By Suzanne Fageol
It was the day during the Summer Gathering when we were to draw from the collective and to focus on peace. We all went out to the labyrinth to do a Peace Invocation. The intention was to center on the world soul and to draw from that place of collective wisdom with peace as the focus. Following the invocation, much to my surprise, I felt led to return 
to the hall and draw there. As I walked back I reflected on my puzzlement that I would be led to draw away from the group and inside. When I walked into the room, I was attracted to the large drawing board. It can be intimidating for a non-artist to be with the large board. How would I ever fill up that big space? I found myself cutting ten large sheets off the roll of paper, thinking that there would be lots of paper left for others to draw. I might manage two drawings at most on that large board.
I rolled out my ink and took the first sheet of paper. It was the jagged end piece that I had cut off the roll first. I thought I would use it as a throwaway “warm-up” piece. I closed my eyes and allowed my hands to draw. Instantly, I was guided into a deep state of collective flow. When I pulled the paper from the board, the owl was there. Owl has always been an ally of wisdom for me. I knew I was about to receive more guidance. I put another piece of paper on the board. The next thing I knew it was an hour later and I was drawing a circle. I saw it was the end of a series I was barely conscious of drawing.
I expected that in touching into the collective of peace I would touch into the darkness and pain of the earth and our lives. Instead, I was left with a great sense of joy and hope. Hope is defined as a yearning with the expectation of attainment. I knew my sense of joy was a certainty that peace would prevail on earth. I felt that we can transform violence; that sentient beings and the earth itself with survive, indeed, thrive in the future. A heartfelt sense of consolation came upon me as I cried tears of joy to be given such grace on behalf of all of us.
1) Owl Vision Owl sits in the East that is the place of illumination in the Amerindian medicine wheel. Owl can see in the dark and is an ally of wisdom. |
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2) Priestess of the New Order of Integration Robed in ceremonial garb with symbols that echo the owl/wisdom theme and open-heartedness, this figure carries the shepherd’s crook, leading people to new wisdom. On her head is a bishop’s miter, a sign of spiritual leadership. It is embossed with an entwined symbol of the integration of masculine and feminine signaling a new order of being. |
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3) Pregnant with a New Earth A generative universe, in the form of a pregnant woman, cares for a new earth that grows large within her. Birth is imminent. |
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4) Initiate of the New Order This being wears the saffron robe of an initiate/teacher of the integrated wisdom of the new order characterized by the entwined symbol of the joining of masculine and feminine on the forehead. |
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5) Death Bowed Down Another view of the generative universe symbolized by the pregnant woman. This time she appears in her destructive, chaotic phase as Kali. The two scythes represent the phase of death and chaos. The figure is bowed down as homage to the necessity of destructive phase of life and as a sign that death itself is bowed down now as we move into a phase of life as growth and creativity. |
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6) Coming Back to Life The lightening bolt of death/life spews people and the earth out of complacency, hurling them through the space of chaos and into a new configuration of incarnate co-creativity, cooperation and community. |
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In the face of overwhelming odds – a poisoned earth, the death of flora and fauna, massive pollution, global warming, war, violence and abuse, the moon watches. The buffalo grows wings and jumps over the moon. Moon, as the seat of emotions and the heart awakens us to deep compassion and love. Just when it seems life will not continue, the winged buffalo appears as a messenger to remind us of the power of prayer and fulfillment of prophesy pointing to a new time of abundance and plenty. |
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8) We Are Connected by the Heart We are connected by the heart. Where do you end and where do I start? The web of life is superimposed on the heart. The yellow dots are the jewels on the nodes of Indra’s cosmic web. |
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A new consciousness requires new neural synapses and networks. Perhaps the labyrinth is a new archetypal pattern lighting the way to a new order in our brains. These new neural pathways carry light from our minds to our hands so we can be of service in new ways to the world. |
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10) The Sefirot/Tree of Life Here, in this sacred configuration from the Jewish mystical tradition of the Kabbalah, are the ten qualities of divine nature. They are community, creativity, awe, compassion, truth and beauty, love and mercy, nurture, co-creation and sacred incarnation. Each capacity is represented here by a face – human, animal, non-physical being, and beings yet-to-be. Together we create the new order. |
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11) The Forest – Breath of the Earth We breathe because of the forests. They represent earth’s forests now and the capacity of stability. They appear solid and real and are a source of comfort. |
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12) Clear-cut This represents destruction, chaos, death, Kali energy and the other side of our current reality. It is a necessary phase if something new is to emerge. |
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A pause is necessary between the cycles of death and rebirth. It is the pause in the breath between expiration and inspiration. Resting on a solid foundation, this circle is a holding grail space for the new order to emerge. It has an opening in the top for new seeds/energy to be placed in the generative holy chalice for a new beginning. |
