Goodbye David Bowie

When I heard this morning that David Bowie had transitioned, my heart hurt.  My heart chakra literally hurt inside my chest because I knew the world had truly lost a soul whose impact 
upon the lives of others, during this lifetime, had been immense.

The intelligent art, music, fashion and style of David Bowie touched the masses in many different ways.  It was because of his ability as an artist to transform himself so strongly through the creative process.  Every time he changed, he found a different set of people to relate to his new being.  

For as much as he was able to brighten and add color into the lives of others, Bowie's personal struggles and pain must have been immense.  A lot of this born out through the 12th house placement in his chart, which you can read more about in this wonderfully written article.

I recently saw an old interview with Bowie by Charlie Rose where he talked about the "violent" and difficult process he always experienced while bringing his painting and art into the world. 

 I think all artists experience this to some extent or another.  Physical birth is violent and painful.

 Creative birth is as well.   The extent of pain and struggle varies from person to person depending on what they are trying to create, their life lessons and their karma during this lifetime.

The creative birth process was something Bowie said he personally did not enjoy doing.  Considering his ability to absorb the culture around him and then transform himself again and again, it must have been an extremely difficult experience for him each time.

All souls who are born into this world leave ripples in their path.  Others produce tidal waves whose reach is far and long lasting.  There were so many facets to this man, people will
write about him forever.

David Bowie, your time here is over.

Thank you for everything.

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 The Chariot, courtesy of Adam Fergurson.

I chose to include this image to be portrayed in this piece because to me it symbolizes the process of transformation, going forward, and bursting into the unknown 
(which I'm sure Bowie is doing right about now).

The Rose, Lily and Lotus: A Sacred Trinity of Flowers

The rose, lily and the lotus comprise a sacred trinity of the most important symbols in the world.  Easily recognized, these flower symbols have been used through the ages in artwork, to define mythology and religion, and to symbolize man's spiritual connection both to nature and the divine.

Seulement Tu-Red Rose by Karen Casey Smith

The importance of the rose pervades all cultures and religious beliefs.  It is the most common symbol of love, particularly if the color is red, and of all offerings made in love that are pure.  Love symbolized by the red rose continues to survive in our present culture demonstrated every day through the act of giving roses as a special gift.

Love is not the only the only symbolic meaning of this beautiful flower, however.  It also represents perfection, beauty, renewal and the triumph of spirit over matter as the rose bursts open...out of the muddy earth.  Because of its perfection and beauty roses are also a symbol of purity.

Spiritually, the rose is a natural mandala (circle or wheel).  The petals form a perfectly symmetrical circle around a yellow center, which is evocative of the Sun.  The Rosy Cross of the Rosicrucian Order has a rose at its intersection.  Here the rose symbolizes the heart, life and life's mystery.  Roses have also been long associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Rose windows that adorn cathedrals and churches are her symbol.  In India, the Great Mother was called Holy Rose.

A Dream Within a Dream - Water Lily by Karen Casey Smith

 The lily symbolizes the goddess, in whatever cultural form she may take.  Greek mythology refers to the lily as originating from the milk of Hera's breast (Hera is the wife of Zeus). In Roman mythology, Venus was jealous of the lily's beauty and caused it to sprout a pistil from the center of the flower.

The Babylonian Goddess Lilith, who some say was the first wife of Adam, took her name from the name of the lily or the lilu (lotus).  Weaving its way into our own contemporary film culture, the word lilu seems very similar to the virginal, goddess like female, LeeLoo, played by Milla Jovovitch in The Fifth Element.

The color white is usually associated with the lily, but it's actually the pale color which is synonymous with the flower's symbology.  The phrase "lily white" is used to represent purity, virginity and innocence. Christians dedicate lilies to the Virgin Mary because of its pure connotation. They were also traditionally used to represent the loss of children and martyrdom of the saints.  The lily, particularly the calla lily, is also a symbol of resurrection. That is why the flower is frequently displayed at funerals and sometimes appear on gravestones.

