Repair the Broken

A wish to mend
the broken shards
with a piece of
special string.

I would sew it
tight and dry your
tears with the
softest angel wing.

A wish to fix the
empty hole and
seal her memories
in your heart.

I would give you
a chance to see
her smile before
you had to part.

Felicia Lujan
4.24.2013

Haunted

“Here in the dark~
haunted like a raven
in the midnight hour.”

~~~~~~Felicia Lujan

«—•Blowdart•—»

Poison blowdart used by the goblins to kill a unicorn in the dark fairy tale film~ Legend (1985)~ one of my all time favorites

Blowgun•————-»
Smooth and swift-
a simple weapon
used to fire tainted
darts straight into
my core.

Hunter•—————»
Momentum of
5,000 breaths-
pushing harder
so I feel the force
of iron lungs.

Blowpipe•————»
Propulsive power
with curare laced
tips- poison to
paralyze and
secure the fall.

Shooter•————-»
Capture wildlife-
a steady need to
tranquilize, stun,
and cage this
lovely beast.

Blowdart•————-»
Elusive target-
shrink and quiver
into the silent
softness of deadly
breaths.

by Felicia Lujan
2.20.2013

Call Me ~Night Owl~

This was an interesting article in Psychology Today. Apparently, being a night owl is in my genes. I have noticed that if I go to bed early, I have trouble getting up in the morning. I usually only get about five or six hours of sleep a night. I also know that my creativity blossoms at night.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Early Bird or Night Owl? It’s In Your Genes

By Michael J. Breus, Ph.D.
December 14, 2012

Are you a lark, someone who likes being up and active in the early morning? Do you do your best work early in the day, and do you wind down in the evenings toward a relatively early bedtime? Or are you a night owl, someone who tends to wake later and perhaps gains energy and focus as the day progresses, someone who likes to work (and play) in the evening hours? 

Whether you’re inclined toward one direction or another—or find yourself somewhere in the middle—these tendencies feel deeply ingrained. Scientists have been exploring for some time the notion that the circadian rhythms that regulate the sleep-wake cycle and many other of the body’s biological processes are influenced by our genes. Studies involving twins have provided evidence​ that our genes​ have a significant influence over sleep patterns and circadian rhythms. Scientists have in recent years identified​ a “wake up” gene that is believed to be responsible for activating the body’s biological clock in the morning. 

Now a team of researchers from the United States and Canada has identified​ a specific genetic variant that appears to determine whether a person will be an early bird, a night owl, or somewhere in the middle. The specific type of genetic variation an individual possesses may influence the tendency to rise earlier or later by as much as 60 minutes. 

Another significant finding? This gene variant—so common that it is present in most of the population—may also determine the time of day a person is likely to die. 

This information could have important implications for the treatment and monitoring of illness and disease, as well as for preventative medicine. 

The study​ that resulted in this genetic discovery began a number of years ago. Researchers studying disrupted sleep patterns among older people were looking for pre-disease markers that could be associated with the eventual onset of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. This study involved 1,200 healthy men and women aged 65. Their evaluation included annual neurological exams and psychiatric exams, as well as ongoing monitoring of sleep-wake cycles and activity levels using a wrist monitor.  Participants to this study also had agreed to donate their brains to the research project upon their death, so that scientists could gather additional information related to sleep-wake cycles. 

In the course of their research project, scientists learned that the same group of volunteers had also had their DNA genotyped—a process of identifying differences in individual genetic makeup. With these data, researchers were able to compare data on patients’ sleep wake cycles with their genetic profiles, which led to their significant discovery. 

