Vision of the Seahorse’s Prayer for Africa

Acrylic/Mixed Media on Canvas
24" x 30" x 2"
Original Sold

In the painting, images of African life are emerging out from the camouflage cloak of nature, exuding strength, power and mystery. In ancient cultures, animals are recognized as totems, that is, they signify much more than they do in our culture. The elephant is a symbol of great sexual power, strength and ancient wisdom. The elephant is also known to show great affection and loyalty representing strength in family and community. 

The giraffe has the biggest heart known to land animals. The gazelle is full of grace and speed. And most mystical of all, the Seahorse made a “Faerie” surprise appearance showing up bringing medicine of the males’ participation in protecting our children and the Earth our Mother. 

Although we are as a culture eventually evolving albeit slowly, into a more feminine matriarchal society, in the moment men still dominate most of the levers of power around the world and that's tied to the concepts of supremacy, war, oppression, and rational self-interest. 

The medicine of the Seahorse is bringing in a new model of male identity, “the cooperative male.” Earlier attempts at this have failed because it was perceived, by both men and women, that the "male movement" was trying to make men more like women, or un-male. This wouldn’t do, men still have to feel like men, however that's defined. Any new version would require a model that is based upon age-old traditions of male cooperation, and sheds a spotlight on the glaring problems with excessive male competition, reaching to the emotional level, that cooperation is in men's best self-interest as well as the survival of humanity.

An African Eagle flies toward us pulling a string connected to the Buddha’s lower earlobe, which is activating the Spiritual reflex point to the pineal gland in the brain, opening his inner vision. The Buddha is serene as he is deep in his meditation while all this wildlife goes on around him he is praying for Africa, he is praying for us all.

God and his Buddha man
Pray for life in Africa but wait that’s not all…
He prays for us to awaken for the call
All the wars, all the death, all the famine and loss, 
Clear the dust, lift the veil, draw the circle on the cross.
Cher Lyn

Find the Seahorse!!!  “Vision of the Seahorse’s Prayer for Africa,” is truly a mystical painting. I began this one by not having a preconceived thought before I started. Beginning with Prayer and meditation as always, I burned sacred essences while using musical instruments and chants to bring higher energies in to work with and then I just played in the paint. After it dried and I meditated with it again, I knew something special was there but it seemed to take weeks of trust before the essence truly emerged for my eyes to see, but whence it did, it came in truly like magick.

Originally the title of the painting was “Prayer for Africa”. At an art show where the painting was first exhibited, a woman called me over to ask if I had glued a real Seahorse onto the canvas. No I did not, but when I looked, sure enough a perfect image of a Seahorse, had formed in the paint untouched by my conscious intension. Truly amazed myself, I went on to explain to her a little story of when the first Seahorse came to me.

I was meditating with the fire one night as I do in the winter months when it’s too wet and cold to be out under the moon and stars. Suddenly I saw a 3 dimensional faerie in the flames of the fire, she was holding a five-pointed star. (I was not on psychedelics). As I stared at her in amazement, she turned into a Seahorse, and then she disappeared. I pondered this message all night. This was the second time in two months, I’d seen my first live 3D Faerie since I have been an adult. And I had never encountered a Seahorse in my work with Spirit animals, and didn’t really know much about them at all. The next morning a friend called out of the blue, and without even saying hello blurted out, “Girl, something about the Seahorse, I don’t know what it is about the Seahorse, I keep feeling the Seahorse. The male carries the babies, you know! It’s the men these days’, they need to look at the Seahorse. We need to find the Seahorse in our men.” Ask and the answers shall be given! Thank you my friend.

To honor the vision, I painted a Seahorse, but I was never really happy with the quality of Spirit in it, therefore after almost a year, I covered it over with paint to begin a new one, resulting in, “Vision of the Seahorse’s Prayer for Africa.”

The quality that “Vision of the Sea Horse’s Prayer for Africa” carries, is Strength. Be it known there are many kinds of Strength, Strength in body, muscles, speed, and agility. Strength in knowledge, truth, understanding, and quickness of thought, these are considered to be certain kinds of strength. 

The kind of Strength we find in authentic power has roots in the deepest part of our Being.  Found in the sanctuary of our hearts, this could be called inner strength, our deepest knowing. The power of inner strength cannot be bought, or inherited. An authentic person is so strong in their inner strength they would never think of using force against another, it is not in his/her consciousness. When we align our thoughts, emotions and actions with the deepest part of our strength, we are authentically strong, empowered and life is filled with purpose and meaning, joyful and rich.

Darwin's "survival of the fittest" model of evolution has been far overstated, focusing primarily on brute strength and breeding rights. This promotes a concept of maleness that over values aggression/greed, and devalues the importance of cooperation. I believe this to be a misunderstanding of evolution which has given justification to capitalists- at-any-cost. 

In truth, cooperation has been a greater force in survival than strength and domination. Domensticated man who has moved from the feminine heart and into the masculine mind of build and conquer in brute and science “strength,” in a short time has brought the world close to total destruction. Where indigenous tribes working in cooperation with Mother Nature in a matriarchal structure sustained the world for millions of years using their inner strength.

Although all Beings are working together more choices are open to us as humans on this planet, as apposed to animals, because of our consciousness.  We choose through our hearts and make manifest through our mind. One purpose of meditation is to strengthen the mind. Finding the Strength to focus in the heart and direct our mind, this is true conscious choice. What we are after is to be able to bring strength to the trained mind and focus in on the now. As we bring in more awareness, more consciousness, we build up our strength and are able to make choices that sustain and lead us towards happiness. Our ability to chose becomes more and more profound. 

This is inner strength of the Vision of the Seahorse. The gift of the practice is to bring our attention to intention to see our self, face to face, the Buddha, the Christ, the Holy, to see and feel our own inner strength, the authentic self. The meditating Buddha fully activated prays in gratitude, for our Spirit energy is opening our crown chakra connecting us to higher vision and clearing the dust clouds of confusion away. 

The power and strength of Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Saints and such is examples of authentic, inner Strength. The Strength of compassion unfathomable in our human experience that was performed by Jesus Christ is the most explicit example one could give. 

“From the beginning of time, to the end of time, the force of truth wins over violence.” Mahatmas Gandhi.