A Song of Stillness

The inspiration for “A Song of Stillness” was created from images I received during a meditation asking for a vision to portray the Soul Essence of a horse named Star. Star became an angel in 2007. Star's owner Nicole, who is an Equine Inspired Personal Coach, described Star as discerning; “he was clear in his communication and if the human did not “get it” Star would be impatient or not seek the presence of that person”. She also described him as a teacher of being-ness, and also affectionately as a trouble maker.

My meditation with Star didn't take the form I usually experience of vivid imagery leading me on a journey - usually accompanied by the feeling of traveling or movement. Rather I sensed stillness and realized that maybe this was appropriate from what Nicole had said about him, that “one had to really get still to get the depth of him.” So I tried let go of my preconceptions or striving to “see” and after awhile I was able to achieve some stillness and after awhile a tiny ripple of an image came - of a musical treble symbol, followed by the image of a swan. Then nothing... so I tried to define what those images could mean, and thought about how to do the painting, and then I realized I was once again occupying my mind with trying to define things. So I allowed myself to become still and receptive again and I waited, and when I was able to achieve stillness after a long space the image of a waterfall came. This time I kept the stillness without defining it, and all in a rush I could see the entire painting unfold. I could feel by the vital energy that it was the right image. I later had another vision of a foal that seemed amorphous or in an embryonic form.

The waterfall, represents a release of power between the upper realm of rushing water and the lower calm, still pool. The treble cleft represents octave range of lower and higher vibrations, upper and lower realms again; strengthening these themes of Star's abilites. In Ted Andrew's Animal Speak the swan's neck is a bridge area between the head - higher realms and the body - lower worlds.The foal is perhaps portraying a new life or new essence emerging from the deep stillness.

All of these images held great meaning for Star's owner. She described him as a horse who “taught me that one can have a stronger heart connection without touch. The quieter I got the more present with me he became. He was so subtle one had to be really still to get the depth of him. After he crossed over, my sister received messages from Star in the form of songs. He indicated specific lines from the songs “Starry, Starry Night” and “Good Morning Starshine” that were representative of what he was taking away/with him from this journey on earth' and'how we could see/remember him in the future'.

Nicole Birkholzer is an Equine Inspired Personal Coach visit her website at www.birchwoodfarm.us

The Equine Art of Kim McElroy