DRAWINGS
Gurudeva: Radiant Spiritual Teacher
Portraiture has long been one of the most enduring traditions in art, a practice through which artists strive not only to depict a likeness, but to reveal the soul of their subject. Natalie continues this lineage with remarkable sensitivity, creating works that are at once intimate and timeless.
Her drawings are not mere representations, they are thoughtful studies of essence. Each rendering demonstrates her ability to capture presence with extraordinary nuance, the subtle gesture of a hand, the glimmer of light in the eyes, the quiet dignity of expression. With each stroke of charcoal and graphite, she observes deeply and distills her subject into an image that breathes with life, awareness, and character.
This scope of work includes her profound series of twenty drawings of Gurudeva (Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami), depicting stages of his life over thirty-three years.
Gurudeva, one of Hinduism’s foremost leaders and the founder of Kauai’s Saiva Siddhanta Church, was an awakened soul whose teachings reached seekers worldwide through the Hinduism Today magazine and the creation of pilgrimage temples. Natalie’s series has been featured in the book 7 Dimensions of Mind, published by Himalayan Academy, and now stands as a meditation on devotion, wisdom, and spiritual presence.
Through these works, Natalie demonstrates her prowess as an artist who does more than illustrate, she reveals. Her drawings invite the viewer into an intimate encounter with the subject, alive with thought, feeling, and spirit, held in the subtle, refined language of line and shadow.
Sri Sakthi Amma
Since first meeting Sri Sakthi Amma in 2007, Natalie has been inspired to create drawings of this extraordinary spiritual teacher and saint. Sri Sakthi Narayani Amma, revered worldwide as a source of wisdom, devotion, and blessing, is the visionary founder of the Sripuram Spiritual Complex in Tamil Nadu, India. Each day, Amma performs multiple pujas (rituals) and prayers for the upliftment of humanity, radiating a profound spiritual presence that continues to transform countless lives.
Rooted in the spiritual, Amma’s work blossoms into a living expression of service and compassion. The vast humanitarian and environmental initiatives established under Amma’s guidance augment this spiritual mission, bringing its principles into tangible form.
Through health care, holistic healing, education, ecological renewal, and community development, Amma has created infrastructures of service that embody the seamless union of spirituality and social responsibility. These endeavors have uplifted the local community of Thirumalaikodi and beyond, offering a living example of devotion expressed through compassionate action.
Since first meeting Sri Sakthi Amma in 2007, Natalie has been inspired to create drawings of this extraordinary spiritual teacher and saint. Sri Sakthi Narayani Amma, revered worldwide as a source of wisdom, devotion, and blessing, is the visionary founder of the Sripuram Spiritual Complex in Tamil Nadu, India. Each day, Amma performs multiple pujas (rituals) and prayers for the upliftment of humanity, radiating a profound spiritual presence that continues to transform countless lives. Rooted in the spiritual, Amma’s work blossoms into a living expression of service and compassion. The vast humanitarian and environmental initiatives established under Amma’s guidance augment this spiritual mission, bringing its principles into tangible form. Through health care, holistic healing, education, ecological renewal, and community development, Amma has created infrastructures of service that embody the seamless union of spirituality and social responsibility. These endeavors have uplifted the local community of Thirumalaikodi and beyond, offering a living example of devotion expressed through compassionate action.
Natalie’s drawings of Amma are remarkable for their rare sensitivity and depth. Few artists in the world have captured a living Avatar with such authenticity, conveying not only likeness but also the radiance, compassion, joy, and subtle presence that emanate from Amma. Each portrait is a meditation in itself, offering viewers an intimate encounter with divine grace rendered through nuanced observation and finely layered shading.
In 2021, Natalie published Blessings From The Divine, a volume featuring thirty-three of her drawings paired with thirty-three sayings of Amma. This book stands as both a devotional offering and a testament to Amma’s universal mission of peace, upliftment, and the inseparability of spirituality and service.
SOULS
OF
50 Spiritual Luminaries of the 20th Century
Souls of Light: 50 Spiritual Luminaries of the 20th Century
This forthcoming book, Souls of Light, was conceived during the 2021 Covid pandemic, when time seemed to pause and the world turned inward. Confined to her studio, Natalie Cederquist Levin devoted herself to drawing as a way of channeling inspiration and connection in a moment of global uncertainty. What began with intimate portraits of the Indian Avatar Sri Sakthi Amma soon blossomed into the book Blessings from the Divine. That project was followed by a series of 21 deeply observed drawings of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Gurudeva, which were later published with Natalie’s reflections in Gurudeva: Seven Dimensions of the Mind.
From those beginnings, a larger vision emerged: to create a compendium of portraits of great spiritual teachers whose lives and words have illuminated humanity in the modern age. Drawing after drawing, Natalie realized just how abundant the 20th century has been in producing guides, mystics, revolutionaries, and saints from every tradition and corner of the world. The result is Souls of Light, a treasury of portraits paired with meaningful quotes and short biographies that allow readers not only to glimpse these remarkable beings but to feel their presence.
This forthcoming book, Souls of Light, was conceived during the 2021 Covid pandemic, when time seemed to pause and the world turned inward. Confined to her studio, Natalie Cederquist Levin devoted herself to drawing as a way of channeling inspiration and connection in a moment of global uncertainty. What began with intimate portraits of the Indian Avatar Sri Sakthi Amma soon blossomed into the book Blessings from the Divine. That project was followed by a series of 21 deeply observed drawings of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Gurudeva, which were later published with Natalie’s reflections in Gurudeva: Seven Dimensions of the Mind. From those beginnings, a larger vision emerged: to create a compendium of portraits of great spiritual teachers whose lives and words have illuminated humanity in the modern age. Drawing after drawing, Natalie realized just how abundant the 20th century has been in producing guides, mystics, revolutionaries, and saints from every tradition and corner of the world. The result is Souls of Light, a treasury of portraits paired with meaningful quotes and short biographies that allow readers not only to glimpse these remarkable beings but to feel their presence.
