Holding It Close

Holding It Close
Feb. 28, 2008
I returned yesterday to a scribble I did in class with my students earlier in the week. What emerged was this lovely older woman with long hair sitting cross-legged in turquoise harem pants on a tasseled pillow. She is holding something close to her heart, securing and protecting it. My thought as I was working on it was that it was something I created that was to be held close. Later, I thought it might be the soul or a dream. She is sitting in a zazen lotus pose, so perhaps what she holds close in the result of long practice.

At first, I thought she held a spiral shell, Peter said snake, but now it seems like the strong unfurling of a frond, but larger, like a tiger lily or a monkey-faced orchid.

It is growing and unfurling naturally from the core of her zazen practice, and as I have just started to read and introduce to my classes Natalie Goldberg’s new book, Old Friend From Far Away, which as always emphasizes writing as a spiritual practice, and because the image emerged from the classroom, I think it is the soul of my teaching and writing practice unfurling into the light under my protection.

3 thoughts on “Holding It Close”

  1. This is one of your best, how beautiful. She looks like Zonaquah
    ( I am sure I butchered that spelling.) She is reminiscent of one of the masks in your home or she could be a mask in your home.

  2. Mom called to say the legs that I said were in “blue harem pants” actually represent my core pelvic energy from whence I might have had children. She liked it, too! I am working on a little book about teaching, and it occurs to me this might make a good cover image.

  3. Yes, I agree with her and it would make a good cover image. The colors are strong and the line work is very active. I think it would jump off the shelf and I really like the idea of you doing your own art. Excellent!

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