Monthly Archives: October 2014
She Who Watches Final Painting
The completed painting on my easel one recent sunny autumn morning. This painting, “She Who Watches,” is inspired by my recent soul journey with Animas Institute to explore what Bill Plotkin (guide and author of Wild Mind) defines as our Wild Indigenous Self. The experience was yet another homecoming and I felt a deeper communion with all creation. Owl came to me during one of our wanderings, so this painting became a self-portrait around my embodiment of owl spirit and her ability to be still and to watch, listen, and hold vision in the darkness. Thresholds of transformation and shape shifting are alive for me during this time of mid-life and perhaps for you, too. Embracing the journey to live from the soul and serve this divine calling.
Sometimes, when a bird cries out,
Or the wind sweeps through a tree,
Or a dog howls in a far-off farm,
I hold still and listen a long time.
My soul turns and goes back to the place
Where, a thousand forgotten years ago,
The bird and the blowing wind
Were like me, and were my brothers.
My soul turns into a tree,
and an animal, and a cloud bank.
then changed and odd it comes home.
and asks me questions. What should I reply?
-Hermann Hesse
Spiritual Ecology Convergence at UBC
The art exhibit is in the lobby of the Liu Institute for Global Issues. Behind the mandala set up is a framed, giclee print of “Lovers of Creation” that I shipped earlier for the show.
First Nation’s Beau Dick is a Canadian Northwest Coast Native artist of Kwakwaka’wakw descent. He opened the Wednesday talks with the creation story of his people and a blessing prayer for the day.
The Japanese Gardens around the Asia Center are stunning and peaceful. The whole UBC campus is really beautiful.
Nice start to our community mandala.
Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim from the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology via Skype introducing their documentary “Journey of the Universe” that is narrated by Brian Swimme.
Art opening and discussions continue.
Beauty making.
Walking the universe story.
Learning to make fire (without matches or lighter) from Nikki Van Schyndel of ‘Becoming Wild.’
Our final mandala offering that will be remain in the lobby of the Liu Institute until the show comes down in November.
Last month I journeyed north to attend and participate in the first Spiritual Ecologies and New Cosmologies Convergence at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. It was a wonderful and inspiring gathering of people who care passionately about our beloved earth to envision and plan how we might join in solidarity to ensure a liveable planet for future generations and all our species. A wide variety of topics and speakers ranged from First Nation’s, Judaism, Muslim, Hinduism, Buddhism, Unitarian, Thomas Berry and the new cosmology, shamanism and art, Christianity and Bioregionalism, Occupy Vancouver and intentional community, and one of my favorites, “Jesus as Shaman.” I also brought the nature mandala ceremony to the event and participated in the group art exhibit which will remain up through November. You can learn more about the artists and speakers at this link http://