Our Lady of Unexplained Tragedy
Dear Ones,
I know all of us have been impacted profoundly by the recent events in Japan. How can we not think of it? This weekend at the Cosmic Cowgirls Conference, we prayed, painted and did theater about it. And this morning when I picked up my brush to paint, all that came was a prayer for the people – and the earth and the animals. This painting is what came. Our Lady of Unexplained Tragedy
Then right after that I got this e-mail from a friend of a friend – I cried right through it but wanted to share it with you – it is the kind of news I have been looking for.
There was a Cosmic Cowgirl and her daughter in Tokyo, and they came back to US safe, so for each safe life, we sing praises.
Wherever you are and whatever unexplained tragedy you might be going through. This painting is for you. And may each of us leave one another food at our doors like my girlfriend Mary did last week when I was having a hard day….Love, Shiloh
p.s. When this painting sells I am going to donate half of the sale to relief for Japan, the paint is still wet so it is not on my site, write me if you want more details. shilohsophia@theredthreadcafe.com. Here Our Lady is containing the suffering in the mantle of her robe…reducing the fear and holding space for the light.
A letter from Sendai
ANNE THOMAS 3/14/2011
Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.
During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.
It’s utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”
Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.
We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.
There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.
Other unexpected touches of beauty are, first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains around Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.
And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.
They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend’s husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.
Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don’t. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that is much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.
Thank you again for your care and Love of me,
With Love in return to you all,
Anne
Beloved Shiloh,
I was thinking of you today, and so many of the women who are midwifing the “HeartLand” at this time. Today, my guides told me that, all we need to or are called to is to enter this land of our new world, the doors are open. We do not need to figure out what to do, where to go, how to do it, what to fix, what went wrong, simply step into this frequency of love that is the true heartland, our true home. As we dwell there, all that needs to be re-aligned will be, it is for us to trust, listen and follow the guidance we are given, even if to the mind it does not make sense.
Since we are not distracted right now, with the need for food or warmth, or if we are going to be exposed to high levels of radiation, we can enter this sacred space for ourselves, and for all , for the guidance we recieve when in this HeartLand space, will radiate out to the world..
may you continue to share your love and light with everyone.
much love
in sisterhood
Rhianne
Thank you for very this blessed news. I bow my head.
Love and More,
Mary
Dear Shiloh,
Your painting and writing and the letter you shared are all so beautiful and healing and helpful. Thank you so much for this. I continue to hold us all, interconnected as we are, in my thoughts and prayers.
Peace and blessings,
Ellen
In this day, in this hour we are all one. We are a sisterhood. What happens to one happens to us all. Let our prayers be solid and may grace and peace reign in the world as we are born into a knew knowledge. This letter and painting were beautiful and they give hope to all who are suffering. Those who have been given knowledge and foresight know there is more to come. It will be the love and strength of the women who bring the blend of strength and compassion that will hold the center. In the south we are called steel magnolias. In Japan you are silver lotus. Silver for transformation and lotus for the many petals surrounding the center, representing the daughters surrounding the mother. Blessed be and grace abound.
We see her, we hold her, we feel her and then we discover that she is us.
We are the world. We heal, hold the center for wholeness to return.
I truly love this painting.
“For Japan” now has a whole new meaning —for her, for wholeness, for love, for the world that is us.
WOW!!!
WOW! Our Lady of Unexplained Tragedy ~ So beautiful Shiloh, the painting, your profound words and that of Anne’s help to ease the sadness of my heart for the people of Japan. May we all be so strong and balanced in our time of adversity.
Aho
Love, Carmen
I posted image and link to this page to Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes’s Facebook page. She has Our Lady of Guadalupe as her personal inspiration and support (see http://www.soundstrue.com for her audio series “Untie the Strong Woman” … I think that’s the title, new part coming this Wed evening.)
Oh, someone wanted to know if there were prints available for this. How about putting whatever image on that store that sells tshirts, mousepads, mugs, prints, etc. perhaps with some type treatment, and all proceeds benefit Japan relief. That way many people could acquire and enjoy your image, and help Japan at the same time.