Art Play 2018

First piece, WIP, created via 'Lifebook' Class

Guardian Self ~ High Priestess

Basically, the first class involved a visual meditation, love those, and after strolling through a forest, receiving a key, and opening a secret garden door (inner-self) I came across a stag, grand and magnificent. My initial impression was that he was male counterpart of 'Divine Feminine' (doe) hiding in the deepest parts of self, me. It could also mean that opening the door, unveiled the connection of 'Twin Souls' on a spiritual level. I didn't need to say anything...he offered me strength knowing it was what I needed. My soul found peace within this magical place. In my mind's eye, he became the 'White Hart', but in the physical, remained red/brown Stag, standing proud, strong, confident, generous, almost regal in bestowing his gift. In that process, I became the 'High Priestess'. 

This initial part of the art journey uses symbolism to create a piece as a supportive guardian through the course. It's a beautiful way to express spiritually without too much thought. An instinctive process. Below, I describe the symbols and meanings. I go quite deeply into these areas but my notes relating to artwork are in a different font so you can skip the bulk of the research text. 

Lotus ~ In the garden

Means perseverance (growing through the mud). 

In Buddhist symbolism the lotus is symbolic purity of the body, speech, and mind as while rooted in the mud, its flowers blossom on long stalks as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. It is also symbolic of detachment as drops of water easily slide off its petals.

The lotus flower is one of the most ancient and deepest symbols of our planet. The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. ... Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind. The lotus flower represents long life, health, honor and good luck.

Key 

(with wings)

In one direction, the key is a symbol of openness. It opens what is closed, what is hidden or opens a door. The key can, therefore, by extension, symbolizing knowledge and access to it. It refers in this direction to understanding, interpretation, and has a response value, "the key to the problem", "the key to the mystery." It enables to discover a truth and opens our eyes. Owning the key is possessing the means to access a wealth, an external or internal discovery. The key can, therefore, open the door to a new dimension.

As a tool that allows opening, the key is also a symbol of freedom.

As a tool for closing this time, the key can symbolize privacy and security. To ensure that they are not stolen, we put our most valuable goods in safe-deposit boxes, locked up. We keep our homes locked when we leave, to preserve our privacy and our secrets.

The key is also a symbol of power. In Christianity, the keys of heaven give the power to enter into eternal life. Many medieval painters represented the object.

The key gives the right to rule, to own and to decide, in the image of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, choices, transition, and doors, often depicted with a key.

The first lock with key was discovered in Egypt and dates from about 3000 BC. It was made of teak wood, measured about 60 cm and controlled the access to a temple.

Gemini Symbol

Inbetween the pillars is the symbol for Gemini (my sun sign) It can also represent no.2, lovers. Every zodiac sign is ruled by a Tarot card from the Major Arcana. The zodiac sign of Gemini is ruled by The Lovers card. 

Yin and Yang

I tried to represent this with a subtle use of colour - each half of the page different. Dual emotion positive and negative, masculine and feminine. 

The yin-yang symbol holds its roots in Taoism/Daoism, a Chinese religion and philosophy. The yin, the dark swirl, is associated with shadows, femininity, and the trough of a wave; the yang, the light swirl, represents brightness, passion and growth.

Shield 

In a way, the stag reminds me of a knight and so I drew him on a shield as a White Hart to represent this. It also means guarded, inner-self. Protection, again symbolic to the knight, with strength.

Knights represent honour, courage, and chivalry in all their glory. Knights, in your dreams/unconscious, are symbols of protection. Being a knight means that you are bound by the knight’s code and are required to uphold the law and protect the weak. It should bring you great comfort to know that you have a protector or are a protector to those around you.

When a knight is used in symbolism, you may feel a need for protection. This can be a warning to avoid poisonous people. A woman dreaming of a knight can represent your romantic feelings, if you are, you may be looking for eternity. A white knight symbolizes the man of your dreams. (White Hart/Divine Masculine/Twin Flame).

A knight represents your higher self and what you dream about for yourself. For me, this was courage and strength.

V ~ Venus (Goddess)

(V of Dress)

In myth, Venus-Aphrodite was born of sea-foam. Roman theology presents Venus as the yielding, watery female principle, essential to the generation and balance of life. Her male counterparts in the Roman pantheon, Vulcan (fire) and Mars, are active and fiery. Venus absorbs and tempers the male essence, uniting the opposites of male and female in mutual affection. 

As goddess of love and sex, Venus played an essential role at Roman prenuptial rites and wedding nights, so myrtle and roses were used in bridal bouquets. Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtle, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans.

The cult of Aphrodite was largely derived from that of the Phoenician goddess Astarte, a cognate of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar, whose cult was based on the Sumerian cult of Inanna. 

Kings in Uruk may have established their legitimacy through a sacred marriage ceremony in which the king took on the role of Dumuzid (Inanna's consort) and engaged with the priestess of Inanna. Through Ishtar, Inanna influenced the later Phoenician goddess Astarte and, through her, the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Inanna appears in more myths than any other Sumerian deity. Many of her myths involve her taking over the domains of other deities. She was believed to have stolen the mes, which represented all positive and negative aspects of civilization, from Enki, the god of wisdom. Mes is one of the decrees of the gods that is foundational to those social institutions, religious practices, technologies, behaviors, mores, and human conditions that make civilization, as the Sumerians understood it, possible. They are fundamental to the Sumerian understanding of the relationship between humanity and the gods.

