Travis Ruskus

RESPONSIBILITY (168) Embrace the problem for the solution to be revealed. (at Land's End Labyrinth) https://www.instagram.com/p/BswwpcjAKtu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1swz0424b5n17

I believe the world should be one country with different states of culture... - The human species will only make it to the year 3019 if we learn how to live in full harmony with each other and the resources of our mother Earth. - If we all shared this belief, then wars will stop and real progress of the human race will begin. - Global law will be passed banning all guns and companies will be required to create fully recyclable products. Prisons will turn into rehabilitation centers and the poor will have access to the same information as the rich. - As a result we can stop living in fear and start living in love. - Leave a comment with your thoughts and tag/share this with a friend. Let’s start the conversation towards the ancestors we want to be for the future generations. (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsJxih9AKvM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dy9cwxsnsrpn

Here are my favorite balances from the year. Although these moments of balance are temporary, the photos are a lasting reminder of the determination it takes to move beyond the daily struggles of life. Each one taught me more about the strength I truly have. Peace and clarity is possible when we let go of fear, so I hope these inspire you embrace the potential in the year ahead. 🚀 (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsB9w4dg0r4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wb9ymerx4q2o

Happy winter solstice! Although I live in San Francisco now and am as far away from snow as I can be, this is a throwback of my favorite winter balance a few years ago when I lived in Colorado. - Edition 89 (original text below) - SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE ABOUT TIME AND ART: - 1) I wonder what the ratio is of minutes spent creating vs. others’ time spent viewing the creation? Based on my own life experience and conversations with other artists, think the ratio would be at least 240:1. - 2) Is great art defined as something that can last many years? Or is great art defined as something that showcases the incredibly fragile and impermanent? - 3) What was the first piece of art ever made? Who created it? Even though humans have only been around to create art during the past few million years, wasn’t the creation of the universe itself the first work of art? Doesn’t that make anything and everything within the universe a work of art? - 4) Each failure from an artist is a test to see how much they truly believe in their vision. Great art is born out of struggle, and a great artist is born out of their ability to continue to fail and withstand the storm. In order to succeed, the artist must encounter many failures until their vision manifests itself into something spectacular. My question is this: is a work of art one specific idea and lasting creation, or rather the artist themselves as they move through time? (at Boulder, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/Brq5OUIgBHr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=cbs1kz64aa6

We enjoy artists because they create experiences that change the view we have of ourselves. - We comply with their work in order to be consistent with our newly formed self-images. (at de Young Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgHOduAIx0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gqqz1qdj25vx

Accept yourself.... 🌱 When you’ve accepted yourself, try to accept those around you... 🌲🌲🌲 When you’ve accepted those around you, try to accept the world... 🌎 🌖 When you’ve accepted the world, try to accept the cosmos. Every star and every atom in this universe... ✨🚀✨ Accept it all as it exists in this moment. (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq_s9Iogoxs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16mh6bq6dzz1n

As my journey continues, the challenge I face is how to balance ego with vision. - It seems that to spread an idea of inspiration I need to spread awareness of myself as an artist. I need to say “look at me and the art I have created!” in a way that actually makes you look at yourself. - When I speak in front of others about rock balancing, it’s not about me. It’s about YOU. I present a moment of possibility. A moment of safety from the negative scripts we constantly tell ourselves. Doubt is just an illusion and I want to free you from it. - Attention is the asset for change and with it I can become a catalyst for growth in myself and others. I see the world in so much self-inflicted pain. I will spend the rest of my life showing others how to release doubt and step into opportunity. - If this means I need to step in front of thousands of people and tell them that their greatest critic is themselves, then it’s what I must do in order to create a positive future. I can no longer feed myself fear and must start living in humble confidence. - The art of rock balancing shows me what I believe when facing the challenge. I’ll never make a rock balance with doubtful thoughts, as I must fully believe in myself in order to create something amazing. - Whether you are a CEO or an elementary school student, it doesn’t matter to me. Your religion and skin color mean nothing to me. What matters is that you are living an authentic life of happiness and it doesn’t require manipulating others to get it. - The world is an abundant place and if there’s just one thing I can leave you with, it’s that YOU DESERVE GREATNESS. Let’s take this moment and go do some great things with it. 🚀 (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqyz2o1AWBR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wbqpcj2b1sfl

CONFIDENCE (166) Continue to play in the face of defeat and when the world is watching, breathe. (at Boulder, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqlEyU0gIzw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1krs2tknwg5j5

