the universe is going to catch you

People Drink Tea by the River, 2013

The Three Graces, Hellenistic, c. 2nd-1st Century BC

Graces (or Charites) are goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility. They are, from youngest to oldest: Aglaea (“Splendor”), Euphrosyne (“Mirth”) and Thalia (“Good Cheer”).

Caryatid Mirror with Aphrodite

Greece, ca. 460 BC (Classical) 

Bronze

A graceful female figure serves as a “caryatid,” or human support, for a mirror. The figure’s pose, demure gestures, and simple drapery characterize the quiet elegance of the Early Classical style. The presence of the winged Eros figures (representing the god of love) above suggests that the maiden is a bride or perhaps Aphrodite herself. The siren at the top of the disk recalls the irresistible allure of these mythical bird-women.

Our Moon seen from the ISS (International Space Station)

“Tonight when the new Moon rises, or in the next few nights when the Moon is a slim crescent, go outside and look up. You might see Earth’s reflected light in the dim glow.

A new Moon occurs when all of the Sun’s light is reflected away from Earth, and the side of the Moon facing Earth is barely visible, as illustrated in the above figures. Sometimes the dark face of the Moon catches Earth’s reflected glow and returns that light. The dark face of the Moon has a faint shine, a ghostly version of a full Moon. The phenomenon is called earthshine. It tends to be brightest between April and June, though it does occur at other times of the year. The photo at the top of the page was taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station on July 31, 2011.”

She Rise Up

Terracotta Head of a Bodhisattva wearing a garland Gandhara