Are you happy here? Interesting question that. At first glance perhaps the answer is “Of course! Quiet bird floating on beautiful water; a peaceful moment.” Yet perhaps these first impressions are mostly assumptions. In the same way we assume the answers to questions we ask each other: Are you OK? How are you doing? All’s well with you? Are you happy? Assumptions are dangerous.
Doesn’t seem quite right that a bird is holding its wing tips just under water.
Not the primary element for birds,
and taking off from this posture might be awkward, maybe difficult.
On closer look the bird appears quite tense.
Wings held in a stiff arc, all muscles engaged.
A sense of watching,
maybe waiting for something.
OK, not peaceful.
And what about that water?
A most peculiar colour,
looks more toxic than healthy.
This is the 22nd dream painting in my series of 47 paintings based on the dreams that guided my Journey Oracle divination cards. Seven paintings ago, starting with number 16, titled “Have you lost your way?” I began to ask Grandfather stone to bring images to my inner imagination. This has been a story in itself as I believe I have Aphantasia since my childhood, an almost total lack of inner images.
Images have come. Sometimes brief flickers, very simple compositions, often after waiting in deep concentration for a long time. And like this bird floating with wing tips just under the surface of brilliant, agitated water, the more I contemplate the simplicity, the more I discover subtlety and nuance.
Are we happy here?
On second look–maybe not.
