The first time I saw Gita Ravi’s artworks in our Hay House Facebook group page, I was enthralled. I ordered one of her paintings, and then another. And of course, my curiosity was aroused. Who is this woman with a unique kind of art? I emailed her some questions and she answered me in her lovely handwriting. See for yourself how wonderful Gita is!
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Dot: Please tell me about yourself and your passion or advocacy. What motivates you?
Gita: My name is Gita Chandra. I am an Indian, raised in a cosmopolitan city called Mumbai (which was previously called Bombay). I grew up with three more siblings and dogs. I started my career in Fashion. It was a divine orchestration. Fashion has many different categories. I started working with surface ornamentation, which is mostly handmade embroideries. I worked from an entry level intern to become a chief designer. I have to say, I loved my work. I must have been the only one arriving early and leaving late. Loved by my co-workers and my bosses, I did very well in the field of embroidery.
A bit about my past… As a child, I suffered from an almost blind vision. It made me absolutely sad because I was bullied or ignored at school. My eyes couldn’t really catch what the teacher wrote on the board. But being blind means I opened my other senses. So, I heard everything very carefully. I illustrated more than write. I was always very passionate about art. Something in me would just kick in and weird patterns and ideas would start pouring in.
My passion for art is a gift from above. I don’t have to refer to any color wheel or learn color mixing. I do everything very intuitively. I am a self-taught artist. Self-taught artists gain a lot by making lots of errors. And errors guide you in the right directions.
My motivation comes from MYSELF. I motivate myself - funny? What I realized is - true motivation comes from within and we create magic. When the motivation is outsourced, it has a small life. Motivation is key to self-growth. I believe in being consistent in everything I do. Consistency, motivation (inner), and my practice are three pillars I build for myself.
Dot: What esoteric or spiritual lessons have you learned?
Gita: Being almost blind, ridiculed, and bullied, a girl child can feel extremely vulnerable, sad, and a failure. And I felt it. I felt failed. I felt depressed. But each day, I have worked on nourishing my soul. My other world consists of trees, animals, happy clouds. My ever present angels, my paints, my canvases, birds, butterflies, winds, sun – all are part of me. They are truly part of me. Birds bring me messages and great joy. Trees are always so beautiful, the branches, the sky… I think my spiritual nourishment comes from BEING KIND.
After I moved to the USA, I had more time for myself. I was introduced to the Law of Attraction, Wayne Dyer, and many more spiritual leaders and motivational speakers. My journey became easier after I found Hay House radio. It felt as though I am with a million more people who are loving life in spite of hurdles. And it inspires me to see people overcome their hurdles. The Law of Attraction keeps me in good spirits. It helps me make everyday choices. It has helped me in every area of my life.
Dot: What positive lessons did you learn from your parents that you want to pass on to your children?
Gita: My parents are beautiful souls, relentlessly dreaming about their kids, having tea in their garden. My mom is a leader with “no” title. She’s just a mom, a beautiful person who raised four kids and many animals. My mom taught me to “FEEL.” She taught me to “BLOOM” wherever I am. Kindest person I’ve seen so far.
My dad is a feisty old man. He taught me a great lesson: SEE GOOD IN EVERYTHING, EVERY SITUATION. Life is fleeting; take time to do things you love.
Dot: What are your top wins in life?
Gita: a) My positive attitude gets me everywhere. I became a mother at age 39 – a big achievement.
b) I have met “1,000” people in my life. All “1,000” are still my friends – school friends from kindergarten to friends at work - all are with me. Pat my back, no one forgets me!
c) I couldn’t speak well till age 14. I taught myself many languages.
d) I don’t have health issues other than my eyesight. But, it’s getting better, too. Positive thinking.
e) Every time I paint, I paint my heart. It’s a poem of love on the paper. It’s a gift; lucky I feel.
f) I stopped reacting to people’s feelings about my art. I think that’s a big win. Earlier, I used to think about my audience. Now, I am a bird who sings his song without knowing who’s watching or listening. Freedom means everything.
Dot: What beautiful changes do you see in the world now?
Gita: Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” So true. I am a work in progress but this quote from Dr. Dyer always keeps my perspective in life very clear. It helps me to pivot my focus and see everything differently.
Dot: How do you take care of yourself?
Gita: Everything falls into place when I am well-rested, so I do take time to nap in the afternoons. It’s a family tradition to nap. J I take time to simply “BE.” And I try to eat the healthiest food whenever I can.
Dot: What messages do you have for this world?
Gita: a) Please protect our Earth. Inform the little ones to protect this planet.
b) Stay with your dreams. Dreams come true.
c) Whatever the obstacle, we can overcome them.
d) Keep it simple.
e) Remind everyone to watch the sunset, hug a tree, smell the flowers.
f) Radiate GOD.
g) GOD is within you. The good within you is GOD. There is one religion. That religion is LOVE. Anything that is not love is resistance, and resistance creates fear.
h) LOVE the world, love yourself. Let Love be your guide.
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Gita Chandra can be reached through her email gitaravi@gmail.com, website gitaravi.com, and Instagram Gita Ravi.
