The Swan Blessing - part 1

Full moon at Notre Dame - Swan Blessing Pilgrimage September 2014

I woke up from my afternoon nap, blinded by a great

golden spotlight turned on in my room.

At first all I could see was thick golden light,

like a golden carpet and then I saw her,

standing in this light.

I immediately recognized her as

Joan of Arc or Jeanne d'Arc
 as she is called

in France.

I bought a tiny Jeanne d'Arc statue,

on the last day of my recent trip, at the
 incredible town Chartres.

We had a train to catch and there was no time to ask myself
why I am buying a statue of 

Jeanne d'Arc when there are so many others,
seemingly more fitting to Chartres, on the shelves.

I gazed at this compelling apparition
and presence
or does one call it a Vision?
Nothing small about her.
In fact very little about her presence
is captured in the tiny statue other
than the banner that she carries.

I gazed at her as long as I could
absorbing the message that I
could hear with my heart.

Never waiver from your Vision.
Stay committed to your heart's desire
and passion and continue
to walk towards the Sun.
Let no obstacle nor challenge
prove too big to overcome.
Use your power of prophecy!

She showed me an intense and clear
path of light, as thick as a carpet of gold!

Let me start at the beginning.

Before I set off for my pilgrimage earlier this month
(September 2014)
 to Paris, Lourdes, Lisieux, Chartres, Rome and Assisi,

I received very clear guidance that the Swan and her

energy will play an important role in this pilgrimage.

My very first pilgrimage I set out on was to Italy in  September 2000
to attend the Archangel Michael festival in Mont' San Angelo.

On that trip I bought my very first Mary statue and my very first

rosary.  I visited the ancient city of Rome and was

fascinated by the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, especially when

I discovered the story of one of the priestesses, named Claudia.

My own daughter was born two years previously and I had

named her Claudia, not for any particular reason.

I never managed to get to the Temple of the Vesta as they were

busy with archeological work and I had to be satisfied with looking

at images in books.  But this led me to her counterpart Hestea and

to her Irish counterpart Bridget and my subsequent pilgrimages

to Glastonbuy and St Bridget in Kildare.

(You can read about these pilgrimages elsewhere on this blog)

St Michael Tower with engraving of Bridget on the Tor, Glastonbury

St Bridgit shrine in Kildare

Myself at St Bridgit shrine in Kildare

One of my first paintings of Bridgid and her Swan

A shadowbox I made a while ago - see the beautiful white swan,
the two swans in the right hand side and the wings on
the little Victorian skater girl - also the bird in a cage!!

The first few nights we stayed in Paris, right on the doorstep
of the magnificent Notre Dame.  At night we went to sleep with the
pealing of the bells of the Notre Dame de Paris, Our Lady of Paris.

The very first morning that we stepped out of our apartment,
we saw the incredible sight of three white swans on the Seine
and I was reminded of the guidance of the blessing
of the presence of Swan.

part two to follow .......................


blessings

Hettienne

Jai Mata Di Jai Durga Maa

Prem Se Bolo Jai Mata Di!

This is a salutation and prayer to Durga Maa.

Durga Maa is a Hindu deity known for her courage and strength.

She rides a tiger or a lion and she assists one on the inner levels

in slaying the demons of the mind.

She is the fierce aspect of Shakty, the Divine Feminine.

I made this mala in the same pattern as the Rosary of the Holy Mother.

She is one and the same, by whatever name you call Her.

I used freshwater pearls in four different shades of white, pale pink, bronze and cream, interspaced

with swarovski crystals and

 beautiful bronze rose beads and a glass heart foil in the centre.

The pendant I bought from one of the traders outside the temple at

Haridwar, India and it is stamped with the OHM on the back.

