Ancestral Guidance

I call them my Star Committee
Ancestral souls who, for reasons of age or temperament
Flew to other side of darkness before me.

Some went suddenly, some went slowly
Some went without warning, others not
All went willingly and with purpose

I want to honor them, legacies living still
Our soul web is still strong
They whisper, yell and cajole
Nighttime is busy in their court

Stand up, they say, you are now the front-runner
You, and the others we are guiding
I say yes to them, I thank them for their patience

I hurry to their gardens, nurturing what is left
of the plan we had, praying that I can hear them well.

To put my sorrow at their leaving
In their nurturing laps sometimes crosses my mind
But they say no, use it for the dream we dreamed
together before time started
You are old enough and kind enough now.

© CARMELLA WEINTRAUB, 1998

The Gift

It’s high time we unwrapped ourselves
Loosing culture bound boxes that bind our souls
Mistaking the outside for the inside while
Darkening our sovereign and innermost flames.

Our humanity has long hidden itself
Like wild animals in the dark forest
Taming us was not the idea
Domestication hindered not helped.

Layers of wrapping hide our brightness
Dullness shadows our shy and radiant faces
Bravado screams too loud
Drowning quiet and Knowing pulses.

Our flames are diminishing, about to extinguish
The hope held in passionate desires
Fear asks conformance to ownerless imperatives
While expectant and faithful hungers
Forget what once seemed so consoling.

But dawn’s light is here
We are cracking the code
Invincible hearts expand
Beauty shows its pure and poignant face.

It’s high time we unwrapped ourselves
We are the gift the Universe gave itself
Luminous promises foretelling revelations.
If we do that now, glory will arrive,
The planet will survive.

© Carmella Weintraub

October 1999

The Direction of the East

The beautiful colors of soft aqua and white reflect the ethereal qualities of Air which is the Direction that is honored by this dress. The powerful Eagle represents the energy of flight and the pastel flowers strewn across the skirt are accentuated with the dazzle of  sparkling crystal beads.  The silk chiffon capelet is embellished with white breath feathers, crystal beads and the poem by Rilke, The Winged Energy of Delight, which honors child-like innocence in its finest form. The delicate white feathers represent the connection with Spirit and are ancient shamanic tools.

The Direction of North honors the intellect, the intuitive, the psychic and powers of wind and breath.  Spring is its Season and dawn, its time.  This dress is especially powerful for those born under the signs of Libra, Aquarius and Gemini, all Air Signs in the Zodiac.

The Direction of the South

This hand painted silk dress is honors the direction of the South, the powers of Fire.  The dress is painted in an ombre color which shifts from soft yellow to deep yellow green, the color or photosynthesis or life itself.  The silk chiffon capelet is embellished with bells, crystals, feathers and gold threads. The dress is appliquéd with a poem by Chief Seattle regarding the importance of caring for our land. The Aztec eagle graces the capelet and the American buffalo encircles the swirling skirt. The Direction of the South honors the Sun, creativity, fire and passion.  Wearing this dress inspires creativity beyond measure.

The Season of the South is Summer and the time of South is high noon. Green is the color of the heart and the dress also represents courage of one’s convictions.  This dress is appropriate for wearing at any significant right of passage.

The Direction of the West

This one-of-a-kind hand painted silk gown in shimmering silk satin honors the direction of the West, the powers of Water. It features the flora and fauna of the sea as well as feathers, bells and semi-precious stones, all tools of the shamanka. The dress is embellished with a poem by Rilke called The Starving Exhausted Daughters, about
the perils of an existence without the fructifying energy of Eros, the feeling function of human species. The capelet has the motif of the jelly-fish, graceful and undulating in its aquatic environment.

The Direction of the West honors the feeling self, one who is in touch with her feelings and emotions and has the courage and will to act on these feelings on behalf of other souls. The Season of the West is Autumn and the time is twilight.

The Direction of the North

This crepe de chine silk ceremonial gown in a slim silhouette honors the powers of the Earth. It features the symbols of the ouruboros and the lotus, both powerful ancient symbols of infinity, wholeness and supreme wisdom. The capelet also features the snake, another sign of transformation, and is embellished with feathers of the turkey vulture, a symbol of purification. Also appliquéd on the chiffon cape is a poem called Terra Incognita by D. H. Lawrence about the potential richness of living a life outside the bounds of culture’s strict confines. Bells complete the ceremonial richness of this dress, representing the powers of the earth.

The Direction of the North honors the body, the dark, the mystical forces of nature and birth, death and silence. The Season of the North is Winter and the time of the North is midnight.

The Butterfly Dress

This dress represents the Powers of Transformation.  The Aqua green silk chiffon and crepe de chine are embellished with a multitude of colorful butterflies in various stages of flight.  The chiffon overlay give additional dimension to the the flight of the butterflies. The oversized shawl also features butterflies and is edged with a deep aqua border.  The butterfly is an ancient symbol of transformation, transmutation and change of form and function.

This dress is appropriate for any ceremony of change, including birthdays, anniversaries or weddings.

The Panther Coat

This black silk velvet coat honors the Soul of the Divine Feminine. The three-quarter, loose fitting coat features a shawl collar, hand blown buttons and a stunning hand printed silk lining showing the beautiful black panther stalking the green forests in the moonlight. The lining is not meant to show as it important that women’s energy be contained for maximum power. We need this teaching at this time in history.

The Panther symbolizes strong Divine Feminine energy, the mystical symbol of the beneficient healing, and liberating energy within the feminine experience, where all phases of life are sacred, including that of aging. The Goddess awakens the power of the mind, body and spirit, as well as the emotions (both powerful and tender). Pleasure is the most treasured aspect of the Feminine and is to be sought after with focus and intention, just as this panther is doing.

The Direction of Spirit

This dress represents the powers of the Divine Feminine and the powerful Jaguar embellishes this Violet silk crepe de chine hand painted ceremonial gown. The skirt of this dress is overlaid with silk chiffon, which is also hand painted and has beautiful red lilies as well as the Jaguar. The poem by Yeats, The Second Coming, is printed on silk organza and appliquéd on the silk chiffon overlay. Glass beads, red macaw feathers and the lilies complete the picture on the silk chiffon shawl that adorns this sacred ensemble. The Jaguar and the red feathers symbolize the strong passions that rule the woman of power and should not be taken lightly.

The direction of Spirit represents the Center and rules transcendence, transformation, perpetual change and movement. The Sphinx is her animal and the symbol is beyond time.

Infinite Compassion

This mandala arrived quite spontaneously on a retreat to Maui to process the loss of my sister, Nancy. The retreat location supported my goals in turning inward to gain more awareness of the meaning of our relationship. This descent was a powerful one and during my retreat there I met a woman, Isabela, with whom I discussed the necessity of expanding one’s heart to contain the pain and sorrow of loss – any kind of loss. This expansion often transforms pain into compassion and takes an incredible amount of patience and self-compassion to sustain. It becomes a practice if one has the devotion and commitment to the process.

We agreed that the capacity to take this path can provide a paradigm for healing – self, society and planet. We dedicated ourselves to this process at a sacred heiau on Maui and vowed to follow this path. My sister Nancy practiced unconditional love for most of her interesting  life and was a true model of maintaining this stance through very challenging life situations. I showed this mandala to Lama Gyaltsen at the Maui Dharma Center and he asked me to name it, dedicate and show it to as many people as I could as a vehicle for healing. The mandala is dedicated to my sister Nancy.