Crazy for Kokopelli

If you do an Internet search for Kokopelli, the browser might give you a list of possible choices associated with that word, such as: suites, wine, inn, golf club, images, bedding, meaning, trail and bed and breakfast.  This shows just how popular and widespread (mainly in the Southwest) Kokopelli has become.  Originally a fertility deity that caught on later with the  Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, it could represent Aztec traders from the South carrying sacks over their shoulders.  Often combining trade with storytelling and news, these men would announce their presence with flute playing before entering a village, to forestall any suspicions of the people. 

Owl Invasion

A few owl images.  The Greeks (Athenians at least) thought it a symbol of wisdom and put owls on their coins, since the owl was a favorite of Athena, the goddess of wisdom.  The Romans, being a more superstitious bunch, saw owls as foretellers of doom. 

Naga Kanya

This means daughter of the snake, and was originally a Hindu figure later adopted by the Buddhist to represent the guardians of treasures, especially concealed teachings.  Nagarjuna, of the second century, is said to have received the important prajnaparamita sutra text from the underworld nagas or snake deities.  This text became a fundamental doctrine of the new Mahayana Buddhist movement, and was published in book form in China in 868 A.D., the earliest printed book in the world.  Jack Kerouac, who tried to be a Buddhist when he wasn't drunk, especially like the Diamond Sutra, which is an exposition of these teachings. 

 

The first two above are fairly traditional representations of Naga Kanya, and are usually products of Nepalese artisans.  The third figure with both hands raised seems a little unorthodox, although still holding what appears to be a conch shell, which is fairly traditional.  The sumptuousness and vitality of it do not need description. 

A painting of Naga Kunya, less common than statue representations.

A different take on the figure, without the coiling up of the body beneath the torso.

A real colorful artifact.  All of the figures have wings, which gives them something in common with their mortal enemies, the garudas.  Normal nagas did not have wings.

The garudas are said to have enormous wingspans and were always hunting nagas.  The nagas took to swollowing stones, making them too heavy for the garudas to carry, so they gave up until they found out the secret and then started grabbing the nagas by the tail, forcing them to vomit out the stone, and off the garuda went with his dinner clutched in his claws.  Later according to one sutra, the Buddha made peace between the garudas and nagas.

Water Snake Year

Today the Tibetan New Year or Losar begins as well as the Chinese New Year.  In both systems it is called the Water Snake year.  The two new years usually only coincide about a third of the time, for the Tibetans use some different lunar calendar calculations.  The Chinese system is easy to grasp: the second new moon after the winter solstice.  To make matters even more complicated, however, Chinese astrologers insist the actual new year begins a few days before the New Years Day celebration, this year February 4.  But most people don't seem to pay attention to that.  In Japan they get real sloppy and just consider the Western year to coincide with the Chinese year.  

The system of 12 animals and 5 elements gives a 60 year cycle before any animal/element combination is repeated.  In the Buddhist tradition, the sequence of animals is based on a legend of the order of the animals arriving to see the dying Buddha.  In Taoist tradition it is the animals showing up to meet the Jade Emperor for some reason.  The Tibetans view the last 5 or so days of the year to be full of the accumulated trouble and obstacles of that year and some kind of ritual mantra practice is done to pacify and transmute that negative energy into positive.  This is done often by practicing the Vajrakilaya ceremony, or in the Shambhala tradition, pacifying the turmoil of the mamos, wrathful female forces, using the Vajrasattva mantra. 

The "common people" often treat the Losar celebrations as a time to get pretty rowdy at times, a practice common to agricultural societies who wish to invoke the fertility of the soil and stimulate the new year's productivity and energy through their own high-jinks.  

This year being a snake year should have something to do with mysticism, reflection, and introversion, all snake characteristics.  This combined with the water element signifying travel, communication and networking.  The snake year represents a pause between the highly charged energy of the Dragon and Horse years, as it lies in between them.  It is perhaps a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. 

Too late to make Halloween Observations?

When I saw this Halloween display at MacDonald's, it made me start thinking how a 3 or 4 year old kid might react to it, as he is given a cup by his mom and told to go to the soda filling station and choose a drink.

I have to congratulate whoever set up this decoration, it certainly is scary and vibrant, however just put yourself in that kid’s shoes and think about how he might react.  Maybe kids today are used to this sort of thing now, who knows?

Another example of Halloween art in its Mexican style is this fabric displaying Day of the Dead motifs:

Speaking of riotous colors!  At least the swooning female is clothed, other depictions I’ve seen of Aztec warriors bearing maidens show more real estate.  I especially like the guy in the sombrero with the tequila shot glass.

Little yellow teacup

Saw this for sale at my favorite Chinese restaurant and could not resist it.  The dragon has a red ball with lines coming out from it, apparently this symbolizes a flaming pearl which represents good luck and wealth.  The dragon in Tibetan lore is called Druk; Trungpa Rinpoche is known to his students, for example, as the Druk Sakyong or Dragon Earth Protector.  The dragon in Chinese lore is a symbol of imperial authority, as well as the ruler of water and weather.

Below is a closeup of said red ball.