Here is a beautiful mantra to Durga Maa

to use with the rosary

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Maa rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Shakti rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Buddhi rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Laxmi rupena samsthita 

Namestasyai II Namestasyai II Namestasyai 

Namo Namah 

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of universal mother

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of energy

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of intellegence

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of true wealth

We bow to her, we bow to her, continually we bow to her

blessings

Drinking from the Waters that truly quench thirst ..... From Paris

I am writing to you from Paris. It is still early and quiet - the sun has been up for a while and is shining softly on the very Parisienne facade of the building across from me. What a busy city and probably not the best time to visit as it is peak season. I have spent a week in London with my teenage daughter who absolutely loved the shopping and the vibe and the crowds. I have been looking forward to the Paris leg of our trip as when I was here the previous time (pregnant with my now travel companion) I could not do many of the places I intended to this time. I love to travel and each time is different. This trip I often contemplated on the material world and people's obsession with the physical and physical appearance. I mused about the necessity of a spiritual path, be it religion or a more free way of embracing the idea that the Divine is in everything. And as the Divine is in everything, then those who lead a life focused only on the material is not separated from the Divine in any way. These were merely gentle musings on my part as I do know that it hinges on consciousness and one's awareness, but I am always very interested in others' ways of experiencing life and the profane. Yesterday we visited the Sacre Couer in Montmartre along with hundreds of tourists. The beautiful and sacred atmosphere of the church was virtually non-existent with tourists disobeying the instructions not to take photographs, children touching everything, you get the picture. However, my daughter and I was determined to immerse ourselves in the energies and we were not disappointed. We both felt the light humming in our hands and arms as we approached the beautiful golden statue of Mother and Child. It felt like a door opened in my chest and throat and a million birds flew out, suffusing myself with the Love that includes everyone and everything. Next we entered the Virgin chapel. The walls were covered in images of the sacred woman in Her different roles and aspects. The compassionate and nurturing energy was intense and palpable. The air here was cool and soothing and it felt like an expanse of space. We stayed as long as we could. The earth has chakras or energy centers that has higher vibrational energy than other spaces. We are aware of the restorative power of water and the ancients knew about wells. Mares is Latin for oceans of water and Marie is the French derivative and Mary of course the english. Ma mere means my mother and la mer means the sea. I have walked the Mary and Michael leylines over two continents and the Mary line follows the rivers and the sacred points are always at a well. We can survive without food but we cannot survive without water. The Divine as our sacred mother is the ability to nurture and nourish ourselves on all levels, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Our Divine Mother is here, present with us, in our physicality (70% of our body is water, a small ocean by itself). She is in our cells, hearing every thought, every word, witnessing every act of self-care and self-acceptance. In Hindu Tantra the divine mother is known as Shakty, the active force and power of Shiva, (the male god) in this world. Mary, the blessed Mother, is the active nurturing and creative principle of God, the heavenly Father, in this world. Everywhere in Paris she is depicted with a child on her hip - such a typical stance of a mother. She is holding her divine Son, He whom She has given birth to; the mother of a new life. In the same way we daily and even hourly, give birth to a new life We create through every thought, with our attitude and through actions. Every thought resonates and vibrates in the waters of your body and sponsors an entire creation. As we repeat Her name in Love, She responds. Ave Maria Yesterday we visited the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal. What an incredible and wonderful experience! I will share with you as soon as I have found the right plug adaptor today. I will also try my best to figure out how to upload pictures from my iPad that I have with me. Till tomorrow Blessings Hettienne

Soul Songs

Artemis

Orbits lit, a match to shine upon the twilit sky

Her flow defines - she is Artemis, sister to the sun

She glimmers as the last sunset ray upon the sea

An abstruse gambol, the bands 'round my soul untie

And freed my life anew, a boundless journey just begun

A veiled companion, my passage's potpourri

She is Artemis - a hunter of renown and skill

She doth take aim, and to my knees I fall

Struck by an arrow naught villainous, but of euphoric frame

I am the quail, the huntress' target, bent now to her will

Forever pursuing as a cherub forced me to enthrall

She is Artemis the hunter and I beg to be her game 

Beach Leanbh

This is my Artemis SoulCollage card.  Other than being a Greek goddess, she is one of my dominant goddesses, that is according to Jungian philosophy.  Soul Collage cards is a wonderful tool for inner knowledge and understanding, as well as a form of art.  I have come to love it and have found that all my knowledge of other therapies and tools gathered over the years, all meld into Soul Collage.

Jean Shinoda Bolen have written quite a comprehensive book on the seven alchemical goddesses in Jungian philosophy :  Goddess in Everywoman.  Also, God in Everywoman.

My SoulCollage card of Artemis is based on her work with some personal added symbols, such as the owl.  Artemis is the one within that loves the garden.  She loves her pets, all animals, the birds in the garden and the rights of all animals.  She creates, she sculpts, she loves working with her hands.  She is guided by the moon, both within and wthout;  In the Roman pantheon she is known as Diana, Lady of the Hunt.  She is a virgin goddess, which means that she a woman unto herself;  independent in herself.

