• About
  • Artist’s Statement and Creative Bio
  • CURRENT OFFERINGS
  • GALLERY
  • Work with me individually (under revision)

Mysteries Unfolding with Cat Charissage

~ Making Meaning, Making Soul

Mysteries Unfolding with Cat Charissage

Monthly Archives: December 2017

Roses Falling from My Shawl

18 Monday Dec 2017

Posted by mysteriesunfolding in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

20171111_164147

Roses Falling from My Shawl, Cat Charissage, (c) 2017 a.r.r. acrylic on canvas

Dear Friends,

Happy New Moon, in this week of light revealing itself after such darkness —- literally in the new moon appearing, in the Winter Solstice (in the northern hemisphere),  in the lights of Christmas, and metaphorically in the sunflower of my painting as light at the center of my being, in perseverance in the darkness of depression, in hope that justice and compassion will prevail in the conflicts of our world.

I wish you could see this painting in real life.  It is full of texture:  the flowers are literally three-dimensional.  The painting references the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe,  when Juan Diego visits the bishop with the message from the Lady, and in the middle of winter, fresh red roses tumble from his tilma (poncho or shawl) —- a miracle to show the bishop that our Lady’s words are true.   If you know me, you know that I often wear shawls.  I’d love to dance under the stars with my shawl, with ease and joy.  As well, I hope that goodness and compassion come as a result of my presence, my intentions, my actions.  We rarely know of the far-reaching effects of our lives, for good or for pain, and I would hope to send ripples of joy and compassion out, without concern for knowing exactly what has come of it, without concern for gratitude or recognition.  (Well, one can hope. . . . . !)

Both sunflowers and roses have deep meanings for  me.  Both unfold petals, and seeds in the sunflowers, in beautiful patterns of universal growth:  Fibonacci sequences of beauty and practicality, “sacred geometry”.  Sunflowers are such happy flowers.  I love how they move throughout the day, following the light of the sun.  They model for me how I want to be in the world:  to be of use, as sunflowers give nourishment through their abundance of seeds, and to be of beauty and encouragement. They live and offer themselves wherever they are, whether in a backyard, a florist’s shop or a roadside ditch.  I want to be like the sunflower —- beautiful, among so many others who are beautiful; special, among so many other special individuals; ordinary, among so many other ordinary beings.

Roses speak to me of the Great Mystery of life —- mystery not as something that can never be known, that we just have to accept, but rather mystery like a rose that continually unfolds, revealing more and more complexity, and beauty, as the mystery unfolds in our hearts and lives.

And it’s the Mystery of life that is the “Beloved” of my poem below.  I don’t know what “God” is, if God “is”.  So much I don’t know. (Ask me 35 years ago and I would have had lots to say.  Now, not so much.)  But I do know there is Love, and the possibility of Love, within ourselves, able to be offered and received.

So in this season, be of good cheer, be as well as possible.  Don’t lose hope in love.

With much love and blessing,

Cat

“Roses Falling from My Shawl”

I raise my eyes to you, my Beloved.

Let me attend to you, my Love, my Life.

Let me hear your song,

O One in whom we all are,

so that every step is my path in you,

that the dance of my life reflects

your geometries of Beauty, Love.

 

Let roses fall from my shawl

to bring your fragrance into our ordinary

til “ordinary” reveals

more than enough of

whatever is needed.

 

May I follow my dance with you

so that healing, joy, goodness

are known wherever we step.

 

Let me not be distracted by other voices

nor by accolades

nor be concerned with “doing it right”

or if I’m doing “enough,”

 

but let me simply do what is mine to do,

simply be what is mine to be,

 

til following you, my Love,

patterns emerge,

Mystery unfolds,  and

seeing You, I see all.

Advertisement

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • First New Moon in 2023; Chinese New Year: Starting with Silence and Beauty
  • Year-end thoughts
  • Sending Out My Book to Publishers!
  • “Mission Statement” and “Strategic Plan”
  • Can we talk about Overwealmth?

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011

Categories

  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Mysteries Unfolding with Cat Charissage
    • Join 60 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Mysteries Unfolding with Cat Charissage
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...