They found that variations to a gene called PER1—part of a group​ of genes that affects circadian rhythms—are strongly linked to circadian timing, and to the tendency toward living as a night owl or a lark. Variations to this gene are so common, according to researchers, that nearly the entire population possesses one of several variants:

60% of the population has a variant called adenine (A)

40% of the population has a variant called guanine (G) 

Since each individual has two sets of DNA chromosomes:

48% of the population will have a combination of A and G

36% of the population will have two As

16% of the population will have two Gs 

According to the study results, people with the AA genotype—the early birds—tended to wake up 60 minutes earlier than those with the GG genotype. The third group—AG—tended to split the difference and wake right in the middle of this 60-minute timeframe. 

How does this gene variant—and its influence on circadian timing—affect a likely time of death? Our circadian rhythms are at work in regulating a broad range of biological processes affecting our health and basic functioning. Research has shown that circadian clocks play a role in influencing the timing​ of major medical events such as heart​ attacks. Scientists describe what they call a circadian rhythm of death, which results in people generally being more likely to die in the earlier part of the day. The average time? 11 a.m. 

Looking at the study population, researchers found that AA genotypes and AG genotypes tended to die around this most typical 11 a.m. time. The GG genotypes—the night owls—tended to die much later in the day, on average at around 6 p.m. 

This is some fascinating and important research. There’s more to study and to learn about how our individual genotype affects our circadian timing, but this knowledge could be applied in any number of ways to manage health and the treatment of disease. This information could be used to help people create sleep-healthy schedules, particularly for shift workers and people who travel frequently and experience jet lag—that’s everyone from a national sales rep to a major league ballplayer. Also, physicians could use this knowledge to create targeted treatment and prevention programs, using this information about when an individual is most vulnerable, to time procedures, medications, and exercise. 

We all can do ourselves a favor by paying attention to our natural tendencies for sleeping and waking, and using this information in making our daily schedules work for our sleep and our health. 

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor™
http://www.thesleepdoctor.com​

A Look at the Symbols in Bless Me Ultima

On Sunday my sister and I took our mom to the movies. This week is her birthday and she has been wanting to see the new movie Bless Me Ultima. The movie is based on a book written by Rudolfo Anaya. The novel took the writer many years to finish, and he is said to have employed spirit guides and his subconscious mind to complete this work. It was published in 1972. The book has been used in classrooms for many years because it is well respected in the world of Chicano literature. I was also very anxious to see the film because I knew it featured a curandera and that it would be filled with love, magic, history, land, nature, herbs, and witches. What’s not to love? A curandera is a female folk healer who uses faith as a weapon. She also employs good magic using herbs, spirit guides, and the power of the natural world around her. The story is not that of Ultima’s. It is the story of a young boy named Antonio Márez y Luna, an outside spectator who is contemplative of many things.

Our Tickets to Bless Me Ultima on 10.28.2012

Photo I took of Ultima “La Grande”
and Antonio in the movie Bless Me Ultima

At first I was surprised to learn that the movie was two hours long. I must say that there was not one moment of the movie that didn’t capture me completely. We laughed and we cried as a New Mexico story graced the big screen in a way that I have never seen. I have one of the original runs of Anaya’s book. When I was a girl I remember reading the book in school, and in college we did chapter studies. I felt that the film flawlessly embodied and conveyed the heart of the original story. We all loved the film. I always feel so blessed to have people in my life who understand me. As we left the theater, I explained to my mom and my sister that I was taking notes on my phone. My mom said “I know,” and my sister said “I figured.” In some movies I have attempted to take in a notebook, but it is hard to see what you are writing in the dark and have found it much easier to jot down thoughts in draft form on my phone. One day I aspire to complete a full literary analysis of this novel, but for tonight I will deliver the symbols I derived from the film.

