Mother Mary ©Amy Livingstone

From my December newsletter:
“I thought of the wandering air–its pureness, which is its beauty; the air touched me and gave me something of itself. I spoke to the sea: though so far, in my mind I saw it, green at the rim of the earth and blue in deeper ocean; I desired to have its strength, its mystery and glory. Then I addressed the sun, desiring the soul equivalent of his light and brilliance, his endurance and unwearied race. I turned to the blue heaven over, gazing into its depth, inhaling its exquisite colour and sweetness. The rich blue of the unattainable flower of the sky drew my soul towards it, and there it rested, for pure colour is rest of heart. By all these I prayed; I felt an emotion of the soul beyond all definition; prayer is a puny thing to it, and the word is a rude sign to the feeling, but I know no other.” -Richard Jefferies, The Story of My Heart as rediscovered by Brooke and Terry Tempest Williams.

Holyday Greetings
I have been savoring this sweet little hymnal-like book that praises the glory of the natural world, slowness, beauty, and the life of soul and wanted to share this excerpt with you. A little breath of presence and spaciousness during what can often be a hectic time of year for so many people. Must this be so? After harvest, our ancestors rested in the quietude of the season and am grateful for these upcoming months when we can turn our energies inward providing rich soil for the soul and for the blossoming of our creativity. “Pure colour is rest of heart.” As with Mother Mary here, the embodiment of the Divine Feminine in the Christian tradition, the sacred blue that Jefferies references several times brings a feeling of peace. There’s been a lot written over the years about the re-emergence of the Divine Feminine for which I am grateful especially in terms of our (inter)relationship with the living earth. One of the many voices contributing to this conversation, is spiritual teacher Andrew Harvey. He writes: “The Divine Feminine is initiating a crucial new phase in our evolution: urging us to discover a new ethic of responsibility toward the planet; bringing us a new vision of the sacredness and unity of life.”

During this holy time of year as we move towards Hanukkah, Solstice, the return of the light, and the birth of the Christ light in us all, may we remember and nurture the Divine Feminine into being. This journey from head-to-heart. From hatred to love. From power over to power with. From meaningless consumption to a renewed sense of reverence for life and beauty. Let peace come to our hearts and to our world. This is my prayer. (Read more about Nurturing the Divine Feminine here.)

There are upcoming shows and will be returning to my graduate school alma mater, Marylhurst University, to present a paper at a conference in March but will share all this in next month’s newsletter. This day, I send you each holyday blessings and my deepest gratitude to all for your ongoing support of this ministry of sacred art and earth healing.

For love of the EARTH!
Amy