‘hamsa’

watercolor 3/2020

The swan known as Hamsa in Hindu mythology is said to be the vehicle of the goddess Saraswati…..patroness of wisdom, learning music and the arts. Or they may be one and the same. That would make Hamsa the divine swan-maiden.

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solitude

watercolor 11/2019

Barred Owl

You cannot save people. You can only love them……..Anais Nin

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stands and waits

watercolor 8/2019

Standing in shallow water upon long thin legs. Standing and waiting for prey. Herons wait for their prey to come to them. They do not chase down their meal. Always works very well. I have spent hours watching herons standing and waiting. Not boring at all because I’m watching a master fisher. Make a noise and they are likely to take to the air and fly slowly and majestically away looking like a prehistoric reincarnation. A picture of Zen……so still and present. My dog Buddha tried but was never able to catch a heron. He used to crash through the underbrush toward the wader. No brainer. Buddha always lost. He was, however, a very excellent ground squirrel catcher. He would hug the ground and almost imperceptibly advance toward the squirrel colony. At a certain distance he would make his final thrust in a burst of speed. His technique was quite good and he occasionally succeeded in a capture. 

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gnosis

watercolor 8/2019

‘God, whose love and joy are present everywhere, can’t come to visit you unless you aren’t there’…….Angelus Silesius – a German mystic and prophet of the ineffable.

   

There is no instruction book to tell you how to be invisible. The journey requires only Faith……not too many words.  I have been seeking invisibility my entire life. It’s a worthwhile path to peace.

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allegheny sorcerer

watercolor 6/2019

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty

and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study

and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.

Let the beauty we love be what we do.

There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

………..rumi

owl medicine

watercolor aceo 2018

‘A warrior’s strength is measured by the size of her heart. She is respectfully humble. She will stand with honor. She will fight with love. In the face of adversity and for the ones she loves, she will be a voice and a shield. She will be a beacon to light the way home for the old. she will gently make way for the young. She is a sister, mother, daughter, grandmother……….she is a warrior.’

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golden eagle

watercolor aceo
2/2018

Once while walking with my dog Buddha at the lake a large bald eagle swooped down on him while he was wading in the water directly beneath shrubby bushes and trees. I saw this all happen and it happened in an instant. Buddha is a cattle dog weighing in at 70 pounds so I would guess that when the eagle got close enough to measure him……no sale. The eagle shot upward with dog unharmed. If Buddha had been smaller, perhaps he would have made a meal for the eagle. 

There were several eagle families who called the lake home. They would sit high in the cedars picking away at their fish or small animal. Such sights was I privileged to see and will never forget.

Eagles figure prominently in the mythology of nearly every Native American tribe. In most Native cultures, eagles are considered medicine birds with impressive magical powers, and play a major role in the religious ceremonies of many tribes. 

Eagle conveys the powers and messages of the spirit; it is man’s connection to the divine because it flies higher than any other bird. The eagle is symbolic of the importance of honesty and truthful principles.

Both Bald and Golden Eagles (and their feathers) are highly revered and considered sacred within American Indian traditions, culture and religion. They are honored with great care and shown the deepest respect. They represent honesty, truth, majesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power and freedom.

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sacred wisdom

Watercolor 1/2018 5 x 7

 

This is just one of so many Native American tales about Raven as well as other animals. I love to read them.

 

When Raven was killed

Raven had played so many tricks on mankind for so long that one day a great chief decided to kill him. The chief caught Raven unaware and threw him into a large skin bag. Then he began to climb to the top of a steep mountain. Raven asked from inside the bag “what are you doing, where are we going.” The chief ignored Raven. Raven told the chief that bad things would happen if he hurt Raven. But the chief did not listen and finally on top of the mountain, he threw Raven off the mountain. Raven was torn to pieces falling. The chief had killed Raven.

Everyone in the village was happy and they celebrated for days. Then they noticed that all the water was gone. The lakes and rivers were dry. The shaman told them that the water had vanished because the chief had killed Raven. Now the people wanted Raven to come back.

The shaman told the chief that he would have to put Raven back together again. So the chief put all the pieces back together again. Raven came back to life and started to fly away. “Stop” cried the chief. “All the water is gone and only you can return it.” Raven flew higher and said “Look around you, there is water everywhere.”

The chief then turned and saw that the lake was full and that the river ran deep and fast again. As Raven disappeared in the distance, the chief promised never to try to kill Raven again.

Because of his powers and role in their heritage, Natives do not kill ravens.

 

master of illusion

watercolor 9/2016

Rumi has some great words about illusion. This one is my favorite because it always makes me laugh.

‘Why struggle to open a door between us when the whole wall is an illusion.’

Yesterday when I was in the parking lot of the Safeway a young woman passed by me wearing a tee shirt with lettering that said ‘Minnie is my spirit animal.’ How great is that!!!

luna

watercolor aceo 3/2016

The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see…..robert holden

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