Sophia

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/09/sophia.html















For wisdom is quicker to move than any motion;
She is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things.
She is a breath of the power of god,
Pure emanation of the glory of the almighty
So that nothing impure can find its way into her.
For she is a reflection of the eternal light
untarnished mirror of god’s active power
and image of his goodness.
Wisdom7:24-26 from the New Jerusalem Bible.

i am currently taking a course on the Prayer of the Heart. One of the books for this course is 'The Wisdom Way of Knowing' by Cynthia Bourgeault. i found the above passage on pg. 12. In the liteRAture of post-exilic IsRAel, "even Wisdom itself is portRAyed as a 'she'; the feminine aspect of God, who dances and weaves her way between the created and undreated realms in her role as as primordial, pristine awareness".
The Sophia (Σoφíα, Greek for "wisdom") was a central element for the Gnostic Christians in the cosmological understanding of the Universe. A Feminine figure, analogous to the human soul but also simultaneously one of the Feminine aspects of God and the Bride of Christ, she is considered to have fallen from grace in some way, in so doing creating or helping to create the material world. For the Gnostics, the drama of the redemption of the Sophia through Christ or the Logos is the central drama of the universe. The Sophia resides in all of us as the Divine Spark. Sophia's fear and anguish of losing her life (just as she lost the light of the One) caused confusion and longing to return to it. Because of these longings, matter (Greek: hyle, ‘υλη) and soul (Greek: psyche, ψυχή) accidentally came into existence through the four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The purpose of life is to enable the Divine Spark to be released from its captivity in matter and reestablish its connection with or simply return to God who is perceived as being the source of the Divine Light. In the Gnostic Christian tradition (eg the Valentinian Church, the Cathars, the modern Lectorium Rosicrucianum etc) Christ is seen as an Avatar of the Light which has taken human form in order to lead humanity back to the Light. The Cathars in particular saw this idea expressed most powerfully in the opening words of the Gospel of St John. Sophia is the syzygy of Jesus Christ (i.e. she forms a unity with Christ, being cojoined with him), and Gnostics believed that she was the Holy Spirit of the Trinity.
In Judaism the Sophia appears alongside the Shekinah, 'the Glory of God', a figure who plays a key role in the cosmology of the Kabbalists as an expression of the feminine aspect of God.
The official view of the Eastern Orthodox Church is that she is the same person as the Divine Logos, referred to in the feminine, who became incarnate as Jesus Christ.
The Sophia is seen as being expressed in all Creation, the Natural World, and and integral to the spiritual well-being of mankind.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(gnosticism)
The photae 4 this is of the snow on the roof of our house after the great blizzard which began on 12/29/06, the day of my mom's Ascension. When i took the photae, i had intended to use it as the background for DesertFlight. Oddly, this photae was taken on the 3rd Day.... (sea SuCasa-October 2006-for the Lotus story)

PeaceInStrewMint

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/05/peaceinstrewmint.html


“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.”
St. Francis of Assisi This prayer has Been popping up lately, sew i guess it's time to post this image that was created back in March.
The Catholic Social Services has been running an ad on the Classical station asking folks to become this instrewmint, and then i came across this prayer flag upon revisiting a site 4 TempleGaia (sea May 2007-coming soon).

isn't it interesting that the prayer flag is yellow like the PeaceinStrewMintRAflowerCenter? The background was created from this photae of a reflection in the rear window of the RAven.


This same background was used for another image that is a part of my series for Michelle's JKOB book. i find the effect of this dreamy moon image very calming and PeaceFull, and isn't it interesting that the photae is actually a reflection of the sun? (sea ProfundaPazRAflower-March 2007-4 the RAflower and Peace symbol stories) (sea http://westwindcollection.com/home/ww1/red.html)

HoriZEN

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/12/horiz.html


Just came across this beautiful lady;

http://www.aniwilliams.com/

I had ordered her CD, Magdalene's Gift a while back, but had forgotten about it until it 'accidentally' fell out of it's hiding place! Shades of Loreena McKennitt!

Furthermore, My friend Jane had sent me an e-card this same morning of an angel playing the harp. Since i had been wanting 2 change the CD i listen 2 whilst driving, i figured this was the CD i was 2 change to. Well guess what?! The first song was harp music with the accOMpanying angelic voice of Ani! ...and as it turns out, Ani is a sound therapist who plays the harp! *

and the beat goes on.....