444 ~ Angel Number

(This number came up in a tarot reading)

When you do see an angel number (recurring number sequence) pay attention. What you were thinking about, or doing when you saw the number? This will contain clues into it's hidden meaning.444 is a sign that your angels are with you.

The angel number 444 reminds you that all is well. Your angels are supporting you from behind the scenes, protecting you and urging you to choose yourself, and take steps to make your dreams a reality.

When you see 444, know that you're loved supported, and assisted. Release any doubt and fear, and trust. By attuning yourself to their vibration and by staying in a state of love, all things are possible.

Remember to ask for help from the angels, and also support yourself with positive thoughts, habits, and by remaining aware in the present moment, you can assure you are positively progressing on your path.

Moon

I drew the crescent moon above the HP head and inside is the colour of the sun with a seven-pointed star. Reading up on info, it also seems to me to represent a womb carrying a child - Moon female and the sun (son) her child. I.E Mother aspect, Great Mother, and Mary, Star of the Sea, Aphrodite, etc. This really resonates with my writing 'The Women of the Sea', a future novel. This is part of the process of how I gather inspiration from lore and develop with creativity and connecting patterns via research written and visual. In this sense, art and word combine stories. 

Celtic mythology and symbolism is big on balance. There is a moon goddess also worshiped by the Celts, who is associated with the lunar cycles. The word “crescent” comes from the Latin term ceres meaning to “bring forth, create” and crescere, the Latin term for “grow, thrive”.

A crescent shape is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. It was also the emblem of Diana-Artemis, and hence represented virginity. In Roman Catholic Marian veneration, it is associated with the Virgin Mary.

The crescent symbol was long used as a symbol of the Moon in astrology, and by extension of Silver (as the corresponding metal) in alchemy. The astrological use of the symbol is attested in early Greek papyri containing horoscopes. In the 2nd-century Bianchini's planisphere, the personification of the Moon is shown with a crescent attached to her headdress.

Its ancient association with Ishtar/Astarte and Diana is preserved in the Moon (as symbolised by a crescent) representing the female principle (as juxtaposed with the Sun representing the male principle), and (Artemis-Diana being a virgin goddess) especially virginity and female chastity.

In Roman Catholic tradition, the crescent entered Marian iconography, by the association of Mary with the Woman of the Apocalypse (described with "the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" in Revelation) The most well-known representation of Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse is the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Star

A heptagram, septagram, septegram or septogram is a seven-point star drawn with seven straight strokes. The heptagram is a symbol of magical power in some pagan spiritualities. The {7/3} heptagram is used by some members of the otherkin subculture as an identifier. In alchemy, a seven-sided star can refer to the seven planets which were known to ancient alchemists.

The heptagram was used in Christianity to symbolize the seven days of creation and became a traditional symbol for warding off evil. The heptagram is a symbol of perfection (or God) in many Christian sects. The heptagram is known among neopagans as the Elven Star or Fairy Star. It is treated as a sacred symbol in various modern pagan and witchcraft traditions.

Our Lady, Star of the Sea ~  is an ancient title for the Virgin Mary (sacred / Divine Feminine). The words Star of the Sea are a translation of the Latin title Stella Maris.The title has been in use since at least the early medieval period. Originally arising from a scribal error in a supposed etymology of the name Mary, it came to be seen as allegorical of Mary's role as "guiding star". Connected to the High Priestess both wear blue cloaks and have secrets. 

Heart

I placed this symbol on the throat as communication felt not said (throat Chakra). Although, perhaps, should be spoken at the right time after contemplation process which the High Priestess represents. The function of the Throat chakra is driven by the principle of expression and communication. Behind the heart is light, this means the information not said is being communicated without words - spiritual. 

Heart Chakra ~ A balanced heart chakra is a beautiful thing. 

The heart shape (♥) is an ideograph used to express the idea of the "heart" in its metaphorical or symbolic sense as the center of emotion, including affection and love, especially romantic love.

The combination of the heart shape and its use within the heart metaphor developed at the end of the Middle Ages, although the shape has been used in many ancient epigraphy monuments and texts. With possible early examples or direct predecessors in the 13th to 14th century, the familiar symbol of the heart representing love developed in the 15th century, and became popular in Europe during the 16th. Before the 14th century, the heart shape was not associated with the meaning of the heart metaphor. 

The geometric shape itself is found in much earlier sources, but in such instances does not depict a heart, but typically foliage: in examples from antiquity fig leaves, and in medieval iconography and heraldry typically the leaves of ivy and of the water-lily.

The first known depiction of a heart as a symbol of romantic love dates to the 1250s. It occurs in a miniature decorating a capital 'S' in a manuscript of the French Roman de la poire (National Library FR MS. 2086, plate 12). In the miniature, a kneeling lover (or more precisely, an allegory of the lover's "sweet gaze" or douz regart) offers his heart to a damsel. The heart here resembles a pine cone (held "upside down", the point facing upward), in accord with medieval anatomical descriptions. 

Conifer Pine Trees are one of the most ancient plant genera on the planet, having existed nearly three times longer than all flowering plant species. The Pinecone is the evolutionary precursor to the flower, and its spines spiral in a perfect Fibonacci sequence in either direction, much like the Sacred Geometry of a rose or a sunflower.