Solitaire- White Lotus Blossom by Karen Casey Smith

The otherworldly appearance and particular hothouse growing circumstances make the Lotus a very unique flower.  Given thousands of years of associations with spiritual practices from many traditions, the lotus is believed to be one of the post powerful flower symbols on earth.  A symbol of resurrection, purity, serenity and peace, this flower is one of the eight auspicious symbols in both Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist iconography.

Historically the lotus has been the symbol used to illustrate the chakra system.  The number of petals depicted relating to the role and function of each of the energy centers that are said to "unfurl like petals" through meditation and energetic exercise.

The lotus also carries with it a descriptive symbology containing all of the four cardinal elements.  The lotus flower has its seed within the earth; it grows in the water; the blossom exists in air which then carries its fragrance out into the world.  The flower itself is awoken by the Sun the element of fire.

The color of the lotus also has great significance.  A red lotus is the ultimate symbol of the Sun and the emblem of India.  The stylized blue depiction of the blue lotus (which is actually a water lily rather then a true lotus) in found in Egyptian friezes.  A sacred lotus can be recognized from any others because it is always rendered in either white or pink.

~ diane fergurson

Thank you to photographer Karen Casey Smith for allowing me to use her stunning photographs to illustrate this post.  All of the prints are available for sale in Karen's Etsy Shop.

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We're Having a Giveaway!

In Hinduism January 24 is one of the most auspicious days of the month of Capricorn when the Sun begins its northern ascension. In honor of this day, we're giving away a silver coin of Lakshmi! Donated by Indira Govindan of DharmaKarmaArts, this silver coin (99% pure) from India features an image of Lakshmi on one side, and the word Shri, in Sanskrit, on the other. As Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, giving and receiving this coin is considered auspicious.

To enter to win the Lakshmi coin, just leave a comment below. Please make sure to include your email address in your comment so we know how to reach you in the event that you win. A winner will be chosen randomly from all comments made on this blog post, on January 31st and the winner will be announced on
February 1.

 ~ Nellie

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Goddess Lakshmi photo courtesy of Wikipedia

* this giveaway has ended

Our Unique, Yet Charming Zodiac Sign Flaws

In the February issue of Dell Horoscope Magazine there is a delightful article, "The Charming Character Flaws of the Signs" by Brian Clark that examines the character flaws associated with each Zodiac sign.  Clark explains in a humorous yet informative way, that it's all these little flaws and characteristics that combine to make us all unique and interesting individuals.

Probably one of the amusing aspects of the article is that before Clark describes each sign he prefaces it with a little Astrological quote by the 17th century essayist Joseph Addison.  As he points out in the article, it's interesting that even back in the day, our ancestors were fascinated by the zodiacal quirks of character! 

I thought I would share Addison's quotes with you.  If you get a chance, read the article.  It's great.  A lot of good wisdom and information.

~ diane


 Aries
Who works from morn to set of Sun,
And never likes to be outdone?
Whose walk is almost a run?
Who?  Aries.

Taurus
Who smiles through life-
except when crossed?
Who knows, or thinks he knows. the most?
Who loves good things:  baked,
boiled, or roast?
Oh, Taurus


Gemini
Who's fond of life and jest and pleasure:
Who vacillates and changes ever?
Who loves attention without measure?
Why, Gemini

Cancer
Who changes like a changeable season:
Holds fast and lets go without reason?
Who is there can give adhesion
To Cancer?


Leo
Who praises all his kindred do:
Expects his friends to praise them too-
And cannon see their senseless view?
Ah, Leo.

Virgo
Who Criticizes all she sees:
Yes, e'en would analyze a sneeze?
Who hugs and loves her own disease?
Humpf, Virgo.


Libra
Who puts you all off with promise gay,
And keeps you waiting half the day?
Who compromises all the way?
Sweet Libra.