I just googled for Ani's cover artist and came across this;

http://www.psalmsofra.com/index.html

“The Psalms of RA” aims towards a celebration of a shared spiritual heritage that transcends political differences. It has always been the role of the arts 2 awaken and illuminate, and 4 artists to take the lead in forging ahead where others dare not tread. Citizen diplOMacy is the forerunner of true political change, and music, the universal language, is one of the most effective and wonderful ways that the citizens of the world can reach out to each other.

and I 'just happen' 2 bee working on an image of Horiz!!

Furthermore, this is the image that cOMes up when you go 2 this site. This led me to google for Horiz and use the 'words' eye of Horiz, ankh and scaRAb in the image;


The background was formed by mirroring the photae of what i call a single wing cloud. Originally, i thought this was an image of Isis, but as syncrownicity would have, it turns out 2 bee an image of Horiz, although Isis is definitely still a part of the image. (*BTW, you have to click on The Temple of Isis to enter Ani's site.) The google search 4 Horiz led mee 2 this image;

from this site;
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/cartouches.htm
This in turn led mee 2 do a google search 4 'shen' which in turn led 2 this site and 2 the 'word' shen;
The Art of Ancient Egypt | Publications for Educators | Explore & Learn | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/newegypt/htm/lk_hi_wk.htm
NOTE that this is a 'Publications for Educators', and on 01072008, i beegin 2 beecOMe an educator once again.

The shen sign, a ring of rope, symbolizes all that the sun encircles. As amulets, knots and ropes provide protection. Aa a loop of rope that has no beginning and no end, shen symbolizes eternity. The sun disk is often depicted in the center of it. The shen also seems 2 bee a symbol of protection. It is often seen being clutched by deities in bird form, such as Horus the falcon, Mut the vulture. The word shen comes frOM the word "shenu" which means "encircle," and in its elongated form became the cartouche.

The rest of the 'words' in this image are from;
http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blsymbols.htm

Tiamat was the ancient Sumero-Babylonian personification of the primordial salt waters of chaos. With her consort Apsu, the 'sweet' water, Tiamat mothered the first geneRAtion of the gods.

Tiamat took the form of a gigantic winged dRAgon, whose body was split in 2 by the hero Marduk to create the heavens and the firmament: her upper body became the vault of heaven; the lower, the earth; her blood, the oceans.

Designed 2 resemble the eye of a falcon, this symbol is called the Eye of RA or Eye of Horiz and represents the right eye of the Egyptian Falcon God Horiz. As the udjat (or utchat), it represents the sun, and was associated with the Sun God RA (Re).
The wedjat eye, "the sound or restored one," is used 4 protection against evil, and is a human eye with the plumage marking of a Horizfalcon cheek. It also reflects the spiRAl on the wings of the photae.

This symbol, called the vesiKA pisces (piscis) or "Jesus fish," has an unusual herstory. Used almost exclusively today to denote membership in the Christian religion, the symbol once held a very different meaning (even 2 the early Christians who adopted it). The words usually found inscribed within, ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus), is Greek, meaning fish. The emblem beecame significant to Christians after St. Augustine, who extracted the word from the acrostic prophecy of the ErythRAean Sibyl, and applied the KAbbalistic technique of notarikon 2 the word 2 reveal "Jesus Christ, God's son, savior." The custom of early Christians 2 cOMmunicate by drawing a portion in the dust was carried over frOM the practice of the ancient Pythagoreans, who discovered the shape's unique properties and made it an important part of their teachings.
In Egyptian thought, the human soul is made up of five parts: the Ren, the Ba, the Ka, the Sheut, and the Ib. In addition to these components there was the human body (called the ha, occasionally a plural haw, meaning approximately sum of bodily parts). The Ka was the concept of the life force, the difference between a living and a dead person, death occurring when the ka left the body.
(sea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_soul)

The spiRAl is probably the oldest symbol of human spirituality. It has been found scRAtched in2 rocks frOM thousands of years ago and on every continent in the world. The religious significance can only bee guessed, but it has been found on tombs, and possibly has a connection with the sun as the sun makes a spiRAl shape every 3 months in its tRAvels. A triple spiRAl motif found in Celtic tOMbs is drawn unicursally (that is, in 1 continuous line), suggesting a cycle of rebirth or resurrection. (this hypothesis is bolstered by the fact that many of these appear to be delibeRAtely placed where they catch the first RAys of the sun on the solstice).

