I recently had an old high school friend put out a facebook challenge for some art. We grew up creating art together, it was the pandemic (what a great Sunday afternoon activity) and I was excited at the idea of picking up the paint brush again. So I did it. One Sunday afternoon, My daughter and I dug out all of the old acrylic paints and my tackle box from college that still had all of my supplies (right where I left them in 1997 - phew!). We set everything up and I got to work. Except, I had no idea what to paint. So I sat there.
Painting is process and it just takes time. You need to have a base and then layer upon layer of details arrive...kinda hard to do when you don't know what you want to paint. So I told myself, just sit at the easel and it will come. Oh boy did it! I have never done a painting in this way before. It just came out of me. I hit a spot that somehow I was creating this lady and this globe rain drop thing hanging from her nose with a fire to the left, water to the right and she appears to be an angel (seriously, what is that?!?)...but it seemed she was also in my thoughts and guiding me. This is the progress from night one - started from a plain white gessoed canvas.
By the end of a few weekends. (I only did it Sundays yall.) She had a face and she was forming...I thought this was very nicey nice but weird. (My kids were like what are you drawing Mom? ha ha ha!) Still, she had further plans...so I kept going. I could start to feel swirls and wind along with the fire and water and crazy globe thing. I kept thinking she must been an angel that worked with elements...why I found her, I had no idea...
Nevertheless, I kept working on it - I worked on her over the Easter holiday season. So by the end of the painting and during my am I done with this phase (I think that lasted at least two weeks). I kept on hearing a man say a name, in a distinct Eastern European/Russian accent, Lusvannah, Levannah, Leftsvannah. I couldn't 100% tell what I heard (he had a thick accent, ok!)...so I went to look her up online. I actually did not find much until I ran into a bunch that explained Levannah!
So here she is, introducing Levannah!
Interestingly enough, here are some of the insights I have found on her:
- Levanna as a girl's name has Latin and Hebrew origins. The meaning of Levanna is "to rise; shining white one; the moon". 🌝
- In Hebrew she is known as Levanah, in Roman mythology Diana and in the Greek tradition as Persephone and also Aphrodite. In the Egyptian tradition she is Isis, the female member of the powerful trinity of Osiris, Isis and Horus. To the followers of ancient traditions of witchcraft, she is Brid, Maiden-Goddess of the waxing Moon; Diana, Mother-Goddess of the full Moon and Morrigan, Crone-Goddess of the waning Moon.
- Most religions take some account of the Moon's position in their festival calender; for instance, in the Christian tradition, Easter and Whitsun still 'float' according to the Moon's orbit. It is interesting to note that Easter was a Greco-Roman festival associated with Ishtarte, the predecessor of Aphrodite/Diana. These godesses, like the beginning of the spring season itself, speak of fertility and growth and the renewal of life. (Well, I did create it over the easter holiday season.)
- The image of the Moon as the supreme female, the complete mother, is strongly represented in the egyptian goddess, Isis, who presided over herbal remedies and Lunar magic.
And over these tides the Great Goddess presides under the aspect of the Moon.
As she passeth from her rising to her setting, so answer these tides unto her.
She riseth from the sea as the evening star, and the waters of the earth rise in flood.
She sinketh as Luna in the western ocean, and the waters flow back into the inner Earth and are still in that great lake of darkness wherein are the Moon and Stars reflected. Whoso is still as the dark underworld lake of Persephone shall see the tides of the unseen moving therein and shall know all things. Therefore is Luna also called the giver of visions.
-In the Kabbalistic tradition, the Moon, this time known as Levanah, is associated with the section of the Tree of Life which is called Yesod. Yesod is the ninth path of pure intelligence and it purifies the emanations. Yesod contains two totally different images; the watery Moon of Levanah under the presidency of the water element archangel, Gabriel, and also the magical image of a beautiful naked young man who is known for his strength alongside the powerful God name of Shaddai el Chai, the Almighty living God. Nothing in the Kabalah is easy to understand, but the idea behind Yesod is that the universe was a vaporous and watery chaos which was gathered into order by the strength and power of God.
- Our Lady is also the Moon, called of some Selene, of others Luna, but by the wise Levanah, for therein is contained the numbers of her name. She is the ruler of the tides and flux and reflux. The waters of the Great Sea answer unto her, likewise the tides of all earthly seas, and she ruleth the nature of women.
- In Judaism, they perform the Kiddish Levana. What Is Kiddush Levana? Kiddush Levana, the Sanctification of the Moon, is performed once a month, during the first part of the lunar cycle. Said outdoors at night, Kiddush Levana is a meaningful ritual highlighted by a Hebrew blessing, selections of Psalms and other prayers. It is often followed by joyous dancing. (I am in, you had me at joyous dancing.)
- Goddess of the moon. - She is watery moon goddess fertility mother. (What in the actual? That's what I drew.)
I had no idea that I was doing a spiritual drawing until I started doing it. I have never done one before but like everything in my life, it is what it is and I accept it. (I am still learning to trust 100%, I'm about a 96.5% there.) I tend to connect the dots later and say you're sneaky universe.
I would like to thank Ruth Mary for the FB challenge and look forward to doing some more creating! I hope you do too.
P.S. She hangs next to my desk now.
It's time to illuminate!
Please be kind.
Hope and light lives within us all.
xoxo
Joyce
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“I don’t understand it any more than you do, but one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t have to understand things for them to be.” ― Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
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For inquiries please email, illuminatedsoul6@gmail.com
I have been providing readings for over five years and have studied/mentored with Rita Berkowitz, Mavis Pittilla, and Jo Petrie.
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