Photo I took of the funeral procession
of a Trementina witch sister
in the movie Bless Me Ultima

When we were leaving I told my mom that I saw so many symbols in this film. I adore my mature and intense mind. My mom was very curious about the symbols I saw, so I dedicate this to her. Maybe with any luck I will make her and my sister just as crazy as I am! If you have or haven’t seen the film, or even if you have only read the book, look deeper. In my mind, symbolism is about connection. A symbol is a connection~ usually from sight to an object or idea (with the mind)~ to a feeling (with the heart)~ and then ultimately to a person, place or thing. Following are the symbols I ascertained from Bless Me Ultima. This was not Ultima’s story, however, she embraced symbolism like no other character in Anaya’s novel does. The end of the movie brings the strongest and most poignant quote. When “La Grande” dies, Antonio laid her to rest and said “I did not cry~ her voice is everywhere.” The quote confirms a connection of all symbols in the book and film.

Symbols in the Movie

Ultima or “La Grande”~ was a symbol of love, sacrifice, life, death, land, faith, respect, acceptance, forgiveness, nature, power, protection, knowledge, tradition, and healing

Ultima’s Owl~ was a symbol of protection and sacrifice

The Moon~ was a symbol of mystery, land, time, magic, and knowledge

The River, Rain and Water~ were symbols of life, death, healing, abundance, and the seasons

The Land, Herbs, and Farming~ were symbols of home, family, tradition, knowledge, continuity, and healing

The War~ was a symbol of evil, change, vice, and sin

Death~ was a symbol of fear, evil, mortality, and immortality

Religion~ was a symbol of connection and disconnection

Time for The Raven

The Raven (DVD)

After a 2 mile hike at Tent Rocks (National Monument) I’m ready for some heart stopping entertainment, my heating pad, and bed. I have been waiting to watch The Raven (I do love me some Poe)! I got a New York strip steak (ground up) to make a patty with garlic mashed potatoes and brown gravy. Yum! Sounds like a plan- hopefully I can watch a DVD about a writer and a serial killer while I eat–haha!

11*****Posted using WordPress for BlackBerry*****11

Birthday Beats and Symbols

***My Monster- Beats by Dr. Dre Photo Shoot***
Hahahahahahaaaaa

Tonight I will go to bed one year older than I was last year! I don’t know if that should be an exclamation point after that sentence or a sad face – but I do feel like I am getting better with age. I am happy with the woman I have become and I think I am still striving to learn, grow and love. The best story of the day came from my mom. She told me about when I was born. Way back then (haha) it was actually Labor Day on September 1^st. My mom said “there was a lot of labor involved that day,” and we both laughed. My mom said she and my dad had to fight through a grip of traffic to get to the hospital. It was fiesta weekend here in Santa Fe and the hospital was downtown near the plaza back then. She remembers that the parade had just started. Apparently there were long lines of traffic. I kinda wonder if she and my dad were thinking that they may have to deliver me in the car? My mom got the killer shot to have me, but before she let that needle into her back, she had to be pinned down by not one but two nurses. I told her “that was the first sign that I was going to be a pain in the ass!” Great story… Anyhow- I got so many wonderful gifts from my family and friends. I do want to take the time to say thank you. I couldn’t believe that 99.9% of my gifts featured symbols which I identify with like bird, feather, and spiral. Amazing!! It was nice to receive: a call from my godmother Rita; HBD texts from my Dad, my friend Britney, and my friend Tammy; and some money from my Mom and Gilbert and my mother-in-law. My most practical gift that I am super psyched about are the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. Yesssss!! Daryn and Mike hooked me up with them and I must say that I will sleep in those suckers!! Today was a good day. I ate a lot of killer food. Now I am ready to get back on the workout tomorrow with my awesomely black, red, glossy, bass banging, voice recognition havin’, beat ripping headphones! Nice…..
I breathe music!
Like you didn’t know?!