It is considered by many to be our biological Third Eye, the "Seat of the Soul," the “Epicenter of Enlightenment” -- and its sacred symbol throughout history, in cultures around the world, has been the Pinecone.

Pomegranate

Behind the High Priestess hangs a curtain embroidered with pomegranates and palm leaves. It is said that perhaps the pomegranate rather than the apple was the original ‘forbidden fruit’ so there is a sense that The High Priestess guards great secrets. The palm leaf may represent integration and balance of male and female, conscious and unconscious mind, the seen and the unseen.

The pomegranate originated in the region extending from modern-day Iran through Afghanistan and Pakistan to northern India and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region.

The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum "apple" and grānātum "seeded". Possibly stemming from the old French word for the fruit, pomme-grenade, the pomegranate was known in early English as "apple of Grenada"—a term which today survives only in heraldic blazons.

In the Waite-Smith Tarot, the High Priestess sits between light and dark. On her backdrop are pomegranates, the food of the land of the dead, whose six sweet seeds caused Persephone to become Kore, Queen of the Underworld. Typically, the High Priestess is associated with Pope Joan or Virgin Mary. Persephone's annual journey to the underworld seems akin to the High Priestess' journey beyond the veil and into the unconscious.

Persephone as a vegetation goddess and her mother Demeter were the central figures of the Eleusinian mysteries that predated the Olympian pantheon and promised the initiated a more enjoyable prospect after death. 

The me'il ("robe of the ephod") worn by the Hebrew high priest as having pomegranates embroidered on the hem, alternating with golden bells which could be heard as the high priest entered and left the Holy of Holies. According to the Books of Kings, the capitals of the two pillars (Jachin and Boaz) that stood in front of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem were engraved with pomegranates. Solomon is said to have designed his coronet based on the pomegranate's "crown" (calyx).

High Priestess

(Re-appearing in tarot readings)

The High Priestess (II) is the second trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination. In the first Tarot pack with inscriptions, the 18th-century woodcut Marseilles Tarot, this figure is crowned with the Papal tiara and labelled La Papesse, the Popess, a possible reference to the legend of Pope Joan. 

The High Priestess sits upright and graceful on a stone stool. She is dressed in a blue cloak reminiscent of healing power and a white dress indicating purity of intention. The blue cloak is the same colour as the background sky, reiterating natural connection. On her head is a crown echoing the phases of the Moon (new, full and old) which in turn symbolize the maid, mother, crone aspects of the Goddess.

With the Moon at her feet, the High Priestess is completely in touch with her emotions yet she is not controlled by them. Her manner is serene. Her emotions inform her of the subtle signals in the atmosphere around her.  The High Priestess may be asking you to sit with your feelings for a time instead of reacting.

In the creation of the Rider-Waite tarot deck the La Papesse card, so confusing to non-Catholics, was changed into The High Priestess sitting between the pillars of Boaz and Jachin (which has a particular meaning to Freemasonry). According to the Bible, Boaz and Jachin were two copper, brass or bronze pillars which stood in the porch of Solomon's Temple, the first Temple in Jerusalem.The columns represent the balance of power – dark and light, separate yet inseparable.

Other variants that came after Rider-Waite are the Virgin Mary, Isis, the metaphorical Bride of Christ or Holy Mother Church. In Swiss Troccas decks, she is called Junon ("Juno"), the Roman Queen of the Gods.

The High Priestess is also known as Persephone, Isis, the Corn Maiden, and Artemis. She sits at the gate before the great Mystery, as indicated by the Tree of Life in the background. She sits between the darkness and the light, represented by the pillars of Solomon’s temple, which suggests it is she who is the mediator of the passage into the depth of reality. The tapestry hung between the pillars keeps the casual onlookers out and allows only those initiated to enter. The pomegranates on the tapestry are sacred to Persephone. They are a symbol of duty (because Persephone ate a pomegranate seed in the underworld which forced her to return every year). The blue robe the Priestess is wearing is a symbol of knowledge. She is wearing the crown of Isis symbolising the Triple Goddess. The solar is a symbol of balance between male and female. The planet associated with the High Priestess is the Moon.

The High Priestess represents wisdom, serenity, knowledge, and understanding. She is often described as the guardian of the unconscious. She sits in front of the thin veil of awareness, which is all that separates us from our inner selves. The High Priestess knows the secret of how to access these realms. She represents spiritual enlightenment and inner illumination, divine knowledge and wisdom. She has a deep, intuitive understanding of the Universe and uses this knowledge to teach rather than to try to control others. She generally appears in a Tarot reading when you need to listen to and trust your inner voice.

The High Priestess Tarot card represents a link to the subconscious mind, which cannot be accessed through the everyday world but only through dreams and symbols. When this Tarot card appears in a Tarot reading, pay attention to your dreams and intuition. Look for areas in your life that may be out of balance or that require greater foresight and wisdom. Knowledge of how to fix it will not come through logic or intellect but through your intuition so put aside a time when you can meditate and listen to your own inner voice. Your intuitive sense right now is providing you with useful and helpful information and is assisting you to become more in touch with your subconscious mind.

For a male especially, the High Priestess Tarot card indicates that he must learn of his ‘anima’ or female side, or he will fail to grow. For a woman, the High Priestess suggests that she must learn to trust herself and to be truly feminine, rather than succumbing to the pressures of having to act more like her male counterparts.

