What pulls someone towards art? It's rarely a straight line. It begins with a flicker, a strange obsession, a moment that seizes you and doesn't let go.

Photographer John Ortner's creative journey began with a casual suggestion from a hippie on a houseboat in Kashmir: "There's this cave not too far from here where holy men go." Without preparation, Ortner and friends trekked into the Himalaya, surrounded by thousands of sadhus—wandering mystics who've spent lifetimes seeking truth. Their question to him was profound: "Do you know why you're here?" When he admitted his ignorance, they told him he'd come for "Darshan"—holy sight

For anyone feeling the pull of creativity, Ortner's story reminds us that the most potent work emerges not from chasing recognition but from following beauty with an open heart. What's calling you to see with new eyes today?

Thanks for listening.