Scorpio
Who keeps an arrow in his bow,
And if you prod, he lets go?
A fervent friend, a subtle foe-
Scorpio
 
Sagittarius
Who loves the dim religious light:
Who always keeps a star in sight?
An optimist both gay and bright-
Sagittarius


Capricorn
Who climbs and schemes
for wealth and place,
And mourns his brother's
fall from grace-
But takes what due in any case-
Safe Capricorn


Aquarius
Who gives to all a helping hand,
But bows his head to no command-
And higher laws doth understand?
Investor, Genius, Superman-
Aquarius

Pisces
Who prays and serves, and prays and
serves some more;
And feeds the beggar at the door-
And weeps o'er love lost long before?
Poor Pisces

~

16th Century Zodiac Woodcut - Wikipedia



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Winter Solstice: A Time for Light, Release and Transformation

There is a striking thread that runs through many of the winter holidays, whether celebrated in Jewish, Christian, pagan, or other traditions – that of light, the return of light, and an embrace of light, both within and without. The Winter Solstice is a major holiday for pagans, but can be enjoyed by anyone without stepping on the toes of other faiths. It is the shortest day of the year, the day when the sun shines the least – in ancient times it was literally called “sun standing still day.” After the solstice the days begin to get longer, our time under the sun increasing little by little.

Even if we don’t see a reason to celebrate this as a religious or spiritual event we can see how it might have significance psychologically. For a good example of our reliance on light, I need only look back a couple of weeks to when a big windstorm knocked out power for thousands of people in my area – including me and my family. Reading by candlelight had a certain homey appeal, but there was an awkwardness to brushing teeth or simply walking up the steep narrow stairs in the old farmhouse, by candle. Schedules and routines change – bedtimes tend to be earlier, the dark greeted differently when we have no control over it. If we can be so affected by a diminishment of light, imagine the ancients, who truly set their lives by the light of the sun.

Perhaps of greater meaning to us now is the symbolism of light, especially in a season of growing darkness. I believe many of us are in great need of this renewing return of light – enough events have been taking place in our culture that have thrown some of us into the dark. The loss of a job and one’s income, family members in the military or simply news of war, ugly politics and the threat of individual rights narrowing, personal anxieties and fears… Concurrent with days growing ever shorter (not to mention an increase in cold temps, keeping us indoors even more), our moods may be suffering. Through holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, and the pagan Yule, we have the invitation to accept and celebrate this return of light, and on the solstice we see the literal return of that light.

Also occurring on the solstice this year, will be a full lunar eclipse. In itself this is a relatively rare event, and one that astronomers are taking note of. Astrologers are also taking note of it, because the belief is that eclipses and solstices affect change… taking place as they will together, this combined event is expected to bring even bigger changes, on social as well as individual levels.

Major shifts are possible (some would say likely), and the general advice is to approach the day of this solstice with an openness to good things and joy, and from a place of acceptance and calm. If transformation is going to take place, embrace it and make it what you would like it to be – or at least to the extent that you can.

I am still a little on the fence about what I believe with regard to astrology. I tend to think who we are and become is not so governed by where the planets were when we were born, but I find myself making simple assumptions based on astrology more often than I’d like and have recognized some uncanny truths when doing deeper reading into it. I do find it exciting to think that a full moon eclipse on a winter solstice might usher in big change, new direction, and inner transformation, while also helping us release old fears or habits; hopefully all good of course! Experts are saying to check your natal charts for planets that fall between 27 and 1 degree in any sign, for those areas will be affected. I plan on going home tonight and pulling out my chart, to see just which houses might start experiencing some influence on Tuesday. I am just slightly nervous, knowing I have quite a few that fall in those degrees. I will also probably emphasize a practice of mindfulness on Tuesday, and perhaps do some simple meditation on opening to more love, joy, and yes, light.

~ nellie levine

photo, "Through Frosted Glass" is by Jude McConkey.  It's available in her Etsy Shop.

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Enabling the Disabled in India

We'd like to thank Indira Govindan for sharing this touching blog post with us.

Beading and Stringing at the Workshop

During my trip to India in March 2010, I did a workshop on jewelry making to a group of physically challenged girls at the Andhra Mahila Sabha. These girls are victims of childhood polio, one of the last groups of children, before polio was officially eradicated in India a decade ago. 

These young women are not only physically challenged but also economically disadvantaged. Organizations such as the Andhra Women provide them with vocational training in book binding, sewing, computer software, which is their path to economic independence. Occasionally, someone like me will come along and teach them something that is fun. Which woman can say no to jewelry?