***Monster- Beats by Dr. Dre***
Solo HD featuring Control Talk
A Gift from Daryn and Mike on 9.1.2012

 

***Insert with the Beats Headphones***
This features some of my favorites
David Guetta, Lady Gaga, and Lebron James

 

***Birthday Cards**
From Tom, Mom and Laura on 9.1.2012

 

***Purple Flowers***
A Gift from my Mom on 9.1.2012

 

***A Notebook and Fancy Purple Pens***
A Gift from Sibel on 8.31.2012

 

***Measuring Spoon Set with Little Birds***
(birds and feathers are symbols I identify with)
A Gift from Gail on 9.1.2012

 

***Spiral Tunes Wind Chime***
(the spiral is a symbol I identify with)
A Gift from Laura, Thomas and Isaiah on 9.1.2012

 

***Apple Pastry from Cafe Ole***
A Gift from Melissa on 8.31.2012

 

***Handmade Purple and Silver Spiral Earrings***
(the spiral is a symbol I identify with)
A Gift from my Mom on 9.1.2012

 

Meaningful Coincidence: A Visit to the Spirit World

**THE PEACE PIPE**
Photograph by Carl Moon
Image No. 417717, Photography Collection
Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs
New York Public Library

For the last few days, I have really been thinking about being mortal. Over the last few years, I have had a handful of strange dreams which I believe connected me to a spiritual dimension. Monday night following a friends funeral, I found myself wondering how people would remember me when I am gone? Last night I contemplated where I would be laid to rest? It may seem odd to think about these things- but I am a Virgo- a planner- I am organized- I feel that there is a place for everything and everything should be in it’s place. I simply care about the little things, and apparently my personal legacy. When my thoughts are heavy before I fall asleep I dream lucidly. After posting about my family in Mora, New Mexico last night, I had a dream about the mountains there. I could smell the clean air and the rain. I could see the beautiful land and distant sky. I felt connected to my history. That would be a good place for my ashes to whisk away on the curls of the Northern winds into the trees. The dream seemed real. This morning I was amazed to see that while I was in dream land, there was a woman with ties to the North Sea thinking about mortality, connection, and spirituality just like me.

On October 18, 2011, I wrote a short piece to honor one of the most spiritual men I have ever known who had passed away. The post was titled The Death of Cloud Eagle. Ernest Eugene “Bo” Mirabal “Cloud Eagle” a celebrated Nambe Pueblo artist, educator, spiritual and community leader, died on October 13, 2011. At the time of his death, his father Ernest Mirabal was the Governor of Nambe Pueblo. I interviewed Cloud Eagle as a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican in 2000, and loved his symbolic take on his art pieces as well as his feelings about connectedness. I had many lovely comments on that particular post. One was from Phillip Kansa “Spirit Bear.” Another was from Cloud Eagle’s daughter Nakiva Mirabal who said her father was “free and flying with the eagles.” A former Governor of Nambe Pueblo, Thomas Talache also weighed in. But because of my thoughts yesterday, and my dreams from last night, I was stunned to find a comment from one of Cloud Eagle’s friends on my site this morning- it was a meaningful coincidence.

Stefanie Neumann linked into my site in her post titled “Oneness in Diversity – Einheit in der Unterschiedlichkeit” through her blog titled Kokopelli Bee Free Blog. While I was sleeping she connected with me. She calls herself a “Dreamer. Visionary. Connector. Peacefounder. Adventurer. Teacher. Lerner. Writer. Embodied Spirit.” Her site also says she is a “teacher for New Consciousness.” Amazing! What I found most interesting about this was her partaking in the pipe ceremony yesterday in memory of Cloud Eagle. If you do not know about the importance of this ceremony to Native Americans and how it connects people to the spiritual world, here are some quick and dirty facts. The pipe symbolizes prayer, the smoke symbolizes words, the fire represents the sun and the source of all life. Those things smoked in the pipe have roots because they penetrate the earth (a symbol of our mortality) and the smoke rises to the heavens (a symbol of the immortality of our souls). Yes- yes- Stefanie Neumann’s connection to me at that specific moment in time was indeed a meaningful coincidence.

