The Nymph Calypso and Her Stone

The back of Odysseus as he turned from Calypso.

An epic poem by Homer made a mythical woman named Calypso infamous. Scholars have concluded that Homer’s poem The Odyssey (free e-book link below) was written off the Greek coast of Ionia during the latter part of the 8th century (BC). In the poem, Calypso was tragically intrigued by her legendary stone named Odysseus who washed ashore from the Ionian Sea. This poem was laced with temptation, seduction, and diversion. This makes it a classic literary piece, and so begins the Greek myth of Calypso and Odysseus.

Calypso was born to the Greek Titan named Atlas. The mythical Oceanides sea nymph lived on the island of Ogygia. Calypso is said to have had an enchanting voice. She lived in a beautiful cave near the sea. Some scholars and historians believe that the island of Ogygia was a myth, while others think it was actually located in the western Mediterranean Sea. Calypso has been seen as a negative symbol. She has been seen as a symbol of that which diverts men from their goals.

Odysseus was a legendary Greek man who was King of Ithaca. He was a hero in The Odyssey. Odysseus drifted for over a week in the sea before being rescued by Calypso. The king had lost his army and his ship after a battle with “monsters” from Italy and Sicily while returning home from Troy. After floating in the sea for 9 days, Calypso pulled him to shore and decided to keep him because she “became enamored.”

For between 5 and 7 years, Calypso refused to let Odysseus leave her island. Many scholars doubt that she actually forced him to stay and that she probably enchanted him with song. Others think that Calypso held him prisoner or hostage on her island. She offered Odysseus immortality and eternal youth in exchange for his everlasting love. The hero refused, though eventually the two made love apparently against his will.

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“Promise” featuring
Calypso and Odysseus
by Jan Styka
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It is natural for me to want to look at the woman and man in this Greek myth symbolically. Homer must have realized the symbolic power of these individuals. Odysseus is the stone. He is the hard, positive symbol of this myth while Calypso is the soft, negative symbol. The nymph is but a mere diversion in a mission for the greater good. In essence, this myth captures Odysseus as a classic hero with a noble cause, while Calypso is simply an unwanted muse who spurs distraction.

The golden kiss and enchanting voice of Calypso.

It is also interesting to see how scholars have studied the etymology of both names. The origin of the name Odysseus has been connected to two phrases amongst others. Odysseus means “he who causes pain” or “the one who is wrathful.” The name Calypso means “to cover, to conceal, to hide.” Etymologicum Magnum says that the name Calypso means “concealing the knowledge.”

In the end of this myth Calypso releases Odysseus on the sea. She does so against her will so that he can return to his wife Penelope in Ithaca. She had no choice but to do so even though she herself had become enchanted.

**Free E-book** The Odyssey by Homer courtesy of Project Gutenberg

Deflowering Virgo

I wanted to share my new colored pencil piece titled Deflowering Virgo. In her book Unearthly, Cynthia Hand wrote “I think he seriously believes that deflowering an angel could mean an eternity in fiery hell.” The ocean is a mystical place and I often feel that it is another world. Underwater we can float like angels or sink into darkness. The creatures and the colors are unreal. The unknown things lurking in the sea are frightening, yet energizing. In this piece, Poseidon, God of the Sea deflowers a Virgo in his dreams. She is symbolized by a literal flower centered with a spiral. There is also heavy symbolism tied to water. A phallic scepter wields the sign of his Virgo. I have just been having fun with experimentation. This took me about five months to finish. I worked on it on and off since March, and I finished it yesterday. I have a new piece in mind already, but I’m still working out the details in my head.

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.

Lunar Bliss

Selene…Goddess of the Moon Appearing to Endymion

…………………………..
Earthshine, a brightness
spectacular and keen.
Impact so deep with a lunar
bliss that is rarely seen.
…………………………..
Astronaut taste my gravity,
remaining heavy in your hand.
Open a portal to a blissful
mist in uncharted land.
…………………………..
Illumination of the soul,
licking frosting off the night.
Co-orbital, still opposites
in a never ending fight.
…………………………..
Ascend and regress my
little star, allow lunar
rocks to be kept. Brightness
built of sky and dreams,
watching as you slept.
…………………………..
Meteorites iced and heavenly,
they are molten with desire.
The dark side of the moon is
dark, still there is a fire.
…………………………..
Magnetic fields, my sun kissed
thoughts, waiting to be heard.
A tidal force is driven hard by
kinetic energy and words.
…………………………..
Solar winds, caress your
mind leaving illusions of
the moon. Reflect my spirit,
witness eclipse, and you will
surely swoon.
…………………………..

by Felicia Lujan_4.20.2012

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The Greek Titan of Intelligence

Koios and Phoebe in the Heavens_ Digital Composite by Felicia Lujan_ Includes 1 contemporary and 1 historic image (with a shadow and screen effect).