Limited Edition Release TODAY at 12 Noon PST at travisruskus.com/shop. Enhance your meditation space with a limited edition 2019 calendar. The collection of 12 original photographs in this calendar embody my previous year of work as a rock balance artist. - Size is 11x17 inches (28x43cm). Dates and national holidays are displayed along the bottom. The wire-bound top ensures simple hanging and semi-gloss paper a sleek finish. Made in the USA. - Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery within the United States. Worldwide shipping available. - This is a limited release and only 50 copies of this calendar will be created. (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQQca0A-E8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e2pakkdv6800

FILTER (165) Remove the toxins to find the truth. - Prints available via link in profile. (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqK6n0PgcY3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xfa7sc76u23o

Good things come to those who believe in their vision. It’s easy to have a dream, but it’s not easy to still believe in that dream when reality says hello. When things get hard. Then they get so hard that you don’t know how it would ever work out. 😢 At this stage the vision is something you see and experience, but everyone else is blind to it no matter how loud you scream. It’s in those moments of stress and failure that define what happens next. BREATHE. 😌 If you quit, the dream dies. If you keep going no matter what, then people will start to see. Doors will start to open. Momentum starts to build to face even greater challenges that lie ahead. Keep going. You’ll die in pursuit of your vision instead of living in regret. 😁 This is not an unrealistic preaching story for social media... this is my story. The story of how I took that one moment of clarity standing in the river with my first rock balance and manifested it into thousands of more moments helping others gain the same clarity. 🤩 My vision is to teach every human how to balance a rock and let go of their limiting beliefs. Every decision I make faces the question “will this bring me closer or farther to making my vision a reality?” 🧐 When I was approached to write a book a few months ago, I knew it would have the opportunity to become a global tool and help you access the infinite potential that lives within. So I said yes and wrote my heart out. I shared all my secrets in an effort to help just one person see my vision and learn how to believe in their own. The rocks are just a metaphor for whatever vision you are trying to achieve. 📸 This image is the official cover release of my new book. It will be out in bookstores July 2019 and thank you to everyone who has been a part of the journey so far. Peace to you! https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAg0YblmSA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1x21hoq4f5pth

Making art that lasts longer than I will. 🧘🏻‍♂️⏳ The intention of my work is to help the viewer remember to breathe and thus provide a feeling of clarity in the moment. 🌎🚀🌖 For best results hang this somewhere calm like your meditation area at home or somewhere chaotic like above the desk at work. ✨🖼✨🧐👍 Quality inspection is also very important and my prints have evolved to meet the following criteria: • Lightweight • Floating frame • Water resistant • Mid-gloss finish • Consistent high quality • Durable (printed into metal) • International shipping available • Free USA shipping • Easy installation 📲📦🏠 These prints are available via the link in my bio @travisruskus or visit travisruskus.com/shop (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo7HodKFRCe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=aht4m6i5m59r

PRESSURE (163) With enough constant force victory is inevitable. First, we have to be willing to face the challenge. Move beyond the frustration. Take a breath during the pain. Discover the passion that will move us beyond the pain and see how that passion leads to momentum. What we desire is already ours. The journey is a process of opening ourselves up to receive this abundance. (at Land's End Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoAFwV4F2dp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=gnkrlg42ulip

A big thank you to @outposttrade for letting me host several rock balance workshops at the event last weekend deep in the redwoods of Northern California. The forest was a much needed recharge from my usual daily experience in San Francisco. ✨🔋✨ Events like this are a great reminder that it’s not about quantity of attention, but rather quality of the moment. This weekend I taught people with 100k+ social media followers right beside those who don’t even have social media. 😄🌎 I felt like a laughing buddha watching how the rocks treat everyone the same. The key lives in seeing how each one of us can grow and evolve instead of close into fear. 🏃🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🕺🏻 Some will quit, others will naturally keep going, and the rest just need that extra boost of encouragement to break through the false plateaus they have created. It’s such a great feeling to be able to give others clarity and mindfulness which they can harness in their daily lives through the power of the breath. 🌎🚀🌗 I am going to be focusing more on teaching private workshops like this in the future. If you or someone you know (tag them) is interested in hosting a rock balance workshop, send me an email: [email protected] (open to international travel) 😉📸 Photos by @mrpixelhead @michael.mcsherry @travisruskus (at Camp Navarro) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnuSb4PhFq5/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1beihmwf0w90f