I feel like a character in a novel who has been ascribed a motif or a symbol by the author. Whenever I appear in the story, there is a bowl close at hand. Like Hester Pryne and her Scarlet A, I come carrying a bowl. I wonder what it means, really, this bowl? Any insight?
Here are this week's highlights of bowl appearances and a comment from another character in this novel:
1. The bowl is now full of water. Clear cool water. It now holds an illusion. It appears empty (one can see through water) and yet it holds an abundance of water. Of course, the main character was the one to put water in it and because she realized that she is in fact not empty and even though she goes through the meditative process of emptying herself, there is still so much abundant material in her that it would seem silly to leave this bowl empty. Water's transparency holds the tension perfectly: empty but full.
2. The bowl is now moved to the windowsill that sits just above the kitchen sink. A good place for the character to notice it as she stands at the sink washing dishes. She can look out into the world, the hills, the sky, and yet, still remain in her inside world. This bowl is on the edge of both worlds.
3. A new character has appeared this week, speaking of bowls. This new character, a potter, said to the main character as she sat down at the potter's wheel, "Let's start with a bowl because everything wants to be a bowl." Everything wants to open up, embrace, catch, hold, take the form of a bowl. Everything. All forms.
You hold so much life that it doesnt surprise me a bowl seems to be your life symbol. Even the potter sensed it from you - or should I say from the main character??
ReplyDeleteHi Nicki, the bowl seems the perfect symbol for being in a state of 'allowing' the good of the universe to flow into our lives, as it always strives to do. When we are in our moods of contraction or resistance, we've let things clutter up our bowl, we've blocked the way of our good to come to us. Keeping our sacred bowl clean and free keeps us in a state of allowing. I imagine holding a small bowl just by my solar plexus and allowing. And then I imagine it growing bigger and bigger to receive all that is there for me and the human race. What a wonderful feeling!
ReplyDeleteLesley
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Tracey,
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of it as my life symbol and always thought more of a spiral as something that speaks of me more than myself. However, a bowl, if made on a wheel, is one big spiral. I have more bowls this week to write about. They keep appearing in unexpected places!
I am very interested in life symbols and what purpose they serve.
Lesley, I really like the image of 'allowing' the good of the universe to flow into our lives. Like a deep well gushing with water, the bowl both gives nourishment and receives refreshment, fullness. I wonder if open is another word here for allowing? Also wondering if the bowl as you describe it, is about the alignment of soul with body, of Universe with individual, of all that we are with all that we are becoming. I always love your insight and poetics. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNicki, Yes - definately 'allowing' is another way of saying 'open'. I like the bowl image because it's always open - that's its (our) true nature - but it can get cluttered with negativity. All we have to do is keep the bowl clear of unwanted thoughts and resistances, and our channel for receiving is open - we are allowing. Being in resistance is a habit, we habitually allow our receptacle to get clogged up with our thoughts & fears, thus cutting us off from the flow, the alignment and Divine guidance. I guess we could rename the book 'Let Go and Live in the Now' to 'Let Go and Live in the Bowl' !! :-D
ReplyDeleteKeep on writing! You're making a difference!
xx