ILLUSTRATIONS | tobe-river-is

Tobe sits on edge of reality before the void

Self Portrait and the Edge of the World
from Toby’s Sketchbook

Self Portrait and the Edge of the World

Chapter 1, Tobe enjoying the afternoon sketching in the hills on the edge of the world.

Self Portrait and the Edge of the World -Detail

Chapter 1, Tobe drawing the village and his world.

Tobe Casting Net

Chapter 1, Tobe casting his net to catch the golden minnow.

Asleep in the Meadow

Chapter 2 As Tobe sleep a mysterious light shines down upon him and changes his world.

The Real Boy in the Dream

Illustration Chapter 2 of Tobe's dream experience.

Burning House - My Journey Begins

Chapter 3, With the appearance of his house burning, Tobe can no longer resist, and he begins his journey to Inlakesh.

Rhapsody of Dark Holes in G Minor

Chapter 3, Tobe experiences the dark holes and eventually learns their secrets and how to exist with them.

Detail, Rhapsody of Dark Holes in G Minor

It's not always easy.

Carnival I

Chapter 4, Tobe enters the glittering carnival amazed at all it's gifts of happiness and pleasure.

Carnival II, Tobe's Nightmare

Carnival 4, As Tobe begins to experience the growing disappointments in the Carnival, he begins to see it through different eyes.

Saint Tempted by Demons

Chapter 5, And the bookseller says, "Look at the saint’s expression, and the focus and peace in his eyes—while all that nonsense is going on. He is grounded in his God and sees only Him. Nothing distracts him; his bliss cannot be shaken. Now, that is how one should live in this world!”

Auriel and Tobe Walking through the Wonders of Inlakesh

Chapter 6, Tobe's eyes begin to open to a whole different kind of world, one he could have never imagined being possible as he walks with Auriel, his twelve year old guide.

The Being of Insects and the Cowgirl

Chapter 7, "Tobe could see in the eyes of each insect a doorway that led into its vast being-ness—a dimension of its own. Space became filled with all these “dimensions” flying about, each infinite and alive, coming together in the space/time dimension where Tobe stood!"

The River Flowing Around Auriel and Tobe

Chapter 8, For the first time Auriel shows Tobe how to call the River...and he does! But more, he learns how to let go and actually swim in it!

The River Flowing Around Auriel and Tobe

Chapter 8, Detail, Auriel tells Tobe the River can only be found in the present second.

The River Flowing Around Auriel and Tobe

Chapter 8, Detail, The Eye of Awareness and the Changeless Reality opening up to deeper and deeper levels.

The Father Tree and the Child Tree

Chapter 8, The fresh, peaceful morning... before the changes come.

Father Tree and Child Tree

Chapter 8, The father tree and the child tree this day are set free. "There is no death."

Tobe's Painting of the River Is and the World

Chapter 9, “O beautiful world, O glorious world—full of sublime mystery, overflowing with Love—all held in the Oneness of the River.” (Tobe)

Tobe's Painting of the River Is and the World

Chapter 9, Detail, "Then, with a light hand, Tobe started drawing the forms of the world— clouds, birds, mountains and mesas, trees, a stable and farmhouse, horses in the meadow with ducks, and someone tending their garden. He painted them with colors, transparent here and there, the way they seem to be, now and then, when one is swimming in the River. By now, the rendering of the forms of the world covered over much of the River. So Tobe redrew some zigzags, curlicues, and a few lines..."

Tobe's Sketch of Swimming with Someone in the River

Chapter 10,“Wonder upon wonder! Individuation of Being in dynamic, energetic interaction!—within and of Oneness Itself!! O wonder upon wonder!” (Toby)

The Dream of the World in the Holy Mind

Chapter 11, "He (Tobe) felt the sublime mystery of the bird’s existence, taking his breath away, as he began to sense the intelligence and will of Mind projecting the bird’s form into the mental landscape of Inlăkesh. Tobe turned towards Auriel. “Everything is much more than it seems, and the miracle of what’s going on we don’t even suspect."

Tobe Looking Out of the Eye of The Great Fish

Chapter 11, He stood up inside The Great Fish, with room to spare. Inside The Great Fish, it was dark, but slowly things started to stand out. The Great Fish was much larger than one would think possible. Inside was vast space—really, really vast space. Tobe started to see that it contained the whole of Inlăkesh. In fact, it contained the dream of the whole world, as well as other worlds, stars, and galaxies of stars! There were also other dimensions and plains of reality inside The Great Fish."

The Great River Is Transforming the Carnival

Chapter 12, "The Dawning of Love and Unity in Awareness>"

Tobe and Kallee Standing on the Edge of Heaven

Chapter 12, "Tobe turned around and watched the River filling and overflowing the village and the whole valley, and then spilling over into the Great Nothing! The dark space of the Great Nothing began to fade completely away in the glowing light of the River Is—Its light saturating every inch of it. Look, Soñadora no longer stands before the darkness of the Great Nothing, but before the radiance of Heaven!"

Self Portrait and the Edge of the World from Toby’s Sketchbook

Self Portrait and the Edge of the World
from Toby’s Sketchbook