In modern times, the spiRAl is still spiritually significant. It is the symbol of spirit in Wicca, an emblem of the Goddess.

A symbol 4 the alchemical element Sulfur is analogous to the human soul. Alchemically, sulfur has the qualities of masculine, hot and dry, cOMbined with Mercury (feminine, cool and moist). The pair were considered 2 bee the parents of all metals.
Alchemical dRAwings often portRAy Sulfur as the sun. (In some views, sulfur and salt are the parents of Mercury) The symbol of sulfur is often used as an identifying symbol by many Satanists. This glyph is often referred to incorrectly as the "pontifical cross of Satan" by tRAct writers, due to its adoption as an emblem of Satanism by Anton LeVey.

This Buddhist symbol is one of the eight auspicious signs, symbolizing the 8-fold paths of Buddhism. The endless knot is also known as the "mystic dRAgon," and is a symbol of eternity and unity. This 'word' is included because it is the design that is on the CD cover, OM TaRA-MantRAs frOM Tibet, that was under Ani's CD.

The scaRAb is the symbol of RA, the Sun God of the Egyptians. In his scaRAb aspect, RA was called KhepeRA. KhepeRA, the scaRAb beetle, means "2 becOMe" or "2 evolve." It is an amulet in life and in death, symbolizing rebirth.
ScaRAb beetles lay their eggs in dung, which they roll in2 a ball and roll into a hole. The Egyptians equated this with the movement of the sun and its daily resurrection. The opening and closing of the scaRAb's colorful wings symbolized night and day.

This Blessings symbol contains the Astrological glyph for the moon, and one of the alchemical symbols for silver, plus tears or RAin. TaRA was born frOM a lake that was formed by tears of cOMpassion and Silver is one of the 7 metals of alchemy. It is associated with the opeRAtion of Distillation.

The ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol of life. Also known as an Ansata cross, it is a visual representation of a sandal strap. The ankh means "life" and "to live".
The horizontal and vertical bars of the lower tau cross represent the feminine and masculine energy, respectively. This cOMbination of male and female symbols (the cross and circle) in the ankh suggest fertility and creative power. The top loop also symbolizes the sun on the horizon, and suggests reincarnation and rebirth.
The ankh appears frequently in Egyptian writings about rebirth, and this symbolism was adopted by Coptic Christians, especially gnostic sects, 2 symbolize the resurrection of Christ and the heavenly marriage. The ankh was an earlier form of the cross than the better known "latin" cross.
As a symbol of eternal life, the gods are often seen holding an ankh to sOMeone's lips. This is considered 2 bee an offering of "The Breath of Life". The breath you will need in the afterlife.

In my search 4 Isis, i came across this image, which led me 2 include her 'crown word' just above the wee, small Isis bird at the bottom of the image. As it turns out, this is also an symbol for Hathor...and, 'co-incidentally', the CD that was under the OM TaRA CD was another of Ani's CD entitled 'Homage 2 Hathor'!




(sea http://www.goddessgift.net/images/Goddess%20IsisLgVertReliefE-107S.jpg)

Hathor was the goddess of joy, motherhood, and love. She was considered the protectress of pregnant women and a midwife. She was the patron of all women, no matter their station in life. As the goddess of music and dancing her symbol was the sistrum. As a fertility goddess and a goddess of moisture, Hathor was associated with the inundation of the Nile. In this aspect she was associated with the Dog-star Sothis whose rising above the HORIZon heRAlded the annual flooding of the Nile. In the legend of RA and Hathor she is called the "Eye of RA."
Hathor was originally worshipped in the form of a cow. In this aspect, She is often shown with a head-dress resembling a pair of horns with the moon-disk between them.
(sea http://www.egyptartsite.com/hathor.html)

i also found this image of Isis nursing Horiz.









