Fire of dawn-light in Her hair, Fire flows like milk from Her hands. Fire of bright promise in Her springing step, Fire of the flame in Her eyes. A blessing on Your hearthfire, On Your gift of words, On the brightness of Your sacred body, A blessing on Your flame. — Cait Johnson Blessings for … Read more
There, at the foot of the tree, belonging to no man, A silver apple falls. There, amongst the branches, the mother sits. Weaver of dreams against the weft of the wood, Insight falls like gentle rain on a moon-bathed garden. — Song to Hecate, by Alison Jones Now we make ready for the great festival … Read more
From my friend, renowned astrologer Lynn Hayes today: This Full Moon will be a very interesting event – so interesting that it’s getting its own radio show entitled “Fire and the Full Moon.” It’s not only a powerful Moon astrologically, but it’s at perigee, meaning it’s at its closest proximity to the Earth. This is … Read more
Many people fail to understand the magic of poetry. Perhaps it was a run-in with some dull English teacher in middle school; or forced marches through obscure parts of Dante and Whittier, with the emphasis on rote memorization, not the passion and meaning of the words. But as most shamans, priestesses, bards, Kahunas, Druids, and … Read more
The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web. – Pablo Picasso Today, we complete the second-to-last chapter, Recovering A Sense of Autonomy. We have some exercises to finish, and I … Read more
The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and, in time, trusted. – Martha Graham From her discussion of coping with the pitfalls of success, Julia now changes direction and adds another tool which will help us recover a sense of autonomy, which is the theme of this chapter. “Exercise,” she writes, “teaches the rewards of process.” … Read more
None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone. — Ralph Waldo Emerson In considering the perils of success, Julia reminds us that creativity is not a business. It certainly has business closely tied to it, as it can generate income … Read more
No one man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one. — Nathaniel Hawthorne As we continue the final stages of The Artist’s Journey, we encounter a challenge we’ve maybe never considered. This challenge that will come, … Read more
Let us never lose sight of the fact that we are surrounded by wonders. Many of them have yet to be found, as the recent accidental discovery of this crystal cave in Mexico reveals. “Mexico’s Cave of Crystals stunned geologists when it was first discovered in 2000. The underground chamber contains some of the largest … Read more
Every so often, I post this essay as a reminder … Well, I don’t know about you, but I need it right now. As artists, we pledge to shine in our own unique way, no matter what. But my heart is torn to bits over the agonies in Haiti. And I am teetering on the … Read more