Symbology Guide Series: The Beauty Way Shrine
The Symbology Guide Series is an up-close look into the intentionally chosen iconography and symbolic features that make each altar shrine I craft a unique portal piece. Here we will dissect the details and explore the imagery of The Beauty Way.
The Beauty Way is inspired by the book Braiding Sweetgrass and dedicated to the author, Robin Wall Kimmerer. This temple is a quaint combination of complimentary aster purple and goldenrod yellow. The theme is reciprocity in bloom and illuminates devotion to companionship. You’re encouraged to walk the beauty way as taught by the Navajo/Diné thru this shrine. Let’s look at the signature symbolism embedded into this piece.
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Asters
These periwinkle flowers are considered stars of the earth. They represent vibrant beauty and love.
Complimentary Colors: Gold + Purple
This striking combo is a nod to Braiding Sweetgrass author, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s recognition of the aster + goldenrod companion blooming that encouraged her pursuit of botany.
Geometric Southwestern Native Inspired Square/Cross
These icons reflect points of the four directions, the intersection of paths meeting, as well as balance and harmony.
Reciprocity
The deeper I go into my work with the natural world, the more I am leaning into the promise of reciprocity. Here the word provides an affirmation, a prayer is to live in service to what’s living and walk the beauty way. The Beauty Way is referenced in Braiding Sweetgrass and I also know it as a circle song. Of course, an original source is the traditional Diné prayer Hózhóójí — a recognition that beauty and harmony are all around us and we are aligned with that abundance in daily living as well.
Dragonfly
I was personally under a year-long enchantment of developing spiritual relationship with the dragonfly and felt called to incorporate that into this piece. The dragonfly offers transformation, magic, ancient wisdom, and renewal.
Hearts
This classic shape represents the center of emotion, the source of life and courage. The tear drops mirror the dew from the asters and also enhance the emotive aspects of the heart.
Labyrinths
This symbol is a passageway to the invisible + inner world. Layered behind the hearts, they give an emerging effect of radiating from the horizon.
A behind the scenes, work-in-progress pic is above. I usually work on two or three pieces at a time. You can see the other combination of colors on the palette.
Below is a video/audio description and 3-D view of this piece.
Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass or Robin’s other works?