(sea http://www.goddessgift.net/images/Goddess%20IsisNHBlkBasaltATE-65.jpg)
Isis is one of the earliest and most important goddess in ancient Egypt. She was regarded as the feminine counterpart to Osiris, a role she probably occupied before the dawn of dynastic Egypt. No other Egyptian deity has stood the test of time as well as Isis. Her cult was not extinguished with the other Egyptian gods, but was embRAced by the Greeks and Romans, her worship has even lasted into the present day.

She was revered by the Egyptian people as the great mother-goddess and represents the maternal spirit in its most intimate form. She is often seen suckling a young Horiz. In the Osiris legend she is seen as a dutiful wife, a grieving widow and as a protector of the dead.

As a winged goddess she may represent the wind. In the Osiris legend there are references to Isis wailing and moaning like the wind. She is also continually traveling up and down the land in search of her lost husband. Upon finding Osiris' body, she takes the shape of one of the swiftest birds, a kite. Flapping and darting above his dead body she wails in mourning. She restores life to Osiris by flapping her wings and filling his mouth and nose with air.

Isis was a great enchantress, the goddess of magic. Together with Thoth, she taught mankind the secrets of medicine. She was the embalmer and guardian of Osiris. She is often rendered on the foot of coffins with long wings spread to protect the deceased.
(sea http://www.egyptartsite.com/isis.html)


Horiz ~ He who is above. The name Horiz comes from the Egyptian word Hor, which translates as 'face'. We find him worshiped as Mekhenti-irry which translates as 'He who has on his brow 2 Eyes', the sun and moon representing his eyes. On nights when there is no moon, we find him worshiped as Mekhenti-en-irty, 'He who on his brow has no eyes', in this form he was considered the god of the blind.
The followers of Horiz invaded Egypt in pre-dynastic history, at this time he was veneRAted as a victorious warlord. He became a part of the state religion and was associated with the sun god, RA. Horiz was so important to the state religion that PhaRAohs were considered his human manifestation.
In the more popular religious beliefs of the Osiris cults he was the son of Osiris and Isis. The avenger of his father's murder and the model of a dutiful son. It is in these stories that we find him doing battle with his uncle, Seth.
As RA-HaRAkhte, (Horiz of the two HORIZons), he was identified with RA and the daily voyage of the sun from HORIZon to HORIZon.
(sea http://www.egyptartsite.com/hormyth.html)

Simply

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/11/simply.html


Simply Irresistible, Simply Inexhaustible, Simply in D Infinite

This is my mantRA as of late. i am using this to invoke the innerG that i'm going to need to bee able go to school next year. Seems 2 bee working as i've been pulling all knighters as of late. A bit like the sourcerer's apprentice in Fantasia, i've not got the workings cOMpletely under control as yet! and, BTW, when i opened the next set of paperwork for my work/study job, there it was in black & white, Apprentice/Intern!
This little tune came about like this: i had been thinking about my upcOMing adventure and my current struggles with stamina, I decided to visualize my self as 'Light' in every sense of the word. I saw my self as light in body, light in mind, and light in spirit, an unimpeded being with inexhaustible and unquenchable energy! Well....the next morning, this was my note from the universe (sea www.tut.com):
It is understandably human nature, ShaRi, to see yourself as small.
Until you stop seeing yourself as just human.
Should be easy for you...
The Universe
You are pure energy, ShaRi: infinite, inexhaustible, and irresistible. WOWIE ZOWIE!! Talk about Synkcrownicity!
It took a while to cOMe up with a line for the infinite that had 7 syllables 2 go with The Other 2 7 syllables. "Seven is of course Spiritual perfection and so adequately represents the holy Spirit itself. In the Hebrew, seven ([b'v, - Sheh'-bah) is from a root word meaning to be complete or full." (sea http://www.vic.australis.com.au/hazz/number007.html)

Hexagram Number 27 ~ THE I HEXAGRAM ~ Nourishment (sea http://www.paranormality.com/iching_27.shtml)



