Breathe Hope For Roisín

I first met Roisín just after she was born. The thing I remember most about her was her huge, beautiful, bright blue eyes. She was and is perfect. Her parents who I had known since we were teenagers were and are full of love and pride. Every time I have met or spoken with or emailed Roisín since then she has been full of joy and optimism and love.

I painted the above prayer for her after watching her wonderful video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L67x1qWIF6w

I lit a candle and sang about her and our friendship as I painted.

Her Friend Andy has put it on ebay. We are hoping to add the the £35,000 she has already raised towards the life saving treatment:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beautiful-water-colour-painting-being-auctioned-to-raise-money-/151457652006

This is the very first time I have tried to auction anything let alone on ebay. Please help me by sharing both this blog post and the ebay link.

Lessons In Love

Within a week of blessing my work with two rainbow labyrinth mandalas, and praying for ways to share it sustainably, a friend has asked for one.

Yesterday I read and adapted the Franciscan Fourfold Blessing:

THE GIFT OF TEARS

 May I be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that I may seek truth boldly and love deep within my heart.


May I be blessed with sacred anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that I may tirelessly work for justice, freedom and peace among all people.

May I be blessed with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that I may reach out my hand to comfort them.

May I be blessed with enough foolishness to believe that I really

can make a difference in the world, and maybe do what others claim cannot be done.

and illustrated it with this painting:

I have called this painting "Gift Of Tears". She was co-painted by raindrops, tears of Mother Earth. The friend to whom she is winging her way told me never to be ashamed or frightened of honest tears.

I love lighting a candle and painting a rainbow labyrinth mandala with a person or event or blessing in mind. I hope this a beginning of people asking me for rainbow labyrinth mandalas. This week I have painted one for the largest bruise I have ever had:

One to bless my first ever home on our ten year anniversary: 

and one today to bless my heart:

I could never have imagined in a million years that painting rainbow labyrinth mandalas was my destiny when I was growing up.

Just over a year ago I met a pair of swans near the beach where I like to walk. I felt they were teaching me to be, to accept that I am not wonder woman and maybe how to listen to my heart? I did not have a camera then and I did not have a camera today when I saw them again.  Of course I cannot know if it was the same pair of swans but I like to think so. The tide was out and there were dogs and people to disturb them this time. I sat on a rock and watched them circle me three times. At one point I could hear the wind in their wings. I hope they were deliberately communicating with me, teaching me how to "love deep within my heart". I hope they were a good omen. I hope I remember how they flew together around Cardigan Bay, devoted, inseparable, powerful.....

Blessing My Work

Yesterday I lit a candle an began to paint this Rainbow Labyrinth Mandala to bless my work, to pray that I do work that is completely new, unique , challenging and recognised as such. This was the result.

This morning I picked up my copy of Anam Cara by John O'Donohue and it opened at this blessing, which I had never read before:

May The Light Of Your Soul Guide You

by

John O'Donohue

May the light of your soul guide you.

May the light of your soul bless the work

You do with the secret love and warmth of your heart.

May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.

May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those

Who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.

May your work never weary you.

May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement.

May you be present in what you do.

May you never become lost in the bland absences.

May the day never burden you.

May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams,

Possibilities and promises.

May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.

May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.

May your soul calm, console and renew you.

 I read the blessing aloud as I prepared to paint a second blessing for my work. The shape and the colours are different as is the blessing.

Maybe sometime soon I will feel ready to share my work with the world and allow her to support and feed and nourish and nurture me?

A Magical Day

Last Friday began with a telephone order of lemon eucalyptus and neem oils and a white sage smudge stick from one of the oldest herbalists in London, a Harry Potteresque, dark wooded shop on the Walworth Rd that I used to be able to walk to from my flat in London. I could picture and smell Baldwins as I placed my order and reminisced, so grateful to my friend and hedge witch Mandi that I can control the fleas, as if by magic, on my dog and cats without resorting to dangerous chemicals.

It was full moon and I had a signed copy of "East of The Sun, West of the Moon" by Jackie Morris to pick up from Solva Woolen Mill, near St David's. I get such pleasure in being able to give presents that are signed personally by the artist. I have learned the hard way to get copies of each book with my name in them, otherwise I give them away too.

