The Book of Secrets
The Book of Secrets
I’ve dealt with my ghosts and faced all my demons
I’ve found you find strength in your moments of weakness,
For once I’m at peace with myself,
I’ve been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long.
I’m moving on. Rascal Flatts
As I sit in my healing room I gaze up at a piece of art work hanging on the wall. Manifested by the gifted artistic insights and creativity of Barbara Brinson, a dear friend in South Carolina, it is a three-dimensional piece, a female ceramic face, serene, eyes closed, and contemplative. I purchased her years ago, falling in love with her mystery and the beauty of the feminine, but not knowing why she needed to be with me. As I engaged with my own healing journey, old wounds shifted as I moved from fragmented to integrated. Now, feeling safe and secure within myself, I begin to understand her. This beautiful piece of artwork, with its sense of ancient wisdom, is aptly named, The Book of Secrets.
She is mounted on the front of a handmade leather book, made from an old cobbler’s work apron. While not functional in the literal sense, ceramic hinges and a ceramic knob for entry articulate entrance into a new world. Although the book does not actually open, in looking between the edges of the leather cover one can see that the interior pages are made up of a series of old maps bound together to create the content held hostage there and awaiting discovery. As my thoughts swirl and I continue looking at her, I realize that she has become a metaphor for my experience.
At the base of her face, she is supported by a triangular configuration of three spirals. Composed of straight lines, the triangle is the strongest of the polygonal shapes. It has a solid base, holds its form true, and provides immense support. The woman of The Book of Secrets presents this inherent strength in her tranquility; grounded, patient and powerful. The spirals are reminiscent of the nautilus, a sacred symbol representing the journey and the changes of life as it unfolds, taking a series of twists and turns that eventually leads us to Source. A symbol of internal harmony, the nautilus also represents the consciousness of nature beginning from a central position and expanding outward. The chambers of the nautilus are indicative of the stages of life each of us will pass through, and the spiral itself indicative of creation, fluid movement, and evolution. Our woman of The Book of Secrets is divinely supported and awaits in readiness for what is to come.
The top of the face is open at the forehead with a series of bubbles and wavy lines emerging from the mind. The lines remind me of the way energy looks when it becomes visible, not unlike the mirage on a straight and narrow highway in the hot desert sun. The bubbles float out gently and trickle down the sides of the face, yet another reminder of energy and its transformative experience, the palpable sensations that emerge unbidden with the opening and balancing of the chakras, or when something shifts in the body or emotions. I am reminded that there is freedom in also allowing the mind to be open, and that there is much to lose in allowing ourselves to be held hostage by beliefs that lower our capacity to step into the divine essence we each hhold within.
Her eyes are closed as if she is in repose, patiently dreaming, and silently preparing herself, until the moment arrives when she is ready for awakening. At the right side of her head, she is adorned with what appears to be a ram’s horn, an ancient image associated with physical strength, mental and spiritual power. The spiral of the horn denotes creativity and decisive force. She has a power that will burst forth harvesting imagination and inspiration, and with it will come the strength to overcome adversity, and manifest her desired outcome. She has the gifts of the warrior’s might, will, and character to tackle life and the world.
Images and messages, maps to guide me along the way, all of them lovingly placed markers in my life’s journey. Acknowledging them with awareness, turning to face them, reliving and merging with the suffering of the past so that I could begin to understand its purpose, leaning into the apprehension and fear of not being enough, and then finally, breaking those bonds to joyfully move into an understanding of who I truly am. In grace and fullness of being, I have stepped into a knowingness that my own divine spark has the ability to expand exponentially and I am capable of being love, being loved, choosing happiness, and residing in pure potential. My best self, now lives in the possibility of the joy of magnificence that resides in each of us. No longer bound by insecurity and the past, I am confidently able to give myself to the world, and actively to live life in the bliss of fully residing consciously in each present moment. The final blessing is that grace, and the power of infinite love guides. As I turn my gaze upward, The Book of Secrets whispers to me, and she reminds me that I am divinely feminine; intricate, scarred, imperfect yet powerful, beautiful, wise, and creative. As I move into expanding this newness of being, and continue my learning, I end this chapter with the understanding, and firm belief, that my pathway took me exactly where I was meant to go. the Book of Secrets, serene and peaceful, reminds me that life is a journey of discovery.