"In Hebrew, letters are numbers. Each letter has a corresponding number, and meaning. The letter zayin has the number 7. Zayin means sword. Another concept that demonstrates the significance of 777 comes from the Kabbalistic diagram of the Tree of Life. For those of you that are not familiar, between each sphere on the tree, there is a path. All in all, there are 22 paths, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. If you notice a concept referred to as the flaming sword that follows these specific paths, it has the gematria of 777. The paths are aleph, daleth, gimel, teth, lamed, nun, peh, resh, and tav. Now, because there is no actual corresponding path from the flaming sword and the Tree of Life, gimel is attributed to this 'phantom' path. None the less, you get 777. The addition of the numbers in these hebrew letters is a process called Gematria. Gematria attempts to explain the significance of things, and compare words or phrases that have the same numbers in relation to one another. 777 is not three sevens. It is the number seven hundred and seventy seven. Three sevens is seven times three, or 21." (sea http://hometown.aol.com/donluceano/gematria777.html)
"The recurrence of the triple numbers is a subtle and constant reminder that something magical something Divine is happening. 777: Symbolizes an integration of some portion of the four lower bodies with higher spiritual frequencies within the third-dimensional plane, or at level in which you are manifesting your physical reality on the Earth plan." (sea http://www.angelscribe.com/1111.html)

I used the letter D 4 the infinite because it had been making its was into my consiousness. "We have seen that three represents divine perfection, with special reference to the triune Godhead. The father, one in sovereignty, the Son the second person who was made incarnate and the Spirit the third person of the Godhead. Four is three plus one, and it denotes therefore that which follows the revelation of the three in one God, namely His creative works. God is known by the things which he created. Creation is the next thing after the Godhead, and the number four always refers to all that is created. Four is the number of all things that have a beginning, all things that are made, of material things and of matter itself. For examples of this we have the four cardinal directions, north, south, east and west. Four seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. Four dimensions contain all we can experience; length, width, height and time. Note here that the fourth dimension, time, is separated from the rest in that we only have a limited movement through time compared to the other dimensions. So four is clearly shown to be the number of the natural creation and composed of three plus one." (sea http://www.vic.australis.com.au/hazz/number004.html)
"Four ones -- 1111 -- which adds up to "4" means that the angels want you to ask them to get involved with manifesting, especially when the manifesting involves your life's purpose or giving service to the world." (sea http://www.angelscribe.com/1111.html)
It started with having a number of Debbies in my life. "Origin and Meaning of the Name DeboRAh. Origin: Hebrew ~ Meaning: Bee ~ DeboRAh is a Biblical judge and prophetess who guided the Israelite forces under BaRAk to victory over the Canaanites led by Sisera. Sisera himself was killed by another wOMan - Jael - who drove a tent peg into his skull. A different DeboRAh is mentioned in the book of Genesis as Rebecca's nurse. DeboRAh was a popular name in the USA in the 1950s - in 1955; it was the 2nd most popular name. The name has been borne by Scottish actress DeboRAh Kerr, Benjamin Franklin's wife DeboRAh Read and American politician DeboRAh Pryce. DeboRAh or Debbie Harry was the lead singer of Blondie. DeboRAh Sampson was a wOMan who impersonated a man to fight in the American War of Independence" (sea http://www.babynamesworld.com/meaning_of_Deborah.html)

In a conversation with my friend Swari, she said that she had been having a number of Dianas appear, to which i said "Must have something to do with the letter D."
"Diana is of Latin origin, and its meaning is 'divine'."


(sea http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Diana) In turn, I asked my friend Leo what the letter D was in the Hebrew alphabet. He said it was dalet and was associated with the Empress card in the tarot. "The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea a form, the Empress is the womb where it gestates and grows till it is ready to be born. This is why her symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love." (sea http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/basics/empress.shtml)
"DALET ~ Selflessness ~ The word dalet means "door." The door stands in the opening of the house, the beit. In the Zohar, dalet is read as "that has nothing [d'leit] of her own." This expresses the property of the lowest of the Divine Emanations, the sefirah of malchut, "kingdom," which has no light other than that which it receives from the higher sefirot. The door to God's house allows for the humble of spirit to enter. The door itself, the dalet, is the property of humility. The dalet is also the initial letter of the word dirah, 'dwelling place', as in the phrase [God's] dwelling place below. Thus the full meaning of the dalet is the door through which the humble enter into the realization of God's dwelling place below. (orr Az Above, Sew Beelow)
The seven 'Double' letters ('double' because they each express two sounds, hard and soft) correspond to the seven days of the week, and are divided in the following manner: (BTW, my birthday is on a Tuesday this year!)
Sunday is represented by beit
Monday by gimel
Tuesday by dalet
Wednesday by kaf
Thursday by pei
Friday by reish
Saturday by tav" (sea http://www.inner.org/hebleter/dalet.htm)