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“Again, Phoibe came to the desired embrace of Koios.”

(Greek Epic- 4th B.C.)

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Intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge- these are some of the characteristics which can be attributed to Koios (also spelled Coeus). Koios was the son of Father Sky (Ouranos) and Mother Earth (Gaia). As one of the 12 Titans, (the Titan of Intelligence and an elder god) his power was derived from knowledge. He was also a “keeper” of wisdom. The name Koios is representative of one with a curious mind, and/or one posing inquires and questions. As the Titan of Intelligence, it is likely that this titan referred frequently to the written word as well as oral histories while gathering knowledge.

KOIOS (or Coeus)

This titan was also the God of the Axis of Heaven. This is that axis on which the Greek constellations revolved. Some scholars believe that Koios was likely tied to heavenly oracles, and at times it is said that he “scaled the heavens.” Koios also came to be known as Polos, and was tied to the Northern heavenly axis. It is said that the ancient ones noted that this point was “marked by the star alpha Dra in the constellation Draco.” In one Greek Myth, the brothers of Koios were personified as exaggerated pillars. The pillars were intended to hold apart Heaven and Earth.

Hemisphaerium Boreale (Greek Constellations)

Koios was married to the Moon (Phoebe), and she was a Goddess with a prophetic mind (see this post http://myvoyagethroughtime.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/enchantment-and-the-moon-a-look-at-the-greek-goddess-phoebe/). Scholars believe that this duo represented the central source of knowledge and wisdom. Both Phoebe and Koios embodied the heavens. The eventual separation of this couple was tragic. Koios was also a rebel who once ruled the Earth with other elder gods prior to being conquered by the Olympians. Eventually, he was banished to the Underworld for his role in battles with Zeus and the Olympians. I have to wonder if they had books in the Underworld?

Sources:

San Diego State University- College of Education- http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/scaffold/gg/titan.html#Coeus

Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of First Names- http://www.behindthename.com/name/koios

The Theoi Project : Greek Mythology was created and is edited by Aaron J. Atsma, Auckland, New Zealand- http://www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanKoios.html

Ambrosia: That Which is Reserved for God and Goddess

Ambrosia was a food of the Gods.

Several years ago, I decided that if I ever had a daughter her name would be Ambrosia Dominique. I did not have a daughter, but I did stay true to my love of Greek names with the name of my son. His name is Daryn, and in the Greek language the name means gift. If I would have had a daughter, her name would have been tied to the mysterious mythology of her namesake.

There are several extraordinary myths about ambrosia. This amazing and not completely described item, is said to have been used by the ancient Greeks. They were said to have consumed ambrosia orally, but in some instances used it externally. A powerful item which could bestow one with immortality, was reserved for the Greek God and Goddess of Mount Olympus.

Ambrosia is said to have possibly been a hallucinogenic, causing feelings of euphoria. Some scholars of Greek mythology believe that ambrosia and nectar (often identified as two distinct items) may have really been one in the same, as some sources note that ambrosia was consumed in liquid form. The drink was used as a method of purification, as perfume for attraction, and at times as a sort of love potion. In one particular Greek myth, Athena delivers ambrosia to Heracles when he becomes immortal, and joins the others on Olympus.

Contemporary scholars have concluded that ambrosia was likely honey. The wings of a bee, flight, and the healing properties of honey were likely behind the belief of immortality in relation to the ingestion of ambrosia. The use of ambrosia externally has been recorded in Greek mythology in one of two ways that I have read about. It was used as a salve or ointment to anoint or for healing, and possibly as a way to preserve the spirit of the departed. In two separate myths, ambrosia was used (put on) a corpse. Apollo used ambrosia on the corpse of Sarpedon, and Thetis used it on the corpse of Patroclus.

Though only the most divine beings were allowed to consume or use ambrosia, the special product was inevitably sought after by mortals. I was unable to find any myths which detail the success of any mortal in obtaining and/or consuming/using ambrosia. Though I guess if a mortal got their hands on ambrosia, it wouldn’t really be a myth at all now would it?