Next week I will share my interpretation of Hestea with you!  I invite you to play along.  You can make and share any collage - you do not have to stick to my weekly theme.

I link up with Postcards from Paradise.  Visit here and see other beautiful postcards.

blessings

Hettienne

Postcard from Paradise

The Mother of Good Counsel

inspired by and extracts from Untie the Strong Woman

by Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Healing is not for the pure who need no healing.

It is for those in need.

And healing is not a straight line, but rather, a zig zag.

A powerful prayer here,

a person who listens with holy love there,

a book over here,

a sudden inspirational thought over there,

a sudden realisation,

a ritual that has meaning to the spirit and the soul,

and all these held together in tenderness with oneself

and one's idea of the Holy.

extract from Untie the Strong Woman

my postcard from paradise this week

is ignited and sparked by the fiery passion

of Untie the Strong Woman.

 ,,,,,,,,,,, And so I create small shrines,

and offer this sacred space

 of healing and wholeness;

a mirror that speaks louder than the

clamouring voices of external authority

of  'those that declare that they know

better, or the truth or the right way'

a mirror that reminds me and you

of the words of the Memorare to Our Lady

Never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help,

or sought they intercession,

was left unaided.

Visit Rebecca's Postcards from Paradise and become part of this circle of sharing and receiving.

Also, Please visit Her Grace by Devata my other blog, where I participated in IA's challenge of textures with my rendition of Untie the Strong Woman.  

Also have a look and consider joining in with my weekly SoulSongs, the SoulCollage art that is a direct mirror of the Sacred Heart within.

love

Hettienne 

Soul Songs

The lake of your eyes reflects the ripples of my heart.  I melt and dissolve beyond the crashing of the waves, the ebb and flow of life.  No longer becoming, leaving, embodying, or expanding into love.  Now stretched into wise skin with eyes that have known all along.  It is Love and only Love.

Soul Songs

Songs of the Soul

Collage of feeling,

vision,

intuition.

Open the door,

make the Unseen

Seen

enter the Sacred,

sing the Soul's Song.

Please come and play along.

Through the work of Seena  B Frost's SoulCollage I have discovered a wonderful medium of playing, creating and uncovering!  SoulCollage is a structured technique with certain ground rules.  It is ideal for self-reflection and group work and it is facilitated by trained SoulCollage Facilitators (which I am not).  I started playing with soul collages, based on her book and I have become completely hooked onto collage cards.    Then they started appearing in my dreams and in my art.  Previously I would try to reproduce all my visions and insights onto canvas, but it took so long that my sketch journal just became thicker and thicker and I could not paint fast enough.  However, making collage cards are simple and quick and they are beautiful!

And now I invite you to play along with myself in Soul Songs every Sunday here on The Path of Divine Love.

I invite you to create a collage card making the invisible in yourself visible.  You create the card from the soft focus of your right brain and you set the intent that that which is hidden, be unveiled through its coming together.  I use an A5 board card to glue the images onto.  I mainly use magazine clippings and paper images from my folder of collected images. I find many old magazines at local charity stores.  Old magazines, especially the old National Geographics, have wonderful 'new' images. Digital artists probably have a digital folder filled with images - this will work wonderfully! You can continue to add to your image collection over time and allow your intuitive self to lead you.  Do not plan too much.  Maybe at times of change or insight, you may want to create a specific collage card honouring that stage in your life, or facilitating the change or transformation or to support a new resolution.  Decide on the subject only and allow your eye to guide you to the images.  Play around for a while with the images, but do not apply your art rules to the collage - there are no rules - that is the fun of it!  You will be amazed to discover how your Inner Artist puts together a powerful and evocative image;  one that gives you a deeper look into the sacred.  

Once you have collated the card, you want to find the Song of your Soul that is held in the inner chamber of this card.  We are part of the infinite and we have many many songs just waiting to be heard!

You can link up below.

Also, please visit Postcard from Paradise here on The Path of Divine Love, and Untie the Strong Woman, on Her Grace by Devata.

love
Hettienne

Postcard from Paradise

I learned from my grandmother -

herself a great and simple church -

if one creates a prayer of poetry,

heaven will send for you by name,

bypassing all theological detours ...

for God so treasures poets.

It was night.