Think of the High Priestess as the calm centre inside of you that is untouched by your external world and know that she is always there when you need her. She is a part of you that you have not had much time to connect with but she is an important part of you. Whenever you feel that things are just getting too crazy and you are faced with impossible choices, find a quiet space and listen to your inner voice. If you stop thinking about your issues or just give yourself some space and time of ‘nothingness’, the answer will come to you without having to even think about it.

The reversed High Priestess also suggests in a Tarot reading that you are normally an intuitive person who is connected with your inner self but in recent times you have lost this connection. You may be rushing around and worrying excessively about external issues and other people’s problems that you have lost focus on your own needs. You are not listening to your inner guidance anymore and this is leading you further astray. The strong message here is that you need to take some time out for YOU and you only, so that you can tune into your inner voice and connect once again with your subconscious mind. Meditation or spiritual study may help.

The High Priestess in a Tarot reading can also point to the unknown and can indicate that your life is changing. Things that once seemed certain can no longer be taken for granted. Some puzzling mysteries become clearer but all is not yet revealed at this point. On the plus side, you will find that your intuitive powers are increasing and you may be inspired to be creative. The High Priestess Tarot card is, therefore, a particularly good card for artists, poets, and writers.

Stag /Deer

When you have the deer as a spirit animal, you are highly sensitive and have a strong intuition. By affinity with this animal, you have the power to deal with challenges with grace. You master the art of being both determined and gentle in your approach. The deer totem wisdom imparts those with a special connection with this animal with the ability to be vigilant, move quickly, and trust their instincts to get out the trickiest situations.

The deer spirit animal will remind you to be gentle with yourself and others.The deer’s antlers can grow back once they fall. Because of this characteristic, this animal has been revered in many traditions as a symbol of life regeneration. There’s a cloud of mystery around this ability that gives the deer a magical and mystical quality. If you have the deer as a power animal, you could tap into life’s magical ability to renew itself.

By affinity with this spirit animal, you may also be watchful of your “predators”, which translate into a tendency to be sometimes overly cautious. It takes time for you to trust someone or feel safe in your environment.

Another quality that the deer spirit animal brings to those who have a connection with it is a felt sense of their own inner gentleness, a clear connection with the innocence of their inner child. The spirit of the deer reveals to you a fresh perspective on old issues. Takes advantage of this opportunity to revise and reverse patterns of thought or behavior that no longer serve you.

Stag represents Earth = Grounding. 

The Myths and Lore surrounding the Stag run across the world from Meandash, the mythic Saami Reindeer, all the way back to the earliest history from Sumerian of Dara-Mah 'The Great Stag'. 

Much information comes from Dr Bobula Ida's 1953 comparative myth essay on "The Great Stag, a Mesopotamian Divinity".

In Classical times the stag was of paramount importance to the Scythians and other peoples across the Eurasian steppes. The subject of the most striking Scythian gold jewellery, the stag has even been found as tattoos on the so-called ‘ice princess’ in the Altai Mountains. Here at the eastern extremity of the IE steppe culture zone, her frozen body was recovered with Scythian style stags still plainly visible on her skin.

The symbol of the cosmos and the mother of the sun was symbolised as a large horned female doe. The great horned doe often was shown carrying the sun in her horns, in some cases, the sun itself was symbolised as a stag the son of the doe of the legend. The Hungarian regos (bards) tell a story that illustrates the stag as the carrier of the sun.
The hind represents not the sun, but it's mother, the heavenly firmament, the cosmos, which carries the stars, the sun and the moon in its ‘horns’. For these reasons the Scythian stags often represented the horns of the stag-like flames.

In many European mythologies, the deer was associated with woodland deities.

In Irish mythology, Finn mac Cumhail, the legendary leader of Ireland's heroic band of warriors known as the Fianna, cornered a beautiful white deer, which his hounds then refused to dispatch. That night Finn was visited by the goddess Sadb, who explained that a spell had turned her into the deer Finn had chased, a spell from which his love could release her. Naturally, an encounter with true love broke the spell. Read more of the story HERE. 

In the Chronicles of Narnia, the White Stag is fabled to grant wishes to whoever catches him. And in the Arthurian legend, the white stag is the creature that can never be caught. King Arthur's repeatedly unsuccessful pursuit of the white stag represents mankind's quest for spiritual knowledge.

White Stag by Zopheia.

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo

A Carpet of Purple Flowers ~ Book Reviews by Fellow Authors

Mark Mayes ~ Author (THE GIFT MAKER)

This is a most entrancing and captivating story. Bea, as the central character, weathers every emotional storm you can imagine, and as we get to know her, we feel for her plight, and one is torn on her behalf as she herself is torn, between two men, two identities, two realms of reality. 

Bea is living a fairly ordinary life, running a small, somewhat esoteric, bookshop in London, left to her by her much-missed uncle. Into her somewhat muted existence burst beings from another realm, and why they are so interested in her gradually becomes apparent. 

Tracey-anne McCartney introduces us to a richly-detailed and dramatic cosmology drawn from Irish folktales, mythology, and magic, and it is by virtue of this age-old relationship between the world of the Sidhe and that of humans that we find ourselves drawn in most strongly. It is the skilful, often humorous, blend of supernatural and spiritual elements with that of ordinary life; the hopes and disappointments of the ordinary person, as experienced by Bea, which makes this novel so charming, and makes us experience Bea’s emotional maelstrom as our own. We want the best for her, even if deciding what that may be seems near impossible. 

