The words of Rumi, the Persian poet and mystic, give an instant lift: “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
But the painful reality of wounds is that the light needs time to do its work.
When the wound is profound, like grief at the loss of someone you love, the darkness does not brighten at once.
Instead, the light works in ways you do not know and for a time cannot even feel.
Daily life continues, of course.
You take care of your tasks. You walk. You talk.
But the dance has gone out of your rhythms.
August 13-16, 2015
Obon Letter for Dr. Hans G. Laetz from Catrien Ross
Dear Hans:
In Japan, it is Obon, the August 3-day festival of the dead.
So I am grateful for this unusual way to honor your returning spirit.
I especially want to observe this first Obon since your death last year – your so-called nibon.
At the front door, a lighted fire points the way, welcoming and guiding your spirit here.
Cucumber and eggplant have been picked fresh from the garden and your spirit animals stand ready.
The cucumber horse serves to carry your spirit here as swiftly as possible.
Your departure on the eggplant cow is meant to be much slower, a reluctant leaving when Obon is over.
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Hans – Dr. Johann Gottlieb Laetz – died on September 23, 2014.
On December 2, 2014, I experienced a mysterious encounter with an owl.
At about 8:30 am, a short-eared owl flew directly down into my kitchen window and fell to the ground.
I immediately ran out to cradle the stunned bird in my hands.
When the large orange eyes closed I thought the beautiful creature might be dying.
Stroking its neck and feathers, I murmured, “Don’t die, don’t die.”
But the owl was not dead – it suddenly energized and sat up along the thumb and index finger of my left hand.
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Honkohji, a Buddhist temple in Japan’s heartland, will present Catrien Ross latest paintings in a solo art show titled Soul Journeys, or Tamashii no Tabi in Japanese.
With some 1,600 years of history, Honkohji is a Nichiren Buddhist temple in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
I am delighted that more than 40 of my acrylic on canvas paintings already hang throughout Honkohji, including the main hall.
Catrien Ross solo art show Soul Journeys will feature my 2014 Glints Series artwork, new in 2014.
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By Catrien Ross
In the Chinese calendar 2014 is the year of wood, or green horse.
As the new year gallops forward, I, too, move in the continuing mystery of my art and music.
I am delighted to announce that today my new art and music website went live at https://www.catrienross.com
In the short YouTube video below, please enjoy a moment with my first paintings of the new year, together with my original music from Source, Return 19, from my CD, “Music from Source: Return – Variations.”
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