Kismet, Co-Creation, Alchemy, and Luck

MAGIC BLUE FISH copyright 2010

 

 

 

 

HANDCARVED TILE BY  ZOLA DE FIRMIAN, FINE ART CERAMICS

Aren't fish magical? I define Magic or Alchemy as Life in Action. Take awe- when I consider fish- or plants- with any reflection- how they draw in from course mixtures of stone and soil, one perfect exact blend of what they need through those roots. So carefully attuned. By leaf and root they absorb pure light, water, molecules to bring forth substance and energy for growth of their green leaves and cells. This is a mystery, and magical to me. All beings who walk this Earth depend on this for life, for energy. How may we, or the plant, take credit?

Ancient alchemical thought aimed to transmute base matter- lead, into the most precious, gold. (Do the Leprechauns learn this?) The Chinese, during this "year of the Dragon" consider those born in those years, hence, lucky. Then, there's the "luck of the Irish." Mysteries abound, and I, for one, still wonder what brought what opportunity whose way. I feel very fortunate, even blessed, maybe lucky, too...It's intriguing to speculate, but I can't say "I" invited it all in, 'good' or bad' or take responsibility for all I encounter.

Then, what or who is this "I? (I'll stop there ;~}

Sufi thought distinguishes between fate and destiny (Kismet.) To my humble, limited understanding, it's Fate when we find ourselves where we land- (perhaps we brought ourselves to a brink and then call it an accident.) It's Kismet, when we are in the flow~ when Life's Purpose for us, God's way~ is allowed to open up and direct the flow of our world. So, is it Kismet when salmon travel to their birthplace and spawn successfully, and Fate when mudslides and floods slam us due to destructive human activities? Not so simple.

Still, I love this quote from an old poem: "No wind can blow my barque astray, nor change the course of destiny." I do believe in destiny, after all. Sometimes, some things are startling in their obviously 'directed' appearance in your life's path. Like my studio "ally," the old jackrabbit who appeared when I first made a song / a call for allies and support for my new venture in clay: There he's stayed, through the seasons, now with torn ear, still coming to sit near me, often enough, when I work. "Triple Ear's" WILD, mind you.

I consider Alchemy as Life in Action. By this I mean the flowers and fruit borne by a plant, our energies streaming forth in co-creation, our very beings: We're made of stardust! ALL of it, the vast Life Force, this Wild Intelligence, is engaged in the God-like act of creating from simplest energies and matter, Life, and Beauty. IT IS ALL GOLD, AND ALL OF IT IS GOD'S. Ceramics = sheer alchemy.

ALCHEMY: And we, when we engage willingly, with openness, might be blessed to find this flow will bring forth gold of our one unique ilk- The expression of our gifts. That's Kismet.

Draw to yourselves, like the humble, trustingly open root hairs of a plant, exactly what you need and DISCOVER: What's given and brought in will always serve Life's Force in Creation. This is me and this is you, the salmon and the hare. The Joy.