Hanging On For Dear Life (Kite: Up, Up, And Away)

“Truth changes with the season of our emotions. It is the shadow that moves with the phases of our inner sun. When the nights falls, only our perception can guess where it hides in the dark. Within every solar system of the soul lies a plan of what truth is--- the design God has created, in our own unique story. This is as varying as the constellations, and as turning as the tide. It is not one truth we live to, but many. If we ever hope to determine if there is such a thing as truth, apart from cultural and personal preferences, we must acknowledge that we are then aiming to discover something greater than ourselves, something that transcends culture and individual inclinations. Some say that we must look beyond ourselves and outside of ourselves. However, we don’t need to look farther than what is already in each other. If there was any great plan from a higher power it is a simplistic, repetitious theme found in all religions; the basic core importance to unity comes from shared theological and humanistic virtues. Beyond the synagogue, mosques, temples, churches, missionary work, church positions and religious rituals comes a simple “message of truth” found in all of us, that binds theology---holistic virtues combined with purpose is the foundation of spiritual evolution. The diversity among us all is not divided truth, but the opportunity for unity through these shared values. Truth is the framework and roadmap of positive virtues. It unifies diversity when we choose to see it and use it. It is simple message often lost among the rituals, cultural traditions and socializing that goes on behind the chapel doors of any religion or spiritual theology. As we fight among ourselves about what religion, culture or race is right, we often lose site of the simple message any great orator has whispered through time----a simplistic story explaining the importance of virtues, which magically reemphasizes the importance of loving one another through service.”
― Shannon L. Alder

Long ago, for spirit/soul sake, I had to completely remove myself from a religion that devastated me most of my life.  I grew up thinking God was out to get me... when, in fact, it was the 'godly' who did.  It is a long story but I remember figuring out that our spirit does not fit in this elastic skin ( aura = spirit, and comfort zone around us) .  So, I tried fitting my balloon self into different religions and each time it kept popping out.  I kept what fit my soul and let the rest go.  Over the years, I cultivated my understanding of what belief in a Higher Power should be.  I became very conscious that, for me, it was between me and God as a personal relationship.  I felt most soulful and spiritual in nature.  I knew that there had to be a way to develop that.  And, right in the middle of my muddle, I was sent way up North to Northern communities and was immersed and surrounded with the beautiful Northern Cree culture.  I stayed in the North and with the Cree, for 23 years.  I was invited and I was honored and did ceremonies and rites and passages and I heard what my soul had always believed.  You do not often her me say God... instead, I call the Omniscient Being, Creator.  When I speak of an organized religion, I use God.  I cannot tell you what a relief to be able to feel that a God-monster was not out to get me/us.   It was then that my spirituality grew and became expressed, and I have seen miracles in my life and others through walking The Good Red Road.  Their way of knowing that we are to love each other, plants, animals, winged, swimmers, and crawlers as relatives, and love Mother Earth as we would our own Mothers, settled into my soul and I felt spiritual peace for the first time in my life.  I wish you this.  I wish your spirit calm and comfort.  This is why I call you 'Sister-friends'.

I drew the shape then I mottled the background to begin this painting,

I mottled over top of that in burnt sienna.

I, then, stained with Gel stain to get some depth and texture in the background.

 

Then, another layer, but with cream and using paper toweling, I patted some texture into the cream paint.

I found a full page magazine add, with a tree on it.  I fussy cut the tree out.  (I do not like fussy cutting, but this time, it was necessary.)  

I glued it down and painted her in colors to match then was immediately stuck.  I could not figure, for the life of me, what to add as the third component.  (The formula of threes is that our eyes travel more easily and the psyche of those who look at a painting, need the three components in any painting.)  

I turned to my group to ask what they would think needed to be added.  Trina Locke Tarlton suggested an arm out holding (a kite) and my Muse grasped that and decided that, due to the theme of this blog, a spiritual orb was the ticket.

 

 

©Carol Desjarlais 4.11.20