A Study of Ancient Minds

There is a Community Lecture on September 12, 2012. The lecture starts at 7:30pm and will take place at the James A. Little Theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The lecture is titled Reading Ancient Minds: Metaphor, Culture, and History Making. Scott Ortman, an Omidyar Fellow with the Santa Fe Institute and a Lightfoot Fellow with the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center will likely deliver a powerful presentation. Following is the abstract for this lecture.

How much does culture influence the fates of human societies? Our experiences with contemporary politics suggest that the varying ways humans construe the world do make a difference, but the traditional view in many fields is that, in the big picture, material forces trump human conceptualizations. Ortman argues that we don’t actually know the answer yet, but that new approaches in archaeology may suggest an answer. Cognitive science suggests that conceptual metaphors are the building blocks of human conceptual systems; Ortman illustrates how one can discover these metaphors through archaeological and linguistic analysis and discusses how these methods enable one to see the role of culture in history using examples drawn from his research on ancestral Pueblo societies of the U.S. Southwest.

Sounds super interesting doesn’t it? I love the study of metaphors, symbols, signs, imagery, and other elusive forms of communication. If I go, I will go alone with just a thinking cap and a notepad- oh and of course my crow sign!

Ancestral Puebloan Cry

*****Ancestral Puebloan*****
19 x 25 inch colored pencil and ink drawing
created by Felicia Lujan in about 1993.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom called me and told me that she had a couple of things to give me. She had come across an old colored pencil/ink drawing I created almost 20 years ago, and she also had the video footage of my college graduation. Of course I told her I wanted both back. Last weekend I watched the video footage. It was fun to watch in retrospect, but what was most important was a tiny piece of footage unrelated to my graduation. It was footage of my grandmother (now deceased) right at the beginning. I could have gone without the hour long video of me smiling and making funny faces at the camera for less than a minute of footage of my grandma. There were a few people in the shot, and I was apparently standing off to the side. My grandma Corine urged me to get in the frame. I cried when I heard her say my name in her cute little voice. After I watched the video, I stayed looking at my old, oversized artwork. It is rather mind blowing that I penciled this Ancestral Puebloan almost two decades ago way before I cared about my family history. I made the picture for my mother so many years before and had it framed for her. Ironically, I got my picture back from my mother, with a moving image of her mother, and my direct maternal DNA is tied to Native ancestry. Thinking back, I don’t remember why I selected that particular subject matter for the colored pencil/ink drawing? What matters now is the connection between each item and the subject matter, as well as how I feel about it. Everything happens for a reason. It was time for those two pieces of history from my maternal line to return to me.

*****Ancestral Puebloan*****
Framed 19 x 25 inch colored pencil and ink drawing
created by Felicia Lujan in about 1993.

********************
Ancestral Puebloan Cry

Earthen paths of directions lost,
link me to the strand of time.

Guide steps through knowledge gates
so I connect each dot to line.

Untie my hands to feel the past.
Tie what’s inside me to the stars.

Draw water from this flowing
stream and teach me of your wars.

I am bound by fire. Ancestor I
will endure and live another day.

Reveal the path, I’ll hear your cry
and bless your body where it lay.

Forge the sky to feed my heart,
which beats with Native drum.

Whisper to me on the wind–
where is my mother from?

********************

by Felicia Lujan_6.27.2012

Captured Without Sword: Symbolization in Snow White and the Huntsman

***The Golden Queen Ravenna***
Digital composite by Felicia Lujan.
Includes three movie screenshots
and one abstract design.

