The meeting of Breaths

A correspondent writes: Regarding your post on the meaning of the Japanese "breath" kanji, I recently encountered the expression 息が合う iki ga au.The dictionary translation was to (work, talk, etc.) together smoothly, but if I am reading the kanji right it really means “(our/their) breath meets"! Thank you so much for your input. 会う is actually to meet in the regular sense. 合う is pronounced the same but means more merge, come together, join together. A really interesting thing about this expression is how close it is to the Scriptural phrase (speaking of angels and maids) “breathe with them in their upward aspiration” (from the last chapter of The Mythos of God the Daughter). Of course aspire is another breath/spirit word, like spirit and respire, and the expression seems to mean to unite in spirit.

The meeting of Breaths

A correspondent writes: Regarding your post on the meaning of the Japanese "breath" kanji, I recently encountered the expression 息が合う iki ga au.The dictionary translation was to (work, talk, etc.) together smoothly, but if I am reading the kanji right it really means “(our/their) breath meets"! Thank you so much for your input. 会う is actually to meet in the regular sense. 合う is pronounced the same but means more merge, come together, join together. A really interesting thing about this expression is how close it is to the Scriptural phrase (speaking of angels and maids) “breathe with them in their upward aspiration” (from the last chapter of The Mythos of God the Daughter). Of course aspire is another breath/spirit word, like spirit and respire, and the expression seems to mean to unite in spirit.

The Kanji for Breath

we have talked about often. Breath is also the breath of spirit. The very word “spirit” is the same word as the Latin for breath (which is why we have re-spir-ation). In Greek pneuma means breath and Spirit, in Sanskrit atma means the same two things, as does ruach in Hebrew. The sun is of course connected with the rhythms of manifestation – day and night, the seasons. The heart, while it is Solar, does not carry this direct symbolism. The breath, on the other hand does. In fact when we talk of seasonality and time we use the breath as the extreme signifier – that is, it represents the smallest rhythm (a single in-and-out breath) and the greatest (the outbreathing and inbreathing of the cosmos by the Dark Mother at the beginning and end of time). Breath is less world-like than heartbeat. Heartbeat stops at death while breath-spirit is pictured as leaving the body but continuing (“giving up the ghost” – and remember that “ghost” also means spirit originally – cf German Geist and older English usages like “the Holy Ghost”). Sanskrit, being closer to primordial language than the Classical or Semitic languages contains an additional meaning to the word atma. It also means self. And it means self in both senses – the Supreme Self – Divinity, and the small personal self (atma and jivatma). Words derived from atma are used to mean “myself” in Sanskrit-derived languages (such as Hindi) to this day. Thus breath is the self-heart the center-symbol that directly symbolizes the duality/oneness of Supreme self and “mere self” as beautifully expressed in this kanji.

The Kanji for Breath

we have talked about often. Breath is also the breath of spirit. The very word “spirit” is the same word as the Latin for breath (which is why we have re-spir-ation). In Greek pneuma means breath and Spirit, in Sanskrit atma means the same two things, as does ruach in Hebrew. The sun is of course connected with the rhythms of manifestation – day and night, the seasons. The heart, while it is Solar, does not carry this direct symbolism. The breath, on the other hand does. In fact when we talk of seasonality and time we use the breath as the extreme signifier – that is, it represents the smallest rhythm (a single in-and-out breath) and the greatest (the outbreathing and inbreathing of the cosmos by the Dark Mother at the beginning and end of time). Breath is less world-like than heartbeat. Heartbeat stops at death while breath-spirit is pictured as leaving the body but continuing (“giving up the ghost” – and remember that “ghost” also means spirit originally – cf German Geist and older English usages like “the Holy Ghost”). Sanskrit, being closer to primordial language than the Classical or Semitic languages contains an additional meaning to the word atma. It also means self. And it means self in both senses – the Supreme Self – Divinity, and the small personal self (atma and jivatma). Words derived from atma are used to mean “myself” in Sanskrit-derived languages (such as Hindi) to this day. Thus breath is the self-heart the center-symbol that directly symbolizes the duality/oneness of Supreme self and “mere self” as beautifully expressed in this kanji.

