Azul Pas (blue peace)

(appx) size: 9"x.5" Material: branch: wood unknown; blue ink atop unknown natural made lines; glass beads on metal wire; glass "stone"; metal 'peace' ring, bluejay feathers - Private Collection - Not For Sale

Inspiration: ~Native American Talking Stick~
"A Talking Stick is a tool used to let people speak their feelings in a group, or it can be used to talk and listen to the 'Spirit Ancestors of the Spirit World'...A Talking Stick gives (the holder) the floor to speak. All people must 'hear you out', as well as the Spirits..."

This piece was based on the ancient idea of a sacred object to aid and focus communication. Usually the object is used in two ways; in a group situation it signifies a person’s turn to speak, in an individual situation it is used to communicate with the spirit world.

My creation is more specifically grounded in Native American tradition, but similar representations have existed in many cultures throughout the world and throughout time. In Native American traditions, the object is most often a stick or small branch of a tree. An offering or prayer is said to the tree it is taken from, or the ground where it was found. The stick is then decorated with objects that are sacred to the person or the group. Many different items have been used, but it is common to see feathers, stones, paint, beads, woven fabric, animal carvings, bones, symbols and other markings. Often, a shaman then blesses the object, or a ritual is done to purify the object and infuse it with spiritual powers. [1] Sometimes the object is also described as giving the speaker special powers, such as the ability to communicate effectively, or persuasively.

Artists Notes:
I made this while living in a cabin in the Santa Cruz mountains, every morning the bluejays would wake me with their piercing calls and inevitably their feathers would land on my porch. I found the branch while hiking in one of my favorite secluded spots. I love finding fallen branches that have been on the ground long enough to gather what I call "worm lines", and this branch was simply lovely and calling to be adorned. The stone, I found years ago on the street and kept it because of the color. I created this while meditating on images and thoughts of peace throughout the world at home, and now use it whenever I feel called to pray for peace.

The important thing about making your own sacred and ceremonial art is that it is simply a way for you to be in touch with your creativity and to tap into that part of yourself that is spiritual and divine. What you create doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to have a meaning to you, and when you use these tools in mediataion and prayer, they can assist you to focus and to feel connected to your own faith and the divine that is present within. For some it also helps to ground and remind of a spiritual connection to all the people that have come before, will come after, and are here now that also find prayer and meditation.

[1] Rainbow Medicine – A Visionary Guide to Native American Shamanism, Wolf Moondance - pages 61-64 and other bits of lore acquired without documentation along my journey.