In nature – seeing is feeling… the leaves talk to me…
I was out in the bush today, creating in nature. I found a beautiful spot with a rock in the middle and I painted it. As I painted I tuned in to the land, the birds, the trees and thought about the snake and my fear and excitement all in the same breath…

As I felt the snakes presence in the landscape I also thought about my colonized view of the serpent, representing evil, but whose skin is so in nature and in tune with nature. He slides along the earth close to Papatuanuku, could there not be any being more connected than he?
And as I felt this presence I understood too that nature does not have to be seen to be felt. I could be miles away and still feel a place… But the snake did come out for me today and she was beautiful… so graceful in movement and very
healing…she presented herself just as I was walking by and in that moment, she and I became one…
I was also reminded of my own shedding of skin, this new life I am about to begin…
Arohanui,
Jo x
PS – I say she because he or she is contained in the word – it’s like the Māori word for she or he which is the same – ia. This rock is not the rock that I painted in the clearing but a rock that I painted right outside my door in this beautiful paradise I was staying…