Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted April 4, 2006 Maurice Nicoll is one of the greats, yet little known. His main field of interest, as is mine, was "esoteric Christianity." Jung wanted him to be his voice of depth psychology in England, but Nicoll went toward Gurdjieff's Fourth Way instead. Nevertheless he and Jung were good friends....it is said that Nicoll and his wife spent their honeymoon in Zurich with the Jungs. Knew ab him but not ab the honeymoon! He must have known as well, whose wife visited me here at Rosecroft. The s were close frnds of one of my dearest frnds Edith Wallace, J analyst, who died 2 yrs ago at 95. Love ao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted April 4, 2006 “Well,†said he, pointing downward, “it has something to do with going into the ground ... and cracking open the shell.†Well, Alice, when I wrote about this sort of thing I used your popcorn analogy. I s'pose being the offspring of a mighty oak carries a little bit more panache then being one in a row of identical kernels from an everyday ear of corn from a plain ol' cornstalk, though. *G* Blissings, Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2006 Report Share Posted April 4, 2006 --- ao wrote: > Acornology... :-) http://www.fourcircles.org/mandalas/images/many_thanks.gif Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Bruce, What's that in the center of your mandala, Bruce? Is it the acorn rooting? I like the feeling of " rooting " being the beginning of the path. It's like my painting " the Sower " . Carol > > http://www.fourcircles.org/mandalas/images/many_thanks.gif > > Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 ---Carol wrote: > What's that in the center of your mandala, Bruce? > Is it the acorn rooting? It's a gooseberry. We have gooseberries growing wild in the woods near our home, and I've always liked them. (I remember picking gooseberries with my grandmother when I was little.) I write a bit about the mandala here: http://www.fourcircles.org/mandalas/mandalas_2.html#gooseberry > I like the feeling of " rooting " being the beginning > of the path. It's like my painting " the Sower " . http://www.carolspicuzza.com/images/sower1a.jpg That has always been one of my favorites among your pictures (ursa, eh?), and does feel like my " Many Thanks " mandala to me. I agree about rooting, and the acorn and oak leaf pattern of the mandala suggests that to me. My walks in the woods have always been my way of " rooting. " I see the figure in " The Sower " reaching for a pearl, but maybe a star (astra), too? Today, however, I'm reminded of Rumi: The clear bead at the center changes everything. There are no edges to my loving now. You've heard it said there's a window that opens from one mind to another, but if there's no wall, there's no need for fitting the window, or the latch. (RUMI THE BOOK OF LOVE, trans Barks, p30) Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 ----- Original Message ----- > > It's a gooseberry. We have gooseberries growing wild in the woods near > our home, and I've always liked them. (I remember picking gooseberries > with my grandmother when I was little.) I write a bit about the > mandala here: Hi Bruce...a gooseberry! I love them. We used to have a gooseberry bush on the farm and we made gooseberry pie, my favorite. >> I like the feeling of " rooting " being the beginning >> of the path. It's like my painting " the Sower " . > That has always been one of my favorites among your pictures (ursa, > eh?), and does feel like my " Many Thanks " mandala to me. I agree about > rooting, and the acorn and oak leaf pattern of the mandala suggests > that to me. My walks in the woods have always been my way of > " rooting. " I see the figure in " The Sower " reaching for a pearl, but > maybe a star (astra), too? Today, however, I'm reminded of Rumi: Yes, the bear. The unc has offered the bear to me as a symbol frequently. I take it as our oldest symbol of the feminine. It is the energy that retrieves essential aspects of our spiritual history and carries them forward. The figure is planting a seed. I can't remember if I've written about this painting so forgive me if you've already read this: http://www.carolspicuzza.com/images/sower1a.jpg THE SOWER The seed is planted under the auspices of the bear, our most ancient symbol of the feminine. The bear is also the spirit that connects the past and the present, giving expression to essential things that must be carried forward. The figure plants the seed and her thoughts, her head, become a rooting tree that grows from this action. She is filled with greenness. In the sky above, the comet mirrors her actions. Scientists think that comets are the