The final scene in Coldfall Woods is magnificently achieved, and the writing overall has the right balance of lyricism and restraint and is peppered with moments of levity when appropriate. The narration allows one not only to viscerally experience the events described but also to be privy to the internal life of the principal characters, sensing their doubts, their confusion, their pain and joy – Bea's in particular.

The finale does not give up all the secrets hinted at during the novel. Who exactly is Jonathan? What does Bea’s future hold? And other questions, which I will not pose here for fear of spoiling the many surprises and revelations this artfully-plotted novel offers us en route. 

A Carpet of Purple Flowers is an original, entertaining, and sophisticated blend of romance, the paranormal, and the spiritual. 

James Silvester ~ Author (Escape to Perdition)

This is the kind of book that makes you glad to have stepped out of your comfort zone for a moment. Although aspects of magical folklore and the like have always intrigued me, I've never been that keen on reading about them in fiction, perhaps because I think it is a genre that is often lazily presented, to its own detriment. Not so with this book, however, which I thoroughly enjoyed on very many levels. The folklore isn't just thrown in there, it is researched and well considered, as well as being presented in a believable manner. So too is the main character, suddenly thrown into this new, ethereal world. While saying that there is something for everyone in this book, I don't mean it at all flippantly - the elements of fantasy, love, magic, sex, humour and raw emotion are all expertly intertwined by a very talented writer who really sieze her opportunity to make this genre her own. I look forward to more.

Shirley Golden ~ Author (Skyjacked)

'A Carpet of Purple Flowers' is a wonderfully rich and sumptuous debut novel by Tracey-anne McCartney. It is an elaborate folklore fantasy, which pulled me in right from the start. The central story involves a complicated love triangle between Bea, Chance, Alithia and Karian (yep, there are four in this triangle). I cared about all of the characters and enjoyed the world McCartney created. There is an especially salient moment where an illusion is shattered, leaving a deliciously gothic image. The ending left me wanting more, and I hope there will be more to come. Recommended.

Christina Philippou ~ Author (Lost in Static)

Epic fantasy, coming-of-age, romantic drama and mythology: this book is a finely woven carpet of great fiction.

Bea, owner of a little bookshop, is drawn into the war between two paranormal factions. Kari, a royal on one side, thinks Bea's harbouring the soul of his long-lost love, Alithea, and sets out to re-win her heart. Chance, a warrior for the other, thinks he's protecting Bea, but endangers her through his own actions. As Bea gets pulled in different directions, and starts to uncover histories and recover memories, she realises she alone holds the key to this war...

From the blurb, I expected a kind of 'Twilight for adults'. What I got was intricately-imagined fantasy, suspenseful action, two beautifully interwoven love stories (not the kind of paranormal love triangle I was anticipating), and a lot of well-crafted drama. Brilliant - I want more!

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


Cate Hogan ~ Author & Editor ~ http://catehogan.com

As a romance editor / addict / obsessive, I often feel that even the best new novels are re-hashes of books I've read before. Which is why I was so pleased to discover this little gem - a truly unique premise that merges the spiritual with the paranormal in a very interesting way. The characters are gorgeous, and the love triangle is full of twists and surprises. I highly recommend.

Teresa Ruiz ~ Author (Freefall Into Us)

Not normally my genre, but was sucked in from the get-go, the author gifted at pulling you in. Could have been the instant love of the character, Bea, a book shop owner in London and the heroine in this story. Which may I say was very well written, not overly wordy (can't stand to much description) but still a whopping 400 pages. Honestly, the story was so engaging and hard to put down, It didn't matter. All the characters I liked, even Brandon whom at times I felt sorry for. Well done Tracey-anne, on a beautiful journey and debut book!

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo

Update ~ Book Two

Great News...

The first draft of 'Book Two' is almost complete. 

The manuscript is 85k so far, but there's still a little more writing to do before the edits begin.

I'm happy, happy. :o) 

I've also added more to the Book Companion Pages

Book Bible

My 'Bible Companion' is a compendium of all things relating to 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers' Book Series (#ACoPF). It contains information such as backstories of characters, in-depth character analysis from shoes to furnishings, scars, how they like to wear their hair, etc. Each of 'The Orders' and the 'Houses' are recorded, from symbols relating to that sect and why they use them, to clothing worn and how that Order began. I don't add all of these details to the books, but they're areas that I need to know/understand to write informatively about the realms and the different beings that live there. I've also created a journal in which one of my characters records their experiences, mentioned in the books, which helps me view this new world through a character's eyes and experiences. It's a fun way to explore new ideas combining writing and art, a process that sparks my muse. 

See more over at the website - HERE

When I first began playing around with the idea of writing 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers' (first book), my initial choice for the main character (the protagonist) was a young Jonathan. The starting point, Coldfall Woods where he studied the Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium).

In the German tradition, naturphilosophie or nature philosophy persisted into the 18th and 19th centuries as an attempt to achieve a speculative unity of nature and spirit. 

Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin philosophia naturalis) was the philosophical study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science. Natural philosophy was the precursor of natural sciences.

