We humans come into the world half-baked, unable to survive without a care-giver. We have to learn so much, from the absolute basics like feeding, to the subtitles of human connection, communication and interaction. It all affects our survival, health and happiness.
We don’t stop once we have reached maturity, we can continue learning until the day we die. Thanks to our neuroplasticity, the brain gives us endless potential to create new pathways, take on information, learn new skills. Really the process of learning is trying, failing, refining and trying again. It’s a fluid process which allows growth.
Perfectionism can stand in the way of learning, when we get rigid we miss all the lessons waiting for us in the mistakes.
This is the Spell to help you embrace the learning process and greet your ignorance and mistakes with humour, compassion and understanding. You might find, once you have experienced the learning process enough times, you appreciate how little you really know, and from there you may even develop wisdom.
The perfect symbol of potential is an acorn and the realisation of that potential is an oak tree. Together they symbolise the journey of knowledge and development from tiny and humble beginnings to the massive, majestic fully grown tree.
The moths were caught in the trap in June. The Poplar Hawkmoth was wonderfully docile. It appears so exotic, but is common, just unfamiliar because it is nocturnal.
The Barred Yellow was surprisingly feisty and whist the Poplar Hawkmoth happily perched for me all morning without moving, I had to work very fast to capture the size and markings of the barred yellow before it took off and then work back in from photographs.
This dried mugwort stem is satisfyingly sculptural. The round seed heads create an interesting form with satisfyingly varied negative spaces.
All parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicinal practices for hundreds of years. Mugwort promotes good sleep, alleviates stress, and aids digestion. All benefits that will help you learn. Break down your tasks and information into digestible pieces.
This learner’s pot was painted in location in Cambridge Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Having made a few pots myself, I recognise this as a thumb pot, or pinch pot. Very simply made and actually pretty well-made too, the wall was a very similar thickness right down to the bottom. The clunky handle on the outside however, with a cute little hole through it and the very uneven rim, point to the fact that this may be somebody learning the craft, or whipping something up very quickly, the size, which is just enough for an espresso, indicates it may have been made for or by a child. It is usually displayed in the museum's children’s section.
The surface had the most marvellous patina, from age and the firing process. Part of its appeal for me is the tiny label fused to the inside, beautifully handwritten with copperplate script, “Found in Haslingfield College Farm in 1872”. This adds another layer of story to this ancient object. It’s most probably an iron age pot which means it’s between 2-3000 years old. I imagine the gentleman amateur archaeologist uncovering it dressed in his tweeds and leather boots in the 1870s.
Crows are clever birds. They can learn and adapt, which makes them so successful. They can use tools, work in teams, plan for the future, assess problems, and think them through. Apparently they can even recognise themselves in the mirror and remember the faces of people. They can even learn to mimic sounds.
Choosing this crow feather was a major operation. It turns out I have quite a few! And it ended up as a major feather sort out! It holds the composition in a satisfying way. Answering and reflecting the mugwort on the opposite side of the work.
I'm very lucky to know a neighbour who collects bones of various creatures. She very generously loaned me some of her collection. The rat’s skull is particularly beautiful with those two symmetrical white front teeth. I did imagine that rats might have the same orange coating on their incisors as voles (as in my Spell For Endurance), but they were pearly white and in good condition. Rats are incredibly intelligent creatures, able to learn and solve problems, they have an excellent memory. They are like us in many ways, amazingly adaptable, I sometimes wonder if this is why we they revolt us so much.
The owl is the symbol of knowledge and learning in many cultures. Representing the goddess of knowledge, Minerva in the Roman culture, Athena in Greek culture and Cauileach-Oidhche in the Celtic.
This tawny owl feather was given to me by a friend of my daughter who has a very sharp eye for spotting things! It's not in pristine condition but I actually love how its dishevelled appearance creates interesting shapes, folds and shadows. A wise old owl to finish off the Spell To help you learn. To grow from your mistakes and use your experience and understanding to try new, better approaches.
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