A haunting meditation written by Henry Corbin in 1932 at the edge of Lake Siljan in Sweden

Green Man, Earth Angel / 48" x 60" / acrylic on panel board

 Everything is but revelation; there can only be re-velation. But revelation comes from the Spirit, and there is no knowledge of the Spirit.

It will soon be dusk, but for now the clouds are still clear, the pines are not yet darkened for the lake brightens them into transparency. And everything is green with a green that would be richer than if pulling all the organ stops in recital. It must be heart seated, very close to the Earth, arms crossed, eyes closed, pretending to sleep. 

For it is not necessary to strut about like a conqueror and want to give a name to things, to everything; it is they who will tell you who they are, if you listen, yielding like a lover; for suddenly for you, in the untroubled peace of this forest of the North, the Earth has come to Thou, visible as an Angel that would perhaps be a woman, and in this apparition, this greatly green and thronging solitude, yes, the Angel too is robed in green, the green of dusk, of silence and of truth.  Then there is in you all the sweetness that is present in the surrender to an embrace that triumphs over you.

Earth, Angel, Woman, all of this is one thing that I adore and that is present in the forest. Dusk on the lake; my Annunciation...

The Mystery of Holy Communion where you will be ushered in, when all the beings will be present, yes, you can only say it in the future. Because at each moment where you read in truth as not what is there before you, where you hear the Angel, and the Earth and Woman, then you receive Everything, Everything in your absolute poverty. But as soon as you have read and have received, as soon as you consider, as you want to understand, as you want to possess, to give a name and restrain, to explain and recover, ah! there is only a cipher, and your judgement is pronounced...

...you are the poor one, you are man; and he is God and you cannot know God, or the Angel, or the Earth, or Woman. You must be encountered, taken, known, that they may speak, otherwise you are alone...

~from Tom Cheetham's Green Man, Earth Angel

Posted via email from hollyfriesen's posterous