January: Bison

January's block actually was done in February since I spent most of my creative time in January reorganizing my bead supplies. That was one of my goals for the new year and gave me a sense of completion that I was needing at the time. February started out fairly quickly with a terrible cold that really knocked me out for the first 1/2+ of the month but somehow I still managed to work on my block for January and finish it by Valentine's Day. I had painted it before I got sick which helped. Like the previous months the background is painted with fluid and other acrylics onto a poplin weight fabric. The Bison is painted onto interfacing and cut out and collaged onto the background. The painting is then fused to felt that acts as a mat and a support for the beading.

The hardest part about starting this months block was that I liked how the painting of the bison had turned out and had a hard time stitching the first bead onto it. Luckily, once the first bead was on the rest of the beading was much easier.

Bisons represent our sacred life and the abundance of the Creator’s blessing on Mother Earth and the respect that we should have for all of creation knowing that all things are sacred. As a manifestation of the divine aspects of our being bison teach us to incorporate our own efforts to embrace and hold life. Bison remind us to honor our path through life and ask for assistance from the spirit world as we recognize the sacredness of every walk of life and honor the pathway of others. The massive head of the bison reminds us to combine our own efforts with that of the Divine and that both mundane and spiritual are necessary to manifest what we are seeking. You don’t have to struggle to survive if right action is combined with right prayer.

Bison stands proud against the winds of adversity. The bison teaches us to temper our power when dealing with others and to allow the tranquility and peace of the Buffalo Brother to enter our lives. They remind us to look for the good in all things and to have the courage to face all of our problems head on. They help us to eliminate our burdens by directing our energies in a balanced way and to follow the easiest path and to not use force in our life, to flow with it. Do what you have to do and then let the events take their natural course.

The huge head of the Buffalo Brother signifies higher mental abilities that is grounded in Mother Earth by their tough bodies. Bison symbolize feminine courage and they teach us creativity, courage, sacred knowledge, sense of community, generosity, strength of character, hospitality, and survival strategies. Bison prize freedom and can teach us healing medicines. With their hump the Bison reminds us that we always have reservoirs that we can tap into.

Bison are known for their strength. I find it very interesting that most people who don’t know me really well see me as weak. Being an introvert and other things about me tend to make people see me as vulnerable. I have found I tend to bring out a protective instincts in a lot of people and a mothering instinct in many women. The thing is if you have any idea what it takes to be a military spouse you know that you can’t be weak and survive long. Many of the things that the bison teaches I use to get through the challenges that life offers, I always have even before I knew that the bison was one of my animals. Wayne is one of the few people I think that truly sees and knows how strong I am inside, it isn’t showy but it is there. He has told me that I am his rock and yet he is a very strong person on his own.