook profile.
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/132082?m=5aa42af8

Peace and creativity to you.

Christopher St. John
Founder, Helden Galerie
The Art of Compassion.

Helden Galerie, we are here to help those who are here to help.

Have you ever been engaged in a struggle that seems as though no matter what you do you will never succeed in your efforts. That each attempt you make in this struggle falls short of what is needed to ensure total success. Many of the worlds Charities & Non-profit organizations struggle every day to help people but because the task is so daunting, they are falling short of total success. It is not the fault of the organization that they are not more effective but rather the lack or resources they have at their disposal. In a perfect world this would not be the case, in a perfect world we would not need such organizations but seeing that the world we live is not perfect but struggling for perfection these organizations are needed and should be supported. Sadly most organizations struggle almost as hard to survive as the People, Animals and Echo Systems they try to help. This is the reason for Helden Galerie’s conception.

“We are here to help those who are here to help.”

Helden Galerie knows that the task at hand is as big as any challenge that humans have ever tried to overcome. Helden Galerie can’t do it alone. This is why we are asking for the support of Artist, Photographers, Painters, Sculptors, Instillation Designers, any artist who wishes to support Helden Galerie is welcome to offer their support. Art lovers are also welcome to become part of this growing family of support as without them Helden Galerie would only be half of the answer.

We are creating a community of doers. A doer is a person that no longer wishes to sit on the sideline and is not waiting for someone else to put them into the game but instead puts themselves into the game. This is a time of great potential to right wrongs, to correct injustices, to help your neighbor. I know that many people that read this will say “yeah but whats in it for me?” Well if people start to not only look out for themselves but in addition help their neighbors it stands to reason that you will also be receiving assistance as everyone is the neighbor of someone else. Become a doer, become a person that helps, that gives, so that we may all receive. I encourage everyone to find their own nonviolent, nondestructive way of helping. If you are tired of seeing the problems that exist in the world then start to become the solution.

One way would to become a part of the Helden Galerie Cause Family on facebook. We are one of the fastest growing causes listed on facebook. Helden Galerie knows that with your support it can help more organizations who in turn help everyone else. They need our assistance, please support Helden Galerie by joining the facebook Helden Galerie Cause. Each person that joins is another vote, another doer getting into the game in order to help this world become as good as it can be. Please leave a comment of support here on WordPress as well. Go on the record with a suggestion or comment of support. Tell us which country and city you are writing from. Offer words of encouragement to others, let them know they are not alone that we are a family of doers practicing “The Art of Compassion.

Below you will find instructions on how to join the Helden Galerie cause on facebook. It only takes a second to join. If you are not a member of face book please become a member and join the Helden Galerie Cause Family. Together we are not alone.

Please take part in this experiment!

Helden Galerie Is here to help organizations that are helping to make our world better. Helden Galerie is “The Art of Compassion.

You have been invited to participate in the most ambitious facebook Cause experiment in facebook history! Most of the people on facebook are members of one cause or another, seeing that the mission of Helden Galerie is to support as many other charities and non-profit organizations as possible, it stands to reason that these people would also want to support the Helden Galerie cause as well. I want to see if it is possible to contact every user on facebook and see if they will support Helden Galerie and its mission by joining The Helden Galerie cause.

Don’t wait to be a Hero, become one today by sending this message to everyone you know. Lets see how many Heroes we can get to join the Helden Galerie cause.

The Helden Galerie facebook cause link. http://apps.facebook.com/causes/132082?m=4a83263b&recruiter_id=22833649

——————————-
To take part all you have to do is:
Send this to everyone you know.
——————————-
(1) Join this Cause.

(2) Click on “Invite People to Join” from the menu on the right.

(3) Select all your friends (for the experiment to work, you need to do this).

(4) Click on “Send invitation”

(5) Keep checking back with the Helden Galerie cause to see how fast the cause grows:

It’s that simple

Best regards, and good luck

Christopher St. John
Founder Helden Galerie
The Art of Compassion

The time of your life.

For all of us time is a shrinking asset. We find that in the course of a day, that there simply is not enough time to do half the things we would like to do. Not to mention the things that are either requested of us, or the things we are obligated to do. We have prior commitments that take time from our present and future commitments, that are already tugging on the time yet to come from every possible angle and in doing so shrinks the amount of quality time, down time, recreation time to the point that spare time becomes more of an illusion than a reality. The hustle and bustle of everyday life assures that our time is under constant attack. We all feel the strain of time being bled dry from our lives. So you may think the solution I propose is ridiculous. In fact let me go further in order to save you some time by thinking of as many of the different things you may have the urge to conjure as a result of reading what I have will suggest as a solution to your lack of time problems. You may think it crazy, outrageous, short sighted, pig headed, ill advised, stupid, lunatic, or a complete waste of time. If time allowed I would think of some more to add to this list.

