This is a panoramic image of the Fagradalsfjall volcano crater in Iceland at sunset, a combination of 8 vertical images at 24mm. Everything is massive in Iceland. The term "landscape" photography really makes sense there - where the grandeur of the landscape is stunning in all directions!! I rarely use my wide-angle lens, except for milky-way photography, but in Iceland I often found myself switching to creating panoramas to capture the majestic landscapes.

There is quite an interesting story with this image. After a terrific first night with auroras, this was my first day in Iceland. I found myself close to Grindavik. So naturally, I wanted to explore the volcanoes there. This image was captured at sunset time before I made my way to the volcanic crater where the July 2023 eruptions took place. 

On my way, I was under the impression that the ground was shaking but I wasn't sure whether I was just imagining it. Then at some point, I clearly felt the ground moving underneath me. Night fell as I pressed on. As daylight dies, the primary sense naturally switches from sight to hearing. Continuous earthquakes began to occur. Each one felt more intense than the other. It was as if the earth came to life, I had a clear feeling of the magma under the surface of the earth.

At that moment, it was utterly terrifying. A most intimidating presence, an oppressive vibe rumbled through the air. The sound of rocks crumbling under the pressure of seismic activity echoed in the air, as fumes of vapor erupted in the nearby craters of the Meradalir plains. The potential for chaos could be felt. The tension of not knowing if an eruption could happen at any time was building up slowly. 
Somehow something was compelling me to proceed further. I kept going, each step clad in fear, ultimately forcing me to go inwards. To accept death and surrender to life, each step became a meditation. And as it did, I began to observe that the Earth was responding to me very clearly. It was a very distinct connection beyond description. The pulse of the Earth, the rhythm of the inner workings of this planet, creation preceded by destruction, a cycle of life and death – it all made sense in an instant. And in that very instant, fear turned to joy – as Consciousness became aware of Existence.

I made it all the way to the Litili Hrutur, the innermost eruption site, dancing along the way with the pulsations of the land, chanting sounds of Unknown origin. 

Looking back, it all seems very Shamanic, a shaman of old dancing and chanting to appease the wrath of the Earth. I have no idea if the actions that took place through me had any effect whatsoever, but later on, I found out that what I experienced was a series of earthquakes up to a magnitude of 5.1 that day and the next day Grindavik was evacuated for high risks of eruption. And as I kept following the updates on the volcanic activity in the coming days, it looked to me that the volcano was calming down. Each day the likelihood of eruption decreased. So after all, who knows how deeply our Presence or lack of is intimately connected to something as grand as a cataclysmic event? Why limit your SELF?

It is easier to make the connection when the feedback loop is instant. But how about the interconnectedness of all our actions and thoughts rippling through time? Can we bring Presence to them without the instantaneous feedback? A monumental task one might say if one thinks it is something to be achieved through doing, yet a simple matter of observation if One knows to just be.

Let your imagination run wild as the dream of Consciousness unfurls, become the witness, The Silent Observer ✨

Dimensions: 13875 x 6900