“It is not too much to say that ritual is more to society than words are to thought. For it is very possible to know something and then find words for it. But it is impossible to have social relations without symbolic acts” – Mary Douglas1.
When driving a vehicle on the street, there are numerous symbols to pay attention to. Stop signs, street lights, traffic lights, highway exits, and so much more. All of these signals guide individuals to get from where they are to where they want to be while regarding the other travelers around them. There are even signals that do not relate to one’s travels, such as graffiti, advertisements of products and services, even promotions of special events occurring around the area. In my experience, the more I drive by the same areas, the less I pay attention to all the symbols and signals around me; I lose my curiosity with my environment. Yet, I am challenging myself and challenging you to take the symbols as invitations, to be attentive to the signals your surroundings may be giving you, both outside of ourselves and within.
Unexpected Signals
According to the Judeo-Christian tradition, god expects all things, there is nothing unexpected in their experience. God is seen as an omniscient, all-knowing, being, who knows what is going to happen, who is going to do it, and why that individual is doing it. I sometimes wonder what it must be like to have this type of perception, the perception of knowing how every object will interact with another. This type of awareness brings to mind the cliche phrase shared from a mentor to a rising superhero, “with great power comes great responsibility”. How much responsibility does god take for the actions he expects others to do that may be harmful to others? Would I accept responsibility for the hurt they cause another individual, or is it just their misstep, their own harmful action to hold, whether intentionally aiming for harm or as a naive or innocent accident?
On the Path To PPeace channel, the creator posted a short video holding a message meant to reach people before March 11th2. The video shows five cards that I’m assuming to be Tarot cards, with only two of them I can read what they represent3. The middle card has a title on the bottom, “THE EMPRESS” and the card to the left of it states “THE HIEROPHANT”, another word for a high priest or interpreter4. In the background is a still image of yellow/orange light sparkling, lighting up the area behind the cards5. As the short plays, there are words that slide through in black box, some of the words seem to be in English while others I do not recognize6. From the audio side, there is some type of song/hymn/chant in another language I am not familiar with accompanied with drums7.
This short wasn’t the most engaging for me, partly because of the language barrier, but partly due to the proposition that this message is supposed to reach someone on a certain date. What I believe is fascinating about a lot of the messages held in religious traditions is the mystical proclamation. The abstract, sometimes poetic, language used to describe what may be happening in the divine or spiritual allows the audience or reader to interpret their surroundings. I believe if one is interpreting intentionally, it requires them to pay attention to how they are feeling and what is going on around them. I believe the mystical messaging draws the listener to a different state of awareness, and how unexpected fortune may show up in the signals presented in life.
Global Signals
Working at a boarding school that has students from all over the world, it’s been amazing for me to see the number of international children that have exceptional athletic gifts. Even before that, playing with teammates from Europe opened my eyes to different ways of playing the game of basketball. At the professional level, in what most people agree to be the most talented basketball league on the planet, the NBA’s top 5 players are arguably all international players. I believe there are plenty of reasons for the expansion of the game of basketball around the globe, yet one factor that is treated differently almost everywhere is training. When to start, where to train, what skills to develop, are just a few questions that arise in developing athletes to perform to the best of their abilities. No matter the language or area, I believe there is a way of communicating that allows basketball to communicate beyond cultural barriers and surpass the physical environment of the court.
On the Swish Culture’s Channel, the creator made a short showcasing Kawhi Leonard’s shot-creation ability8. The play starts with Kawhi settling past halfcourt before the defender presses up on him, trying to disturb his rhythm9. Kawhi proceeds with a double between- the-legs size up, exploding past his defender, before slowing down to get back into his rhythm10. From here, Kawhi moves into his size up on the right wing, a triple between the legs11. The video moves in slow motion as we see Kawhi hesitating with a head fake to get his defender to believe he is going to shoot a three point shot12. Once the defender jumps at the shot, Kawhi Leonard changes speed and direction again, attacking the defender’s top foot, to make the defender turn around13. Once Kawhi has seen his advantage, the video slows down again as Kawhi performs a no-dribble step-back before the defender has time to recover, knocking down the 18 foot jump shot with a late contest14. Kawhi appears to show no emotion as he hops and skips back on defense15.
