Spirit Shield

Center portion of my own personal Spirit Shield

My main interests in this life have been in art and music, the natural sciences, the mystical sciences of astrology and tarot, and Native American and Goddess spirituality. Although I do not consider myself an expert in any one of these areas, my search for my own "truth" in spirit has led me to the creation of the personal "Spirit Shield."

It is an artistic combination of a Medicine Shield and a Astrological, Tarot or psychic reading, using a variety of symbols, colors, stones, crystals, shells or feathers. It's sort of a map to help you find your path through life, from a spiritual perspective. It can be used as a tool in visualization or affirmation and a way to tap into your own personal power.

Click on the picture to view the full painting (76K JPEG file)

The first element I begin with is the circular form, the circle itself being a symbol with a variety of meanings, for example, it's a symbol for all possibilities, all time, all that exists, and can also mean nothingness. It represents the wheel of life, the wheel of fortune, the medicine wheel, the sacred mandala. It has been regarded as a feminine sign, people built round hearths, round houses, round fences. To many the circle was a protected or consecrated space, the center of the motherland, a ceremonial space where all participants were equal, i.e. Native American kivas. The pagan sacred dances were circular as are European folk dances to this day. Prehistoric stone circles such as Stonehenge attest to an ancient love of circularity.

Another feature of the "Spirit Shield" is the incorporation of animals and the natural world. We are all a part of nature, and the animal world has much to teach us. Some animals are experts at survival, some at nurturing and protecting, others embody strength and courage, some are truly playful, qualities we too can learn and incorporate into our own lives. A nature totem can be any natural object, being, or animal with whom we feel connected or associated during our life. I have always felt extremely attracted to cats, not just my pets, but BIG cats, especially lions, so my own personal shield has a mountain lion in the center, symbolizing power, assertiveness, and decisiveness.

Finally, the other primary element of the "Spirit Shield" is the incorporation of written symbols--astrological symbols, alchemical symbols, ancient symbols of the Goddess, runes, numbers, signs--all with meaning for the person whom the shield is made. Symbols can appear to us as signposts or keys and they function as containers or revealers of meaning to enable us to penetrate deeper into the mystery of life. In early times the crystallization of a concept in the form of a symbol portrayed reality before that reality came to pass. The symbol itself was reality, and it was believed to possess the power of working magic, thus directly affecting the course of events, the wish, the prayer, the spell to be fulfilled.

Center portion of Spirit Shield created for Jeremy Griffith

Click on the picture to view the full painting (90K JPEG file)

Yes, I'd like to order my own personal "Spirit Shield"

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