We were kneeling,

saying our prayers together;

old aunties, uncles,

daddies, mommies, children,

and one old, old one.

It sounded  like this :

'Hail Mary full of grace' we intoned.

But grandmother said under her breath,

Hello, my most holy Sister.

(It sounded like this : Elo miy most holey see-stair.)

You are so filled with the light of God

(Djou air so feeled wit te leet oav Goad)

I can hardly bear to look at you.

Soften your light just a little

so I can see you more clearly Dear One.

And we droned on,

'The Lord is with thee,

blessed art thou amongst women ...'

and grandmother whispered,

You were pregnant with the Lord,

oh the glory of it all!

You are filling my womb 

with holiness as we speak.

And we bleated onward,
'... blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.'
Grandmother went on,
Oh my dearest sister,
I am so sorry you had to give birth
with only the poor animals,
your poor distraught husband,
with only the night sky to hold you,
for, What did Joe know?

I know this feeling, and I commiserate
if I had been there, I would have held
your thighs for you, cut the cord
of our beloved baby Jesus.

We bellowed out into the home stretch,
'... Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners ...'
Grandmother murmured,
Oh, my sins are many my sister,
but without your love
they would have been so many more;
if not for you, for your advice,
for your great love for women such as me.

Then, we began the final bugle,
crashing now into the finale
like moose in rut:
'... now and at the hour of our death, Aymen!'
Grandmamma was still whispering:
I have had many hours of death in this lifetime.
Without you my sister, my mother, my child,
I would never have known that pain, joy,
and strength are one.
You gave birth to me over and over again.
You are not the mother of all life, you are life itself.
Thank you for my life my Child, my Sister, my Mother.

Aymen for now, says your old daughter, Katerin.
Aymen ..... and a little woman.

Extract from  Untie the Strong Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

Join in with other Postcards from Paradise here 

I also invite you to visit Soul Songs here :

thank you for visiting

love

Hettienne

Soul Songs - Holy Fool

The words of Richard Rohr epitomises for me the medicine of SoulCollage :

'If we don't learn to mythologize our lives,

inevitably we will pathologize them'

This Soul Song today is called the Holy Fool.  That which cannot be named.

Rumi captures the essence of the Holy Fool in his words

Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing,

there is a field. 

I'll meet you there. 

When the soul lies down in that grass,

the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase

each other

doesn't make any sense.

I invite you to play along.  If you want to learn more, click below

love

Hettienne

Soul Songs - The Swan

The Swan Card - Community Suit

I am the One who takes you on a safe passage through the transitions.  I offer you sacred companionship; the promise that I will never abandon you and the reminder that you always belong to the community of your Soul and of Spirit.

Every Sunday, here in this sacred space, we play

Soul Songs.

These collages are powerful, simple, easy to make,

and, when used with conscious awareness,

they are wonderful guardians and guides on

the journey within the Self.

I am currently on a journey of transition,

changing over, crossing a bridge,

transformation,

going through a new doorway,

entering another part of the sacred garden within.

And I have been using my SoulCollage tool to reflect the mirror of Soul

for me.

I would like to share the process of making a SoulCollage card with you so that you may 

join in with the weekly SoulSongs and see what fun it is!

I have been aware of being drawn to images of a boat, a small boat crossing a lake;  even cruise liners!!

So I started looking for images that resonate with me right now and I immediately chose swans.

Years ago, when I did some Jungian studies, I had many visions and dreams of swans and I have painted quite a few iconic and mythological images of swans.  Then they meant something completely different to me.  The one thing that remained a constant, though, is that they represent Soul or Spirit.  

As I gathered these image, I learnt a few things about swans.

They are hardly ever seen by themselves.  They are usually in pairs, or as a family unit.  I know that swans mate for life.

Swans carry their chicks on their backs.  How absolutely beautiful is that!!

I keep a notebook, writing down my insights during the process of making a card.  These insights are invaluable and very pertinent to one's inner journey.  You may pick up other things that are specific to your history and circumstances.

Some more pertinent insights about swans :

the colour white which represents purity, purification, initiation, Spirit;

the throat area is emphasised by its long neck :  throat chakra, called Vissudhi in sanskrit; Vissudhi means purification.

So, a process of letting go is of importance here. 

They swim across the waters.  Waters represent the emotions, the world of the Soul.  So, again, transitions, journeys to new horizons.

