Do not fear what awaits around the corner

This text was originally published on LinkedIn in September 2026.

The book was hiding behind some fashion magazines and the Chinese edition of Taste of Life. It's been two months since we moved into this place, and although I saw a basket neatly tucked away below the bottom shelf in the room where I work, I assumed it would be full of the usual items you see in Airbnb apartments. The breathtaking views of Vancouver's False Creek, English Bay, and Bowen Island, our home, in the background, provided enough magic to make it an already one-of-a-kind summer. But today, after watching another unreal sunset, I pulled out the basket and there it was - Diane Arbus, Revelations. I wasn't looking for something to read. I have no idea why I looked into the basket. I just did.

I love black-and-white photography. The work of Ansel Adams, Man Ray, or Annie Leibovitz always fascinated me. I confess, I prefer black and white photos. It leaves more space for imagination. Diane Arbus is one of the artists whose work, once seen, can't be forgotten.

"... a thing is not seen because it is visible, but conversly, visible because it is seen..."

~ a passage underlined by Diane Arbus in her copy of The Works of Plato.

A photographer once told me that people often ask him, "You take such wonderful photos, what camera do you use?" I giggled. He sold me his cherished Olympus OM1, which I still have. For many years, I took it everywhere I went, and I would not imagine a trip without a camera bag. Now I mostly use my phone, which is a bit disappointing. Is it? I am still behind the lens. Diane Arbus wrote in one of her journals: The subject of the photo is always more important than the picture. In my case, I was too shy to ask people if I could take their photograph. I preferred finding art in obscure places on surfaces one encounters in the city—a partially removed graffiti, or half of a poster lurking beneath another, more prominent piece. What is it that makes me stop—my family knows about my little obsession, and they patiently wait—as I photograph a decaying piece of announcement? It is like a radio station broadcasting its signal, and when I detect it, I have to stop.

Details from Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Rome, Munich, Venice, Vancouver and Florence

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know."

~ Diane Arbus, Artform, May 1971

Some say a photo is a moment frozen in time—a snapshot of the subject's state of being, as depicted on film—facial expression, a pose or provoking gesture, and above all, the eyes. Recently, the concept of time has been at the forefront of many publications. The past, present and future. Or, rather, NOW, with no past or future, but the constantly unfolding present moment. Like in Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now. This idea is exemplified by the most gifted physicists, among them Federico Faggin, and his brilliant book, Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature.

Faggin presents a rather compelling model of how consciousness is the driving force behind everything. Consciousness is all there is, he writes, with a sole purpose of self-knowing. Humans, among other conscious beings, share this overarching purpose - both classical (Newtonian, measurable) and quantum (unique, private and undefinable) beings that we are in the form of a constantly changing, vibrating, and communicating energy field with a distinctive signature written in frequencies. Let's, for a moment, contemplate that Faggin is right. That we are indeed pure energy wrapped into bodies for the thrill of a life experience. I know, it is a leap, and not a small one.

"We stand on a precipice, then before a chasm, and as we wait it becomes higher, wider, deeper, but I am crazy enough to think it doesn't matter which way we leap because when we leap we will have learned to fly. Is that blasphemy of faith?"

Diane Arbus, from a postcard to Marvin Israel, December 27, 1959.

It would explain why it is about the connection between the photographer and the subject - something more profound that results in a magnificent outcome. We are constantly broadcasting a unique energy signature to construct the reality around us. Neville Goddard said, "Whatever you assume to be true becomes true in your experience." Our thoughts and beliefs determine what unfolds in our lives. The nervous system is a broadcasting antenna, and emotions are the frequencies that it promotes. Transform beliefs, become a new person, and reality must transform as well.

The root of the word "personality" is the Latin word "persona," meaning "mask." In ancient times, a persona was a mask worn by an actor in a play to represent or project a specific character or trait. Your personality is your personal reality, according to Dr. Joe Dispenza. Our beliefs, over time, have become our reality. We identify with our beliefs (the mask we wear). Our thoughts determine how we feel. How we feel determines how we act, and how we act defines the results of our actions, hence the life we experience.