If you are interested in reading about the mythology of ambrosia, you may want to check out the following Greek myths about: Aphrodite and her ambrosian oil; Apollo and the corpse of Sarpedon; Calypso and his table; Circe and a flock of doves; Polyphemus, his wine and Odysseus; Psyche, the completion of her quests, and her marriage to Eros; Thetis and Achilles; and Thetis and the corpse of Patroclus.

***Sources:

*Swarthmore College Computer Society http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/08/ajb/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Ambrosia.html

*Dartmouth College http://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/pl/book_5/notes.shtml

*University of Chicago, Department of Romance Languages and Literature, The ARTFL Project http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&resource=Webster%27s&word=Ambrosia&quicksearch=on

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Amulet,Talisman,Trinket: The Lore of Blood Coral

Every morning as I drive to work, I am reminded of my maternal grandmother. Right before I had my one and only child, a son, she gave me a special gift. At the time, I never understood just how special the gift was. It must have been around July of 2005 when my grandma’s warm hand opened mine. She placed an odd shaped piece of coral on my palm. I looked at the red natural gem for a moment, and then asked “what should do with it?” She said that I needed it for protection, and after I gave birth that I should “pin it on her grandson.” My grandma told me that there would be people jealous of the baby and the attention he would get, so that I should be sure he used the coral. My grandma Corine did many things that I would never get to fully understand until I became a woman. What she believed we needed protection from was mal ojo or the evil eye.

As a child, I soaked up many of her traditions and beliefs, often unknowingly. I never took the time to learn more than that. I did know that all children were gifted with coral so of course I saved it. I made Daryn a pin, and he would wear it. I can’t remember when he stopped wearing the pin, but my grandmother passed away a little over two years after my son was born. I have only one photograph of her holding him in her arms. Naturally, I saved the precious piece. I made it into a necklace for me, and would wear it and think of my grandma. Later I decided to hang the necklace from the mirror in my vehicle. Maybe for protection? It still hangs there almost 5 years since my grandma died. For a few weeks, I have been wanting to look into the lore of coral. I finally took the time to do so this week. I was shocked to learn that the practice of gifting a child with red coral is not specific to New Mexico, yet alone to one culture.

A piece of red coral given to me by my maternal grandmother was used to make this necklace. The "horn" or "branch" was much longer at one time, but a piece broke off a few years back. Before it was a necklace, my son would wear the gem as a pin for protection. Now this necklace is hanging from the mirror in my vehicle for protection on the road.

According to Bussoletti, Cottingham, Bruckner, and Roberts, in the Mediterranean, a coral amulet has “distinctive characteristics.” These characteristics stem from “the complex mythological content that surrounds it, tying it to the blood of the head of Medusa that Perseus decapitated, blood that would color and petrify the sea.” They published these ideas in Red Coral Science, Management, and Trade: Lessons from the Mediterranean. In Documents of British Superstition in Oxford, by Ettlinger, the author concluded that folklore of coral declared the gem “one of the most popular amulets by reason of its red colour-since a white coral has never been used as an amulet.”

I also located something called Chinese Charms: Hidden Meaning of Symbols and there it is said that “red coral is considered particularly auspicious.” In Italian Folklore of Italy, red coral was “used to protect mothers and their babies, and trees that bear fruit.” In the Important Symbolism of Middle Eastern Jewelry, “a talisman which is used for the elderly, women, children and babies,” often utilized “antique Mediterranean red coral and amber beads.” Roman Sexualities by Hallett and Skinner said that “women are vigilant in protecting the babies once they are born.” Some “baby amulets” included “branches of coral.”

Thomas Forbes with the Yale University Departments of Anatomy and the History of Science and Medicine published a paper titled Chalcedony and Childbirth: Precious and Semi-Precious Stones as Obstetrical Amulets. In a section titled Gems of Biological Origin, Forbes wrote that “one of the most interesting was coral,” he called the gem a “protective charm,” and said that it was “recommended a piece of coral hung about the neck as a birth charm.”

I did locate a vast amount of information about the mythology of coral, and the origins of these beliefs runs way, way back. One of the most interesting pieces I located was a paper titled The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen. The paper was published in 1937 in The Art Bulletin (Vol. 19, No. 3). In a nutshell, Callisen mentions some of the following: peoples of the earth have feared the power of the evil eye, and an earnest faith in its malign potency can be traced to the dawn of folklore; in paintings and sculptures a branch of coral can be seen hanging from the Christ Child’s neck; a branch of coral, hung about the neck of an infant, is a protection from harm as a prophylactic against the evil eye; writers on magic were insistent that an amulet of red coral was much the most potent; and some believed that the coral branch was similar to a Roman phallic charm. There are references to coral and color changing. It is said that when the wearer is ill, the blood coral will change from red to a “pale” color.