And this is the card that I made :

As part of the SoulCollage process, you 'climb' into the card, mentally and emotionally, and you let the neter (the archetype) of the card speak to you.  You always start the process with "I am the One who ....'

I am the One who takes you on a safe passage through the transitions.  I offer you sacred companionship; 

the promise that I will never abandon you.  I am the one who reminds you that you always belong to the community of your Soul and Spirit.

The gifts of this card is sacred communion.

The shadow of the Swan is the stressful times of transition that can take you back into childhood memories of being the Ugly Duckling!

To play along with Soul Songs, you only need make a card.  It is then up to you what you want to share, if anything!

I will be back on Sunday with my SoulSong.

I invite you to join in then.

blessings

Hettienne

Thank you Queenie

My friend and kindred spirit, Queenie of Always, Queenie Believe, awarded me the Liebster Award.  Oh my!  who does not enjoy being recognized and being someone's favourite!  And the wonderful sense of community!  I have never considered awards previously, and I gratefully accept this one.  Thank you dear Queenie for so royally bestowing this award on my blog.

 Liebster means favourite.

 

I will pay this award forward to five blogs that I regularly read and follow and which are my favourites.  The only specification is that they have to have less than 200 followers.  They will then each pay it forward again.  What a wonderful idea! I wonder who started the Liebster Blog award?

The five favourite blogs that I really enjoy and try to visit regularly are :

Recuerda mi Corazon , Rebecca's wonderful blog of colour, travel, art, the Madonna, and other sacred sharings of the heart;

Avalon and an Apple Tree, where Miss Robyn, the hedgewitch from Australia (with ancestry from Cornwall) chronicles her questions and findings in her womanly life;

Scenes from a slowmoving train , Annie's newly re-surrected blog that offers her insights on life;

The Angels wear Fins, Noelle's visual feast of poetry and film

Fran aka Redondowriter a tongue-in-cheek blog where Fran shares her special love of SoulCollage and anecdotes that always bring a smile to my face!

Please visit these blogs and share the love!

blessings

Hettienne

Song of my Soul

Woman of courage,

reminder that the heart demands boldness,

brave steps into the unknown

in order for the inner garden to bloom

and flourish in the heat of the Sun.

Over at Inspiration Avenue, Gemma, our co-host for this week

chose the topic of Here Comes the Sun. I teamed up with

my Frida theme and entered my first ever

art doll.  She was born today - very fitting for the theme

of Imbolc, Candlemas and Spring, don't you think?

Her Grace by Devata

I invite you to play along with Song of my Soul, SoulCollage Soul Songs.

Here you can make a collage that speaks to your heart, guides the way

or just reflects what you are looking at now. 

Song of my Soul plays every Sunday.

Here is a full description if you are interested, but really, there are no rules.

Holy Day of Our Lady of Lourdes

Today is Day Nine in this Art Novena of Our lady of Lourdes.

 I pick the flowers from my garden and make a garland

to adorn Her image

I twist ivy and roses for Her crown

I pick the first crop of gooseberries

and symbolically offer the fruits of my harvest to Her

as I sprinkle the ground around Her with

holy water from many Holy Wells

and I plant Her blessing seeds to sanctify the ground

(You can read more about Mary's Blessings seeds

here)

I reflect on the past eight days of this novena.

While I stayed in Lourdes, the one image that still lives vividly in me,

is that of the thousands of sick visiting the shrine AND

the thousands of volunteer helpers, carers, companions and nurses.

Such giving and such receiving.  Compassion and extension to those who cannot walk, for those who cannot hide their vulnerability.  Being a part of that procession and witnessing such love openly being given and shared, touched me deeply.

So often we shut others out because we look different, act differently, believe differently.  So often we shut others out because we close our hearts for fear of revealing our vulnerability.  

A humble heart is a heart that is strong in its vulnerability.  An open heart is a door through which love flows in and out.

And such is Her infinite Love, in whatever form is true for you;

in that which has meaning for you;

In these nine days many new voices and hearts have entered my circle, taken my hand and walked through the garden of Mary with me.  Thank you for your sharing.  May we continue to meet and share the Love!

May you bathe in the river of blessings that flow from Lourdes

Ave Maria.

I invite you to participate in today's 

Art Novena for Our Lady of Lourdes

through image,

story,

art,

poetry,

song

or 

your love for Her, Mother Mary.