RAinBowEnds

i am the Infinite Wave
upon whose Light you ride
to RAinBow's End
and the Treasure Within

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/06/rainbowends.html















Upon waking one morning, in that dreamtime crack beetwixt the worlds, was when i heard these words. InspriRAtion no doubt 'dRAwn' frOM this dRAwing frOM Zelda's Cosmic Coloring Book,
which i had just purchased as a birthday gift 4 my mom. (sea http://www.cinderzelda.com/bks-zccb.htm)
Today is mOM's 82 birthday, and i know she helped mee with this image as it just came together with the greatest of ease & synchronicity!
The background is a reflection frOM a set of Chinese pinwheels onto a wall at the CorralLess house.
The 'pinwheel' was beeing used in an as yet unfinished SpyderVeil image. (sea http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2006/01/spyderwoman.html 4 the finished version) It is the ShaktiChakRA. (sea http://www.siddhashram.org/shaktichakra.gif) "The huMAn body is the most excellent boon conferred by the Almighty and the person who comprehends his own body cOMpletely, realizes the subtle mysteries of the entire universe. All universal faculties are concentRAted as the force of life inside a human body which the scriptures term as the vital power (Pran Shakti)." (sea http://www.siddhashram.org/kundalini.shtml) The butterfly is one of the MAny that adorn this house. It flies above an Xmas cactus on a window sill and its wings reflect the Sun's Rise. "The butterfly exists in four distinct forms. sOMe consider that so do we: The fertilized egg is planted in our mother's wOMb. FrOM our day of birth we are like the caterpillar which can only eat and creep along. At death we are like the dorMAnt pupa in its chrysalis. After that, our consciousness emerges frOM the cast off body, and sOMe see in this the emergence of the butterfly. Therefore, the butterfly is symbolic of rebirth after death. An Irish blessing goes: "MAy the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun, and find your shoulder to light on 2 bring you luck, happiness and riches today, tOMorrow and beyond." (sea http://www.khandro.net/animal_butterfly.htm)
Thanx mOM and Happy Birthday!!
i recently came across this sun photae taken in CorralLess and found it just perfect 4 the Irish Blessing found on mOM's birthday. Thanx mOM & dad and Happy Father's Day!!

TempleGaia•TheTreeWebO'Life

http://zmyztickleonion.blogspot.com/2007/05/templegaiathetreewebolife.html

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.

"Simple Gifts" is a Shaker song written and composed in 1848 by Elder Joseph Brackett.


05132007 On this Mother's Day, i am listening to a program on 'The Mother of Tibet', the Dali Lama's mother. In this program, the statement was made that today we are like a motherLess child (this song came on the RAdio in the RAven when i went to the store prior to tuning in to this program) because the Great Mother and the Divine Feminine have been sent into such a RAdical decline in today's world. That until She is restored into this world, there will bee no chance 4 Peace orr Healing. TempleGaia, TheTreeWebO'Life, represents my prayer that She will indeed Bee restored to this World of ours.
In my Web searches for prayer flags when i wanted to include them in the image, i came across these lotusii chakRA flags
(sea ShakRArose-March 2007-4 Mor chakRA info) This is InSynk with the angel wings lotus i used in TheTreeWebO'Life. Lotus: An exquisite flower that blooms from mud. Lotus represents our highest selves, the essence, the spirit that can blossom in each of us.)
Healing Flags: A beautiful and nurturing set of flags with chakra colors and opening lotus. These Healing Flags are intended to inspire and assist in healing. What is healing? A criSis can create a connection to the Wisdom within where hidden strengths lie in connection with the Divine Order. Tragedy & loss often cause an UPheaval that often has a severe impact on our body, mind & spirit. Profound Healing can come thru this UPheaval, however, as even someone at the end of life can experience deep healing. Ultimately, death itself can bee a landmark healing of the Soul. When wee invite a shifting of the senses, wee begin to discover the reLeaf, wholeness & transformation of Peace Profound. We created Healing Flags to affirm and empower people toward the full spectrum of healing. We believe that as each individual moves toward wellness, peace and compassion that our entire world comes more into balance. Peace on this planet will happen when more people and cultures are respected and treated with kindness, no matter what their differences. Indeed, it is our differences that make us so colorful and interesting. What kind of world could we create if we all accepted our differences as beautiful and fascinating? The 7 flags represent the 7 chakras and their colors, reflecting the energy of each chakra with each flag’s message:)
1. Root Center:) safety, survival & connection to the earth.
I am safe.
I trust more; I fear less.
I am centered and grounded.