After a cappuccino in the cool mill full of woollen and luxurious goods, I headed to St Non's well.

 I come here at least eight times a year and have never noticed this flower before

I met some dogs on the way down to the well who had obviously had a very good time there. I have never seen it so muddy.

The cows were very insistent that I not visit the chapel this time. They would not let me through. Sputnik, my dog had refused to come down to the well this time, possibly because they had been a little over familiar and curious with her at Solstice?

Then to the cafe on the beach at White Sands and a hot chocolate with whipped cream. The first time I ever had this luxury was in The Copper Kettle in Cambridge prior to seeing Euripides' "Electra" in classical Greek at Kings College almost 40 years ago. My best friend was Italian, wore Fiorrucci slacks, spoke impeccable Latin and Greek and insisted I try a hot chocolate with whipped cream.... and here I sit on the edge of Wales remembering ....

gluten free apple crumble and ice cream followed ...bliss

 A selfie of the artist dreaming. The idea of a Rainbow Labyrinth colouring book came to me out of the blue.

Sputnik kept a look out

 

I could not resist a sunset swim

under the cloud dragons

               
                     

and as I drove home, the silvery moon had risen above St Davids

Love Letter To The Earth

I want to make deep, 

passionate, 

real, 

unhurried love 

to you, 

beloved Earth,

every day of the rest of my life

I want to lie down on your soft belly and feel you breathe

You are a wild, untameable, woman who will not be rushed

and if I can slow down and listen long enough

I might also gain the courage to go wild

I might hear the myriad secrets that you hold

the thousand daily miracles that you unfold

in every single cell of your magnificent body

I might dare to dance with you

my heart beating time with the timeless heart

of this wild untameable woman who will not be hurried or rushed

I want to slow 

down 

down 

down 

down

down

and really, 

truly, 

madly, 

deeply, 

slowly 

love the Earth

by Bríd Wyldearth 2014

Inspired by http://www.lovelettertotheearth.com/,

what started off as a poem encouraging others to slow down and listen to the Earth and has also metamorphosed into an invitation from Earth and then a statement from me that I want to love her, has at last become what I think she was always intended to be, a love letter from me to the Earth. I am amazed what a difference personal pronouns can make and how long it has taken me to declare my love directly to Earth. It is terrifying to me to declare my love to any being in this way. With humans there is a very real possibility of rejection and even ridicule and shame. With Earth I realise that there is no possibility of rejection. The invitation to love her has been there from the moment I was conceived, waiting for me to notice and listen and accept. This letter is therefore both a declaration and an R.S.V.P.

Solstice Blessing

I painted a rainbow labyrinth for the first time in a while today. 

Somehow life gets in the way of doing this thing that gives me such pleasure and peace. 

It is as though the labyrinth and the painting speak to me and teach me as I paint. 

Today she showed me how our universe whose centre is, for us, the centre of our earth, 

is the centre of a whole other universe, a whole other rainbow labyrinth 

which in turn is the centre of a much larger one. 

Is it possible that we live in a Russian doll like, infinite series of multiverses?

Solstice Blessing

may your soul shine with wisdom

may your vision be clear

may your stories be full of magic and truths

may you listen and remember and pay attention

may you walk in forests and breathe 

may you heal and be healed

may you be empowered and strong

may you create beauty and joy and love

and may you dance the dance that only you can dance

the dance for which you were made

The Song Of The Rainbow Labyrinth

After writing my journal and breakfast and a nap, I walk up the lane each day singing 

The Song Of The Rainbow Labyrinth.

Each day the song changes subtly as I come to understand her more clearly. Today it became obvious that vocal beings live in the sky and those who listen and remember are ocean beings. I suspect they are a tad interchangeable? Emerald beings have been Love, breath, Healing and breathing. Today they are healing loving kindness. Ruby beings have been core beings. Today they are both our heart and the heart of the Earth, both dancing and centred.

I then feed my animal family and the local pair of red kites before I paint a rainbow labyrinth.

Each rainbow labyrinth is different. Today i was concentrating on showing the relationship between turquoise and blue. I sat a looked for a while when I had finished. I was in awe of the colour and energy, aware of the boundaried green.