In Women’s Tales from the New Mexico WPA: La Diabla a Pie, there is a story titled Remedios that is from the 1940s. There it is written, that “babies were harmed by mal ojo (evil eye). It was said that some persons could hurt babies with evil eye or mal ojo unconsciously. When baby was made sick by anyone who had mal ojo.” It is believed that “to protect little children from mal ojo, strings of coral beads were tied around their necks.” So yes- there are local stories, however, the lore of coral is cross-cultural and much deeper than I anticipated.

In the future, I would like to study what I see as the symbolism of coral, as water is one of my power symbols. That is a whole other topic for another long night. For now, if you would like to learn more about the lore of this biological gem, you should read The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen. There was a great amount of scholarly research that went into that piece. The link is below. That paper is mind blowing! It turns out, there was a significant amount of history rooted in my grandmother’s beliefs about coral and children. It just takes a little looking…

Sources:

Various online sources.

The Art Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 3 (1937, pages 450-462)- The Evil Eye in Italian Art by S.A. Callisen- http://www.jstor.org/stable/3045692

Women’s Tales from the New Mexico WPA: La Diabla a Pie (page 29)- Edited by Tey Diana Rebolledo and Maria Teresa Marquez

The Legend of Orchis: Man and Flower

A flower from the beautiful orchid plant given to me by my mother for Valentine’s Day…

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Orchis… I am taken by your softness. It is easy to stay lost in that which is plush. Petals roll, they gently bend, each more inviting than the next. Sweet Orchis, you are blessed to draw beauty from a nymph. An orchid so rare and plush that others in the field simply disappear, humbled by your presence.

—-Felicia Lujan_2.17.2012

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Information about orchids:. **”its real and imagined qualities are reflected in the folklore of many cultures, much of it concerning health and reproduction.”**”In classical mythology, Orchis, is the son of a satyr and a nymph, who was turned into a flower after his death.”**”In his Materia Medica, the first century A.D. Greek physician Dioscorides hypothesized that orchids influenced sexuality.”**Scholars believed they were “the food of satyrs and powerful aphrodisiacs.”**”Confucius compared the orchid flower to the superior man and its scent to the pleasures of friendship.**”The origin of the plant name is Greek, and comes from the word orkhis.” This is a word to describe part of the male genitalia,”because of the shape of the bulbous roots.”"**”Orchids are native to every continent, though most occur in the tropics.”**”Unlike most plants, both male and female reproductive organs are carried on the same structure of the orchid, the column.”**”Laelia: Feminine form of Roman Latin Laelius, possibly meaning “lunar.” This is the name of a beautiful orchid flower named after one of the Vestal Virgins of Roman mythology.”**”Orchis was a man of beauty, beauty which he received from his mother, a nymph.”**”Today, the orchid means refinement as well as beauty and wisdom.”**”The orchid is a flower of magnificence that brings a universal message of love, beauty, wisdom, and thoughtfulness.”

Sources:

The Orchid in the Human Imagination***http://depts.washington.edu/popctr/orchids.htm

Orchid Symbolism***http://www.life123.com/home-garden/flower-guides/flower-meanings/orchid-symbolism.shtml

20000 Names***http://www.20000-names.com/female_l_names.htm

Meanings and Legends of Flowers***http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/o.html

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A Magical Island of the Big Screen

Screen Shot_2.11.12_A View from Captain Nemo’s Nautical Invention

We are on our way to Albuquerque again, but before we head up the mountain (if weather permits), we caught a quick flick. We stopped in Santa Fe to watch the Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. I have been waiting to see the movie since I first saw the previews. The guys didn’t take any convincing. That movie was a hit. It was captivating, super funny, and some parts were touching. Journey 2 is an adventure/fantasy/science fiction flick. The movie stars: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (as Hank); Josh Hutcherson (as Sean); Luis Guzmán (as Gabato); Vanessa Hudgens (as Kailani); Michael Caine (as Alexander); and Kristin Davis (as Liz).

You know I had to love this movie. It had several things I dig. I had no clue there would be code and cryptography. Yeah! The Rock played a former Code Breaker with the Navy who helps his stepson decipher the code. The movie also had: glowing mushrooms; references to Poseidon (the Greek God of the Sea); inventions and scientific references; puzzle solving; old books; an ancient/mythical city; a historic diary filled with script (that may have required a paleography expert); and references to iconic authors. You know I had to love that right???

