Belonging

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This painting Belonging, expresses my joy as I came to know, both by understanding and by spiritual experience, that I fully belong integral to the sacred earth. Human experience over the centuries and understandings of our remarkable identity told in the New Story invites us to enter our garden, however difficult and tragic life often is.

This celebration of belonging is particularly important to me because as a biology major in college, I was expelled from the fullness of our garden, the earth, when I was taught the reductive, objectified science that began in 17th century Europe. It was used by many who claimed to fully understand and describe the earth and natural world. I was also partially expelled from the garden by a tragedy in my family when I was a newborn infant. The new story, watercolor painting and good friends and teachers have helped me find healing and a way to reluctantly accept the consequences of the tragedy in my infancy. It has been hard to accept.

My essay, Trauma to Incendence found on this website, is about the importance of understanding the depth of my belonging within the new story and how it has enabled me to address the consequences a family tragedy when I was an infant.