I did say that I had a possible solution to the shrinking asset time but before I offer this solution I would like to explain another aspect of this valuable shrinking resource. It is not just our personal time that is shrinking in our day to day lives, our time is not only threatened by growing work loads and increasing obligations that often cuts short the time we would like to spend with family, friends or even alone for that matter. Our future is under threat, time that is yet to be present is under threat. It is not that time will cease to exist it is that we who find no time to offer help because of the excuse of lack of time, will cease to exist. This planet and its ability to support life is under threat. People are dyeing every day, that if helped would live. Animals and echo systems are being wiped from the face of this earth at such a pace that a second of hesitation is a second wasted.

The Maldives are an Island Nation who are looking for a place to move their entire population because in a short time their Nation, the home their ancestors will be covered by the rising oceans caused by global warming. They are running out of time. If each one of us would cut back on the amount of time that we used electricity and cars this may just give them more time. If we all took the time and put forth the effort we could greatly diminish the effect global warming has on our planet. We keep looking to the top for guidance out of this mess and they keep looking down to see what we will allow so in the end you have two groups of people just looking at each other doing nothing. We should take the lead on this and send a clear message to our leaders just what we are prepared to do to help change this worsening Global situation for the better.

A BBC report states that 17000 children are dying every day from starvation. Every day. Children that have lost their right to time, to be able to spend it with family and friends. Children who only lived a short time before life ended for them.

The solution I offer, would be to take time to help. Mahat Magandi said be the change you want to see in the world. This means don’t wait to see a change, be the change. Be conscious of your power to help. Be aware that little things done by one person can make a positive impact when multiplied by millions and no longer remain small and seemingly ineffective. Small things small efforts are made big when we all do them together. They become changes we can all live with, because of small individual efforts of help we will all be giving ourselves a future that will sustain life rather than see it stamped out. Humans are great, but not just because we are humans but because of what we do as humans. Let your greatness help others, let your greatness look out not only for the ones in you family but those who are your neighbors. There is an overlapping effect created by helping one another, by adopting new and more efficient ways to help others, then it also stands to reason in the long run we will be helping ourselves and our families by helping others and talking part in this overlapping solution of help.

Please take the time to get involved. If you are on Facebook I invite you to join Helden Galerie Cause, if you are on LinkedIn I invite you to join the Helden Galerie Group. If you would like to volunter you services to Helden Galerie please leave a post stating so here on the Helden Galerie WordPress blog, you will be contacted. We make helping easy. We make helping go further. We make helping benefit everyone. Please take the time to support Helden Galerie by becoming a member on Facebook or LinkedIn or by leaving a comment on this blog.

Christopher St. John
Founder, Helden Galerie
The Art of Compassion

Firemen,Policemen,Peace keepers… The list of Hero’s has grown to incluse Photographers, Art Buyers.

The category of Hero just had a few more titles added to its list. Photographers can now be included when you think of Hero’s.

Photo Images are one of the most powerful art forms in our world, so it makes sense that photo Images help to save our world and make it a better place for all who live on it. One day our, future may be so changed for the better by photo Images such as the one below, that the only place the ills of the world will be evident will be in Images from the time before the Healing took place. A new breed of Hero is needed to help this healing process. Photographer Hero’s who choose to donate Images to “Helden Galerie” are in fact Hero’s in every sense of the word. A Hero is a person who performs extraordinary deeds for the benefit of others. Creating or capturing extraordinary Images and donating them for the benefit of others is a deed worthy of being granted the title of Hero.

“Helden Galerie” would like to recognize a photographer Hero from the city of Philadelphia which is Greek for “The City of Brotherly Love.” It is fitting that one of our first donating photographers is based in this city. Andy Benson works as an Art Director in the advertising world and has been active with supporting charities through the the creation and execution of ad campaigns as well as with his Photography. He has a one man show coming up in the Philadelphia area very soon and is now being featured in a gallery show along with other gifted Photographers. The Proceeds of the one man show will go to support “Philabundance” which is a Philadelphia based food bank working to bring about the end of hunger in the Philadelphia area.