Jonathan acknowledges indigenous wisdom as a global knowledge bank held by humans from all races and countries. Primitive skills are the original survival skills which all humans once used in order to live in harmony with the earth. Nature Philosophy helps to share these skills and keep them alive in the modern day. He is a seeker of the ancient knowledge. 

Jonathan dresses out style compared to the attire of modern-day humans,

 wearing high collars and a cravat. He jitters quite a bit when nervous and has many secrets.

He questions everything and records his findings in journals.

 Who are we? What are we? Where did we begin?

To find these answers and more I must follow the fading trail left by our ancestors. I must not seek with only my eyes, but learn to listen with my heart, hear the low mutterings of my soul, seeking inside and outside of myself. The path to truth is perilous and one I walk alone. ~ Jonathan's  journals

Lifprasira (Lif-pra-si-ra) symbols ~ Otherworldly Hieroglyphs

Once the eyes have been opened to all that's hidden,

you can never go back to the person you were. 

I understand what was. I understand my purpose. I understand what needs to be done.

 ~ Jonathan's journals

Our very being, our purpose, and our past, can only be understood through the combination of knowledge, thought, and contemplation. The latter, of course, is the most important. Unfortunately, there is little time to reflect in the modern world, and time passes too quickly to dwell on what was. Imagination and expansion of the mind are the keys which unlock concealment, cleverly disguised, mostly as a feeling. There is a knowing within us all, it's where our history resides, spoken in a language we have forgotten. Learn to look in the spaces in-between and not at the obvious options presented, it is where the truth lives. A tree grows, you see its beauty yet see no roots, dig and they will be revealed. The inner rings of history remain out of sight too, but look beyond, open it up and peer inside. The answers have always been there. ~ Jonathan's journals

Love and light,

Trace

xoxo

Awake in Purple Dreams

Awake in Purple Dreams by jasmoonbutterfly ~ Bea / Sindria

A lucid dream is any dream during which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming.

During lucid dreaming, the dreamer may allegedly be able to exert some degree of control over the dream characters, narrative, and the environment.

More HERE

Lucid Dreaming ~ By Susan Blackmore 

What could it mean to be conscious in your dreams? For most of us, dreaming is something quite separate from normal life. When we wake up from being chased by a ferocious tiger or seduced by a devastatingly good-looking Nobel Prize winner we realize with relief or disappointment that "it was only a dream."

Yet there are some dreams that are not like that. Lucid dreams are dreams in which you know at the time that you are dreaming. That they are different from ordinary dreams is obvious as soon as you have one. The experience is something like waking up in your dreams. It is as though you "come to" and find you are dreaming.

It is tempting to think that the real world and the world of dreams are totally separate. Some of the experiments already mentioned show that there is no absolute dividing line.

The oddest thing about lucid dreams— and, to many people who have them, the most compelling—is how it feels when you wake up. Upon waking up from a normal dream, you usually think, "Oh, that was only a dream." Waking up from a lucid dream is more continuous. It feels more real, it feels as though you were conscious in the dream.

'The you' who remembers the dream is more similar to 'the you' in the dream. Indeed, because there was a better model of you, you were more conscious. If this is right, it means that lucid dreams are potentially even more interesting than we thought. As well as providing insight into the nature of sleep and dreams, they may give clues to the nature of consciousness itself.
More HERE

Vivid dreams by EliseEnchanted

You're awake when you read, but you enter another world still very conscious that you're leaving reality behind ~ reminding me of lucid dreaming.

In book two, I play with the idea of alternatives in karmic cycles, not in a complicated way, but in a manner that hopefully leaves the reader making up their own mind concerning twin souls. This is one of the reasons that I have given the second book the title 'Awake in Purple Dreams'.

Now my lips are sealed. ;o) 

love and light,

Trace

xoxo

The Soul ~

Freydoon Rassouli

The soul in many religions, philosophical and mythological traditions, is the incorporeal and immortal essence of a living being. According to Abrahamic religions, only human beings have immortal souls. For example, the Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas attributed "soul" (anima) to all organisms but argued that only human souls are immortal. Other religions (most notably Hinduism and Jainism) teach that all biological organisms have souls while some teach that even non-biological entities (such as rivers and mountains) possess souls. This latter belief is called animism.

Personally, I believe the soul can be simply termed as the 'magic' that lives within us all. :o) 

Anima mundi is the concept of a "world soul" connecting all living organisms on the planet.

Freydoon Rassouli

Eugenia Loli

Twin Flame ~

Throughout the course of your life, you may have had unusual or powerful dreams, visions, or fantasies of a mysterious person. You get a particular feeling and the energy of the individual feels familiar as if it is someone you have already met in the past or someone you will meet in some unknown future. You have a vague feeling that this person is real even if you can not see a face or invent their physical appearance in your mind. You have a feeling as if this person is 'out there somewhere' and may even know who you are on the same level.

There may be an unusual synchronicity or event that surround the initial meeting between first flames. Often you have a feeling or 'knowing' of something that you just can't quite put into words. Twinflames often encounter each other for the first time in an unexpected way out of the blue and usually there are synchronicities and strange occurrences or major shifts in energy the same week of the initial meeting.

Most twin flame couples are physically at a distance or live in different countries. Often there is something that prevents the twin flames from being physically together in the beginning. This is usually because there is much energetic work to be done on the mental and emotional levels before the physical meeting can occur. If the physical meeting were to occur too soon the energy can often be too intense.

