ANAHATA (Heart Chakra)
Transformational Love of Sophia |
I recently went to a workshop with a Dutch shaman working with a large group from around the world on ancestral patterns. I was deeply touched by the power of our ancestors behind us and how precious our place is, each and every one, poised between the influences of the past and the hopes of the future. He had drawn the fan that is each one’s ancestry, a moment of passion (we hope) passing the gift of life forward through the generations and holding the family history of mothers and fathers stretching backwards through time. All those moments of sperm meets egg, and then they settle in to create a new life. What an amazing creative chain. |
So that has informed my creative thinking around the heart chakra this month. I decided to draw in seven generations of the fan that spreads backwards from me, yellow through my father’ side on the right behind me and blue on my mother's side behind me on my left. That makes about 120 men and women spanning about 200 years. When I drew them they became two wings behind me, enfolding me or enabling flight or fight, love and nurturing; each generation a possibility to heal wounds, repair divisions, develop new skills, relate differently, count your blessings or curse your fate: a struggle to survive and a chance to evolve.
Each wing is either yellow or blue defined by my father and mother behind me, but each pairing also, of course, has a male/female, yellow/blue mating flutter of feathers. I added some green for the generative process and then felt the need for some good red blood running through and a heart surrounding “me” and suggesting the life force going forward.
It sounds schematic put out on paper like this but it was also a powerful experience and we did various ceremonies for all our pasts and futures. It was such a coming-together of the male and female in respect and support and gratitude and forbearance! A glimpse of Wisdom. It seems for me that the Heart holds the secret of returning, repeating, transforming Life.
Each wing is either yellow or blue defined by my father and mother behind me, but each pairing also, of course, has a male/female, yellow/blue mating flutter of feathers. I added some green for the generative process and then felt the need for some good red blood running through and a heart surrounding “me” and suggesting the life force going forward.
It sounds schematic put out on paper like this but it was also a powerful experience and we did various ceremonies for all our pasts and futures. It was such a coming-together of the male and female in respect and support and gratitude and forbearance! A glimpse of Wisdom. It seems for me that the Heart holds the secret of returning, repeating, transforming Life.
The wild green vulva of last month developed into a caterpillar. The caterpillar holds the chrysalis when you peel back the Velcro folds, a coiled wire frame with cling film webbing. And inside the chrysalis are two little bags with spring surprises to be opened carefully - butterflies, fairies or angels. Another generation in the cycle of life!
Afterwards others in the group responded: The ancestors’ hexagon is beautiful and resonates with a discussion around intergenerational wounds. We loved the wings created by the network of connections going back over time – holding us in the here and now. And each node like a many faceted holographic jewel in the myth of Indra’s web. |
The caterpillar delighted us all – everyone so impressed by the creativity flowing from you. And playfulness. We noticed how the piece encapsulated masculine and feminine energies not just in the blue and yellow angels/fairies/butterflies, but also in the materials, processes, forms themselves (metal structure, cling film, pretty fabrics and stitching, beads). The piece had a quality of performance art – and communicated something of transformation, vulnerability, being held, and letting go. Of birthing. All qualities of Sophia.