2. SacRAl Center:) emotions & sexuality
I feel my emotions & my pain.
I reawaken my passion.
I surrender to this moment.

3. Solar Plexus Center:) self image, energy & power
I am courageous.
I am whole.
I stand in my power.

4. Heart Center:) love, compassion & relationships with self & others
I am loved; I let love in.
I am kind to myself.
I live in peace & gratitude.

5. Throat Center:) self expresstion, communication & creativity
I play in my imagination.
I create my reality.
I know and share my truth.

6. Third Eye:) intuition, healing & self reflection
I honor my intuition.
I accept my path.
I am healing: body, mind & spirit.

7. Crown Center:) spirituality, universal identity & divine awakening
I connect with Spirit.
I invite sacred transformation.
I embrace the unity of all beings.

Chakras can be imagined as wheels of light energy, spinning within our bodies. When balanced, aligned and spinning correctly our life force is stronger and truer. i ordered thethe healing flags yesterday and today i received an e-mail notifying me of a new set of prayer flags by one of my favorite artists, Mara Friedman. Prayer is in the air!! Sew, i decided to order them as well & include them in TempleGaia. How could i not?
Prayer flags are inscribed with auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras. Tibetan Buddhists for centuries have planted these flags outside their homes and places of spiritual practice for the wind to carry the beneficent vibrations across the countryside. Prayer flags are said to bring happiness, long life and prosperity to the flag planter and those in the vicinity.
"Wind is the natural element of the horse. As it gallops across the plain the wind arises to meet it, its long tail and mane flowing freely as it speeds through the stillness of the air, creating wind. Both the wind and the horse are natural vehicles of movement, the horse carrying material form and the wind ethereal form. Prayers are carried on the wind, and in Tibet the prayer flag is known as the Windhorse, Lung Ta, who carries the Wishfulfilling Jewel on its back." (from The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs by Robert Beer, Shambhala Press, 1999) "As Windhorse carries our prayers for Earth and All Beings, may respect and kindness light our way. May our hearts be filled with compassion for others and for ourselves. May peace and compassion increase on earth." Windhorse with the Wish-fulfilling Jewel, radiates peace, prosperity and harmony as it speeds like the winds across the heavens...to benefit all. As they wave in the wind, prayer flags lift up and carry our wishes for compassion, peace and healing around the earth. Prayer flags encourage us to live more mindfully and help us to restore our own inner calm. A more peaceful world must begin in each of us, one open heart at a time.
...and hence the Windhorse becomes a part of Temple Gaia.
As i revisited the West Wind Flags site, i came across several images that led mee 2 expand the WellcOMe post 4 The Myztickle Onion, and this garden statue consequently beecame part of TempleGaia.
The background 4 Temple Gaia is derived from this photae taken on my way home from the Jemez one spring afternoon. The Tree of Life is an important symbol in nearly every culture. With its branches reaching into the sky, and roots deep in the earth, it dwells in three worlds- a link between heaven, the earth, and the underworld, uniting above and below. It is both a feminine symbol, bearing sustenance, and a masculine, visibly phallic symbol- another union. Many trees take on the appearance of death in the winter- losing their leaves, only to sprout new growth with the return of spring. This aspect makes the tree a symbol of resurrection. A tree also bears seeds or fruits, which contain the essence of the tree, and this continuous regeneration is a potent symbol of immortality. The tree is also seen as a giver of gifts and spiritual wisdom, an the abode of the Gods, and sometimes, the tree itself is a God. The inverted Tree, also represents spiritual growth, as well as the human nervous system, with the 'root' in the cranial nerves, and the branches spreading throughout the body; it also represents the cosmic tree-rooted in heaven, the branches being all of manifest creation.