After a Finals MVP in June of 2019, Kawhi is looking the best he’s looked since then, more than six years after cementing his legacy once more in NBA history. Swish Culture captures this single moment in Kawhi’s performance versus the Knicks, accentuating his ability to create off the dribble and knock down contested shots. Kawhi’s dedication to battle through his countless injuries has paid off, and he’s been rewarded with his first All-Star selection since 2024. As the video is titled, Kawhi’s “bag work” was on full display and was the talk of the small number of Clippers fans. Yet Swish Culture’s short video signals to those around the globe Kawhi’s skill level, his ability understood beyond cultural boundaries or backgrounds.
Art Signals
“Great artists are entirely themselves. They’ve got their own vision, they’ve got their own way of fracturing reality, and if it’s authentic and true, you will feel it in your nerve endings – David Lynch16. I believe artists transform their experience and their perspective into their own reality and they express that through their art. Whether it’s through traditional canvases or their environment, I believe artists use their creativity to signal towards subjects they have understood and have chosen to express.
On The Artist Block Channel, the creator gives us a tutorial on how to make one’s own graffiti marker17. The creator starts off by claiming all one needs to create their own graffiti mark is some shoe-polish bottle with a felt tip, oil-based house paint, and some paint thinner18. The creator continues, advising his audience to grab some gloves because the process can be messy, and additionally a plastic bag to dump out the polish from the paint container19. The first step involves stirring and mixing the house paint with a marker and following it by prying off the tip of the shoe polish20. Once carefully pried without destroying the felt tip, the creator instructs to empty out the shoe polish into the plastic bag and wash the polish off carefully21. Next, the audience is told to fill up red cups with different levels of paint thinner and different levels of house paint depending on the artistic style of the individual22. The final step involves mixing the cups of paint thinner and house paint, then stirring and mixing the marker with the final concoction to begin painting23.
The Artist Block shares how to make one’s own graffiti marker, so people new to the art or experienced veterans in graffiti, can express their vision to the world. Whether it’s on one’s own walls, the town’s train, or a space that overlooks the whole city, the creator shares how to put one’s stamp on any surface, even catering to one’s style. The more people who pick up their graffiti marker and create, the more opportunities there are for visual conversation. From one individual to another individual, or one group to another group, artists can understand the scene and articulate themselves in relation to their experience and perspective. Art fills the cities, pictures are taken of the graffiti, and viewers are inspired around the globe, the art signaling a call to creativity in public spaces never before seen.
Closing Signals
Suggest signals. Invite your attention. Let your pay vary. Remain unexpected. Embrace global curiosity. Engage with art. Close broadly. Understand your landscape. Inhale your culture. Express your meaning. Originate your reflections. Begin your eternity. Echo your revelations. Mystify the grand. Sink into a small soul. Travel between things and your twin. Dance first, ask second. Simplify and live. Notice your energy.
Bibliography
- HAU, “Google Search,” X, last modified November 19, 2017, https://x.com/haujournal/status/932166804616626176. ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, “This Message will find you Before 11 March ❤️ #tarot #tarotreading #subscribe,” YouTube, March 9, 2026, accessed March 11, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yTvk1aXoKJ8. ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, ↩︎
- Path to PPeace, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, “Kawhi bag work omg 🤯,” YouTube, March 10, 2026, accessed March 11, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/i_cmYpvCKrY. ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- Swish Culture, ↩︎
- WordPress, “Great Artists,” TheEnlightenedMind622, last modified March 11, 2026, https://theenlightenedmind622.wordpress.com/2026/03/11/great-artists/. ↩︎
- The Artist Block, “How To Make Your Own Graffiti Mop,” YouTube, March 6, 2026, accessed March 11, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PyrnfykySiI. ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
- The Artist Block, ↩︎
Spectrum of Spirit: A Digital Sanctuary for Spiritual Discourse and Community 
Leave a comment