The relationship is immediate, as though no time had been lost since you were last together. You feel comfortable with them and you feel you can truly be yourself with them. Sometimes conversations can seem to last forever and there is not much that twin flames are not willing to talk about. It's as if you could share your entire life with this person and there is a level of openness and understanding between you that brings a comfortable yet intriguing sense of familiarity.

You feel an overwhelming sense of love and attraction. This love is genuine and heartfelt and you feel magnetically drawn to their energy. This is not to be confused with lust or an obsessive love. Twin flame love is unconditional and transcends the ego. 

Twin flames, also called twin souls, are literally the other half of our soul. We each have only one twin, and generally after being split the two went their separate ways, incarnating over and over to gather human experience before coming back together. Ideally, this happens in both of their last lifetimes on the planet so they can ascend together. So you probably haven't had many lifetimes with your twin.

Each twin is a complete soul, not half a soul. It is their task to become more whole, balancing their female and male sides, and ideally become enlightened, before reuniting with their twin. This reunion is of two complete and whole beings. All other relationships through all our lives could be said to be "practice" for the twin, the ultimate relationship.

Meeting, you feel a sense of completion that goes beyond words. Wholeness on a soul level that is beyond the physical. Each twin flame is still an individual and is not 'the other half of your soul' as if you are complete now that you have found them. It is a meeting an energetic mirror of your own soul. You share a vibration and resonate with them. ~ I call this the 'soul song' in book two. ;o) 

Soul Mate ~

Soulmates are our soul family, the ones we do have many lifetimes and experiences with, who help us grow and evolve, create and dissipate karma. According to ancient wisdom, when the soul is "born" or descended from Source, it is created in a group. The souls in this group are our soulmates, ones who are very like us in frequency makeup. Then each of these souls is split into two, creating the twins.
A soulmate is someone you are close to at a soul level, and with whom you have had many shared experiences in different lifetimes, in various kinds of relationships -- siblings, parent-child, best friend, as well as romantic relationships. There is a deep love for each other, and a spiritual bond that sets them apart from the superficiality of most other people in your life. Conversations are generally deep, about personal growth and service to make the world a better place. We can have many soulmates in our lives, and they come to us to help us grow spiritually. More Here 

Naked of Form

The Modern English word "soul", derived from Old English sáwol, sáwel, was first attested in the 8th-century poem Beowulf v. 2820 and in the Vespasian Psalter 77.50. It is cognate with other German and Baltic terms for the same idea, including Gothic saiwala, Old High German sêula, sêla, Old Saxon sêola, Old Low Franconian sêla, sîla, Old Norse sála and Lithuanian siela. Further etymology of the Germanic word is uncertain. The original concept is meant to be 'coming from or belonging to the sea/lake', because of the German belief in souls being born out of and returning to sacred lakes, Old Saxon sêola (soul) compared to Old Saxon sêo (sea).

In form ~ Odilon Redon

The Koine Greek word ψυχή psychē, "life, spirit, consciousness", is derived from a verb meaning "to cool, to blow", and hence refers to the breath, as opposed to σῶμα ("soma"), meaning "body". Psychē occurs juxtaposed to σῶμα.

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: 

but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body."

In the Septuagint (LXX), ψυχή translates Hebrew נפש nephesh, meaning "life, vital breath", and specifically refers to a mortal, physical life, but is in English variously translated as "soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion"; an example can be found in Genesis 1:20.

Transformation ~ Kassandra Vizerskaya.

Words...

Freydoon Rassouli

The Ancient Greeks used the word "alive" for the concept of being "ensouled", indicating that the earliest surviving western philosophical view believed that the soul was that which gave the body life. The soul was considered the incorporeal or spiritual "breath" that animates (from the Latin, anima, cf. "animal") the living organism.

Francis M. Cornford quotes Pindar in saying that the soul sleeps while the limbs are active, but when one is sleeping, the soul is active and reveals "an award of joy or sorrow drawing near" in dreams.

Freydoon Rassouli 

Words...

Drawing on the words of his teacher Socrates, Plato considered the psyche to be the essence of a person, being that which decides how we behave. He considered this essence to be an incorporeal, eternal occupant of our being. Socrates says that even after death, the soul exists and is able to think. He believed that as bodies die, the soul is continually reborn in subsequent bodies and Plato believed this as well, however, he thought that only one part of the soul was immortal (logos). Aristotle's discussion of the soul is in his work, De Anima (On the Soul).

Cathrine Langwagen.

Augustine, one of western Christianity's most influential early Christian thinkers, described the soul as "a special substance, endowed with reason, adapted to rule the body". 

The 'origin of the soul' has provided a vexing question in Christianity. the major theories put forward include soul creationism, traducianism, and pre-existence. According to creationism, each individual soul is created directly by God, either at the moment of conception or some later time. According to traducianism, the soul comes from the parents by natural generation. According to the preexistence theory, the soul exists before the moment of conception. There have been differing thoughts.

David Joaquin.

In Hinduism, the Sanskrit words most closely corresponding to soul are jiva, Ātman and "Purusha", meaning the individual self. The term "soul" is misleading as it implies an object possessed, whereas self-signifies the subject which perceives all objects. This self is held to be distinct from the various mental faculties such as desires, thinking, understanding, reasoning and self-image (ego), all of which are considered to be part of Prakriti (nature).

