Invoking the Goddess
An Egyptian-Themed Higher Self Portrait
what can ancient egyptian goddesses teach a motherless child?
Birdie’s life was riddled by loss. Separated from her mom at only one year old, Birdie was raised by her dad while her brothers were dispersed into the foster care system.
A mother of three, Birdie had left a job, family members, and a marriage that no longer served her in her quest for rebirth, transformation, and health.
“If it didn’t spark joy, I let it go,” she said.
This amazing young woman was ready to connect with her Higher Self and grasp her life’s purpose with both hands. We talked about inspirations and spiritual heritage: Blackfoot Nation, Shamanic powers, Egyptian deities. Religion was not Birdie’s thing, but spirituality was. As they say, “Religion is for people who fear hell; spirituality is for people who have been there.”
Together, we embarked on a portrait to invoke the Egyptian goddesses and reveal the resilient survivor inside of Birdie.
research
The internet makes it easy to “visit” museums of the world and send references to one another. Birdie browsed online for an Egyptian costume, while I scoured websites for wisdom and visuals to support her quest to become a doula/death doula and energy healer.
I did more research for this Higher Self Portrait than for any other. I kept coming back to the mystery of the Great Pyramids of Giza, how, why, and where they were constructed. The math behind their proportions relative to the circumference of the Earth, as well as to the Orion constellation, continues to astound us. This ancient brilliance is what I discovered deep inside my subject, Birdie, who holds far more genius and intuitive knowledge than one might see on the surface, or than even she herself may realize.
The Ankh, with its numerous meanings became the central symbol of Invoking the Goddess. I was astounded to find such diverse integrations of the Ankh across many cultures. The interpretation that stuck with me was the loop of womb, cross-branch of ovaries, and vertical penis: the union of female and male principles that create LIFE.
the photos
We went to a park in downtown Denver. With one commercial costume and assorted accessories — a gold-coin tikka, metallic scarf, diaphanous arm-bands, Bedouin necklace, two pairs of ornate sandals, and an Odissi dance nibibhanda (pleated apron) — we invented several “looks.” My goal was to capture at least two, possibly three versions of the goddesses to bring out Birdie’s innate powers and talents. As director, I encouraged Birdie to show her strength by calling upon her ability to prevail over difficult life circumstances. Birdie breathed Hathor, Isis, and the Great Unnamed Goddess into each pose.
And we had some giggles!
This artwork was a ground-breaking journey for me. Though I normally use dynamic gestures in perspective, Birdie's poses, iconic and flat, evoke the primitive space of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Sorting through Birdie's photos was hard, as there were over four hundred, many of which were classically beautiful. Out of sixty-three “Selects,” three poses emerged as "The Ones:”
Hathor of the golden touch (Hathor) and evolution through groundedness up to the Heavens
Isis of solar intelligence (Isis), the secret keeper of the soul's reasons for reincarnation.
Goddess of the Divine Feminine (Desert Goddess), bearer of life, and survivor who travels across deserts of hardship and lonely nights of breathtaking beauty.
the goddess hathor
In keeping with the flattened silhouette style of ancient hieroglyphs, I embossed Hathor and Isis into their coded backgrounds. Hathor dwells in a turquoise cartouche before a merkaba that infuses light, spirit, and body. The carnelian sun and red costume represent rebirth: each evening, Hathor swallows the sun and gives birth the next day. She is the Venus of Ancient Egypt, the boat of reincarnation in the afterlife, and the key to Birdie’s resilience.
the goddess isis
Etched into the wall behind the goddess Isis is the sacred geometry of the Pyramid of Giza, whose height is related to the circumference of the Earth and the Moon.
Horus, son of Isis and Orion, appears in Isis’s hand and on either hip. At left are the chakras and at right, the snakes of kundalini, caduceus, and Agathodaemon. Each symbol carries the soul’s path of ascension and rebirth, to guide Birdie’s work as a doula and death doula. Her gown is turquoise, the color of wisdom and motherly advice.
the desert goddess
The central figure in Invoking the Goddess is She Who Survives To Prevail. Her hands form the goddess mudra, Divine symbol of the womb, motherhood, and the Earth's feminine power to birth new life.
The Desert Goddess inhabits three-dimensional reality. She departs the Great Pyramids and approaches the gate of Hathor and Isis. Her “Mona Lisa” serenity belies her true stamina, tenacity, and fierce power: she has walked across the blazing desert, suffered heat and thirst of the human soul, the blinding sandstorms of confusion, and the endless emptiness of a loveless life.
All of these hardships make the Desert Goddess unstoppable in her power. With only the night sky stars as her guide, the Desert Goddess travels the journey to Higher Consciousness, arriving at the Kingdom of Heaven: a state of mind from which she guides other life travelers through their difficulties.
The Desert Goddess is the true Birdie.
what i thought as i created
Such a flood of information and light came through for Birdie. I felt I was serving an ancient soul of countless lives and human experiences. Her life's journey was harsh and difficult, yet opulent both spiritually and physically. Working on each goddess, I understood how Birdie’s soul prevails and continues to gather experience to serve others.
Despite a fruitless search for her own mother, the Great Mother energy was planted inside Birdie’s heart and flows through her healing hands. Birdie is a mother figure to those in childbirth and those dying. Her Egyptian spiritual legacy connects with the eternal cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
At the time of this artwork, Birdie was in-between phases. My assignment from Spirit was to provide clear symbols and visual guide posts to reflect Birdie's depth, experience, and wisdom to herself, so she could move forward with rich inner knowing.
Visual Medicine works like an oasis. Only by returning repeatedly, day after day, to "drink" from the well of art imagery is the soul's light revived — the same way plants are restored by rain. May Birdie continue to be inspired and inspire the many she heals through her presence — in real life, online, and in this artwork.
Fascinating journey through Egyptian civilization. Beautifully portrayed as it has influenced a healer in the present day.
Such a cool story of an amazing woman! Your artwork speaks volumes and is just stunning.