This soulful piece is a second one to the “soul Diving” series I started to create beginning of this year. This whole series is based on idea of portraying different soul lessons I learned throughout my life and I’m now trying to put them into pieces of art that tell their stories. I haven’t shared the first piece to the series so stay tuned for that!
Let’s dive into this beauty first...
“The Alchemist” is based around the idea of our ability to transmute anything into what we want... we are the ultimate alchemist.... we can transform shadow into the light, silver into gold, our failures into stepping stones... our dreams into our reality.
As soon as I started this painting I knew I wanted a strong contrast in color to represent this duality and their connection at the same time. There is no one without the other.
Both sides connect through the knowledgeable owl and the source of everything (or third eye... however you want to see it).
The owl sees in the dark...As a spirit animal, the owl guides you to see beyond the veil of deception and illusion; it helps see what’s kept hidden. It also symbolizes the ability to cut through illusions and see the real meaning of things.
Owl represents strong intuition and can access information and wisdom that’s usually hidden to most.
Just above the owl is the source/third eye. This is our access to the higher realms of consciousness and all the knowledge we will ever need.
Underneath the owl we have to delicate women faces.... the left one breathing in and the right one breathing out....Two sides, both connected with the same breath.
Let’s first explore the depths of the ocean which I used as a symbol our own inner depth.
The center of attention is taken by the jellyfish.
These creatures don’t need to force anything. Water currents take them exactly where they need to be. They live a life of complete trust and surrender.
The shadow side of Jellyfish can tend to use their tentacles to latch on and getting tangled up in ideas, objects, people, places, emotions.... Know that you are forever entangled with everything energetically so there is no need to hold on so tightly.
Jellyfish are a perfect reminder that living in our shadows, holding on to the past, refusing to let go of attachments of any kind is taking away from our freedom, potential and ultimately happiness.
Jellyfish use their bioluminescent gifts to illuminate the unknown and to protect themselves through illusion. We all can use our inner light to help ourselves navigate the darkness.
In the background you’ll notice stingrays going into different directions. They symbolize maneuverability. There will be many different paths in life that you will need to take, and you need to make the journey worthwhile. Choose your battles wisely... not everything needs your engagement.
Next symbol you will find on this side are corals.. they are majestic creatures teaching us patience and the need to root ourselves deeply into the earth.
At first, people thought Coral was a plant, so they nicknamed it the “Garden of the Sea”-such a beautiful and fitting appellation for a creature so splendid to the eye. Instead, Coral comprises a group of polyps that form colonies. As they slowly grow shells, it preserves the entire group and creates calcium carbonate skeletal structures, making up what we call Coral. You can see how Coral is a distinctive emblem for strength in numbers.
The creation of a Coral reef is not a quick process. Coral teaches patience. The colony may grow as little as a millimeter in a year. The result is one of nature’s most impressive sculptures with no two exactly alike. Likewise, we need to learn how to pace our spiritual growth in such a way we can internalize and apply it, creating inner beauty.
Moving on to the sunny side of the painting and the out-breath.... first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful garden flourishing out of the beehive.
Flowers are a symbol of opportunity, adjustment, advancement, and aspiration. They are commonly thought to represent the attainment of spiritual awareness. They are also symbolic of good luck, wealth and happiness.
In this piece they represent the fruits of our labor. All the seeds we planted, all the shadows we integrated, all the obstacles we overcame, now grew into this beautiful garden.
If you look closer you will find little mimosas hiding in there, representing safety, triumph and prosperity that we created for ourselves.
In the background we see little honey bees. They come to remind us to enjoy what we could be missing. Life is sweet, and we can get much out of it. The honey-bee brings a message of teamwork. It shows you that you can accomplish much with the resources you have at your disposal.
Last but not least there’s honey, a symbol of sweetness and prosperity. Your inner work, dedication and self love are now bringing the sweetest of blessings, don’t forget to enjoy them.
To wrap this up I’d love to hear what kind of emotion or even story brings this piece out of you?
(ps. The Alchemist is available at my Etsy store or message me on here for more information and options of payment plans)
Lots of love
Soullana
(Edit: All member have now available a free “the Alchemist” wallpaper available on here)