The Song Of The Rainbow Labyrinth

We are violet beings.

We are mysterious beings.

We are beings who know.

We are divine.

We are indigo beings.

We are night beings.

We are beings who see.

We are dreaming.

We are blue beings.

We are sky beings.

We are vocal beings.

We are sound.

We are turquoise beings.

We are Ocean beings.

We are beings who listen.

We are memory.

We are emerald beings.

We are forest beings.

We are beings who breathe.

We are healing, loving, kindness.

We are yellow beings.

We are rock beings.

We are bone beings.

We are strong.

We are amber beings.

We are magma beings.

We are blood beings.

We are art.

We are ruby beings. 

We are heart beings. 

We are dancing beings. 

We are centred.

We are Earth beings.

We are rainbow beings.

We are rainbow labyrinth beings.

We are peace.

It seems that painting rainbow labyrinths is becoming addictive.

I am loving the vivid inks I acquired last week

and. after what seems like years of trying to keep my labyrinths neat and symmetrical, I am loving the way I cannot control these water colour inks and how different each one is. Long before I had the dream, my friend Ann gave me a little portable pallet of watercolours and I would play for hours with the colours of the rainbow fading into each other in concentric circles. From these meditation paintings, I am beginning to think that painting in labyrinth walls interferes with allowing the colours to fade into each other.... maybe following the path of the labyrinth was never meant to be this easy?

Another thing that does not seem to want to be controlled is the story. For some reason, I thought it was complete but yesterday it became clear that it was just the beginning of a much longer set of adventures and then today when I went back to my long hand original version, I found a sentence which proves this was what was planned all along. Now all I need to do is write it.....

This afternoon I managed to type up the story of the rainbow labyrinth, provisionally titled "The Trouble With Trouble". Not quite sure what to do with it now? I suppose all I have to do now is finish eight paintings, one of each colour of my eight layered rainbow labyrinth, and see what happens next?

I do love the process of writing, of editing as I type, of reading the story out loud to myself and hoping that other people will share my taste and point of view.... 

There are times when I am not happy with my creations but when I am there is a small voice in my ear telling me not to show it, not to be big headed...

If I am not allowed to like and enjoy my creativity then what is the point?

The Heart of The Arts

Heart felt gratitude on Valentine's day to dear Vivi Sojorhn for including my work and photographs in the Heart issue of The Arts. The way she placed the pictures of Ladies who Labyrinth captures the fun we had on the inaugural outing of the 8' x 10' rainbow labyrinth I finished last spring equinox, three months before I knew my heart was disabled since birth.

May the dream of The Arts live on to materialise in an even better home <3

Interstitial Moment in the Electronic File

By Brid Wyldearth, Wales, UK •

 

August 1, 2013

Photograph by Brid Wyldearth 

I really had to face that I am not Super Woman this week. It was almost as though I had not recently been admitted to hospital with heart failure, when I tried to hoover my entire cottage and van prior to spraying it with heavy duty chemicals because my poor dog has flea allergy. It really did come as a shock to me that I cannot physically do this, despite not having been able to do this for some years now. It also felt like climbing Everest to ask my friend to give me a lift to her birthday treat when I had promised her one, and, if I could have physically loaded the dishwasher before she came back the next day to do it for me, I would have. Every fiber of my being wanted to, wanted to say "no" to her kind offer. I am still weeping on and off with the memory of how this incredibly busy woman made a few hours of helping me have some fun.

I would never have expected to feel so unwilling to be disabled or to ask for help and I have been miserable. But last night, instead of bemoaning how short a walk I am now able to do, I found a pair of swans at the mouth of the river and just sat with them, hugging my dog and being. This was the second time I had seen them and not had a camera - so this picture is of a lone swan from another time and place in my photo library - but the gift of not having a camera and the gift of being disabled and slow is that I had all the time in the world to let these beautiful creatures begin to teach me how to just be.

Ladies who Labyrinth, Frances Mowat, Amanda Laugharne, Cheryl Beer, Linda Udin and Brid Wyldearth in March 2013

Excepted from her Poem "Heart's Labyrinth"

In my paintings

she becomes

a spiralling

folding

layered heart

of energetic

spirit

wheel

chakras 

a rainbow labyrinth

Editor's Note: Brid Wyldearth is an experiential artist who participates in drumming, singing, dancing and more. She created this labyrinth from a dream, and in the central photo is showing off her self-designed labyrinth tattoo. 

