Roots of Humanity FAITH Panel Connection Through Art and Education

The second pillar of humanity created by Tom Holdman and his team is based on FAITH. Here is a description of this panel written by Gayle Holdman.

This panel is the second of a set of seven and focuses on FAITH along with: Confidence, Potential, Purpose, Meaning, Spirituality, Awareness, Opportunity, Passion, Philosophy, Possibility, Trust, Conviction, and Optimism shown through language and imagery.

The border of the “fabric of our lives, “ continues representing designs of New Zealand, Australia and Africa.

In the upper left is an ensō, the Japanese word for circle. In Japanese calligraphy, the ensō is made with a single fluid brushstroke. A disciplined practice as spiritual expression, it embraces creating in the moment and seen often in Zen Buddhism. Within the ensō is Brahma, the four-headed Hindu god of creation. Michelangelo’s, “Creation of Adam,” speaks to the Biblical origins of man and woman next to the scientific postulation of creation, the Big Bang Theory.

The continental landscapes are found in Asia and North America:

·         Mt. Everest, located in the Himalayas, is world renowned as the pinnacle of a climber’s experience. Although all may not literally climb that summit, each of us will have our personal “Everests.” The human soul is capable of surmounting vast obstacles and emerging stronger.

·         Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak, the mountaintop in Sri Lanka is claimed as a holy site by Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus alike as either the place where Adam had his first step on the earth, Buddha had his last, or as the footprint of Lord Shiva and is a site of many pilgrimages.

·         The Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is home to an ecosystem of pristine flora and fauna, some of which date back to prehistoric times. Notice the stone building with symbols of three world religions, each with Abrahamic roots:

·         A Mirab, a prayer niche found in Muslim mosques which will always face Mecca.

·         A Christian mosaic of Jesus healing a lame and blind man.

·         A menorah and a star of David invoke thoughts of Jewish heritage and belief.

To the right, a boy jumps into the waiting arms of a man below. While the reason for his leap is not entirely clear, the boy’s action shows faith and trust that he will be caught.

The Bodhi tree is a sacred fig tree in India where the Guatama Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment under its heart shaped leaves. The iconic heart design found within the leaves is in reference to the “head, hands, and heart” theory of learning and leadership.

Tibetan prayer flags hang from the branches of the Bodhi. The printed prayers and mantras spread good and compassion to all surrounding space by the wind that blows through them.

Under the tree just to the left is a group of individuals, each on their own religious pilgrimage. The red fabric held aloft by the last man is a scrap of a red scarf representing a story of faith from the pioneer migration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Between 1846-1868, close to 70,000 members of this faith crossed 1,300 miles of the United States by wagon and on foot to seek greater religious freedom.

A nurse stands at the ready holding the wheelchair seen in the Love panel. Her blouse is made of fabric with ribbons symbolizing the support of many worthwhile causes including cancer, blindness and autism. The braid down her back represents the spiritual significance that many cultures give to hair such as Native Americans who see it as a connection to Higher Power, as it grows from the crown of the head. Letting the hair grow long towards the earth shows a connection or grounding to the planet. Many tribes and communities have their own distinguishing braid styles. We chose to illustrate a braid reminiscent of a DNA strand, reminding us again of our human connection.

On the stairs, a Jewish boy and a Muslim girl share bread. The act of breaking bread with another person is a bonding experience that can lead to friendship. This scene is a reminder of the good that comes from focusing on and sharing common experiences.

The woman at the gravestone symbolizes that grief is universal. An hourglass with a rising sun behind it illustrates the passing of time. There is a limited time allocated to every person to make the best of the life they have. Marigolds and a brightly decorated skull, coins, incense and candles, an ancient toy, prayer beads, handwritten notes, shells, stones, rice and fruits represent the efforts of many faiths and cultures to honor their deceased loved ones. These gifts and offerings hearken to the great questions of what happens when we die. Is there life after death? Where did we come from and where are we going? We are linked to our ancestry and our posterity. What good can we gain from those who came before and what are we leaving for those who will come after us?

The woman with the small girl has a fourfold purpose--she could be giving to or receiving from someone nearby. Her gaze is heavenward; she could be expressing gratitude for blessings while also pledging to use those blessings to elevate the human condition. She represents both possibility and opportunity and cradles a young girl who is the only image looking directly at the viewer. This vulnerable and innocent child draws the viewer into the scene with her gaze and invites the pondering questions of who we are and how do we seek and use faith. The girl is a reminder that children are born helpless and need to be protected and nurtured in order to develop a greater sense of faith and trust. The field in front of both of them is blooming with forget-me-nots.

The Buddhist prayer bowl has the symbol of the Ohm. This foundational vibration is embraced by many faiths. Those on the bowl are from Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism.

In the soil around the ribbon you find a compass to ponder how we each find direction in life, a fragment of the Ten Commandments, Neil Armstrong’s footprint from the moon landing, a yin yang image of balance, complement, connection and the necessity of opposition, along with a key as a symbol of the power to unlock the vast potential of human existence.