The workshop was sponsored by Sukriti Social Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by my sister, Sowmya Simhan, who too was stricken with polio at the age of two. She is highly educated with a career in accounting, and her foundation provides a wide range of services and programs to physically disabled men and women and, collaborates with other organizations that provide similar services.

Since I knew that these girls would not be able to buy the materials for jewelry, I took with me all of the materials from my personal stash. Sowmya felt that these girls could use some help in understanding the use of colors and design principles.  So, I made a color wheel for them. I also took several issues of Bead Style magazine with me.

I did the workshop for two evenings after their day class was over. About fifteen girls, ranging from age 12 to 18, participated. The girls were charming and were quick learners. I taught them to make the wrapped loop and showed them how to use the color wheel. I gave each one a kit for a pair of earrings and a necklace and they were quite thrilled when they found out that they get to keep what they had made. The chorus of “thank you auntie” at the end was touching. I donated a whole bag of beads, wire, the color wheel and a toolbox to the girls.

It is unlikely that the girls would ever be able to go into jewelry making business. They do not have the means. However, teaching them the techniques and, giving them the materials would enable them to make things to sell at craft shows. This condition applies to any skill they are taught. It is not enough to just teach them a skill. To enable them to use it gainfully, they also have to be provided the tools and the materials. Hence, organizations such as Sukriti, raise funds to buy them computers, sewing machines, school supplies and so on. I try to do my tiny bit. All proceeds from sales from my shop are donated to Sukriti Foundation.

More information about its work can be found at http://www.sukriti.org and  Facebook

Sowmya, the founder of Sukriti, is being honored with Ascendas Award for service



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Happy Hanukkah

* Hanukkah 2012 begins Saturday December 8 and ends Sunday December 16.

Tonight begins the celebration of Hanukkah, also known as Festival of Lights, an 8 day Jewish Holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt on the 2nd century BCE.

There are many festive traditions associated with Hanukkah, in addition to daily prayers and blessings. There is also the lighting of a candle each night for 8 nights on the menorah to commemorate the miracle burning of the oil in the Temple menorah which should have lasted for only 1 day, but instead burned for 8.

Blue and white are the traditional colors of Hanukkah along with silver and gold.  There are also traditional games, music and a luscious variety of wonderful food and treats.

Probably one of my favorite foods associated with Hanukkah are potato latkes (crisp potato pancakes) served with sour cream.
A few years ago in the magazine Everyday Food (December 2006), they ran an updated version of this traditional recipe using sweet potatoes.  I love it and thought I'd share it with you below.

To all of you who are celebrating Hanukkah, The Mind Body Spirit Odyssey hopes you have a wonderful Holiday Celebration!

                                              Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 pound sweet potatoes peeled
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 large eggs lightly beaten 
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
3/4 c vegetable oil
sour cream for serving (optional)

Grate sweet potatoes on the large holes of the grater.  Transfer to large bowl and stir in scallions, eggs and flour.  Add 1 tsp coarse salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Using a packed 1/4 cup measure of potato mixture per pancake, shape into 12 mounds.  With hands form each into a firm ball and transfer to a baking sheet.  With palm flatten balls into 3/4 inch thick cakes.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat until hot.  Using metal spatula with a thin blade, carefully transfer 6 cakes to skillet, flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.  Cook until golden brown 4 or 5 minutes per side.  Transfer pancakes to paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with course salt.  Repeat process.
Serve immediately with sour cream if desired.

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Sun and Moon Tarot Review

Sun and Moon Tarot                                                  

By Vanessa Decort

Published by US Games Inc, 2010

Can I use the word delightful? I usually don’t, but it describes this deck well. As soon as I looked through the cards I felt a new lightness in spirit. The scenes of love, play, affection, youth, and vitality simply made me smile.

Sun and Moon Tarot brings its own wisdom – an embrace of life, of living – to a Crowley Thoth backdrop. Figures on the cards exhibit a certain comfort or confidence in their surroundings, and a sense of being fully present. They are almost cute, as they are also almost all young, with soft round featureless faces, long flowing hair or dreadlocks, baggy pants and belly-tees, and an energy that nearly bounces off the images.