In Other Web searches, i came across these images 4 The Tree of Life, which reinforced my use of the SpiRAl in TempleGaia. (sea ShakRArose & ProfundaPazRAflower-March 2007) (sea http://www.artinthepicture.com/paintings/view.php?nr=485 & http://www.hiddendimension.com/images/Tree%20of%20Life.JPG) and in another Tree o' Life search today, i found this which sort of echoes TempleGaia, especially the bluebird at the top.
(sea http://plainjanestudio.com/Mexico/Tree-of-Life-heart.jpg) i allsew found these somewhat more scientific TofLs. (sea http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/animalid/images/tree.gif & http://www.amateurillustrator.com/galleries/albums/userpics/10332/normal_tree_of_life.jpg)
and then there was this, wonder which came first, this one or the green one, hmmmmmmm.....(sea http://www.bryantmcgill.com/-images/bryant_art_tree_of_life_black_500.jpg) As i was rearRAnging some of the elemints, Ganesha appeared and led me 2 these 2 images. i was truly amazed!! GreenMan Ganeshas made of Leaves!! There4, they 2 were added 2 TempleGaia!! (sea http://www.indhistory.com/img/hindu-gods-ganesha.jpg & http://www.astrolozy.com/images/New%20Images/9.jpg)
Ganesha is the child of Shiva and Parvati. When one accepts this somewhat funny looking elephant child as the divine force, it stills the rational mind and it's doubts, forcing one to look beyond outer appearances. Thus Ganesha creates the faith to remove all obstacles.
In this search, i allsew found this (sea http://imagesource.art.com:80/images/-/GAJANANA-VAZE/Fractal-Ganesha-Poster-C12281147.jpeg) which in turn led to this (sea http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/PD--12185235/SP--B/IGID--12185235/Untitled_from_Tree_of_Life_series.htm?sOrig=SCH&ui=FBFDDD78F0E340EFA21433F54D9B4F4C) Look familiar? Notice this one also uses bluebirds? There are two bluebirds in TempleGaia. One resting with a red holly berry in its mouth. (sea http://imagesource.allposters.com:80/images/pic/PTGPOD/414404~Male-and-Female-Bluebirds-Eating-Holly-Berries-Posters.jpg)
and one with its wings spread out in full flight. (sea http://www.mtnds.com/hikes/images/bluebirds.jpg) "The mythology of the bluebird has deep roots, going back thousands of years. Indigenous cultures across the globe hold similar myths and beliefs about the bluebird. It's the most universally accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, hearth and home, get well soon, congratulations on the new baby, the renewal of springtime, any and all positive sentiments can be attached to the bluebird with practically no negative aspects." (sea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluebird_of_happiness) The colour of the bluebirds reminded mee of the dRAgonfly of StarCloudRAgonFly-April2007-sew i included them in the image as well.
Many of the forms that i've used in TheTreeWebO'Life come from what i sea in the totem that is formed where the 2 halves of the background come 2gather.
One of these forms appeared 2 mee as a frog, sew i included these2. The blue dart was used because of its relation to the colour of the bluebirds and dRAgonflys. The Other was used because of its colour Camouflage with the leaves and shadows. Camouflage is a most important thing in Nature. (sea http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/frogs/images/home/frogs_image.jpg & http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/frogs/images/gallery/lg/blue_dart_poison_frogs_lg.jpg)
AnOther creature that appeared from conjoined branches were the horns of a ram. (sea http://www.phototravels.net/canada/pcd2453canada/canada-bighorn-sheep-61.3.jpg) "Cernunnos is nearly always portrayed with animals, in particular the stag. He is also frequently associated with a unique beast that seems to belong only to him: a serpent with the horns of a ram. The ram-horned serpent is particularly interesting. The serpent occurs in myths all across the world, and is nearly always associated with knowledge. It is also commonly associated with death and the otherworld. (sea http://www.lugodoc.demon.co.uk/CERNUNOS.HTM) AnOther form of the Horned god included in TempleGaia is this elk. (sea http://clgphotos.com/Gallery2/YellowstoneII/Images/LD2H0305_elk.jpg) It's horns are the same angle as the conjoined branches where it sits in the image. i also chose this one because i liked the way it seemed to be calling in the same manner as this wolf. (sea http://www.windowsintowonderland.org/wolves/part_one/index.html) and both the wolf and the elk are from Yellowstone. 2 mee they are calling, praying, singing for healing and peace in an invocation to Gaia and her companion and counterpart, the GreenMan.