Photoshoot in the forest

 

Today, I went out into the forest and made an offering of shells that I gathered at the beach in South Carolina this past Thanksgiving. I went out to do a photoshoot of myself so that I have some photos to work with as I start painting portraits again. 

I explained my purpose to the forest and asked for permission to enter. I prayed and said that I come as a servant and asked Divine Mother to be with me and to help me be of service in helping to bring about healing in the world through my art. 

More and more, I am realizing the importance of stillness and how it really is what needs to guide my decision making. Otherwise, I am really just going to be pushed and pulled around by an abusive culture that does not have my wellbeing in mind at all. In fact, it has the opposite in mind. It has my oppression in mind. That's the reality that we live in. I am noticing the people I feel inspired by are people who are free. They are confident in what they want to do and they do it. I grew up in a very conservative, rule-following family. Now that I have a wider perspective, I can see that my family of origin really falls on an extreme end of the spectrum. Freedom isn't about unconventionality for it's own sake, it's about going inward and connecting with that part of ourselves that is our inner guidance that knows what to do. That's where the magic is. 

It's learning the language of our inner somatic guidance. This takes time, education and practice. 

Recently, I watched an interview with Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, who is a native woman from the Blackfeet Nation. They just made a movie together with Martin Scorsese called Killers of the Flower Moon. It is about the story of an Osage woman in the 1920's. In the interview Leonardo DiCaprio spoke about meeting regularly with the Osage community and the importance of listening. He said repeatedly that he felt a responsibility with Martin Scorsese to get the story right and to tell it truthfully and accurately. It was cool to hear that and it shows how things are changing. I could tell that he was influenced by them and their value system, which is so different than western, white, American culture. 

A friend of mine told me that I'm idealizing other people's cultures. I found myself feeling angry as I thought about this later. It struck me as a form of gas lighting.  What's really happening, is that I am noticing with my own two eyes and ears and my brain that I am existing in an oppressive society and that it doesn't have to be this way.  We live in a patriarchal culture where women are basically viewed as worthless and when I look at these other cultures, the native/ indigenous cultures, what I am seeing and hearing about is that they have a balanced culture where women are respected and valued and so are children. It's a society that is love based instead of fear based like ours is. We really can exist as human beings in a way that is loving, sane, balanced, connected, kind and supports wholeness and spiritual health and wellbeing and that isn't oppressive. I see that and it gives me hope. It's so beautiful to know that. This is obvious. It really is. Anyone who has spent any time actually observing and learning about and listening to native people will know this. Martin Scorsese says to Geoffrey Standing Bear, the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation, "I always think that America needs your culture, more than just learning, we could open our minds and hearts to a whole new way." I couldn't agree more.

Much love to you. May you feel free to follow your inner guidance and live the way you are really meant to live.

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