First a few thoughts aside from my look at the symbols in this movie… Charlize Theron was smokin’ hot- I mean with a capital “S.” Her acting was excellent, and she had the look of straight crazy in her eyes more than a few times. I could tell that she had been completely consumed by her character, which I loved. She *became* the Evil Queen Ravenna. She ruled the movie! I guess I have always been really impressed with her acting since her role in Monster (2003). Kristen Stewart did a good job as Snow White, though her hair was not black. I did have a little bit of a hard time forgetting about her Twilight roles. I think that a good actor or actress can *become* their character flawlessly. A great actor/actress is so good that we can feel their roles devour them. I give Kristen an “A” for effort. She will get to where she needs to be as an actress now that she has discovered new roles to shed Bella. Chris Hemsworth was good as the Huntsman. I did forget he was Thor, but my son didn’t! I liked that Evan Daugherty and Martin Solibakke made the Huntsman strong and masculine, but were not scared to show his vulnerable/sensitive side. This movie did have some scenes which shattered gender stereotypes, which I liked.

____________________________________________________

There were several themes and scenes tied into the symbols I derived from Snow White and the Huntsman. Unlike other people who may have reviewed this movie, I looked at it as a stand alone piece. Though it was based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the writers for this movie deserve credit, and a deeper look at what their writing was intended to convey to the audience. Following are a few concepts I identified in the film- these were: valuables versus the illusion of valuables; fire and water; heart and heartlessness; kindness and hatefulness; good and evil or light and darkness; freedom and captivity; connection and disconnection; and life and death. In the same order, here are some of the things I noted (yes I took notes) with regard to these concepts.

Valuables and the Illusion of Valuables

I found it interesting that in this movie, the Evil Queen’s mirror was gold. It was not an actual mirror, tough a reflection could be seen in the large golden plate. Not only is the mirror gold in this version of the tale, but the spirit in the mirror is actually a golden three dimensional figure. I think that this fortifies the value that Ravenna has placed on superficial beauty. I believe that this is an illusion of value. Though it is nice to be beautiful, true beauty can only be felt. It can not be seen. This is why Snow remains the “fairest” in the land. When Queen Ravenna demands that the Huntsman track and kill Snow White, she says that he will be “rewarded handsomely.” The Queen uses love to convince him, but he is not easily fooled by the illusion of value. He tells her “what good is gold if I am lying dead with crows picking at my eyes?” At one point in the movie, Snow and the Huntsman end up seeking refuge in a large village of scarred women. There are no men in the village as they are all off fighting for freedom. These women have deliberately defaced themselves to avoid the venomous clutches of the life force sucking Ravenna. The women selected for these roles were beautiful, but the writers gave them scars. The scars added value to their lives, as they got to live longer because the Queen did not want them.

Fire and Water, Heart and Heartless, Kindness and Hatefulness

In the beginning, as a child, Snow White finds an injured bird and takes it to her mother. The mother tells Snow that she has inner beauty because she wishes to help the bird. She is immediately cast in the light of kindness. Also in the beginning, fire appears in the mirror when Queen Ravenna first summons the mirror spirit. This could symbolize a few things. Maybe her fervent obsession with beauty? Could it be her heartlessness and hatefulness? The fire could also foreshadow her demise. In the last scene of the movie, Ravenna is consumed by fire while she is burning with rage. At one point as a prisoner of Ravenna, Snow starts a fire in her bare hands as she says a prayer. She can be seen as the kind, spiritual, fire starter with heart. In her case, the fire could symbolize passion versus obsession. Hearts can also be connected with fire. When one is passionate about something, they are often described as “on fire.” Both are also red. Yes- the heartless and dark Ravenna eats Sparrow hearts. This act could symbolize the Queen’s ability to take life and freedom from people. The heart beats when we are alive, and flight is a symbol of freedom. Ravenna also takes the life out of the heart of a man who tries to kill her. The movie has several references to water. When Snow escapes the Evil Queen she jumps into the ocean. Water is a symbol of life, and continuance. There is also the very symbolic tears in the movie.

