The Green Man and Gaia

The Green Man has been a presence associated with male energy for hundreds of years.  The counterpart to the Green Man has often been linked to Gaia -- or the living and breathing earth.  This pair has been linked through science, art and myth.

James Lovelock, scientist and environmentalist (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lovelock)
has written volumes on the interdependence of our Earth and how we treat her. His treatises state that our Earth is a single, living organism. His theories are controversial, but there is little doubt that there is truth to his warnings of pollution, global warming and the damage to our Earth via CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons).  http://www.amazon.com/Gaia-James-Lovelock/dp/0195216741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405602283&sr=8-1&keywords=lovelock+gaia+theory&dpPl=1

Another essay on science and our Earth that discusses Lovelock's Gaia hypothesis is written by Andrew Rothery for the "Science of the Green Man" publication (http://www.ecopsychology.org/journal/ezine/green_man.html).  I liked Rothery's thoughts of the Green Man being: "As the mouth is the source of our ability to communicate verbally through sound and language this suggests that the Green Man has a role as a communicator who translates Nature‚s message to us, perhaps through the "language" of plants. Or, perhaps the Green Man's "language" (sound vibration) is all pervasive throughout the whole the biosphere providing some kind of nourishing background song which supports and inspires life. Thus, the Green Man may not only be seen as a communicator of Nature's message to every species in our global biosphere , he could also be seen as the very embodiment of what makes this ecosystem tick - its functionality as an organic communications network of such complexity that it is frankly unimaginable to us at a conscious level."

Rothery's essay continues to discuss the connection between the Green Man and Gaia and how they interact with each other and how we interact with both.  It is a thoughtful and thought generating essay.

In searching for an artistic example of the Green Man and Gaia, I stumbled upon the incredible artist: Renate Hennessy.  She has some amazing paintings depicting both the Green Man and Gaia: http://www.renatehennessy.com/galleries.htm

Her website not only offers examples of her beautiful art, but also a very interesting essay on sacred places and sacred presences.


http://www.renatehennessy.com/Gaia%20Gallery.htm

Science, Art, Humanity embrace the yin / yang aspect of the Green Man and Gaia.  The wise words and paintings provide us with meditative thoughts and ponderings on the interconnectedness of all mankind and worlds beyond. 

A-MAZE-ING Green Man!

The Green Man and gardens are a perfect marriage.  Penpont Gardens (http://www.penpont.com/page/gardens_and_grounds/) near Brecon, Wales has an amazing Green Man Maze!




Here's the description from their website: 

THE GREEN MAN MAZE

To celebrate the new millennium we commissioned a local artist, David Eveleigh, to construct a maze in the shape of The Green Man. It is the largest image of this significant pagan symbol in the world.
Designed over an underlying grid of sacred geometry it will take you on a journey along its beech and yew lined paths, passing pools, secret gardens, banks of scented lavender, sculptured benches, tunnels, an inner labyrinth and onwards... after many turns you discover the wishing stone in a wild flower garden... a maze fit for fairies to dream in.
David also choreographs spectacular firework displays: www.goffee.co.uk

To be redundant -- amazing!  Saving my pennies for a road trip!

The Kindle Countdown is ON!

The kindle countdown is on!  The Greening  is available for .99 USD, Saturday, July 5th, 2014.  Tomorrow, July 6th it will be $1.99 and Monday, July 7th it will be 2.99.  The price returns to $4.99 on Tuesday, July 8th.



http://www.amazon.com/Greening-novel-romantic-suspense-touch-ebook/dp/B0084TH53Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404581599&sr=8-1&keywords=the+greening+sharon+brubaker

Hapy Reading!

Green Man Gazatteer

 My feeble attempts on a blog on the Green Man are clearly outshined by the fabulous and wonderful blog "The company of the Green Man" at: http://thecompanyofthegreenman.wordpress.com/author/thecompanyofthegreenman/

Currently they have a gazetteer of historical "Jack-in-the-Greens."  Check it out!  Their website is phenomenal!

A fresh new look for Spring

 

A fabulous new cover for Book 1 of The Green Man Series.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Greening-novel-romantic-suspense-ebook/dp/B0084TH53Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396555125&sr=8-1&keywords=the+greening+sharon+brubaker

 

Special promotion -- The Greening is free from April 4th - April 6th, 2014 at amazon.com!

 

Designed by Laura Gordon of: http://bookcovermachine.wordpress.com/

 

Re-edited and updated book coming out in paperback soon.

Stay tuned.

Irish Green Men

Happy St. Patrick's Day -- Tis the Wearin' o' the Green or Green Man?
The famous Irish "Book of Kells" has numerous illustrations of men and beasts disgorging vegetation.  The Book of Kells, housed at Trinity college in Dublin, Ireland can now be seen online at this link: http://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/home/index.php?DRIS_ID=MS58_003v

http://books.google.com/books?id=xJ3Ppecdh14C&printsec=frontcover

 

The above book has some terrific information  on Ireland and the Green Man.  See pages 211 and 212.  I've only had a chance to read portions of the book, but am looking forward to reading the complete volume in the next week.  The reviews are excellent.

As I think literally of the "Wearing o' the Green" my thoughts return to Zeleni Jurae of a previous
post: http://thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/09/zeleni-jurij.html

and 'green' costuming at: http://www.thegreenmanseries.blogspot.com/2012/10/green-man-masquerade-part-1.html

Slainte!

Of the Green Man and War

When I first became aware that the Green Man was something that was real and not a prickling in the recesses of my imagination, I found Kathleen Basford’s wonderful book The Green Man which is comprised of photographs of Green Man (a.k.a. : the Foliate Head) from around the world.  Some of her photographs are from ancient Iran.  I can’t help but wonder if they still exist or have been destroyed in recent years by warring factions.  Those thoughts take me to the Urkraine and the increasing possibility of invasion and war and their tradition with the Green Man.

One of the traditions in the Ukraine is that of St. George’s Day.  Gary Varner, author of The Mythic Forest, the Green Man and the Spirit of Nature  discusses St. George’s day where Spring will be reborn.  In many cultures it is said that “George will bring Spring.”  Traditionally a tree will be felled on the eve of St. George and decorated with vines and flowers and carried through the town.  Fields will be blessed and the continuing tradition of the Green Man and humankind of birth, death and rebirth will continue. 

I can’t help but wonder how this tradition can flourish in the travesty of potential war. Will tradition survive or will it be blown to pieces like the antiquities in the middle East?  Perhaps it is very much like the Green Man of birth, death and rebirth.  My hope is that like the blade of grass or weed that makes its way through a crack in the sidewalk, that Green (and good) will conquer over the winter and the dark.  I hope so and hope is a seed.

And though my written thoughts may be brief, my heart and head are full of thoughts for the Urkraine people at this time.  Here’s to Spring! Here’s to Green George! Here’s to the brave people of the Ukraine!

Gary Varner:

http://books.google.com/books?id=fIZus87KLPYC&pg=PA125&lpg=PA125&dq=ukraine+green+man&source=bl&ots=3gQwzfifqk&sig=4S0Wi2CWbqVWn3BWR2xqNfPiUQ8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qKQVU_XFD8WNkAeJ9YHIAQ&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=ukraine%20green%20man&f=false

http://www.amazon.com/Mythic-Forest-Green-Spirit-Nature/dp/0875864341/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1393929260&sr=8-8&keywords=kathleen+basford

 

Kathleen Basford's book: 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Green-Man-Kathleen-Basford/dp/0859914976/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393929260&sr=8-1&keywords=kathleen+basford

 

More on St. George: http://www.folklore.ee/folklore/nr1/georg.htm