I am still reading “The Woman in the Shaman’s Body.” On page 175 there is an image of Xochiquetzal, the Aztec goddess of love (Venus) and the moon (Artemis). I cannot find this image reproduced anywhere on the internet. It is a drawing of the goddess squatting, with her legs wide open. Her hands rest on her thighs, near her open vulva. A single flower emerges from between her legs on a long stem that looks like an umbilical cord. Years ago I made a large mixed media painting that I traded for an astrology reading, which I still have and value. But I wish I had the painting too!
On a square canvas, I had traced my open thighs and painted them indigo blue. I affixed white-tinted maple leaves to the blue legs. I traced my arms; my hands rested on my inner thighs. From my vagina ran a twisted blue and red umbilical cord that bloomed into a sun-yellow wreath with a crimson core. Sunflower. The wreath was made of painted Chinese elm leaves. The painting was about giving birth to my son/sun.
Comments from the astrologer:
Venus: “Venus is the most important planet in your chart for two reasons. First, it is conjunct your Sun, and second, it is the final dispositor of all of the other planetary energies in your chart. You are less the bull than most Tauruses. You can be had with a dozen roses …”
Saturn trine Uranus trine Moon trine Saturn: “You are one of the lucky persons in the world to have the energies of Saturn and Uranus so well integrated and harmonized. You have genius. Your particular genius is that you can give concrete structure, form and interpersonal meaning to what is unthinkable, unsaid or unseen. You are able to bounce your unique insights off of your Saturnine high-minded, philosophical principled ordering of your universe, giving birth in the process to concepts, images, and metaphors which are clear and startlingly unique. Not only that, but you are one of the relatively few who can rebel against the established order, and in the process, actually build a more enduring and relevant order. Most rebels just hope for the best. This has major implications for your artistic career … The moon is our emotional reaction to our experiences as those experiences relate to our emotional memories of our sum total of past lives. This can only mean that your artistic creativity and genius somehow also give expression to what your past life experiences were.”
“… The simple expression of beauty (embodied by Venus) which could be relatively simple for you to do, must sometimes be sacrificed to a higher goal of expressing what is true and inspirational.”
I continue to ruminate over the sculpture of Edie that I plan to start once I get my studio back in shape this week. Edie is definitely my shaman side, and very possibly a past life memory. I hope I can embody her wisdom and her energy in an accurate, powerful way. I’m excited, and a little fearful. I started working in clay in 2006 but it is a very difficult process for me. In contrast, mixed media was almost effortless. Still, I think I can get to a point where clay is my best form of expression. The ancient history of the art form is awe-inspiring. Having my hands deep in clay makes me feel connected to our Mother Earth and our human ancestors. Pachamama!