These traits do not make the deck itself lightweight… It is interesting to see all these travelers through the tarot look as if they are under twenty. They easily look like they could be students, reflecting to me that we are all still students – as cliché as it may sound – not only of tarot of course, but of life itself. In the Devil card we see two young people, standing back to back, arms hooked together as if they are bound by some powerful force. We could each be standing there – no matter our age, learning the lessons of the Devil, as stated in the accompanying booklet, “The couple can release themselves by letting go of each other and escaping from the web of illusion. The devil dominates the couple. His third eye forces them to confront their inner demons, obsessions, fears, delusions, and traumas.” In the Five of Pentacles, also named “Worry,” we see two young people, perhaps even children, sitting alone against a wall. It is another emphasis on the agelessness of our concerns. The truth of this card may be relevant no matter where we are in our lives, and the artwork gets this across effectively.

The cards are rich with symbolism, bringing more multiculturalism to the deck than mere appearances. It takes into account Kabalistic paths, Jungian archetypes, as well as universal archetypes and cultural symbols, and the personal symbols of the artist. The deck looks simple and joyful, but carries within it much meaning and depth – making it a true pleasure to read with. For example, in the card of Temperance we see a winged angel passing water from one cup to another, but we also see a pattern of yin and yang in the steam rising above her. Of the card the author says, “Temperance reveals the middle path described in Buddhism. The black and white elements of this card reveal the light and dark dual nature within us. The black and white cups represent properties of the sun (fire) and the moon (water)… Fire and water are brought together into steam, signifying creative power, and integration of opposites.”

The accompanying booklet reflects scholarship, age, and wisdom. It offers clear and comprehensive interpretations for each card, with intuitive and intelligent insight. A good Introduction to Tarot and the Sephirot is provided, as is one spread, called Sun and Moon (yin and yang) Reading.  

The Sun and Moon Tarot is highly recommended, and though it will have appeal to enthusiasts of any age and experience, would be particularly wonderful as a gift for a young person.

~ Nellie Levine

http://fionnmara.com

http://illuminationtarot.com

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Buttermilk Drink for the Thirsty Traveller

There was a time when walking was one of the most prevalent modes of travel in India. When train services were scarce, when cars were only for the super rich, when only a few could afford a bicycle, folks traveled by foot--whether visiting a relative across the town or a village away. Southern summers can be hot with daytime temperatures often as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Leaving an earthenware pot filled with water or better still, with a freshly made buttermilk drink, on the front verandah of the house or the street corner or at the village entrance is an old tradition in Southern India--a way of saying welcome and take a rest to the hot and tired traveler even if he was a stranger.


A lot has changed in India in the last two decades. Single family homes with front porches are increasingly replaced with multistoried gated condo communities. Long distance travel is now done via planes, trains, buses and cars and, public transportation, auto-rickshaws and two-wheel scooters are the modes of local travel. Yet, one thing still remains the same--the hot summer and the need for cold water to quench the thirst and to cool the body. And, the tradition of providing free buttermilk drink continues while adapting to the new realities of travel and condo living.

At the condo community where my sister and mother live, my sister has set up a spot under a large shady tree where a pot filled with fresh buttermilk awaits all who drop in during the day. These are mostly service personnel like the watchman, janitor, pushcart vendors, maids, the guy who comes on the weekend to iron the clothes and others. To these folks who commute by bus or bike to work and then toil in the hot sun, the cool drink offers a refreshing relief. Every morning around 10 o'clock, the buttermilk drink is prepared in our kitchen and then poured into the pot and set up in the yard. By late afternoon, it is usually all finished.

Preparing the drink is extra work for our housekeeper and my sister spends about 45 rupees ($1) per day on the milk for the yogurt (not a small amount for India). Yet, it is a nice way of saying thank you to the men and women servicing her community.


Recipe for Buttermilk drink

Ingredients

Fresh homemade yogurt (or store bought yogurt) half a cup
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly ground cumin to taste
Salt to taste
Freshly ground red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh coriander finely chopped

Using a whisk churn the yogurt and dilute it with water. For half a cup of yogurt, add approximately a quarter cup of water. The yogurt should be diluted to a water-like consistency but without losing the taste of yogurt.