Between The Rock and Vanessa, the screen was burnin’ up with both eye candy and acting skillz. The actor and actress were among: tiny elephants and sharks; over-sized bugs and lizards; unique orchids; magical sea and landscapes; a gold spewing volcano; and the Lost City of Atlantis.

In the end, the team of explorers used a historic record to escape. The record had the ancient script of Captain Nemo. The captain’s diary was used to find his nautical invention, and flee the mysterious island!

A must see!!!

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Iris: Divine Rainbow Goddess and Messenger of the Olympians

*****Digital composite by Felicia***** My representation of Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow consists of five images and was created using layers and masks. The representation also incorporates my spiral symbol.

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.
*****Lord Byron

The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.
*****John Vance Cheney

Iris the divine Rainbow Goddess was a messenger of the Olympians. She was fast and reliable. The goddess served and delivered messages for both Zeus and Hera. Some myths depict Iris as the personification of the rainbow. In other myths, Iris is the mother of Eros, the God of Love. If it was indeed she whom birthed Eros, it is not surprising that she was usually portrayed as loving, kind, and helpful. The sightly Iris is said to have used water from the River Styx to assist other immortals in the renewing of their vows. After filling their cups she delivered messages, ambrosia, and nectar. With her gifts, she replenished immortals. In her mortal and divine forms, the mythical Iris was breathtaking. Her picture of divinity is often rendered with a gold caduceus in hand, and magnificent golden or rainbow wings. The goddess was able to use the rainbow as a portal between Heaven and Earth. Iris was given the gift of flight to aid in the swift delivery of messages to other immortals, as well as to mortals on Earth.

A rainbow is often formed following a storm, and is also associated with golden treasure; therefore Iris and her instrument can be seen as signs of hope and prosperity. Iris and the rainbow embody a symbolic move from darkness to light, and the bow offers an intense spectrum of color as such. In 1984, Julia L. Epstein and Mark L. Greenberg published a white paper titled Decomposing Newton’s Rainbow in the Journal of the History of Ideas (Vol. 45, No. 1, pgs. 115-140). The paper was published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, and revealed some research connecting rainbow myth with scientific studies. “Clearly, Newton investigated natural phenomena-light, vision, color-that had for centuries been invested with symbolic mystical and religious significance, and had also attracted serious scientific investigators from antiquity on. Yet a key answer to this question lies in understanding that, although Newton’s exposition of light’s properties, for example, was not itself figurative or laden with rhetorical invention, a great part of its appeal to poets lay in its power to evoke images and metaphors.”

“This attempt to forge a language in which words are equivalent to things, of course, represented a linguistic ideal. Language was to annihilate metaphorical modes of expression, according to these new standards, through reduction to a pure sign system in which metaphor would be literalized. The universal language philosophers of the period sought for was a symbolic representation of discoveries in natural philosophy that would be wholly adequate to the processes of the material world.” Epstein and Greenberg acknowledged that the ultimate goal of Newton and poets was “to record the evanescent, to translate light and color into language,” and “to portray the arc and texture of a rainbow.” As Henry David Thoreau once said “the true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.” After learning more about Iris, may we continue to grasp at least a part of our metaphorical rainbow, and in turn satisfy our soul.

Enchantment and the Moon: A Look at the Greek Goddess Phoebe

Endymion and Selene, by Sebastiano Ricci (1713)- Chiswick House, England

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“Lead us, O Muse, in the maze of a dance, of a song to enrapture thy heart. Lift thy gaze over this throng of the gallant-numberless lovers of art, famed for wit and talent…” -Chorus from Aristophanes- Frogs
***********

My first taste of everlasting love derived from the Greek. Many times ideas for what I write about seem to mysteriously vaporize. It isn’t until I think about the idea for a while, and begin to write that I discover I am actually rehashing residual memories. My ideas may be sparked by something that can’t be explained. More often than not, the idea has been stored in my mental archive just waiting to be re-analyzed by a mature mind. With that said, so begins a closer look at the Greek Goddess and Titan named Phoebe.

Six super old kiss marks confirm my deep love of, and infatuation with Greek Mythology dating back to the early 90s.