The atman becomes involved in the process of becoming and transmigrating through cycles of birth and death because of ignorance of its own true nature. The spiritual path consists of self-realization – a process in which one acquires the knowledge of the self (brahma-jñanam) and through this knowledge applied through meditation and realization one then returns to the Source which is Brahman.

"For the atman, there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever – existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain". [Translation by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada).

When the Atma becomes embodied it is called birth when the Aatma leaves a body it is called death. The Aatma transmigrates from one body to another body based on karmic [performed deeds] reactions.

In Hinduism, the Sanskrit word most closely corresponding to the soul is Atma, which can mean soul or even God. It is seen as the portion of Brahman within us. 

Freydoon Rassouli.

Daisy Lee

The flower itself unfolds worlds of deeper meaning. From stem, petal, leaves, color, stamen and pistol, there is so much to consider in the deeper realms of flower meanings. Take the time to contemplate the various nuances of "flower-power" in a symbolic perspective. You'll be delighted at every turn.

Since antiquity, flower symbolism has been a significant part of cultures around the world. Flowers accompany us in every major event in life--birth, marriage, holidays, graduations, illness, and finally death. Flowers have been grown in decorative gardens and used as an adornment for centuries on virtually every continent on earth. 

Over the ages, humans have devised symbolic languages of flowers, which became popularized in the Victorian era. In the 1600's, Lady Mary Wortley was pivotal in bringing flowers and meanings to the public attention. Prior to her research and observations, the symbolism of flowers was quite esoteric. In Victorian times, certain flowers had specific meanings because the flower selection was limited and people used more symbols and gestures to communicate than words. 

Floral symbolism varies according to the type of flower, how it is arranged, how many flowers in the arrangements, and combinations of flowers. Effectually, a floral bouquet as a gift could have endless symbolic meanings. Only someone savvy in the language of flowers and meanings would be able to crack the secret code.

Further, the Victorian era wasn't the only phase of intense floral discovery. Deeper meanings of flowers were used and interpreted by:
Native American Indians
Ancient Egyptians
Ancient Greeks
Ancient Celts
Japanese
Chinese
...and many more cultures around the world have their own specialized flower-language. HERE HERE

Finding the right flower to give to someone your love is an art. 

Luli Sanchez.

Transmigration of a soul - Metempsychosis is a philosophical term in the Greek language referring to transmigration of the soul, especially its reincarnation after death. Generally, the term is only used within the context of Ancient Greek philosophy but has also been used by modern philosophers. Another term sometimes used synonymously is palingenesia. It is unclear how the doctrine of metempsychosis arose in Greece. The Orphic religion, which held it, first appeared in Thrace. 

Orpheus, its legendary founder, is said to have taught that soul and body are united by a compact unequally binding on either; the soul is divine, immortal and aspires to freedom while the body holds it a prisoner (not released until death). More HERE

Stasia Burrington.

In a dream, I saw an ethereal purple flower ~ it was  the source of everything. (Moi)

Enna, a character for a book I've yet to write called 'The Butterfly Bridge', traveled through water and white sands, her journey takes her into the universe where a beautiful, translucent, magical flower exists. It was quite a moving experience, and where my idea for the title 'A Carpet of Purple Flowers' and 'Calageata' derived. An ethereal flower/place ~ containing the karma of all life/souls. 

I've written a short creation story which includes the Sindria, the first beings of light born from the source. 

Lonely in Your Nightmare by Silvia C via DevianArt

Calageata (Swan-gate) ~ An otherworldly place for Sindria (care-keepers of souls).

Flower of Vororbla ~ Flower of karma. (Voror Flower)

Mists of Calageata (from the flowers) represent our forgetting in timelessness. In sleep during soul transition stages.

I love the tempo and lyrics in this song by Mree. It's how I see two souls (twin flames) joining, and it was perfect to listen to as writing a certain visualization in book one. It's not about perfection of the body (material form) but uniting of souls that have been separated for an extremely long time. Words spoken by the eyes are not comparable to the voice. It could be called 'insta love', but in truth, it is ancient love and far from instant, intangible to many, especially when not yet soul ready to meet their twin. ;o) 

I'm not a religious person, but I do consider myself spiritual, though not in a heavy way, and by that I mean, my daily life is not filled with incense and meditation, not that there's anything wrong with that. ;o) I live, when able, in my mind, writing, researching, and creating art, that is, to me, a form of meditation - detaching from a systematic world and the surrounding city stresses. I believe that our creative muse connects to 'the source' becoming a form through which we can share experiences, dreams, and knowledge. People rarely show their inner selves, but through creativity, we can easily express/investigate parts that otherwise would remain hidden.

More research behind the spiritual/scientific concepts for the story can be found HERE

It has been quite the challenge to use these areas in a very subtle way so not to overload the story with information or get too deep into the psychology of life and death/soul and matter/form. A love story was the perfect way to explore these ideas. Helps that I'm a hopeless romantic, too. It's the reason that I write using fantasy and reality creating a blend of truth and myth. It is up to the reader to decide what is possible, or not. The layers within the story are concepts that go beyond tangible/literal thinking, so I don't expect everybody to connect to certain elements used in the book, but I've applied them as gently as possible, and I promise all is relevant to the bigger tale. :o) 

 

What does the soul mean to you?

love and light,

Trace

xoxo