The Blessed Virgin Mary

A correspondent writes: I just wanted to bring to your attention that the information you posted on your website about Mary the Mother of God is, in fact, wrong. Devotion to Mary stems from the Catholic Church not from a pagan religion. And this devotion which comes from the Church (in its original and true form) strictly empahsizes that Mary is NOT a goddess and that she is neither a reincarnation of any pagan goddess nor is She in opposition of patriarchy. In fact, historically, Mary is never recoreded to have been disobeident to the Faith of Her ancestors which included patriarchy. I, as well as my fellow Catholics, would greatly appreciate if you would kindly edit the information you have on this website concerning Mary. Thank you so very much!
Thank you so much for your kind interest in our site. There seems to be a small misunderstanding here, so let us try to clarify the question. Devotion to Maryam of Nazareth, the human mother of Jesus of Nazareth was indeed originated by the Christian Church (the use of the term "Catholic" here is a little misleading since it originates long before the division of that church into Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations). The devotion to Our Lady, the Queen of Heaven, Star of the Sea, and Her imagery long predates the birth of Maryam of Nazareth. The Worship of the Queen of Heaven was practised by the ancient Hebrews among many, many other peoples. In fact it seems to have been at one time the universal religion of humanity (and so, perhaps ironically, the only faith that could ever literally be called Catholic.) The image of Mary used in Western Christian iconography uses the symbolism of the Queen of Heaven, though we are of course aware (and have clearly acknowledged) that Christian doctrine does not accept the divinity of Mary. As for ourselves, we certainly do not and would not advocate the worship of the human person Maryam of Nazareth as God.

The Blessed Virgin Mary

A correspondent writes: I just wanted to bring to your attention that the information you posted on your website about Mary the Mother of God is, in fact, wrong. Devotion to Mary stems from the Catholic Church not from a pagan religion. And this devotion which comes from the Church (in its original and true form) strictly empahsizes that Mary is NOT a goddess and that she is neither a reincarnation of any pagan goddess nor is She in opposition of patriarchy. In fact, historically, Mary is never recoreded to have been disobeident to the Faith of Her ancestors which included patriarchy. I, as well as my fellow Catholics, would greatly appreciate if you would kindly edit the information you have on this website concerning Mary. Thank you so very much!
Thank you so much for your kind interest in our site. There seems to be a small misunderstanding here, so let us try to clarify the question. Devotion to Maryam of Nazareth, the human mother of Jesus of Nazareth was indeed originated by the Christian Church (the use of the term "Catholic" here is a little misleading since it originates long before the division of that church into Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations). The devotion to Our Lady, the Queen of Heaven, Star of the Sea, and Her imagery long predates the birth of Maryam of Nazareth. The Worship of the Queen of Heaven was practised by the ancient Hebrews among many, many other peoples. In fact it seems to have been at one time the universal religion of humanity (and so, perhaps ironically, the only faith that could ever literally be called Catholic.) The image of Mary used in Western Christian iconography uses the symbolism of the Queen of Heaven, though we are of course aware (and have clearly acknowledged) that Christian doctrine does not accept the divinity of Mary. As for ourselves, we certainly do not and would not advocate the worship of the human person Maryam of Nazareth as God.

Contemplating the Universe

VIDEO WITH AUTHOR PAMELA WELLS AND LECTURER LESLIE ZEHR (Video)

Stars

Author and lecturer Leslie Zehr interviewed Pamela Wells author and illustrator of “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess” on ‘Contemplating the Universe’. The program was recorded live from Cairo, Egypt and San Diego, CA in the USA.

ABOUT THE ARTIST AND AUTHOR PAMELA WELLS
I have been working as an artist, author and consultant specializing in creative work that leads to greater consciousness.In the commercial art field, I authored and illustrated a Collectors Edition guidebook and card set for understanding mystical wisdom titled “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer”. It is available for retail or wholesale from ArtmagicPublishing.com, New Leaf Distribution, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or DeVorss & Company. It is also available at iTunes as an iPhone app (or through ConsciousnessApps.com).My blog has many articles about feminine spiritual empowerment.

For those who want to know more about their own life purpose and soul’s work, I offer Sacred Contact readings. For more information about a Sacred Contract reading, visit me here, at this site, at the Sacred Contract page link.

EDUCATION: Watts Atelier of the Arts, Boston University and George Washington University, Bachelor of Business Degree.

EXPERIENCE: Technical illustrator for advertising, health care and computer companies. Graphics and web designer for holistic businesses. Author, artist and publisher of “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess”. Sacred Contract consultant and fine artist.