Over the course of the last few days I've been building images in Photoshop. Some were to share with this community. Others were meant to share with people who have touched my life in ways great and small. The guiding theme for these images is light or enlightenment. Those of you who read last night's Diary Rescue will have seen one of these images. The one directly below the fold is a variation of that image...
For those of you who do not know what each of these images stands for, I offer the following description. This is very general, and if I've gotten anything wrong, please feel free to offer a better description.
The first is a jewel tree. The tree itself is a depiction of a bo tree and is thought to bring good luck and enlightenment to those who sit under it. Here it is representing our buddhist friends, although it is also honored by Hindus and others throughout the East as well. There are many depictions of jewel trees, decorated with real jewels or colored glass. I did this one after looking at some lovely art depicting them. (more on this will follow.)
The next is a tray of lamps such as you see in Hindu culture during Diwali, the Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights signifies the beginning of the new year and I found some beautiful and astounding displays of light blazing with these lovely little lamps. I love the lamps themselves, but when clustered together they really make a beautiful display.
The Menorah is for our Jewish friends. I think most people know the story that goes with that, so I won't go into it here. I didn't realize there were a difference in Menorahs, but the ones with nine flames are the ones used for Hanukkah, while the ones with seven are just your common, everyday temple variety.
The moon is of course for our Solstice worshipping friends. And it's just good form to have a moon. Who doesn't love a good full moon?
Next is the candles significant for Kwanzaa. Avila kindly provided me with the following description of what they signify when I was working on this piece.
Usually, a table spread with a piece of African cloth is used.
Then, the Mkeka(mat) is placed over the table with the Mishumaa Saba (seven candles) which are placed inside the Kinara (candle holder) over the Mkeka.
There, candles are colored black (for the people), red (for the struggle) and green (for the hope in the future that comes through the struggle).
There is one black candle, three red and three green to represent the seven principles of Nguzo Saba.
The placement of the candles in the Kinara is very important.
First place the black candle in the center of the Kinara.
This candle represents the prinicpal of Umoja.
The red candles are placed to the left of the black candle and represents Kujichagulia, Ujamaa and Kuumba.
Next is a Fanoose. It is the lamp that symbolizes enlightenment for Muslims during Ramadan. Children in Muslim culture get toy fanooses during Ramadan. They light up and often play songs. I was lucky enough to be in Egypt several years back during Ramadan. There was a Fanoose outside every Muslim household. It was lovely to see.
Then, of course, is a Christmas Tree. This is actually a pic of the National Christmas tree from some past year, extraneous stuff removed and reduced to a usable size. We all know that the Christmas tree is really a pagan symbol adopted by our culture to honor crass commercialism at its worst. But in this instance it will stand in as a symbol of Christian rejoicing at the birth of the Savior and the enlightenment he tried to bring to the world.
Bookending the text are the paper sack lamps known as luminarias. They are used to celebrate the season throughout the Southern US and Central and South America. Nowadays, of course, there are luminarias that are electrified, but I prefer those made with paper sacks with sand placed inside to anchor them and the candle within. Simple, and beautiful. I actually appreciate the spirit of the luminaria much more than that of the Christmas tree, so I included them in that pic and as an offering to our Hispanic and Latino friends. (Hat tip to Avila.)
Enlightenment is one thing that I strive for. Having been raised to be a fundamentalist Christian and found it wanting, I have spent many hours in the search for enlightenment in all its forms and facets. It has been a struggle, and I admit freely that I have not attained it. In its current form it has taken me to reading anything and everything I can get my hands on, meditation and prayers offered to whatever deity may or may not be out there. I never pray for myself, only for others. I feel on some basic level that being unsure of whether there is a deity and what form it might take, it would be wrong of me to ask for personal help. But if there is a God, my prayers on behalf of others surely must be heard and respected in the spirit in which they are offered.
The last year has been a struggle for me, to say the least. The near-death of one of my grandchildren, the birth under difficult circumstances of my newest and last grandchild, the death of my mother, a debilitating and as yet unnamed illness of my own, the crippling of my sister due to severe arthritis and the certainty of knee-replacement surgery which she will not handle well, the loss of friendships that mattered to me. This community has been torn apart by primary feuds, and bitter feelings are left unresolved. The world we live in seems to be going to hell in a handbasket and our best efforts to change it are falling on deaf ears. The distasters just keep coming, the pile grows larger by the day, and I wake up every day wondering if today is the day when the final straw will fall on the camel's back and break me into a thousand pieces.
And yet, I know that I am blessed. I have this community, which gives me a place to say what I think about the world we live in. The wounds inflicted here will eventually heal themselves and we'll go on to work together for a better future. I have family that I love and that love me in return. I have eight beautiful grandchildren that bring joy into my life like I've never known before. I have dear friends that I know love me and trust me and keep me from going utterly insane on a daily basis. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, there are not bombs bursting in the street outside my door, I have work that I find fulfilling and I know is important for the greater good. Yes, I am blessed beyond measure.
Last night I sent a special image I created to those who matter most in my life, dear friends whose love and support I count on daily. Without them I could not have made it through the trials and tribulations of the last year. On the urging of one of those dear friends, I've decided to share it with all of you. You'll notice that it is a variation of the first image in the above work. Let me share its meaning with you first.
From Wikipedia...
The Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) is a species of banyan fig native to Nepal and India, southwest China and Indochina east to Vietnam. It is known by a wide range of local names, such as Bo or pou (from the Sinhalese bo), Pipal (peepal, peepul, pippala, pimpal, etc.), arali or Ashvastha tree. It is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree up to 30m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 3m.
The leaves are cordate in shape with a distinctive extended tip; they are 10-17cm long and 8-12cm broad, with a 6-10cm petiole. The fruit is a small fig 1-1.5cm diameter, green ripening purple.
The Bodhi tree and the Sri Maha Bodhi propagated from it are famous specimens of Sacred Fig. The known planting date of the latter, 288 BC, gives it the oldest verified age for any angiosperm plant.
This plant is considered sacred by the followers of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, and hence the name 'Sacred Fig' was given to it. Siddhartha Gautama is referred to have been sitting underneath a Bo Tree when he was enlightened (Bodhi), or "awakened" (Buddha). Today in India, Hindu Sadhus still meditate below this tree, and in Theravada Buddhist Southeast Asia, the tree's massive trunk is often the site of Buddhist and animist shrines.
This is the basis of the image but, yes, there's more! Taking this a step further, we find that the Bo tree is the basis for the Jewel Tree.
"Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism a wish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings."
Here is my depiction of the Jewel tree. I believe my message is clear....
I offer this to one and all. I have purposely left off anything to do with copyright. These images are a gift to each of you, to be used as you may see fit. And with this image I offer my hand in friendship to any and every one of you. To those who I have offended, I offer my sincere apologies and my desire to make amends. To those who are searching for peace and enlightenment or whose lives have taken them into despair, I offer you my strength, my prayers, my meditations and my most sincere wishes that you each find what you are searching for and that your future will be filled with love and happiness.
Yes, let there be peace. And let it begin with me......