Attending a horse show one summer
day at the Hamilton Hunt Club, my daughter and I noticed a nearby spacious
garden center with much statuary, bird baths, sun dials, etc. She, being an equestrian, gravitated to a
stone white rearing horse...perfectly poised, the front feet both parallel, the
mane and tail seemingly flying in a breeze. Tall and slender, the statue had a
large spike at its base...to plant in garden soil. How magnificent! A gift for her September birthday. (Today she
still has it on display at her West Lincoln property.)
I was intrigued with a few Buddha
statues ~ all in jade-green stone with brushed brass finish. This could be beautifully placed in my garden
of roses, lilacs and flowering shrubs. The Meditating Buddha, in classic lotus
position “connected with me.” His face
spoke of serenity, wisdom, spirituality and discipline. My gardens would welcome him to a peaceful
environment, creating harmony for him
and me. As I purchased him, I was
awed with such reverence!
Buddha was the accent in my
garden ~ from him I experienced positive energy and peace of mind that
overcame mini-tribulations that occasionally occurred. Whether among my rose
blossoms or amid the scented lilacs, his message attuned to my life. He travelled with me to 4 different homes and then to my 18th floor's
balcony overlooking Lake
Ontario. Here, Buddha adjusted well to my hibiscus
plants and other potted flowers. For
over 6 years he's had a sacred home
(where I now live) on a tall wrought iron stand.
Buddha (The Enlightened One),
originally a prince in Nepal, was a man of knowledge, of wisdom, of philosophy
and a teacher to many. He is the founder
of Buddhism, based on his principles, which
is the 4th largest religion in the world.
Of Interest: Why is the lotus flower symbolic of Buddhism?
The roots of the lotus are in the
mud; the stem grows up through the water and the heavily scented flower lies
pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern growth signifies the progress of
the soul from the primaral mud of
materialism, through the waters of experience and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. The lotus flower is white, but also red,
blue, pink and purple...each representing personal inner truths.
Wisdom of Buddha
Do not overrule
what you have received, nor envy
others.
He who envies
others, does not obtain peace of mind.
Better than a
thousand words, is one word that brings peace.
Holding on to
anger is like grasping a hot coal
with the intent of
throwing it at someone else.
You are the only
one who gets burned.
In the sky, there
is no distinction of east and west;
people create
distinctions out of their own minds
and then believe
them to be truths.
This past winter, our balconies needed
much repair. Our furniture in these
areas had to be removed ~ mine placed in a main floor storage room by
management. Now that our “new balconies”
are in place, we can renew our enjoyment of the outside environment…so “nature
oriented.” Buddha, however, could not be
located. Indeed...how sad I was! He had journeyed with me for about 35
years...been my 'side-kick' and fountain of inspiration! Perhaps it's time to move on with new
horizons and new concepts.
A few days ago, I frequented a
few nearby nursery gardens searching for a statue replacement. Yes, I saw Buddhas ~ they didn't impress me
with their silver heads (so artificial) and their almost false expressions...no
connections with them at all. At Holland
Park Nursery, were a few white statues of a classic goddess. Due to a few chips, they were on sale at ½
price. WOW! I'll have one of these! A gentleman spent some time with me observing
each (as they were too heavy for me to lift); he then placed our choice on my
'dolly'. Once purchased and plastic
bagged, he pushed it to my car and lifted the heavy statue into my trunk.
She is a Greek goddess
replica...who in the days of Greek mythology, represented love, desire,
beauty, pleasure and procreation. (Her
Roman equivalent was the goddess Venus.)
My goddess is depicted as a beautiful woman usually accompanied by a
winged godling, Eros (love). Tradition
stated that she had sprung from the foam of the sea. Her name is Aphrodite!
It is with elation that I can enjoy my 3rd floor balcony to
the fullest, now complete with a new focal
point. In the freshness of the
air and warmth of the sun, this afternoon I muse: feeling the gentle breeze as it wafts
through lacy leaves…hearing the birds as they merrily sing…seeing the
squirrels and chipmunks at play. Best of all is the touch of Nature
given me…lush greenery of bushes and
trees…the vast blue sky and travelling clouds…thundering from darkening sky and flashes of lightening, the frequent spectacular sunsets, the silvery crescent moon as it rises under a canopy of a million
stars! I closed my eyes in total
reverie.
Sipping my almond liqueur on the rocks, I pondered about Aphrodite ~ my
carved alabaster statue in quiet reign from
her balcony home.
Will she inspire
me as she tells of her Aegean isles…and of her life in Greek society?
Will she inform me how her people
dyed fabrics into azure blue, royal purple, rich jade green?
Will she capture my imagination
with jewellerys of gold and inlaid
precious stones?
And I realized…every life does tells a story!
* * * * * * * * *
The simplest and
most basic symbol of the goddess
is the
acknowledgement of the legitimacy of female power
as a beneficent
and independent power.
(Carol P. Christ)
Merle Baird-Kerr …
written July 11, 2013
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