Saturday, November 1, 2014

Singing Over The Bones

The Wild Woman - Singing Over The Bones - Catherine Meyers"  The Wild Woman lives where the dead come to be kissed and the living send their prayers. "

I have always been fascinated with all kinds of stories that are manifested through mythology, and tomorrow is The Day of the Dead, which originates from Aztec Mythology, and it is the celebrated holiday when the dead, family and friends are all remembered. I wish all my Mexican and Spanish friends a Happy Day of the Dead. I don't know a whole lot about Aztec Mythology, but have always been interested in ancient cultures, their stories, myths and legends, as they teach us about life, and death.

I have found it some what sad how our Western world is so out of touch with death. Death is what we all have in common, yet we keep death at arms length. Ancient and traditional cultures are much more connected with the Life-Death-Life cycle.


The myth of The Day of The Dead revolves around the underworld of Mictlan which was ruled by King Mictlantecuhtli ("Lord of the Underworld") and his wife, Mictecacihuatl ("Lady of the Underworld").
It is the most celebrated holiday in Mexico, and has become integrated with Spanish traditions, and all over the world. The goddess Mictlantecuhtli reminds me of Persephone, in Greek Mythology she is Psyche, and the High Priestess of the Tarot. The High Priestess is an image of that natural law at work within the depths of the soul. Persephone like Mictecacihuatl  is also the goddess of the underworld or the night world of the unconscious, which is revealed through feelings, intuition, dreams, and fantasies.


Within the art world, death seems to be mostly avoided, and not reflected usually within the subject matter of the contemporary artist.

The story of the Inuit myth about Skeleton Women best reflects for me the Life-Death-Life cycle.

Skeleton Woman - Catherine Meyers

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