The door opened 

all was still

for a moment

for a long breath

a figure held my attention

by doing nothing

by being

fully embodied

conscious of every breath

when she moved

the stillness did not end

she carried it with her

she did not seek attention

the feather weight gravity 

with which she was dancing 

was magnetic

she told me she meditated

and saved up each year

to go to India

and do painting meditation with children

Her eyes lit up as she described their enthusiasm, 

their creativity

their communication with spirit

I was young

distracted

by dreams of fame and fortune

I wish I had thrown off the chains

of rebellion

against parental expectation

of empty dreams

I wish I had followed her

I always remember that first encounter

reminded of her 

on the rare occasions

that stillness, silence and solitude have found me

in the midst of art and being

Now I am old

I meditate 

I paint

I write

I dream

I live alone

I have come home to myself

I guard my piece

of stillness, silence and solitude 

ferociously.

By Bríd Wyldearth Imbolc 2014

inspired by listening to John O'Donohue

Contribution for 2014 Brigid Poetry Festival:

https://www.facebook.com/BrigidPoetryFest

Violet before me

Violet behind me

Violet be right of me

Violet be left of me

Violet above me

Violet below me

Violet surround me

Violet within

I am violet woman

I am spirit woman

I am woman who knows

I am divine

Indigo before me

Indigo behind me

Indigo be right of me

Indigo be left of me

Indigo above me

Indigo below me

Indigo surround me

Indigo within

I am indigo woman

I am star woman

I am woman who sees

I am dreams

Blue before me

Blue behind me

Blue be right of me

Blue be left of me

Blue above me

Blue below me

Blue surround me

Blue within

I am blue woman

I am sky woman

I am woman who hears

I am memory

Turquoise before me

Turquoise behind me

Turquoise be right of me

Turquoise be left of me

Turquoise above me

Turquoise below me

Turquoise surround me

Turquoise within

I am turquoise woman

I am ocean woman

I am woman who sings

I am sound

Emerald before me

Emerald behind me

Emerald be right of me

Emerald be left of me

Emerald above me

Emerald below me

Emerald surround me

Emerald within

I am emerald woman

I am forest woman

I am woman who heals

I am love

Yellow before me

Yellow behind me

Yellow be right of me

Yellow be left of me

Yellow above me

Yellow below me

Yellow surround me

Yellow within

I am yellow woman

I am rock woman

I am woman with power

I am wild

Amber before me

Amber behind me

Amber be right of me

Amber be left of me

Amber above me

Amber below me

Amber surround me

Amber within

I am amber woman

I am magma woman

I am woman who crafts

I am art

Ruby before me

Ruby behind me

Ruby be right of me

Ruby be left of me

Ruby above me

Ruby below me

Ruby surround me

Ruby within

I am ruby woman

I am core woman

I am woman who dances

I am peace

Rainbow before me

Rainbow behind me

Rainbow be right of me

Rainbow be left of me

Rainbow above me

Rainbow below me

Rainbow surround me

Rainbow within

I am rainbow woman

I am labyrinth woman

I am rainbow labyrinth woman

I am Earth

Earth before me

Earth behind me

Earth be right of me

Earth be left of me

Earth above me

Earth below me

Earth surround me

Earth within

by Bríd Wyldearth 2014

I was given this prayer and vision in a dream. Each rainbow labyrinth I paint and each time I walk the prayer, I am given more information and insights. This is the most valuable gift I have to share with the world and I hope to live long enough to co-create a rainbow labyrinth for people from all over the world to walk. Maybe I'll live long enough to see rainbow labyrinths created all over the world? I need help to do this. Please try this prayer out for yourself and share here your experiences and any ideas and ways in which you are willing to help me co-create this vision.

I include all genders in my use of the word "woman" and invite you to substitute "one " or "man" or "child" for "woman" as suits you. 

I love taking the time to walk the whole prayer but find using the verse beginning "Rainbow before me" works very well for a hurried morning grounding prayer.