“Helden Galerie” salutes Andy Benson for his efforts and his donation of a series of Images, the Image shown is just one Image representing this series.

http://www.andyssd.blogspot.com/

Art Buyers are also rising to the status of Hero Simply by supporting “Helden Galerie” when collecting Art Photography. If you would like to purchase for your collection, any of the images you see on the “Helden Galerie” blog in any of the different post please leave a comment and we will contact you with information.

Limited Edition Series (# of Prints TBA) Photo by: Andy Benson

The Photographer supports Philabundance http://www.philabundance.org/ with proceeds generated from the sale of this Image.

Peace & creativity to you.

Christopher St. John                                                                                                                                         Founder, “Helden Galerie”                                                                                                                                 “The Art of Compassion.”

How do you say Hero in your language?

“Helden Galerie” in English means “Hero’s Gallery”. It is so named because who ever supports “Helden Galerie” becomes a true Hero. Artist become Hero’s, Art Buyers become Hero’s, supporters of “Helden Galerie” and its mission become Hero’s. “Helden Galerie” through its mission is working to support charities and non-profits who in turn are working to make this world a better place, a healthier world with a brighter future. Our world needs Hero’s it needs them like never before. It needs that individuals choose to become Hero’s. You and only you have the power to choose to become involved, to help others, to be a Hero to the world, to the people and animals who live on it. “Helden Galerie” can help you become a Hero. Support “Helden Galerie” with comments and become a Hero. Support “Helden Galerie” with donations of Photographic Art or tell a photographer about our project and become a Hero ( www.project10tothe100.com ). Vote for “Helden galerie” in the upcoming Google, Project 10 to the 100th, contest and become a Hero. Write a letter or email to Google making sure that “Helden Galerie” is chosen for the public vote stage of the contest, and become a Hero. Leave a comment on this blog pledging support for “Helden Galerie” and its mission and become a Hero. Tell us how you say Hero in your language and become a Hero.

“Helden Galerie” is offering a way for regular people to become Hero’s. Get involved free the Hero within. The world needs you!

Peace & creativity to you.

Christopher St. John
Founder, “Helden Galerie”
“The Art of Compassion.”

The Photographer supports  HERO Scholarship Fund www.hsfop.org/about.html

with proceeds generated by the sale of this Image.

Limited Edition Series (100 Prints) Photo by: Christopher St. John

What would you say?

What would you think of an art gallery that sells Fine Art Photography and donates 50% of the proceeds to charity? What would you say if the Photographer who shot the photo was able to choose the charity or non-profit that would receive 25% of the proceeds generated by the sale of his Photo Art? And what would you say if the Art Buyer was able to choose a Charity or non-profit to receive the other 25% of the proceeds from the sale of the art photo? What would you say if you could become a Hero by simply by creating or buying Fine Art Photography?

Please leave your comments and thoughts to this question.

Christopher St. John
Founder, “Helden Galerie”
“The Art of Compassion.”

The photographer supports  Water Missions International www.watermissions.org/ with proceeds generated by the sale of this Image.

Limited Series Edition (100 Prints) Photo by: Christopher St. John

Google 10 to the 100th Project, contest.

Google, in its wisdom has chosen to hold a contest which searches for ways to help the planet, as well as the people and animals who live on it. They believe the answer is out there somewhere. They believe that it may lay somewhere other than in the minds of our world leaders. They have suggested that someone somewhere may have seen something or experienced something that was the catalyst for this thought of help to be created. I believe that they are correct in there assumption. I believe that people have the answer but not a voice to rise above the noise of all the people who are already talking about, music, fashion, politics, religion, the things you see covered in the news on a daily basis. usually the news goes to the people at the top to ask for advise or cover reports about what should be done to solve problems. I understand this but I would also say that people at the top have been wrong about people who appear to be below them. I use the word appear because things are not always what they seem and it sometimes takes the perspective that only time can put on things to realize this.

For example If I were to say Walt Disney to you. You would not think a person at the bottom. You would think of a person at the top. But it was not always this way for Mr. Disney, he was fired by one of his first bosses (a person considered higher than him) from one of his first jobs. The reason given, Walt my boy, we have to let you go, you just don’t have any good ideas. I think you would have to dig pretty deep to find the name of this boss with such a lack of foresight, but on the other hand you don’t have to search very far to learn about the person that this boss fired. Walt Disney took what was described as a lack of good ideas and turned them into an empire. Now although this empire is a for profit organization I believe that it also does a very great amount of good in this world.  I believe it helps people to see the good in others.

Good ideas start rather modestly, they appear small in the beginning but so does the seed of a redwood tree. The similarity between the seed of a redwood tree and the seed of a good idea is that neither will remain small for very long.