The book brings together men and women from across spiritual lineages and cultures: Buddhist priests, Sufi mystics, Jewish rabbis, Hindu gurus, Catholic saints, Christian visionaries, New Age seers, Native American shamans, and other pathfinders of light. Each portrait is drawn with nuance and sensitivity, capturing both likeness and essence, an invitation to meet the soul behind the form. Alongside each image, a carefully chosen quote and biographical reflection provide a window into their teachings, struggles, and enduring impact. Many of these teachers endured great hardship and emerged with a radiance that inspires us to face our own challenges with courage. Their resilience, compassion, and spiritual fortitude remind us of the beauty of the human spirit and the profound oneness that binds us all. In an age when divisive voices often dominate public discourse, Souls of Light is a call to remember our unity, to draw strength from heroes of the soul, and to invite more light into the world. These teachers devoted their lives to service, raising the vibration of humanity through love, wisdom, and presence. Natalie Cederquist Levin’s portraits, paired with the timeless words of these luminaries, offer more than a book of art, they offer a sanctuary of inspiration. Souls of Light is an homage to the men and women who remind us of our highest possibilities and help us awaken to our own inner light.
The book brings together men and women from across spiritual lineages and cultures: Buddhist priests, Sufi mystics, Jewish rabbis, Hindu gurus, Catholic saints, Christian visionaries, New Age seers, Native American shamans, and other pathfinders of light. Each portrait is drawn with nuance and sensitivity, capturing both likeness and essence, an invitation to meet the soul behind the form. Alongside each image, a carefully chosen quote and biographical reflection provide a window into their teachings, struggles, and enduring impact.
Many of these teachers endured great hardship and emerged with a radiance that inspires us to face our own challenges with courage. Their resilience, compassion, and spiritual fortitude remind us of the beauty of the human spirit and the profound oneness that binds us all.
In an age when divisive voices often dominate public discourse, Souls of Light is a call to remember our unity, to draw strength from heroes of the soul, and to invite more light into the world. These teachers devoted their lives to service, raising the vibration of humanity through love, wisdom, and presence.
Natalie Cederquist Levin’s portraits, paired with the timeless words of these luminaries, offer more than a book of art, they offer a sanctuary of inspiration. Souls of Light is an homage to the men and women who remind us of our highest possibilities and help us awaken to our own inner light.
Blessings From the Divine
Blessings From the Divine is a beautifully crafted 62-page hardbound edition uniting 33 inspirational messages from Sri Sakthi Amma with 33 portrait drawings by Natalie Cederquist Levin. With remarkable nuance and depth, she captures Amma’s radiant presence, translating the subtle qualities of compassion, wisdom, and divine grace into timeless works on paper.
Each page becomes a contemplative experience, Amma’s words offering guidance and insight, while Cederquist Levin’s drawings open a space for personal connection with the Divine. This rare collaboration of message and image invites readers into both reflection and devotion.
Perfectly bound with a full-color jacket, Blessings From the Divine is at once a devotional text, an art collection, and a treasured keepsake designed to inspire and uplift.
Special Edition: $108 plus shipping.
Gurudeva’s Seven Dimensions of the Mind
Illustrated with Drawings by Natalie Cederquist Levin
Seven Dimensions of the Mind is Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s profound framework for understanding consciousness, mapping human awareness from the physical to the most subtle inner realms. First published by Himalayan Academy in 2020, the book offers a rare glimpse into Gurudeva’s mystical teachings on the mind as both a cosmic and deeply personal journey.
This edition is uniquely enriched by 21 portrait drawings of Gurudeva by Natalie Cederquist Levin, each accompanied by her sensitive commentary. Created from historic photographs and imbued with the artist’s contemplative observation, the drawings capture Gurudeva across three decades of his life, from youthful vigor to the serene depth of his later years. More than likenesses, these portraits embody his spiritual presence, offering readers a visual darshan that complements his written words.
Seven-dimensions-of-the-mind
Available in PDF, Epub, and Kindle formats through Himalayan Academy, this volume combines scripture, commentary, and art into a living guide for seekers. Levin’s drawings stand as a vital contribution to the tradition of sacred portraiture, bridging devotion, artistry, and wisdom.
Seven Dimensions of the Mind is Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s profound framework for understanding consciousness, mapping human awareness from the physical to the most subtle inner realms. First published by Himalayan Academy in 2020, the book offers a rare glimpse into Gurudeva’s mystical teachings on the mind as both a cosmic and deeply personal journey. This edition is uniquely enriched by 21 portrait drawings of Gurudeva by Natalie Cederquist Levin, each accompanied by her sensitive commentary. Created from historic photographs and imbued with the artist’s contemplative observation, the drawings capture Gurudeva across three decades of his life, from youthful vigor to the serene depth of his later years. More than likenesses, these portraits embody his spiritual presence, offering readers a visual darshan that complements his written words. Seven-dimensions-of-the-mind Available in PDF, Epub, and Kindle formats through Himalayan Academy, this volume combines scripture, commentary, and art into a living guide for seekers. Levin’s drawings stand as a vital contribution to the tradition of sacred portraiture, bridging devotion, artistry, and wisdom.