It is an audacious notion to put forth in this age of science and willful determination that one’s existence is somehow inspired, guided, and even managed by unseen forces outside our control. Whether called fate, destiny, or the hand of God, slender threads are at work bringing coherence and continuity to our lives. Over time they weave a remarkable tapestry. … These are the mysterious forces that guide us and shape who we are.
—Robert Johnson, depth psychologist, from Balancing Heaven and Earth
I am a photographer, author, and teacher. I write and teach on topics such as creativity and seeing. My perspective has been informed by decades in the Gurdjieff work, studies of Buddhism and other traditions, the practice of my own creative work, as well as a recently renewed involvement with yoga. My teaching of creativity is guided by the search for authenticity through artistic practice.
David Ulrich is the Program Coordinator and a Professor at Pacific New Media, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. He is an active photographer and writer whose work has been published in numerous books and journals including Aperture, Parabola, MANOA, and Sierra Club publications. Ulrich’s photographs have been exhibited internationally in over seventy-five one-person and group exhibitions in museums, galleries, and universities. Ulrich is the author of The Widening Stream: the Seven Stages of Creativity and the co-author of Through Our Eyes: A Photographic View of Hong Kong by its Youth and Kaho‘olawe: Na Leo o Kanaloa. He is a consulting editor for Parabola magazine. A more comprehensive bio can be found on David’s website.