I believe that I have one such good idea seed. I have entered this good idea seed in the Google contest, 10 to the 100th Project.

Project 10 to the 100th http://www.project10tothe100.com/index.html

The name of the idea is “Helden Galerie” Which means “Hero’s Gallery” in English. “Helden Galerie” would sell donated art photography Images. 50% of the proceeds would be donated to a charity or non-profit. Here is how the Hero part fits in. The photographer who donates the Image chooses the charity or non-profit that will receive 25% of the proceeds generated by the sale of their donated Image. Now I did say that 50% would be donated to charity, the other 25% would be directed to a charity or non-profit by the person or company who buys the art. They are free to choose the same organization as the photographer, or choose another charity or non-profit they would like to support. Hero’s are created out of Photographers simply because they choose to help with the donation of their photographic Image. At the same time the Art buyer becomes a Hero simply by buying beautiful Art Photography.

I believe that in this way, the saying “Artist will save the world” may just come true. I also believe that  Photographers together with “Helden Galerie” can show the world that Hero’s can shoot something other than guns.

If you would like to support the “Helden Galerie” project please contact me with a comment on this post. I would be very grateful to you. The world would be very grateful to you.

Limited Edition Series (100 Prints) Photo by: Christopher St. John

The photographer supports, “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital “ www.stjude.org/ with proceeds generated by the sale of this Image.

Peace & creativity to you all.

Christopher St. John                                                                                                                                        Founder, “Helden Galerie”                                                                                                                                “The Art of Compassion.”

Update on: Setbacks Just searve as a new ways forward.

I would like to announce good news. “Helden Galerie” maintains a presence in a few different on line communities and was banned from one such community. I explained in my blog titled “Setbacks Just serve as a new way forward” that this ban was put in place because of a mistake on my part. I took full responsibility but did explain that I was not aware that I was breaking any rules as I wrote my own comments and messages and I only left them on select profiles. In their eyes this was still considered spamming. I explained that I did not hold it against the site administrators as I believe that they were only doing what they thought to be right. I did however appeal this decision to ban “Helden Galerei” from their community. I wrote to the site administrators and explained that I was not aware I was breaking their rules. I went on to explain that I am only trying to help people and maybe because of this I was a bit over zealous, I promised that I would not make the same mistake twice if given another chance to be part of their comunity.

I am pleased to announce that “Helden Galerie” was given this chance. The site administrators were also kind enough to describe all the ways I would be able to get the word out to their community, in order to build support for “Helden Galerie” and its mission.

It is good when people can see beyond rules to the extenuating circumstances and on occasion make exceptions to some rules.

If the site administrators from the community I am speaking about happen to read this blog I would like you to know that I am grateful to you. Thank you for your understanding.

Peace & creativity.

Christopher St. John                                                                                                                                         Founder, “Helden Galerie”                                                                                                                                 “The Art of Compassion.”

The collective human.

Hello, My name is Christopher St. John, as the founder of “Helden Galerei” I would like to personally ask for your help and your support of “Helden Galerie” (which in English means Hero’s Gallery) and its mission, by leaving comments on this post or any of the other “Helden Galerie” post. This would be greatly appreciated. We need voices that band together to help bring a greater sense of hope to the world. I know that time constraints and prior obligations are tugging at you from every side of your life and you feel that you do not have the time or the strength to do anything extra. I understand. I have felt such pressure from the world also. I would offer this as the beginning of the solution. Help someone, and in doing so you help yourself. You will find strength in this effort. I know it sounds illogical, but it is true. It seems that when you help people you are connected to energy that allows you to do things you did not think you had the strength to do, before you began to help.

I would like to pose a thought to you. It is the idea of The Collective Human. More and more people around this world are beginning to come to the idea that we are all one, that we are all parts of the whole, that we are connected. We may not be able to perceive the connective tissue that surrounds us but this does not mean it’s not there. Let me explain in a little more detail. Going on the premise that we are all one, if you were to take the sum total of the pieces that makes up the one, being every living human on the face of this earth, what would this total collective human be. Lets put it another way if you took every human, every infant, every child, every young adult, every adult, every middle aged person, and every senior, with all of their strengths and weaknesses, and added them together to form a collective human what would this collective human be? Would it be a strong, healthy, well adjusted, young, well off rich individual, or would it be a sick, handicapped, drug and alcohol addicted, old and down trodden, poor living under a bridge individual? Or somewhere in between. I do not think this human would be the first scenario of healthy well adjusted and rich, I tend to believe that the collective human would be more the second scenario of poor, sick, drug and alcohol addicted and homeless. I stated in my post “Fear motivated decisions” that I am an optimist and I am. You may not believe this given what you have just read but I believe that it is good to know our collective health so that we can improve it. We have a staring point. Now it only takes some people, parts of the whole to make the effort to start the healing process to start on the road to the over all health of the collective human. If we have a clear idea as to where we stand as this collective human, we can start doing what is necessary to heal, not just individuals but the entire race.

