Evolve

I am nearing my 48th birthday. Midlife, Whoa! I will describe this period as a chance to pause and spend time and energy figuring out what’s meaningful in my world.

The mosaic came to me initially as I lay in a driveway while a child of seven years outlined my body in chalk. Looking down at the outline, I thought about the mass that filled the empty-looking space. As we began to enter a world put on a momentary pause, I decided to see what would happen if I filled in the outline. The descriptions are a glimpse into my thought process. It doesn’t include all the history, as that would be beyond pages. Within, I hold the desires, dreams, and memories. I thank you for taking the time to know me a little more. The process took sixteen months, filling in the daily gaps and helping clear the mind.

The Tree Pose

As a small child, my soul was full of the wilderness. My feet loved to touch the earth, and I climbed as far as they would take me. My tiny body was grounded, strong and I felt embraced by the canopies of the trees that allowed me to explore, create and immerse myself in nature. Tree pose, also known as Vrikshasana, is a standing, balancing, and strengthening posture. In life, our bodies often sway, searching for balance. At times the winds are so intense it feels like we may fall over. However, if we hold on, our roots are deep, and eventually, we will stand tall.

The Willow Branches

Did you know you can plant a willow branch in the ground and grow a new tree? Its ability to grow and survive is powerfully symbolic and shows how we can thrive even in challenging conditions. The branches are long and sway beautifully, as an invite for hope and security. I have sat under some pretty fantastic willow trees, felt the embrace, and held beautiful memories in my lifetime.

Three Columbine Flowers

The three Columbine flowers located above my head represent my parents and my two brothers. Columbine flowers are the state flowers of Colorado, my grounding place on this earth.

The Crown

The crown represents my interest in gods and goddesses and the stories of their strength and wisdom. Many goddesses wore crowns made of many Jewels chosen to express their desires, spirituality, and wholeness. To wear a crown similar to a crown of a goddess is to connect ourselves with the power and the protection of that goddess.

Radha is a Hindu goddess and a consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. Radha is also considered a metaphor for the human spirit. Her passion and longing for Krishna are theologically viewed as symbolic of the human quest for spiritual growth and union with the divine. She has inspired numerous literary works, and her love with Krishna has inspired many types of performance arts.

The White Dove

The white dove symbolizes peace, love, grace, gentleness, the human soul, and hope. Throughout my lifetime, I have weaved in and out of spirituality. In times of grief or sadness, I questioned the universe and the meaning of life, but in the end, my inner soul has always felt a connection to spirituality. Spirituality comes to me in the form of a grandmother, the laugher of a child, and the smell of an Aspen forest. The dove represents those in my life that I love and those that have passed away. I feel their warmth and light often.

The Gerber Daisy

The Gerber daisy symbolizes warmth, brightness, and hope. A red and pink Gerber Daisy is placed in the center of the mosaic facing the lizard, rabbit, and peacock, our children. The Gerber Daisy was my flower of choice for our wedding day over nineteen years ago. Cut flowers held upside down bring the flower’s water to the blossom, keeping the blooms healthy and vibrate, and represent our love for our children.

The Orange Spotted Lizard

The orange-spotted lizard sits below the daisy and represents my three stepchildren. All are patient and have always shown determination in the world. The color orange often represents confidence, joy, and enthusiasm. Lizards often will blend into nature as our family did years ago.

The Peacock

My oldest child has a soul full of compassion, love, honor, and integrity and has shown the importance of facing life’s challenges and the unknown with courage and confidence. Peacocks symbolize re-growth and rejuvenation, royalty, and respect. They are elegant creatures, many in multiple shades of colors. When she was a small child, she fell in love with the peacock, a connection she still holds to this day. Its believed that when the peacock struts gracefully into your life, you may be entering a time of rebirth.

The White Rabbit

My youngest child has a heart and mind of one that offers spiritual awaking. She is a strong woman who holds compassion and love for others. She sees beyond the vessel of the body, accepting all that has intellect. The rabbit symbolizes the beginning of a life transformation or a new adventure, which opens your mind to new experiences.

The Celtic Triskele

The Celtic Triskle sits above and between the peacock and the rabbit. The spirals are also said to symbolize the inner and outer worlds and the themes of birth, death, rebirth, and the unity of mental, physical, and spiritual self. As my two daughters share a birthday, they are often referred to as ‘Irish Twins.’ Although, each very individual, the bond is powerful.

The Butterfly

The butterfly placed in the center of my belly symbolizes spiritual rebirth, transformation, change, hope, and life. The magnificent yet short life of the butterfly closely mirrors the process of spiritual transformation and serves to remind us that life is short. Seeing one is a sign that positive change transpires, and brave forces watch over you and ensure graceful transitions. Butterflies also symbolize freedom. Our most authentic self can always fly free.