Flower and Seed of Life

These are not words I'm making up,
these are the actual words that were used in ancient times
to describe this. I think they called it the Flower of Life
because it looks like a flower and because it [represents]
the laws and proportions for everything alive and even not alive;
everything that's manifested.

Drunvalo Melchizedek,
speaking in a video of a presentation on the Flower of Life.

The Flower of Life is the modern name given to a geometrical figure composed of multiple evenly spaced, overlapping circles, that are arranged so that they form a flower-like pattern with
a sixfold symmetry like a hexagon. The center of each circle is on the circumference of six surrounding circles of the same diameter.

It is considered by some to be a symbol of sacred geometry, said to contain ancient, religious value depicting the fundamental forms of space and time. In this sense, it is a visual expression of the connections life weaves through all sentient beings, believed to contain a type of Akashic Record of basic information of all living things.

There are many spiritual beliefs associated with the Flower of Life; for example, depictions of the five Platonic Solids are found within the symbol of Metatron's Cube, which may be derived from the Flower of Life pattern. These platonic solids are geometrical forms which are said to act as a template from which all life springs.

Another notable example of that which may be derived from the Flower of Life is the Tree of Life. This has been an important symbol of sacred geometry for many people from various religious backgrounds. Particularly, the teachings of the Kabbalah have dealt intricately with the Tree of Life.

According to Drunvalo Melchizedek, in the Judeo-Christian tradition, the stages which construct the Seed of Life are said to represent the seven days of Creation, in which Elohim (God/concept of divinity) created life...

Using the symbols of the Seed of Life and the Flower of Life for a holiday card (requested colors in the terracotta/ antique palette)has had me running for the lynda.com tutorials on live color--which confirmed what I knew, added to the skillset I am developing and giving me confidence to just hack my way through this web of imagery. The simpler mandala is the Seed of Life (not shown), the image in the rope border (created as a pattern brush!) is the Flower of Life. I have been popping through various colorations, line weights and a few other illustrator tricks to get some images together ( I had committed to 6 designs within a week...and the time has become shortened).

Gotta go as deadlines are looming. It was 46˚ this morning...and not surprisingly, a bright red leaf was on my welcome mat coming home from dropping Kitty and Alex off.

Rare small size horse weathervane with applied mane by J. Howard, Waltham, Mass., circa 1865. Cast zinc and copper, retaining an old gold painted surface. from fredgiampietro.com

Want to put a man on a fraktur horse and am looking about in the world of folk art for a nice reference on horses. Look at this beauty. Horses exist in Fraktur, but in a very limited way. The "Flying Horse" Carousel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island references the weathervanes as seen above. So, I think I have a model for this image. The lady above is still in coloring...but close.

First day of school was excellent. The classes were better than expected. Nice to be back with friends and teachers we love. And, the lovely low humidity cool weather delights. Rob cancelled his travel due to flu like symptoms. Mr. Hair is cutting down trees and grinding up the piles of brush that have accumulated over the summer. Lovely. Work continues. Christmas on the horizon. Oy.

true love

The weekend became a blur. We dusted and cleaned on Saturday at the Luckystone. The place was covered in that fine gritty plaster dust due to spackle (yay) and general construction dust (yay--new furnace, new pass through water heater, new filter system all in place in the newly configured former closet now energy center) and new vents. So a bit topsy turvy. I remembered the savior of our moving into the Camp House and the zillions of years of mites, motes and dust-- the ultimate dust buster, the Hoover Floor Mate machine. The name does not express how wonderful this thing is.. First it is a dry vaccum (if thats what you want) but the transcendent part is that it can be a wet floor scubber combined with the vaccum...so you can pull all the dust up, then run a quick wash and pull up all the scungy water along with it. Two or three passes on a room on a warm day ( it went up to 93˚ on Saturday and HUMID) and you have it covered. Plus, they make all sorts of megamixes with Lysol or Old English which actually does a bit more. So, I took a spin at the first floor floors and Alex, so inspired, took on the second floor. Lots of top mopping, and dusting. R. sorted all the copper that came out of the walls and organized all the materials (go,stay, reuse, to the dump) along with no end of other projects that he automatically and continually did. Saturday p.m. We took the kids to Shortstop for the promised Suicide Sandwiches (a hometeam favorite of the favorites, the ultimate of bribes)--and we sat outside watching these sandwiches be sucked down (can you say floor mate?) in rapid order. Kids then had time on the commons (Kitty and a friend to go to the basement of Trader Ks (a consignment store) for prom dress shopping, and Alex and friend to buy vinyl records). Rob and I went off to Home Depot for cleaning supplies and boring parental purchases. I bought a small quantity of groceries at Wegmans while R. got a haircut.

Then, to pick up the kids, we went inside Blue Bird Antiques, my new favorite antique place. The owner has a pechant for exactly the same things I adore. The odder the better. She had ton of masonic posters, framed prints, medaillions, necklaces, and these teaching scrolls (one I had to buy). This scroll is covered in symbols from the all seeing eye, to Hirams Temple, to a picture of George Washington with his apron on. There was the slipper and the sword next to angels coming down a diagonal latter from heavenly clouds. Wigged and wonderful....and now MINE> There is a bunch of Chinese propeganda posters, indian common art (and figures), wonderful photographs of Native Americans, great frames (for work) at a good price. It is not give away cheap, but the stuff is terrific and the edit that happens in the buying is wonderful. Cannot say enough about what an inspiration this place is. Illustration reference out the ears!

Sunday was spent by some organizing and others (me) cooking for the organizers and writing. I am within an eyeshot of completing the thesis work. I hadnt thought about the writing, but as I have 14 pieces versus the minimum of 6, that would increase the work section by almost 2.5x--thus the time. I find the writing very revelatory as it is forcing me to think chronologically and actually surface some of the unconscious stuff that normally isn't peered at. So, on the way. May make the May 1 deadline (certainly going to try)--and then after that, I will amend the illustrations per the SF contact, and redo the Double Happiness as it has a kernel of an idea, but isnt there quite yet.

Must go. Have a special education committee meeting I am committed to attend at 9. This week looks doable (I hope) with not too many specials to keep me from finishing projects and hopefully starting new ones.

>> For more on the Suicide Sandwich, please reference "Tasty-Ass Sandwiches of the Ivy League: The Hot Truck Triple Suicide" by Nick Summers