source of Earth's water and in effect seeded it for life. Back to the bear. The bear is related to King Arthur of the Grail legend. The name Arthur means bear-man. Like the bear, Arthur is a protector and preserver. He tried to connect and carry forward the essential aspects of Celtic wisdom into Christianity with the idea of the Grail. The Grail too is symbolic of this feminine Sophia energy. To bring the bear into the process is to bring the necessary instincts into the picture, the part of ourselves that Christianity excludes. If the instinct is left to itself it becomes nonhuman. If it is made to serve the ends of human love and cultural development, it is a force of great value. The tree is a symbol of spiritual development. It has its roots in the earth and its branches extent to the heavens, just as our spiritual development should span the territory from the instincts to the spirit. It's also a symbol of Sophia as knowledge and wisdom. As the figure plants the seed of a new life her thoughts turn to this hidden light in nature. The seed is planted on bedrock, a symbol for the archetypes. She is green. The alchemists tell us that during the initial stages of the work comes the blessed greenness. You connect with the hidden world which is like experiencing a hidden springtime. They say that God breathed into created things a certain germination or greenness by which all things should multiply. To be green means to be able to grow. Thank you for Rumi. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 --- Carol wrote: > > Hi Bruce...a gooseberry! I love them. We used to have > a gooseberry bush on the farm and we made gooseberry pie, > my favorite. Also one of mine. Tart and sweet, like rhubarb pie, another favorite of mine. > The figure plants the seed and her thoughts, her head, become > a rooting tree > that grows from this action. She is filled with greenness. This reminds me of Hildegard of Bingen and viriditas ( " greening power " ). Also of the Green Man. > Back to the bear. The bear is related to King Arthur of > the Grail legend. > The name Arthur means bear-man. Like the bear, Arthur is a > protector and > preserver. That's right, Arcturus, Arthur. > The Grail too is > symbolic of this feminine Sophia energy. To bring the bear > into the process > is to bring the necessary instincts into the picture, > the part of ourselves > that Christianity excludes. Well, orthodox Christianity. But I know what you mean. The Grail is a significant symbol for me, and I associate it with mandala (spirit) and crucible (alchemy). > If the instinct is left to itself it becomes > nonhuman. If it is made to serve the ends of human love and cultural > development, it is a force of great value. Yes! > The seed is > planted on bedrock, a symbol for the archetypes. Ah, I see. I wondered about that. > She is green. The alchemists tell us that during the > initial stages of the > work comes the blessed greenness. You connect with the > hidden world which is > like experiencing a hidden springtime. They say that > God breathed into > created things a certain germination or greenness by > which all things should > multiply. To be green means to be able to grow. Yes. Thank you for this commentary. Very helpful. I like your work very much, and always appreciate it when you share any insights you have about them. I'm sure you learn from these images as time goes by. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 ----- Original Message ----- >> >> The Grail too is >> symbolic of this feminine Sophia energy. To bring the bear >> into the process >> is to bring the necessary instincts into the picture, >> the part of ourselves >> that Christianity excludes. > > Well, orthodox Christianity. But I know what you mean. The Grail is a > significant symbol for me, and I associate it with mandala (spirit) > and crucible (alchemy). Dear Bruce...I hope I didn't say something hurtful; if so I deeply apologize. That wasn't meant as a criticism of Christianity (which I was raised outside of) I was just repeating what Jung says because it seems to be what the unc is indicating in my paintings. > Yes. Thank you for this commentary. Very helpful. I like your work > very much, and always appreciate it when you share any insights you > have about them. I'm sure you learn from these images as time goes by. You're welcome. It is so true what you say about learning more and more through time. Just when I think I understand an image I come across more material in Jung that adds another layer of amplification. I hope it all adds up to a story some day. I sort of feel that coming. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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