Add all the ground spices and salt. The taste of the spices and the salt should not overwhelm the taste of yogurt.

Chill in the refrigerator.

Sprinkle the coriander on top before serving.

~ Indira Govindan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We'd like to thank Indira for continuing to share her blog entries and travel adventures with us.
You can read more wonderful selections from Indira's blog at http://dharmakarmaarts.blogspot.com/ and also view her jewelry and artwork located in her shops on etsy.

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Beltane Blessings

We originally ran this blog post last May 1st on the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace Blog on 1000 Markets.  Everyone loved it so much I decided to post it again this year.  Thank you so much Nellie and Emily for such a beautiful piece!

It seems that everyone I talk to is impatient for warm and sunny days, tired of the cloud cover and chill air of the darker half of the year. I'm certainly ready to celebrate the green growth of spring! This desire to feel sun on our skin and soil beneath our fingernails makes Beltane - or May Day as it is generally practiced today - such a comfortable, accessible holiday. May Day is widely and openly celebrated through the British Isles, as well as in many places in the US. People dance around the May Pole, sit by bonfires, and gladly toss their winter worries away as they look ahead to brighter days. Dreams come back to life, as we draw upon the fertile energy of the day.

Traditionally, Beltane was celebrated by the Celts with much dancing, drinking, music, merriment, and romance. It was one of the two most important of their celebrations - celebrating the light half of the year. The name Beltane is believed to mean "fires of Bel" and honors the ancient sun god Beli, or Belanus. Druids looked after the Beltane fires, by which people and their livestock would pass, with the belief that they would be cleansing themselves of the illness or misfortunes they may have experienced through winter, and perhaps blessing them with good fortune for the months to come.
We can light our own bonfires, and we can honor any deity we like... We can make a May Pole or just make some music... what I think is important if we are to celebrate Beltane today is that essential message of taking a deep breath of fresh spring air, embracing the renewed life of warmer seasons, purifying ourselves of our past troubles, and looking with openness to the growth ahead.

About the artwork... This is the beautiful May Queen by Emily Balivet. Please take a look at her shop, for exquisite mythological goddess art.


~ Nellie Levine

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Love, Friendship and Art: Smith and Mapplethorpe

We were sent some books the other day that had just been published. As I opened the box and flipped them over the majority of the titles didn't really interest me...except one. The book with the great cover photo of 2 kids standing at an amusement park. The title: "Just Kids" by Patti Smith.  "Just Kids" is a beautifully written memoir from artist/musician/writer Patti Smith in which she reflects on her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe.

The book begins when the two were in their late teens and concludes with Mapplethorpe's passing. It is a simple, beautiful story about two people who connected with each other when they were young and naive, grew in separate directions, but still retained an inner, lasting bond that transcended way beyond sexuality and time.   Smith's writing is a melody. It sings and glides and dances as you turn the pages of the book. I started thumbing though the book in the kitchen standing propped against the sink...an hour later I looked up after my initial "quick read" with a big..." oh wow".

Regardless of what you may think of Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe as artists, it's an undeniable fact they they defined a specific period of time in art and music history. They pushed boundaries and broke barriers. Their work forced people to open their eyes and their hearts. They also encouraged a whole generation of creative souls to express themselves more fully and completely. Anyone who is an artist, lived during that period of time or even have children who are currently artists, will relate to this book very easily. Others will simply enjoy a wonderful story about love, friendship and connection.

Although it may seem an odd choice to some, the reason I wanted to review "Just Kids" for the
Mind Body Spirit Odyssey  was because of the unstated, underlying spiritual questions it generated for me. Why are we connected to some people so deeply in life? What are the reasons that we are brought together with a specific person? To help each other? To complete a specific tasks together in this lifetime? To learn from each other? To set an example for other people? Break new ground? I don't know the answers...no one does for sure....but it is definitely an interesting subject to ponder now and again.

I really recommend this enchanting book.... Just Kids available at Amazon.
Ecco books/Harper Collins Publishers

~ diane

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