Biewe

Biewe is the Sami/Laps Nordic goddess of sunlight.  The Sami are reindeer herders and the reindeer is as imperative for survival as the buffalo were in North America.  It is her who helps the people stay positive in long winter's days, as well, she helps the people stay nourished.  She flings fertility and life, and sunshine across the skies as she travels.  On solstice, the popel smeared butter on doorframes as a gift for her when she enters the home.  The fat was believed to sustain Beiwe for her ride.  She was also a spinner, and flax was left on the hearths for her to use in her spinning.   Beiwe was often depicted with horns, which prompts the reindeer to migrate. 

In studying ancient myths and stories that are passed down, we gain wisdom we might not have thought about.  The old people knew their tenuous grasp on life within nature's many moods.  We learn, relearn to honor Mother Nature in ways we might have forgotten or flung aside.  We are but a small droplet on the strand of life.  We all have the dark sides that Mother Nature has.  To deflect our negative sides, self-interest, fear, anger, and all the negative dimensions of being human, we can learn/relearn to honor that which sustains us, those th8ings very far from emotional crises we tend to focus on.  Beiwe reminds us that there is promise of life's renewal and to remember that, though it is dark and wintry now, Spring will come as Spring does, folded back by the beautiful hands of Beiwe. 

The old year has been rung out, the balls dropped, the fireworks sputtered.  We have time, now, to gather up our energy through rest and relaxation before we step into this new decade.  We have time to consider what we might work on this coming year.

Beiwe reminds us to cast sunshine into others' lives. 

This painting is on the cover of my new art journal for January.  I, for January, will work on gathering sunshine in order to share it.    I have been playing with nature as backgrounds and this was a play on that with town/trees full of darkness, having sunshine begin to sprinkle down from the hand of Beiwe.  I work in acrylics and mixed media, so my main goal is to get some highlights and bits and pieces with whatever my hand reaches for from paints, inks, watercolors, wax crayons, watercolor felt pens, etc. 

This year, my goal is to continue progressing in my art j9urnal and paintings.  As always, I will blog my journaling.

Let there be light!

©Carol Desjarlais 1.1.20