Modern Issues – Traditional Solutions

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I have three entries that are about reconnecting with nature and inner spirit.  Many of our global issues are directly related to how much respect we show nature and make it an integral part of all decisions we make.  Reconnecting with our inner spirit, our core beliefs and our culture has much to do with an ability to connect with others and make the world a peaceful and humane place to be.

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Diva Anguilla is a portrait of a nudibranch- a tiny ocean creature of the ocean with mega-attitude.  S/He is a perfect hermaphrodite with exposed gills. S/He traverses the ocean searching for food, looking to all the passing fish like a yummy snack.  But S/He quietly waves those beautiful feathers – they are the bad tasting defense system that helps to keep this creature safe.

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Chang’e is a painting about a spiritual woman.  For Chinese people, the rabbit is a tame creature representing hope and life for a long time. It is tender and lovely. The moon goddess Chang'e in the Chinese legend has a rabbit as her pet. The Rabbit is the incarnation of the moon goddess and it is always a symbol of pureness and auspiciousness. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are gentle and approachable. They have a decent, noble and elegant manner.  We can learn much from rabbits.

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Spirit Guide III is an acrylic/mixed media construction (14 x 14 x 65) that is about the questioning of western ideals and finding spirituality by indulging in another cultures’ ways.  In this piece I combined Barbie doll bodies (the symbol of western ideals) with bird bones to create two bird goddesses Hekate and Nekhbet.  My story for this piece has two Barbies questioning the meaning of life, deciding to take a trip to Peru and engage in an Ayahuasca ceremony.  They both emerged from this experience in touch with their true selves- magical and strong women, caretakers of mothers and children.

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The Journey of Nekhbet and Hekate

Airline Pilot Barbie and Super-Powers Barbie, best friends and sisters to the end, got together one evening for wine and pu-pu’s, and as usual the conversation devolved into w(h)ining about life in general.

Although accomplished individuals, the Barbie girls felt the daily sting of condescending looks and comments from Feminists and other Enlightened Women.  It seemed they just could not do enough to rectify their past.  Airline Pilot Barbie confessed her fantasy of just jumping in her plane and flying off to some place where she did not have to listen to the daily ridicule about her perfect hair, excellent skin, and beyond reproach make-up.  After all, what did any of these things have to do with her ability to fly a plane?  Super-Powers Barbie complained that she continued to be ridiculed about how her body looks.  Did people think it was easy having superpowers and all the responsibility that went with it? All those critics should try flying through the air in baggie clothes and combat boots! And so sorry about the boobs!  But they provide essential ballast and certainly come in handy when having to make a crash landing!

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They commiserated about how nice it would be to just get away from it all. On a whim, Airline Pilot Barbie pulled one of the bobby pins from her hair and threw it at the map on the wall.  It landed on Peru.  They looked at each other.  “What do you think it means?” said Airline Pilot Barbie. Super-Powers Barbie said “I once flew over Peru and dropped a bad guy from the sky. He was nothing but a drug dealer!  I did the world a favor!” “Oh!” said Airline Pilot Barbie, “Do you think he’s still there? We could go visit and see if he has any ideas how we can escape our fate!” “Great idea!” said Super-Powers Barbie.  “Let’s go!”

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Determined to indulge in fate, the Barbie sisters cleaned up their mess, checked their hair and make-up, straightened their clothes, and packed just a few essentials (curling irons, lotion, eyelash glue, stuff like that), and off they went.  Super-Powers Barbie was happy to ride in a plane for a change. For once she would arrive refreshed and hair in place! So content was she that her mind opened, and she sent a super positive telepathic message to Drug Dealer to meet them at the airport and find them a place to stay.

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Drug Dealer was there as planned, sporting a longish caftan, with interesting patterns that looked hand painted, and a headdress made of leaves and feathers and some other animal things.  The Barbie sisters were taken aback somewhat, but he was polite and helped them into the donkey cart. Off they went- over the hills and through the woods, until they came to a village where lots of people dressed the same as Drug Dealer.  “You will stay here” he told them and gestured toward a dirty hut made of the same leaves that were in his hair.  Later, Drug Dealer returned with tea and some funny looking salad.  The Barbie Girls thought it was Gross!  There were crawly things in it! But they were so famished from their journey they ate and drank everything. They quickly fell into a deep sleep and entered a dream state that made them feel like they were flying over the world and seeing everything with new eyes- together of course.  They did everything together.

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Hours later Airline Pilot Barbie awoke and, clutching her aching head, sat up. There before her was a majestic creature with an amazing red robe and a magical staff. Weirdly she had the same hair as Super-Powers Barbie! The amazing creature turned and said “I am Nekhbet the Vulture Goddess and I have existed from the beginning.  I am the caretaker and guardian of mothers and children.”  Then she held up a mirror and said, “Look upon yourself!  You are Hekate.” And when Hekate looked in the mirror, she heard a new voice resonating deep inside, saying, “I am the goddess of magic & witchcraft, the night & the moon. I have power over heaven earth and sea. We shall travel over magic waters and journey through enlightenment.”

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And so, Nekhbet and Hekate said farewell to the Shaman that gave them the tea and funny salad, loaded their boats with a few essentials (ayahuasca herbs and seeds) for the long journey. Their old Barbie Heads were at the prow of the boat as a reminder of whence they came. After blessing the people of Peru, off they sailed with plans to spread love and enlightenment all over the world.   

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They have been sailing ever since…