Good and Evil, Light and Darkness

Snow White is a historically established symbol of purity and innocence. There are the bad birds- the Ravens, and the good birds in the Sanctuary. The good birds in the Sanctuary are the same type of bird that Snow saved as a child. The mirror also tells Ravenna “her innocence and purity is all that can destroy you, but she is also your salvation.” Ravenna’s mirror tells her that consuming Snow White’s heart will allow her to live forever,” which means “immortality.” The colors black and white are prominent in the movie echoing the symbolism of good and evil/light and dark. Some of the black things included: Ravenna’s attire; the Ravens; black smoke; the black horses in Ravenna’s dark army; the apple rotting to black in Snow’s hand; and an oil like substance present when Ravenna’s powers are weak. Some of the white things included: a Stag with tree branches for antlers; a horse; birds; a dress worn by Snow White; and the snow.

Freedom and Captivity

A major symbol of freedom and captivity was Snow White’s break away from being a delicate princess. She became a lover of the sword and found freedom through strength. Snow escapes from Ravenna’s dungeon, and several birds like the one she saved as a child fly around and surround her. Again, birds and flight can be interpreted as Snow regaining freedom. When the princess escapes into water, and surfaces on the beach, she encounters the white horse. The horse carries her away to her freedom, thus it can be seen as a symbol of such. The “Sanctuary” in the movie represents freedom. It is one place where Queen Ravenna has no power. It is also the place where magical creatures live. The Sanctuary is the “home of the fairies.” Several winged things in the movie symbolize freedom- there are birds, fairies, butterflies, and fireflies. Freedom and captivity can also be seen in Snow’s love interest. She feels free to break away from Prince William, because she has been captured by the Huntsman.

Connection and Disconnection

When he is feeling bad, he seems to drink, so Snow White asks the Huntsman if he “drinks to drown his sorrows?” He drinks constantly in the movie in an attempt to disconnect from his pain. When the Huntsman begins to train Snow on how to fight with a sword, he takes her firmly and says “you stab him in them heart and look into their eyes until you can see their soul.” It was at that moment that the characters were set by the writers to fall in love. At that moment, he looked deeply into her soul and she into his. The Huntsman captured Snow White with no force. She was captured by a simple gaze. Snow White disconnects from Prince William as she begins to develop a deep connection to the Huntsman. In one scene as Snow and the Huntsman are about to be killed by a troll, she also connects with the beast and they are let be. A theme of trust is also heavy in connection. Another symbol of disconnection is when Queen Ravenna kills the King. The King’s goblet with blood red wine crashes to the floor.

Life and Death

After Ravenna killed the King (Snow White’s father) “the land died and with it hope” under her rule. Ravenna consumes the life spirit of the beautiful to stay young and attractive. This process gives her beauty and life force. It does not always literally kill the person, but it does take their life. When the Seven Dwarfs capture Snow White and the Huntsman, the eldest can sense her goodness. He says “she is of the blood,” meaning the royal bloodline. Blood is a symbol of both life and death. The dwarf says “I can see an end to the darkness.” She then tells them she is the late King’s daughter. One of the dwarfs says “you have eyes Huntsman, but you do not see.” The elder dwarf tells the Huntsman “she is life itself. She will heal the land. She is the one. Do you not feel it?” Here again you can see that true beauty is felt not seen. The poisoned apple is a symbol of death and life all at once. The fruit nourishes, but the apple has been poisoned.

In the end, when Snow dies after eating the apple, she is kissed by Prince William. It was then that the audience awaited her awakening. You had to know she wouldn’t wake, as it was not true love’s kiss. Snow did not awaken until the Huntsman visited her lifeless body. There he sat drinking by her side. The Huntsman talked to Snow about her heart and her spirit. He leaned down to kiss her, and he shed a tear on her cheek. She was awakened by the provocation of her own tears, and her deep love and respect for the Huntsman. He had taken her heart, but in a much different way than anyone had expected. When Snow White kills the Queen she tells her “you can’t have my heart,” that is so symbolic- as it is really the Huntsman who has her heart. Snow now rules the kingdom, but she will rule with a tree branch as a scepter not gold. This scepter a symbol of growth and life, and a return to roots.

Foolish: The Illusion of Intellect

The Fool- A Tarot Card- “El Loco?”

