Autumn is a time of shedding, of releasing the unneeded in preparation for the coming winter. This is a theme that I often call upon during trying times in life, regardless of the actual season that I am experiencing in the outside world. It has become important for me to cleanse my life of unneeded clutter, things, people, thoughts... making room for more of what I do need, which more often than not, is nothing. This painting has been on my wall for weeks. As I have cleansed my house, and my mind, I come back to this often, thinking of the idea of releasing the unneeded and protecting the needed.
Autumn is synonymous with the element metal in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and metal is also the element of the lungs. The lungs, through breathing, absorb and extinguish the heat created by the heart. The metal plate on the goddess's chest is an outward symbol of the heart protective nature of autumn and the rejuvenation of the lungs.
The snake is a symbol of shedding and releasing the unneeded and outgrown. The subject of this painting is shedding the aspects of herself and her life that no longer serve her, while protecting that which is most important, her heart. Her gaze is up in a prayerful admiration- looking to the future.
This painting is a meditation on the idea of cleaning life of what does not serve us. It reminds us to prepare for times like winter, when we hunker down and conserve our energy and our resources, keeping only that which is useful and life preserving during harsh times.