Exploring the F-word in religion at the intersection of scholarship, activism, and community.
Art that seeks the essence. Such art comes in many forms and styles.
Some art is political, some is decorative. Some art is conceptual, some is commercial. But the art that draws me in, that makes me feel deeply, and that compels me to truly be with it, is art that expresses the mysterious essence of life, the unfathomable depths of infinity, the indescribable nature of existence.
Eagle, with its soaring flight, its vision, and its courage, has inspired humans since our early days. Eagle, Lord of the Birds, is the ultimate symbol of grandeur, splendor and nobility.
The forest calls me. I long for her lush coolness, her sheltering trees, her world filled with life.
“Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.”-Klee
An artist is continually making decisions – decisions about subject matter, themes, materials, size. Does one do pre-planning with preliminary drawings are just dive right in? Once those decisions are made then one gets into the nitty-gritty of all the decisions needed to bring a particular piece to completion. But what is the best approach to use in making those decisions – logic or intuition?
Continue reading “Logic and Intuition – Antithetical or Cooperative? by Judith Shaw”
Reindeer have been important to humans since our early days as hunters-gatherers. Found in cave paintings throughout Europe and Asia, reindeer are depicted as soaring through the air, perhaps acting as intermediaries between the human world and the spirit world.
Continue reading “Reindeer Spirit Animal – A Guide Through the Darkness by Judith Shaw”
These are dark days for those of us who believe in democracy, social justice, environmental stewardship/protection, and connectivity. A rise in authoritarian rulers – from the U.S. to pockets of Europe to Turkey and beyond – are threatening the values upon which democracies are founded.
Continue reading “Women Can Change the World by Judith Shaw”
Fox, as a member of the Canidae family, is related to wolves, jackals and dogs. But unlike these animals who hunt in packs, fox hunts alone.
Fox is intelligent, clever and cunning. While it is persistent, fox is gentler and less aggressive than wolf. Fox is associated with feminine magic, offering the power of the feminine to both men and women.
Continue reading “Fox Wisdom – Cunning, Camouflage and Persistence by Judith Shaw”
“We are a way for the universe to know itself. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return. And we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We’re made of star stuff,” astrophysicist Carl Sagan famously stated in one episode of his 1980’s series, Cosmos. These ideas set my mind on a voyage through eternity filled with vast darkness illuminated by billions of specs of light.
At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere we are called to embrace the darkness. Nighttime rules, the cold has set in and we curl up for the long winter nights with our hot beverage and an anticipation of the messages found in our dreams.
There are certain animals which stand out as guides for us during this time of cold, long nights. Reindeer of course comes to mind by all of their associations with Christmas, Santa Claus and gift-giving. Northern European goddesses such as the Antlered Ukrainian Winter Goddess Rozhanitsa; Saule, Lithuanian and Latvian Goddess of Sun and Light; and Beaivi, Sun Goddess of the Sami all flew through the sky with their flying reindeer on the winter solstice bringing the gifts of light, life and nourishment to the people. Continue reading “Wisdom of Reindeer Goddess and Owl by Judith Shaw”
Fall is here, the leaves are changing color, the days are shortening and our ongoing natural cycle of change and transformation now moves toward the dark, quiet days of winter. Both the idea and the process of transformation have fascinated me my whole life. Blame it on my Scorpio rising. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, the planet of transformation and regeneration. Diving deep and surfacing has always been my mode.
Continue reading “Season of Change – Transformation by Judith Shaw”