Regardless of whether we consider Goddard, Dispenza, or Faggin's theories, there is one unifying element that they present: the field. Call it the Aether after the ancient Greeks, or the Akashic Record after the mystics, or the 4th dimension (Goddard). A quantum field that connects everything, or rather, consciousness that is the field, all there is. Is it real? Yes, I can attest to that. I use it every day during energy healing sessions, when I connect with a person who is on the other side of the world. It is instantaneous and works like magic.

Energy healing is a process, a form of art. It is a dialogue with the subconscious mind and a constantly changing energy field. An iterative approach similar to Design Thinking —a series of loops aimed at improving the energy flow. It's been demonstrated that we use less than 1% of the brain's potential. The rest, or 99%, is left to the subconscious, which never sleeps and records everything. It is quantum in nature, part of the whole, with access to all there is.

"Nothing is ever the same as they said it was. It's what I've never seen before that I recognize."

~ Diane Arbus, Artform, May 1971.

Faggin writes about AI, computers and consciousness. He is best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He understands computers well and the science behind supporting them. So, where does this model of the universe, proposed by Faggin, leave an artist, a designer? Especially when everyone talks about the wonders AI brings to the world. It depends on one's perspective. "Whatever you assume to be true becomes true in your experience." For me, AI is a sophisticated tool - handy, but only as good as the programmer who put it together. In the 80s, design experienced the wonders of desktop publishing. It was so different from the traditional typesetting. Many got upset about it. Many lost their jobs. However, many reinvigorated their careers and became even more skilled in typography and publishing.

So, if our consciousness—with access to all there is—along with comprehension and free will—is the defining and connecting element, then artists, designers, and everyone else have an unlimited field of possibilities before them. Despite the influx of vibe-coded branding, AI-generated photos, and synthetic videos, I remain very optimistic about the role of art and design. There is a reason why Mona Lisa still draws crowds to be in the presence of Leonardo's work. A stroll along the winding canals of Venice, where I can almost feel the impossible ideas of building a city on water, is what defines being human. From the initial thought to the result, the energetic signature remains encoded, attracting crowds—something beyond the capabilities of AI.

"Do you know what you are? / You are a manuscript of a divine letter. / You are a mirror reflecting a noble face. / The universe is not outside you. / Look inside yourself; everything you want is already there."

~ Jalal al-Din Rumi.

What I found on my healing journey is that most of the time, we unconsciously shape our reality, and the results are often in direct opposition to the desired outcome. It is a mirror with a delayed response, reflecting our emotions to us. Vadim Zeland beautifully writes about it. Fear, insecurity, frustration or anxiety creates more of the same. And the downward spiral continues. When the cycle is reversed, everything shifts - creativity blossoms, and ideas or solutions appear out of nowhere. They were always there, woven into the field of unlimited possibilities, but we haven't seen them.

I recall many instances when I met with a new client, and we immediately clicked. I was impressed with the concept, while the client loved the work samples I presented. The ideas started to flow instantly, and the result was stunning, effortless and finished ahead of schedule. However, there were moments where I knew right from the beginning that it was going to be a grind - I did not like the client's personality (I am sure it was mutual), and the project was challenging to understand. The result was mediocre, if completed at all. Was there something working behind the scenes? Like attracts like, whether in physics, relationships, or personal experiences, but it's not just a statement. There is an actual energetic handshake before I say hi when I meet with a client. What I learned is that each version, each iteration I present is a step, never completed work, or a final destination. It ranges from small design gigs, through long-term relationships like the one I have with Ibbaka, and its CEO, Steven Forth, to career and life. I try to embrace the possibility that there is more around the corner—a Design Thinking approach. I successfully used it to overcome incurable rheumatoid arthritis, which was gone in 90 days. I learned to be open, to welcome change and above all, to maintain a thinking diet (Goddard), mindfully monitoring my thoughts and resulting emotions. What I found around the corner blew me away. I wasn't expecting that.

"A footprint is made by the shoe but it is not the shoe itself."

~ from the Wisdom of Lao Tse, quoted in Diane Arbus notebook, 1959.

For the past three years, I have been helping people achieve physical, emotional, and mental balance. What started as a curiosity-driven inquiry into energy healing resulted in a Level III Certification in Emotion Code®, Body Code™, and Belief Code®, modalities developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson / Discover Healing. What's next? Who knows? There is no need to control what and how. All I need to do is to remain open and receptive, embracing the priceless joy, love and gratitude I get from assisting people.