Tonight I decided I wanted to write about a goddess connected to the moon. As I started to pull information from various sources (online and books), I realized that my seemingly “new” idea was not new at all. When I made that discovery, I suddenly remembered an old hand-made book which I had stored away. I made the book when I was young (in the early 90s). This book was made using: wood; blue and black suede (at the time I worked for Char Designs- a specialty leather shop); glittery decorations; metallic markers; Polaroid photographs of my little brother and sister (the twins), who endlessly aided me in my off the wall projects (thanks guys!); and of course words. I titled my book Selene and Endymion.

Hand-made book cover by Felicia for “Selene and Endymion.”

In Greek Mythology, Phoebe, was also known as Selene. She was the Goddess of Light, and was one of the original 12 Titans. Some scholars believe Phoebe represented the love of bright intellect. The Greek word for her name is phoibo, which means “bright.” This goddess was the daughter of Gaia (the Earth) and Ouranos (the Heavens). She married Koios, another Titan. Her husband was the God of Intelligence, who was also known as “the inquirer.” Together Koios and Phoebe (Selene) had two daughters. Leto of light (Goddess of Day Oracles) and Asteria of darkness (Goddess of Night Oracles and Falling Stars).

My brother Thomas poses as Endymion for my book based on a Greek myth.

Like her mother Gaia, Phoebe had ties to the Earth. She mastered earth-based prophecies through the Oracle at Delphi. The shrine dedicated to this oracle was located in the Earth’s navel, and Phoebe is said to have been the third goddess to take charge there. Following the three goddesses, Apollo was the fourth to be given authority over the Oracle at Delphi. Phoebe was his grandmother, and scholars have said the oracle was given to her grandson as a birthday gift.

My sister Laura, and my brother Thomas pose as Selene and Endymion for my book based on a Greek myth.

I have loved this goddess since I was young. As the Goddess of Light, Phoebe was connected to the moon through the Goddess Selene, who was the moon personified. Selene and Atlas were both granted power over the moon. With this grant came the power (through the planets) of enchantment.

The goddess Phoebe, lover of all things bright and intellectual will forever be enchanted by the mysteries of her moon.

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Contemplating Paradise…

I dwell in possibility–a fairer house than prose–more numerous of windows–superior for doors.

Of chambers as the cedars–impregnable of eye–and for an everlasting roof–the gambrels of the sky.

Of visitors–the fairest–for occupation–this–the spreading wide of my narrow hands–to gather Paradise.

***Emily Dickinson

It is always amusing for me to contemplate things. When I was leaving work toady at 5:00pm, I was waiting in the usual heavy traffic and construction. As I sat there, I watched a large tour bus zoom by with a bunch of smiling people. The bus boldly read Paradise Tours of Albuquerque. I thought- wow? Paradise ha? Then I figured maybe I was being a bit unfair to the owner of that business, myself, and our locals. Maybe New Mexican destinations really are the Shangri-laz of the Southwest? So of course I started to wonder… What is paradise- really? In that moment, I realized that paradise is merely that which is desired, and then seized by the beholder. Paradise is something that makes us blissful. Paradise could simply be seen as a fleshly place, but really, it is a higher state of mind triggered by a “place,” which uniquely defines “paradise” for each of us.

***Paradise of the Mind

I can’t think of anyone who explored paradise, and the meaning of paradise more than Emily Dickinson, the American poet. She is a writer I prefer, and in her poem “I Dwell in Possibility,” she captures an idea of paradise. There is an American Literature- Research and Analysis web site put together by students at the Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Florida in Fort Myers. The analysis of Maureen Sweeney Legenski does in fact conclude that Dickinson is speaking of an “intellectual paradise” in this short poem. Then Kathy M. Taliercio through the interpretation of symbols and imagery in the poem concludes that when Dickinson writes “spreading wide of my narrow hands,” she means “the occupation of she who lives in the mind, the spreading wide her narrow hands ‘to gather Paradise,’ may be interpreted as the creation of poetry. Paradise is the farthest space conceivable, and the mind can expand to include it.”

Then we may look at other intellectual or scientific projects such as a current project with a Computer Science Department. The University of Wisconsin-Madison has something they call the Paradise Project. The objective of the “paradise” in this project is to “design, implement, and evaluate a scalable, parallel geographic information system (GIS) that is capable of storing and manipulating massive data sets.” This data can then be “successfully stored, browsed, and queried.” Maybe this is not paradise to some, but to others, it is a treasure trove of beautiful things.

