Grace, Abundance and Glas Gabhna

I have to admit, I am carefully fond of the concept of grace and am well aware that it becomes an easily cringe-worthy term when thrown about carelessly. But humor me and see if you can gain a new understanding of it with the help of an ancient story told by poet and philosopher, John O’Donohue. The story is called Glas Gabhna and goes as follows:

“In the mountains near Carron, there lived a smith who had a magical cow. When she was milked, she could fill any vessel. The smith knew how valuable she was. He had seven sons and one of them always ‘stood to her’, or in other words watched over her. Over a long period of time, she gave an endless supply of milk. Even today one can see in that landscape certain bare patches where nothing grows. These were the places the cow was said to have lain down. Her fame and magic spread everywhere. One day, while on his watch, one of the sons fell fatally asleep. An old woman came by and saw the magical cow unguarded. She had a sieve with her and began to milk the cow into the sieve. She milked and milked. The milk flowed endlessly onto the earth until the cow fell down. When the son awoke, he saw the ground white with milk beneath the fallen cow. He went to call help. When the father and sons returned, the cow had gone away. She was never heard of again. Then some time after she had departed, seven streams broke forth from the spot where she had been milked. These are to be seen there today, the Seven Streams of Taosca.”

Orange County's Glas Gabhna?!

 So what does grace have to do with it? The way I see it, it comes down to how you treat what is dear to you in this life. Do you take your gifts for granted, or do you treasure and pamper them? Neglect your gifts and you will always feel like there is never enough. Conversely, an attitude of gratefulness can circumvent the lure of greed.

The reason I’m sharing this story with you is because of its relevance to our lives today. The blatant display of corporate greed that has been in the public eye since the economic crisis began is certainly one level on which we are faced with an aspect of gluttony. We live in a country rich in beauty, resources, intelligence, you name it, yet so many people feel empty, anxious, and meaningless. Have we become numb due to information overload? Overwhelmed by the myriad of choices? Blind to our own abundance? It often seems like we can’t see the forest for the trees. I am not saying this to point fingers; -all too often I am in the overwhelm myself.  I am saying it because I feel like becoming grateful is the first step out of the haze. Wouldn’t it be nice if the solution to numbness was as easy as a mental shift from “I wish I had” to “I’m grateful for”? Well, I daresay it’s a start. By making the choice to see what we have, we choose to become aware, and by becoming aware, we can start to act with the grace our attitude inspires.

Additionally, seeing and being aware of our gift makes us care with a whole new level of intensity. Perhaps that is grace. Personally, my cherishing of nature’s beauty has me engaged in a pretty sincere way. I think twice about what I consume, I support those who are fighting to protect this beauty and I process it in my artwork with hopes of sparking other people’s wonder. In short, I won’t let an old hag ruin that what I love. Instead, I choose to take care of what I treasure to the best extent that I can.

Carolin

Why Art? Let the cave answer it!

Dear reader, be warned that this post is headed into brooding-thought territory. But, wait! Don’t turn away just yet, I promise to lead you to a light at the end of the tunnel. If you deem yourself an adventurous soul, grab a piece of chocolate to bite when the trail becomes sad or troubling, and let its sweetness help carry you until you see the light again.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams film poster

Ready to dig in?

A few weeks ago, I watched the documentary The Cave of Forgotten Dreams by Werner Herzog. In this film the German director, producer and film writer Herzog takes us into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, which houses the oldest cave art ever discovered.

Watching this film catapulted a question into my mind: Why art? For some reason, I am always answering this question for myself, to remind me of its value and validity. Let me tell you, there is nothing more draining than living with disenchantment and being surrounded with cynicism, especially for a soul who blossoms through beauty. It makes me want to curl up and check out. How can people bear to live in a self-imposed desert of the soul? I know I can’t. Maybe people who are more practically wired can get away without ever contemplating their need for beauty or meaning, but for me, life in our culture requires keeping the desert in check through things like yoga, therapy, meditation, and art. It can be a daily battle.

Chauvet Lion Panel 

I see the wasteland’s origin in the mental separation modern people have put between them and the life that surrounds them – animals, plants, landscape, natural forces, etc. While watching the cave video, it was impossible for me to ignore the wall’s whispers of profound belonging. When someone is able to capture the contour of a lion’s back in one perfect, informed stroke, it is evident that they have spent endless amounts of time contemplating their subject. As a figurative artist, I know this to be true. Only after hundreds of hours of looking and replicating do you achieve a “knowledgeable hand” like this. But we don’t just look very often, do we? If we don’t observe where we are and “with what” we are, we only become more and more alienated. This separation from the rest of the world is akin to cutting off an artery that brings essential oxygen and nutrients to the body. What is there to be gained from the separation we hold on to? What is there to be lost?

I vote for a “being-a-part-of-it” movement. Starting to relate through the touch, sight, smell, and sound that we live with. I write this as an allowance for myself; I write this as a reminder that I am not doing anything criminal by what the outside may perceive merely as idle sitting.

In the documentary, Werner Herzog made a comment about how the cave paintings are engraved memories of the people that existed 30,000 years ago. In the face of the harsh living conditions of a hunter-gatherer’s world, maybe life became more bearable and less threatening through this manifestation of memories – rituals and ceremonies in the dark belly of the earth where you are able to consciously walk through your dreams. What rituals do we need to create to bring life back to our marooned spirits? What art will make us feel empowered, connected, and at ease?

The eco-philosopher Joanna Macy said that in the face of her husband’s death, she was able to weather and heal her loss by dipping herself into the beauty of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry. When will you dip yourself into beauty again? When will you allow yourself to idly watch the ocean’s waves? Please share with us when you do!

Carolin