“Helden Galerei” has a mission to help heal the collective human body. If you are a photographer or know a photographer who would like to become involved in helping to make the world a better place and the people who live on it healthier and stronger, please leave a comment on this post or one of the other “Helden Galerie” post. Additionally if you are a lover of photographic art and would like to be able to help simply by buying what you love. and hanging in your home, restaurant, office or where ever you have free wall space please leave a comment on any of the “Helden Galerie” post. If you read this and would like to help, please send the “Helden Galerie” blog address http://heldengalerie.wordpress.com/ to you friends and ask them to do the same. We are looking for Hero photographers, and Hero art photography buyers. Just think by continuing to do what you do (Creating & buying Photographic Art ) you can help to make this world a better place for everyone who lives on it and become true Hero’s the process. Take part in the art of compassion.

Limited Edition Series (100 Prints) Photo by: Christopher St. John

The photographer chooses to support  World Health Organization www.who.int/ with proceeds generated by the sale of this Image.

Peace & creativity to you all.

Christopher St. John                                                                                                                                         Founder, “Helden Galerie”                                                                                                                                 “The art of compassion.”

Fear motivated decisions.

Limited Edition Series (100 Prints) Photo by: Christopher St. John

The Photographer supports

Freedom From Fear

www.freedomfromfear.org

with proceeds generated by the sale of this Image.

I am not a believer that the best decisions are fear based, I am also not
a person to lump sum everything into this thought as sometimes
fear can be the motivation needed to make some decisions.
For instance if you are in a dangerous situation, A decision motivated by
fear but tempered with a rational thought process can get you out of the
situation with little or no lasting physical effect to you. Although you may retain
the memory of the danger, you will live another day. I must now stress the word
sometimes as I do not think that anyone should put them selves into situations that
they are having to make decisions motivated by fear.

That being said. My decision to bring “Helden Galerie” out of my mind and into the world
was out of compassion for it, and all that live on it. I am an optimist, who struggles with
staying completely in this state of mind. I know more is created through optimism than
pessimism. More is started through the world Yes than the word No. I believe that the
people of this earth are great, but have the potential to be greater. It is my additional
belief that this potential to be greater is not attainable by separating our selves from the
misfortune of others but can be by how we come together, not only to help but to make safe
guards so that misfortune plays a lesser and lesser role in the lives of humans, animals and plant.
Until maybe one day we have eliminated this words meaning from our reality. I know that there
are many that say this is not possible, I also know that there are many who believe that it is. The
first step is to change the way we think, the way do things, the way we treat people The dominoes
of misfortune started falling many, many years ago and the human race has allowed them to continue to fall.
There is a way to stop this advancing domino effect and that is to find the compassion in yourself, for     yourself and for others. This compassion should be equal in respect to how you are towards yourself and how you are towards others.

The following is one of the wisest sayings I have ever heard “Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.” I know many people think religion when they hear this phrase but I do not think the person who
first uttered these words, intended this. I do however believe that he intended for the ones who heard these words to hear the simple logic of these words. I also feel that the simple logic has been over looked by many. I will explain how I see this logic and how if followed it will be one of the best tools in stopping the cascading domino effect of misfortune. If we did unto other as we would have done unto ourselves then it stands to reason that the many manifestations of misfortune would be removed from the world.
The world would be set back to its default setting of being a place of peace and life. Misfortune would not have a home on our planet any longer.

Just think, you get yelled at, later that day you yell at some one else, that in turn yells at someone else it continues on and on until it comes full circle and someone yells at you again. If you removed yourself from the cycle, remember this, there are many different yous reading this, if all of you started removing yourselves from this cycle then the world would take a step toward being a better place.

The way to remove your self would be if someone yells at you do not engage this person and yell back and just as important do not visit this yelling on someone else later. I know It will be hard to swallow but it can be done.

Supporting organizations that do good in the world is a great also way to help but it is not the only way. I believe that each person regardless of whether they are the ones being helped or providing help should try to make it a part of there day to day lives to treat all people with respect. With respect maybe we can start to make decisions motivated by compassion and not fear.

Peace & creativity to you all.

Christopher St. John
Founder, “Helden Galerie”
“The art of compassion.”