Another beautiful card in one of my favourite colour combinations of aqua, blue and gold. There is more to this than delighting my visual senses though.
Scallop shells (seen at the base) were one of the earliest and most iconic badges worn by medieval pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela. More than just a physical journey this bivalve suggests something deeper. Scallops are filter feeders who clarify water thus they are sometimes referred to ecosystem engineers. As Greer writes they symbolise digesting psychological rubbish from the unconscious in a process of evolutionary growth. This fits with the amethyst tones (spirituality) and the verse on the back which reads: To learn the Buddha Way
is to learn one's self.
To learn one's self
is to forget one's self.
-Dogen
This figure appears to be in that process. The shadow self (dark blue contours) is known and a radiant self has come to the fore with strobes of light emanating outwards. Still the figure continues to shed not shards of gold but soft flecks of gold leaf.
The sea is where I go to forget myself. Where is it for you?
From self-confidence, self-love and self-awareness to selflessness..
ReplyDeleteI wish I could go to the sea but painting does it for me too :)
I think painting probably better for self forgetting and getting lost in creation. These cards make me want to dust off my brush and palette...
DeleteThat card has so many layers. I am tempted to buy the deck just so I can take this one card and spend time in contemplation with and on it. I too go to the sea. I heal at the waters edge, bits of my soul return to me when I spent time at the waters edge. Why I incarnated so far inland, remains a mystery; well not quite. Still I dream of a time past when I stood on the Cliffs of Moher and looked to West. Now I dream of the life that I return back across the sea to gather the rest of my soul.
ReplyDeleteOh this is poetic...my heart aches for you...sounds like our ancestors from the same part of the world. Mine making it to England yours more adventurous seafarers. Maybe we can tap into that spirit of adventure this year?
DeleteThank you for the bivalve information. :) I go for walks outdoors to forget my egoic self; it doesn't matter where, as long as there are some weeds/flowers, trees and birds around.
ReplyDeleteThat is What is lovely about summer the extended bird chorus :)
Deletethe cemetery
ReplyDeletePithy and true :)
DeleteI'm impressed how this weekends tribute has come together. I think it will be mentioned in the same class at Woodstock. They just came and kept coming, artistes and people.
ReplyDeleteOh wow that's quite comparison! What a nice thing to say :)
DeleteI think music is going to be central to the city's recovery over the next few years.