changing things inside

Its a new year, and this year, rather than making new resolutions (infamously unsuccessful for most people, including me!) I have decided to do some rearranging inside my soul, as symbolized by some new things hanging on the wall in our little den in our Sedona house. (see pics)

First, there is the beautiful handmade quilted turtle hanging, given to me by my friend Eileen.

She has learned how to quilt in the last couple years, and this piece is truly a work of art.

Sometimes she has chosen to call me "Turtle Woman" and this hanging honors that name.

In some Native American traditions, the turtle figures as a main character in the creation story, our continent is called "Turtle Island" and turtles are symbols of fertility, and ancient motherly wisdom. In my mind, turtles bring back the story of the race the turtle won by being "slow and steady." I find that fits my aging body nicely! The pace of the turtle also reminds me of the spiritual benefits of deliberately slowing down so as to "smell the roses" and be more mindful of the wonder of the ordinary things in every day life, like how the light slants through the window to light up a room, or what a miracle running water is, or the faint fragrance of toast just popping out of the toaster. The turtle also is an example of the wisdom of withdrawing into one's own inner self and resources, and having very strong boundaries when attacked or under stress. And there is a time to emerge again, with a smile, and swim in the waters of beauty and trust, as the turtle seems to be doing in the hanging on the wall.

The "scroll" type hanging is a picture of Mary Magdalene from a friend who has a special love for her. This picture speaks to me of the beauty and radiance of the Divine Feminine now finally emerging into human consciousness more and more fully. I intend to enshrine this image and all it stands for in my soul, and let myself be guided more by the Spirit of Sophia in my soul and less by the received teachings of the mostly male religious traditions of the past.

It is time, I believe, for women (and men) to step more boldly out of the boxes of old dogmatic and confining thinking, and step onto the path of fresh Truth that is still being revealed by the Spirit of God, which is Universal and always stretches us beyond what we think we know. Too many of us have given far too much power and authority to the self-proclaimed "authorities" of the past, and not nearly enough to the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit within our hearts here and now.

A larger dreamcatcher also hangs on the wall now, close to the Dream Catcher tree, which some might think is a Christmas tree, based on old thinking! But it isn't and never was. It is a tree that stands in the corner by the fireplace all year, its branches hung with small dream catchers, and it is a symbol of the Tree of Life, which holds Godde's dreams for the human race and for the world and for each of us. It also holds the dreams I/we carry in our hearts, placed there by Godde to keep us stretching, growing, exploring, wondering.

So, in my soul, as well as in my house, there is change. I am swimming in the waters of beauty and trust, knowing my creative fertility; I am honoring and being guided by the Divine Feminine in my soul more fully; and I am dreaming bigger dreams, and paying more attention to them as well as to Godde's dreams for a new heaven and earth.

It promises to be a good year!