— “Why not become fire?” (c) Cat Charissage, 2015

Dear Friends,

In the early Christian church, men and women went out into the deserts of Egypt and Sinai, fleeing the materialism and secularism of the cities.  This was in the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries.  We have many stories of them, and this is one:

“Abba Lot came to Abba Joseph and said:  Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditations and contemplative silence; and according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts; now what more should I do?  The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire.  He said:  Why not become fire?”

Why not become fired, indeed?  The intention for this painting is “Show me my Tree of Life, burning but unconsumed.”  The story of Moses seeing the bush burning, but not being consumed, is deeply meaningful for me, because if we had the eyes to see, I believe that we could see all of the world that way.

As quantum physics is to classical physics, the imaginal realm is to material reality.  The regular rules just don’t apply anymore, and everything is filled with wonder and paradox. What we observe seems to be impossible, yet here it is.  Although not ordinary, this, too, is a legitimate way to view reality.  Truly, everything is so much more than what we see at first glance.  Everyone is so much more than who we know at first meeting.

Let’s just start with the fact that there is something rather than nothing.  Awe-full enough!  Then there are Black Holes and Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance,” Schroedinger’s cat, rainbows in every raindrop, and love.  I want to know this reality in every moment, and let go of the overintellectualization and oversophistication of the cynical.  I want to let the lamps of my fingers, the light of who I am,  illumine what is invisible and dream of what might be possible.

May my mantra become, as Jacob exclaimed about the place where he had his dream of angels moving up and down the staircase to heaven, “How filled with awe is this place, and I, I did not know it!”

I leave tomorrow for my fifth year of training at Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ Mysterium.  It will be a few days of travel, and five very full days illuminating what is usually invisible.  Dr. E. is a poet and curandera, as well as a Jungian psychotherapist.  She speaks in metaphor and story,  more clearly than anyone else I’ve learned from.  There is music in her language, imaging up incantations and prayers of old women.   I call the Mysterium my yearly pilgrimage, because I always come home deeper and more open to wonder and possibility.   I will carry all of you, my friends, with me in my heart.

Why not become fire?

With love,

Cat

Stella Muse,  acrylic on canvas, Cat Charissage (c) 2015

Hello dear friends,

I’m immersed in a couple of new, big (BIG!!) projects that have taken so much of my attention.  For a couple of years now, I’ve been painting using the method of Intentional Creativity as taught by Shiloh Sophia McCloud.  The instruction has been through her demonstrating how to prepare for and then how to execute a painting based on a particular theme.  I’ve been so impressed by how the whole process has helped me to access my inner symbolism and then to get it out onto the canvas to reflect back to me whatever wisdom my inner life is interested in at the moment.  Also, and of no little importance, when I’m engaged in the whole process, my pain level decreases to the point of not even being there — and that’s a miracle in my books!

The painting has given me another language in which to express some of what I’ve pondered throughout my life.  I’ve always read voraciously, most of it in the wisdom traditions of the world.  I’ve had the opportunity to both teach and to work individually with my beloveds (as I call the people I work with), but have wanted to write more about these things.  Lots of times words don’t come easily, oftentimes because I don’t want to unnecessarily challenge or offend some of my friends who may articulate their beliefs differently.  (I know, the coward’s way of “not” writing —– but also a woman’s way of wanting to include rather than to define prematurely and thereby exclude.)

And then I found this kind of painting, and I’m off!  So this year I enrolled in Shiloh’s in-depth training called Color of Woman, which is a 9 month vision quest wherein she teaches about 40 women how to teach in her style of Intentional Creativity.  This style or method includes coming to the canvas with an intention, it includes visioning and meditation, and it demands that we be willing to be surprised by what we end up wanting to express onto the canvas. The training can be done all online (which is the option I’ve chosen), though there are several 4-day weekend gatherings that the participants can attend in-person or online through Livestreaming.  There are at least 5 major paintings to create (Stella Muse, above, is the one expressing our Muse archetype), accompanied by extensive writings, some business coaching, and mentoring in conducting both short and weekend-long workshops.

The training started on April 1st, and it’s been a roller-coaster ride already — but a ride I’m excited to be on!  No motion sickness, just the wildness!

I’ll save telling you about my other adventures for another day.

I’m drowning in assignments that in total ask for about 20 hours per week.  Well, I could get by with less time devoted to it, but I’m determined to mine these treasures for all that they have to offer.  I’m also remembering just how blessed I am to be able to do this, and I’m loving every minute of it.  I’ll be sure to share!

With love,

Cat