Our lonely symbols of mortality - a reflective trip into the Nevis Valley, Central Otago
A bunch of crosses in a populated cemetery can numb my mind if I consider the whole experience of being human, and the collective experiences of all who've gone before us to once again return to the dust of the universe.
A lonely grave seems to bite deeper - the space creates context that can be reflected on...
The symbol of the cross as being part of death, is I find an interesting concept, e.g. while doing the yoga mountain pose [standing tall and straight - not as easy as it may seem], then raise our hands to the sky [and follow with our eyes], then slowly bring them down, palms out, in an arc to our sides, accompanied with an exhalation we create space - both outwardly and physical in the heart/ribs/shoulders, and so on the descent of our hands we become a cross.
Up until making these images last weekend, on yet another trip to Central Otago's Nevis Valley I'd sort of reckoned that it was Christ's death that consolidated the symbolism of the cross, but now I'm not so sure. Could be he picked it to make a point.
Amid all that suffering he opened his heart to all. Created space in yoga terms if you like. And like all crosses if viewed from below the sky [universe] takes on the role we can't comprehend, that of the infinite...
Some of our pioneers obviously had this in mind when they placed a bird next the lonely cross in the Nevis Valley cemetery. Note the bird faces north and slightly upwards...
We entered the Nevis this year from the Bannockburn end [as opposed to Garston in Southland], and on topping Duffers Saddle were quite taken aback as photographers, by the light on the back of the The Remarkables...
This well designed verandah on an historic cottage will have seen many happy relaxing lazes in the sun, and shade...
In this dry continental climate rust does almost sleep...
Modern day [night!] travellers...
Modern day symbols, if you like of not such a distant past...
Yet another cross...
The ponds in the background were created by gold dredges - with limited water they'd daily shift their own hole that they occupied...
Eroded not by nature, but by miners washing down the cliff with large water blasting nozzles, known as sluicing guns...
A lonely grave seems to bite deeper - the space creates context that can be reflected on...
The symbol of the cross as being part of death, is I find an interesting concept, e.g. while doing the yoga mountain pose [standing tall and straight - not as easy as it may seem], then raise our hands to the sky [and follow with our eyes], then slowly bring them down, palms out, in an arc to our sides, accompanied with an exhalation we create space - both outwardly and physical in the heart/ribs/shoulders, and so on the descent of our hands we become a cross.
Up until making these images last weekend, on yet another trip to Central Otago's Nevis Valley I'd sort of reckoned that it was Christ's death that consolidated the symbolism of the cross, but now I'm not so sure. Could be he picked it to make a point.
Amid all that suffering he opened his heart to all. Created space in yoga terms if you like. And like all crosses if viewed from below the sky [universe] takes on the role we can't comprehend, that of the infinite...
Some of our pioneers obviously had this in mind when they placed a bird next the lonely cross in the Nevis Valley cemetery. Note the bird faces north and slightly upwards...
We entered the Nevis this year from the Bannockburn end [as opposed to Garston in Southland], and on topping Duffers Saddle were quite taken aback as photographers, by the light on the back of the The Remarkables...
This well designed verandah on an historic cottage will have seen many happy relaxing lazes in the sun, and shade...
In this dry continental climate rust does almost sleep...
Modern day [night!] travellers...
Modern day symbols, if you like of not such a distant past...
Yet another cross...
The ponds in the background were created by gold dredges - with limited water they'd daily shift their own hole that they occupied...
Eroded not by nature, but by miners washing down the cliff with large water blasting nozzles, known as sluicing guns...
posted by Donald at
5:14 AM
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