Today I read a post about The Fool card in Tarot. One of my favorite gals- Lily Wight of The Arcade of Arts & Arcana posted Tarot art – The Fool on May 9, 2012. I absolutely loved the art work created for that card. Ms. Lily reblogged the tarot post from Tiana Setka’s Divination Blog. After reading the post, I started to contemplate what it means to be foolish? The word foolish can be interpreted in so many ways. The synonyms for the word foolish include: stupid, silly, idiotic, unwise, imprudent, thoughtless, and of course irrational. The antonym for the word foolish is simply wise. At any given time I could be described as all of thee above. Since I take pride in wisdom, how is it that all of thee above can possibly describe me? I am at a loss for words it seems. I guess that my apparent inability to explain my simultaneous identification with synonyms and an antonym for the word foolish, will insure that I remain a humble human.

In 2004, the European Psychologist Journal published a white paper titled Why Smart People Can Be So Foolish. The paper was published in Volume 9, Number 3 (2004) by RJ Sternberg. Sternberg stated bluntly in his article that “not only stupid people act foolishly.” Is that indeed a fact? I do agree. He said that smart people who “tend to act foolishly” can be connected to “five cognitive fallacies.” Those fallacies or misleading notions include unrealistic optimism. Unrealistic hopefulness and optimism come with inevitable disappointment. The author goes on to say that “the antidote to foolishness is wisdom.” Hum? Is there really an “antidote” to foolishness? Maybe I could use a dose of that antidote? What about you? Or is believing that there is indeed an antidote yet another form of unrealistic optimism? You decide…

Deane P. Lewis compiled a web site in 1999 titled Owls in Mythology & Culture. Lewis says that “throughout history and across many cultures, people have regarded Owls with fascination and awe. Few other creatures have so many different and contradictory beliefs about them. Owls have been both feared and venerated, despised and admired, considered wise and foolish, and associated with witchcraft and medicine, the weather, birth and death.” Here we see a similar pattern demonstrating a range of human characteristics which travel from one extreme to another— fear and respect, hate and love, wise and foolish, as well as birth and death.

We can also look at the myth of Pandora in regard to a wise fool. Pandora is sometimes referred to as the first of the women on Earth. It is said that Zeus himself commanded Hephaestus to create the most beautiful woman from Earth and water. To me— creating her from “Earth” would be symbolic of the human form. Think of the phrase “from dust to dust.” Hephaestus then gifted her with the breath of life. As the myth goes, Zeus wanted her to be almost perfect, and foolishly human. This woman was Pandora, and she can be seen as the fool of fools for unleashing the secrets of Pandora’s box or in some versions of the myth, a jar. The jar was as beautiful as she, but she was never to open it. She is said to have been so tortured by what may be in the jar that she felt compelled to lock the jar away in chains so that she would not be tempted to open it. Eventually, Pandora thinking she was so intelligent opened the jar. When she opened the intricate, and inviting container, Pardora simply unleashed a world of pain. What a fool!

The patterns of our human character often demonstrate such a colorful spectrum of extremes. Just as we must be born, we must die. Just as we must be loved, we must be hated. Just as we must smile, we must cry. It is unfortunate that no matter how hard we try to remain wise, the foolish illusion of intellect can blind and burn the eyes of our souls.

Red Eyes of a Raven

The used book I purchased today. It was my lucky day. I love me some dark stories and poems of Poe.

I scored the best used book **ever** today… Yeah!! I got The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.” Poe (1809-1849) is one of my favorites.

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Wings Lost

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Crack and split,
they break away
to unveil mortality.

Softness gone, it
disappeared with
wings of allegory.

Dilute my skin,
and weaken me.
I am human to
the core.

Pin feathers in
your shadow box.
What else are
these wings for?

Crack and split,
they break away
to display my
human side.

It is the jettison
of plumage now,
behind these wings
I can not hide.

by Felicia_3.10.2012
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