***Paradise of the Body

You can find several books, web sites, and television shows which tout “dazzling” or “tremendous views,” the “marvels of nature,” many “fascinating sights,” and “unmatched ecstacy.” Imagery of paradise is almost always bright blue oceans, white rolling clouds aglow, sparkling sand, palm trees, beautiful people, and sexual and/or sensual gratification. I liked the image below because paradise is not always sand and shine. Is not an ice cave paradise as well?

Library of Congress_Ice Cave, Paradise Glacier_c1908_LC-USZ62-65209

***Paradise of the Soul

Wikipedia defines “par-a-dise” as “heaven” or “the ultimate abode of the just,” or the home “of Adam and Eve” These definitions, stray some from cognitive analysis, and limit paradise to religious contexts. Revelation 2:7 also talks about eating from “the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.”

***Paradise of the Mind, Body, and Soul

Artists have depicted it for years in mixed media, writers have composed pieces about it since the beginning on time, and musicians always find fresh ways to capture it lyrically. In Coldplay’s song Paradise, the girl dreamed of Nirvana “everytime she closed her eyes,” and then she would fly away. Sade also has a song called Paradise. In her song she sings “feels like you’re mine, I’m yours, so fine, like paradise.” Then there is the old song by Tesla. Here he does not want to leave paradise, and says “now just turn and walk away, don’t look back when I say goodbye paradise.” The mind, body, and soul come together to form the ultimate paradise, which I, and possibly others believe is love. This can be: the love of something; a spiritual love; loving another person; or even loving ourselves. It is complete connectedness.

Library of Congress_Adam and Eve Cast Out of Paradise_c1835-1856_LC-USZC2-1914

I conclude by saying that true paradise can only found within. It is here where we can learn, explore, grow, envision, experience, laugh, cry, and love. As Olivier Messiaen said, “the human being is flesh and consciousness, body and soul; his heart is an abyss which can only be filled by that which is godly.” Real paradise is metaphysical. It is at the core of each one of us. We just have to tap into what we believe our paradise should be. The rest is easy!

In thy long Paradise of Light, no moment will there be, when I shall long for earthly play, and mortal company.

***Emily Dickinson

The road to Paradise is plain, and holds scarce one. Not that it is not firm, but we presume, a dimpled road is more preferred. The Belles of Paradise are few- not me, nor you, but unsuspected things- Mines have no wings.

***Emily Dickinson

My Dream of Peisinoë…

An Enigma of the Sea by Elihu Vedder_Library of Congress Call No. LC-D416-489_Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C.

“Analysis does not set out to make pathological reactions impossible, but to give the patient’s ego freedom to decide one way or another.”     ***Sigmund Freud

A few days ago, my niece brought over a silver sound machine she has. The machine plugs into the wall, and can play ten distinct sounds. That is all this contraption does. I was intrigued by the small machine when she plugged it in, and she insisted that I listen to the “heartbeat.” I asked her if I could use her oddity for a week. So a couple of nights ago, I put the machine by my bed when I went to sleep. I experimented with the sounds, and the volume, and then finally selected the “ocean waves” setting. Funny, but I had some of the most peaceful sleep that night. I also had some of the most tranquil dreams that I have experienced in a long while. I actually had yet another dream about the water. On this night it was the ocean, and there was a mermaid siren. I was prompted to write about her.

Peisinoë was one of many sirens in Greek mythology. She had the power to captivate, and siren actually means “those who bind.” Persuading first with her mind, then her musical lyre and siren call. Peisinoë relied little on her beauty. As a siren, she was one of several nymphs hailing from the sea. Many believed that she lured seafarers into danger with her alluring siren call, thus insuring their death. Just a few believe she was actually a guide, providing mental refuge. I prefer to consider the latter. So often we get caught up in the face value of so many things in life. We forget that everything can be broken down into basic ideas, or the very essence of cognitive content. Most people would see a siren simply as a woman, and neglect the symbols which she is comprised of, and which surround her. So let’s start a deeper investigation by attaching primary symbols to my siren.

Water:
Water is an ancient symbol of knowledge, and a spiritual symbol of healing, fertility, life, birth and rebirth. In ancient Mesopotamia, the people believed that water represented wisdom. In India, water is identified with reaching Nirvana. Water holds ancient symbolic meanings dealing with the subconscious, and the depth of knowledge. Since we are unsure what may lurk in the ocean, water represents what is surely present, but can’t be seen.

