AN EARTH DAY CREATIVE CELEBRATION: Exploring the overlap between Body and Earth Spirit

ULURU. Red, red rocks. Earth. I love you. (photo by Chiboogamoo)

Hallellujah for MOTHER EARTH! Hallelujah for feeling a profound and deep connection with this mysterious physical breathing changing entity! Hallelujah!

For Earth Day 2014, Carol Clapp Hays asked those of us on The Daily Creative Practice to generate "An Earth Day Creative Celebration." (see the complete prompt below)

Although I love all the natural elements (earth, water, air, and fire)--probably my first and most immediate love is the EARTH. My heart beats red, red, red for the EARTH. Is it because I spent many of my formative years in running barefoot on the red Georgia clay? 

CONNECTION WITH THE POWERFULLY SACRED. I truly believe that ALL of the EARTH is sacred; however, some places have been recognized by people over time to possess a certain heightened energy. At Uluru in 2006 in central Australia, the red red red rocks and the Earth beneath my feet made my SPIRIT SOAR. (photo by Chiboogamoo)

Since my first visit to Australia in 2006, and two other times, my image making has shifted. Fortunate to be married to the paleontologist Tony Martin (my little Chiboogamoo), I was immersed each visit in the geology of this vast and wondrous continent as we investigated the land to understand it better both physically and culturally.

EARTH AND HUMANS. I have always longed to express a deep meaning that resides within that presses to be stated but escapes expression. My feeling, my EARTH BODY hungers for a simple way to speak. Visiting these rock wall expressions centered me. I felt as though I was given permission to enter the discussion. (photo by Chiboogamoo)

How fortunate I am that Tony Martin is also an artist. Like me, he is curious about ideas and formulating ways to communicate them visually. He willingly and happily went with me to find the art that Australia's original people marked on its rock walls. Geology and art collide!

These markings are a part of "dream time" and are maintained by the art makers' descendants to keep the TRUTH or dream-time story living. 

As a maker of marks, I have been exploring my connections with the TRUTH, hence my name--Hallelujah Truth. Part of the TRUTH is finding and understanding my connection to MY COUNTRY (see this blog for more about Sense of Place and some fabulous Australian art). I began by "borrowing" images from these Australian artists to allow myself to repeat patterns that had meaning for me. They altered over time.

MY COUNTRY. I have always longed to be able to express a deeper meaning, one that I feel but cannot express. My feeling, my EARTH BODY hungers for a simple way to speak. Visiting these expressions made on rock walls and ceilings centered me. I felt as though I was given permission to enter the discussion. (photo by Chiboogamoo)

I often repeated the words "my country" as I drew. Dear Readers, I am deeply interested and engaged in that connection...the one between my entire BODY SPIRIT and the EARTH SPIRIT. What images can possibly express that SIMILARITY, that overlapping of BEING?

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! Soul Blog with me and tell how you would respond to Carol Clapp Hays' prompt:

#5 Funday Monday blog prompt--Natural Creative Instincts: An Earth Day Creative Celebration. This week we celebrate Earth Day! How does the natural world influence or inform your creative process? Do you incorporate or reflect your personal natural environment, the every day environment around you, in your creative work? Do you seek creative recharge in the natural world? If so, where do you go in person or even mentally to reconnect with the Earth? Share some examples of your creative expression that reflects or was influenced by your experience of nature. Help connect us to the nature that most influences you. Whether you write a post or not, I hope you'll find as many ways as you can to celebrate our mother Earth this week!

I am a "little body spirit" on this Earth, creating with all of my truth, tools, and community

EMBODIED SPIRIT. (all images by Hallelujah Truth)

Hallelujah for the largesse of our imaginations! Dear SOULS, I create with all of my truth, tools, and you, my blessed community. May we all enfold our entire BEINGS into our visions, magnifying and manifesting wholeness, expanding LOVE.

Today, I want to share with you how I continue to use my imagination to understand and express my truth here on Earth. 

Recently, I have been truly comprehending what Cynthia Winton-Henry means when she says our destination here on this Earth is being a "little body spirit." As a result, I have all the OUCHES that come along with being SMALL on a very LARGE planet. 

Since I use the tool of image making to expand and explore my truth,  I have made a series of images presented here to address some of the WOUNDING I have been experiencing.

Using "Mother Alligator" and Hallelujah Truth...

MOTHER ALLIGATOR, PROTECTOR

 Mother Alligator #1: Then emerged the armor--the shield embodying Wise Ancient Turtle--summoned on my call forth to be whole, healed, and healthy.

"What is it you need," both Alligator and Turtle asked. It was once again affirmed for me that we all have the ability to call forth "HELP" from our inner selves. That this "HELP" is somehow connected to the wider universe be it the subconscious and archetypes or what many call the Great Spirit or God.

As a meditative process, I invited Mother Alligator to return for four consecutive days. In this way, I could begin with the familiar--Mother Alligator, but be open to any transformation that might like to manifest.

FOUR-PETAL SHIELD.

 Mother Alligator #2: I find comfort in the four-petal flower. In this image, in place of Turtle, Hallelujah Truth has become the shied encompassed in four-petal wonderfulness. Fierce Mother Alligator by bearing my image, flourishes the depth of love and way of being that I emmanate. Empowered by my symbols, I awaken more fully to myself. My question, "What next?" 

The answer? Love, heal, and move into the MYSTERY with ease, joyfully.

  Mother Alligator #3: On the third morning, I emerged next to Mother Alligator, and she whispered in my ear: "Use this shield always! Your heart is protection from illness. Use your heart. Use your vision. Always. Do not retreat from the wisdom of your heart."

USE YOUR HEART. USE YOUR VISION.  Do not retreat from the wisdom of your heart--whispered Mother Alligator.

I AM DANCING MOTHER ALLIGATOR.

Mother Alligator #4: The last image I drew in this series was "embodying" my "little body spirit" in something larger than myself. The resource of Mother Alligator, provides me with the fierceness to dance my truth. My HEART is my shield and resource. And knowing that Mother Alligator has survived millions of years because she is resourceful. The SOUL is like this too!

Understanding our pain and woundedness is part of our path towards wholeness. 

As I create my images enlisting all my truth, I am also embracing the resources of my community, which includes YOU! We need simplicity in our creativity. Before we take actions to address our wounds, let's ask the following:

Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
Is it true?

That's Coffee with Hallelujah! SOUL BLOG with me and share your experience as "a little body spirit" here on this magnificent Earth. What are your resources? How will you create your truth?