Tag: Rebirth

Heretic

Heretic by Valley Reed

In this painting and process on Easter Sunday, April 20th, 2025 I feel an intensity of a story trying to come through me. Today waking to learn the passing of the Pope, I feel the energy of my painting connected to his story. A dream from a previous night seemed to be a place for gathering creative power and practice to enter the story that was tracking me.

Artist Studio 4/20/25

The night before, I dreamed of living in an art studio, where I had plenty of room to paint, and ample light to see through the windows of the skylight overhead. I felt empowered to create and supported by the space and vision to do so.

Today, I am seeing many elements included in the visionary painting I created. Pope Frances has chosen to be buried in the church of Mary Major, (the first Pope to do so) as well as his adding the feast day of Mary Magdalene to the liturgical calendar as resonate with the restoration of spiritual power to women.

The meaning of the word heretic is rooted in Greek for hairetikós, that means choice. Since the 13th century, the catholic inquisition weaponized the word heretic in their genocide of Women, who were the healers and Wise Women of their communities. In choosing Mary as his dying wish, Pope Frances chose Women.

The painting interweaves the story of the rebirth of Jesus, with a focus on the three Mary’s who attended, Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, and Miriam, cousin of Jesus. The visionary powers of women are interwoven with generations going back to the Oracular powers of the Goddess.

The flow of waters coming down the mountain is connected with troubling the waters with the healing powers and intervention of an angel. Mary Magdalene is the first to enter and receive the healing powers of the waters.

The Christian priest is Peter who is kneeling staring at his shadow, where his lust for power created the base for many to abuse people around the globe in the name of God.

The cedar on the hill is a humble resilient tree that endures. In my mind I thought of generations of Palestinians who have survived, and those who have not, and how Pope Frances was a voice for the voiceless. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, reflects a refugee whose life was endangered. The hope in the message in the rebirth of Christ, carries also to the Palestinian people of Gaza.

The death of Pope Frances the day after Easter, brings a spiritual message of his station in life and death, as someone of integrity and spiritual meaning. May the doors, and paths, and gateways be open for us all, where no one is turned away due to gender, religion, nationality, tattoos, wealth, sexuality, political party, or education level.

Dream Healing with the Benu Bird

At a recent Dream Healing workshop I was teaching in Grand Junction, Colorado, there were themes of heart and soul interwoven with the dreams shared. I incubated a healing dream while catching an afternoon nap, prior to giving a lecture that evening on the Healing Powers of Dreams.

“Bennu Bird” by Michelle Celebrielle

During my dreaming, I was gifted with the presence of a large white bird which flew overhead.  I could clearly see the huge white wings until it landed on a tall tree upon bare branches.  I looked closely at the face of the bird,  noticing the streaks of black coming out from the eyes and long narrow feathers reaching out from the crown.  I recognized it as the mysterious Benu bird of Egyptian myth, bringer of renewal and capable of retrieving and bringing forth the energy of soul.  A wonderful ally to accompany our dream journeying for the weekend.

There were themes of the heart and relationships which presented themselves over and again from our group of dreamers. One participant shared a dream which was full of opposites and polarities which gave the opportunity to dance with each of the polarities represented in the dream. The dream was brought to life through the movement accompanied with the intent of each of the polarities. The dreamer was able to reach a resolve toward wholeness through the movement and integrate the separation of loss into complete freedom. The wings of the Benu Bird were flying through the dance at the end, to bring about healing liberation. Another young woman brought through a vision of seeing a possible love relationship which culminated in the couple riding off together on black and white horses. The dream also gave counsel and warned her of the need to be willing to wait and not hurry into the relationship.

A doctor who attended was eager to see how dreams could help her better care for her patients. She journeyed with two power animals, that of the cougar and the eagle which became one creature. She was on call during the whole workshop and was indeed living in two realms at once. The bringing together of these two animal protectors will help her to better navigate the challenges of her dual life.

The energy of relationship and the balance of opposites flowed throughout the day, and in the end, the feeling of connection was the gift, like the egg of the Benu bird in the tree of life, which promises renewal for the future.

The Benu Bird according to Egyptian mythology recounts the bird as a carrier of “Ba” or soul energy. The soul energy is able to leave the physical body and travel at will, something we can do nightly in our dreams.  The Benu Bird is akin to the Phoenix and bringer of renewal which comes with each era. It is a rare occurrence to witness a Benu bird, as there is only one such bird in existence.  The Benu bird has no mate but continues through self regeneration. It has the capacity to integrate both polarities of Masculine and Feminine into one being. It builds its nest in the tree of life, laying a single egg to break open a new era of soul.  It was the song of the Benu bird which sang creation into being. The mysterious Benu Bird is a beautiful story of how, we may each give birth to ourselves and participate in this renewal of soul and spirit. Through this transformation of death and renewal, we can bring all parts of ourselves into wholeness as a way to help heal the past and bring about a brighter future for coming generations.

Included in this healing and to honor the Benu Bird, I offer this poem of prayer;

Dream of the Benu Bird

May we walk in beauty as we step upon the earth,

and sing our lives into being.

May our souls learn to soar as the Benu bird,

and dance awake our dreams.

May we bring about more balance in connection to each other,

the Earth we all share,  and all the creatures upon it.

May we honor those who came before us,

and the gifts they have given.

May we remember where we came from,

and what we each came here to do.

May we honor and protect the children,

and future generations, through our actions today.