A friend once told me about the book Animal-Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small by Ted Andrews. I purchased the book many years ago when I became interested in the meaning of birds and feathers. In the Augury and the Meaning of Landscapes, Andrews says that “ocean, and water in general, is a dynamic force. It is constantly in transition, and it can reflect the same within your life. The totems of it can reveal how best to work with those transitions. The ocean is also the sum of total possibilities.” (pg 63)

Fish:

Fish of course live in the water. They are symbols of fertility, eternity, creativity, unity (Koi fish), knowledge and transformation. In Greco-Roman mythology, Heros and Aphrodite transformed into fish to flee from the atrocious Typhon. In Celtic mythology, the fish was a symbol of prophecy, inspiration, wisdom and knowledge. In Buddhism, the fish is a symbol of happiness and freedom. Both the scales of a fish, and water have reflective properties. The power of reflection allows us a closer look at ourselves, and the nature of our existence.

Sound:

In his book, Andrews has a chapter titled Reading Signs and Omens in Nature. Some of the “steps to facilitate your ability to reopen communication and to develop augury,” include “the calls, chatter, and other sounds of animals.” (pg 47) Listening to a call, even if it be that of a symbolic siren may prove useful in the decision making process.

Today, if you tell someone you hear a siren, this signals danger. In my waking life, a siren is a warning device. A blaring siren call means avoid something, or to think safety, or turn the other way. When I was dreaming, Peisinoë’s siren call was intended to usher me, and to provide a sanctuary for my intellect. She was not there to hurt me. Peisinoë’s symbols are profound, and capture so much more than the power of her enchanting beauty. Sometimes, we just need to stop looking. We just need to listen and feel…

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”     ***Carl Jung

The Song of Sirens by Udo J. Keppler_Library of Congress Call No. AP101.P7 1904_Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C.

Love of Night and Storm…

The sky was again laced with electricity tonight. There was a live pulse extending into the night.

Good things were once said by a great female writer named Margaret Fuller. Fuller was a nineteenth-century writer, who had romances and friendships with other famous writers including: Ralph Waldo Emerson; Nathaniel Hawthorne; and Edgar Allan Poe (one of my favorites). In her book The Woman and the Myth: Margaret Fuller’s Life and Writings, Bell Gale Chevigny explores Fuller’s mind and life.

“Whenever man remains imbedded in nature, whether from sensuality or because he is not yet awakened to consciousness, the purpose of the whole remains unfulfilled, hence our displeasure when man is not in a sense above nature. Yet when he is not bound so closely with all other manifestations, as duly to express their spirit, we are also displeased. He must be at once the highest form of nature and conscious of the meaning she has been striving successively to unfold through those below him…”
***pg170, The Transcendentalist: Teacher, Editor, Literary Critic

“There may have been something of the Bacchante in her life, and of the love of night and storm, and the free raptures amid which roamed on the mountain-tops the followers of Cybele, the great goddess, the great mother.”
***pg362, The Social Critic and Journalist

A Bolt Over Santa Fe photo taken by flujan on 8.28.2011

****Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry****

Zeus Sends a Message…

It has been raining in Santa Fe all weekend. The weather has been beautiful. Lightning makes me shudder, and is magnificent. As billions of volts of electricity pulse through the sky from the heavens to the earth, I wait to hear the thunder. At the end of the day today, I stood outside to fill my lungs with air, and cleanse in a way that only rain can allow. It is amazing to think that such a divine reaction occurs from the positive and negative charges, which cause fractured thunderbolts. Lightning heats the air to temperatures far exceeding that of the sun, and this is what causes the sound of thunder. I stood in the rain in an attempt to catch a shot of the dangerous beauty. In the photo where I captured a large bolt (upper left hand corner), a digital artifact was introduced in the form of a band across the image. This must have been caused by electricity in the air. The image on the right is the same exact photo, only I have digitally manipulated it to bring out the lightning more. The other image is a black and white shot of the sky. In Greek Mythology, Zeus was the King of all the Gods. He ruled over the sky, and his hallmark was a thunderbolt.
*****
Zeus sends his message…

Zeus delivers a message via lightning bolt (color with a digital artifact due to the surge)_8.21.2011_Photo and digital manipulation by flujan

They say that women change: ’tis so: but you

Are ever-constant in your changefulness,

Like that still thread of falling river, one

From source to last embrace in the still pool

Ever-renewed and ever-moving on

From first to last a myriad water-drops

And you- I love you for it- are the force

That moves and holds the form.

***R.H. Ash, Ask to Embla, XIII***
(Possession, Chapter 14, page 285)

Rain closes the day (black and white)_8.21.2011