Silhouette interpretation with symbols, inspired by Alex Grey's "Sacred Mirrors"
AIP1, Session 8
HANDS OF GOD
Regardless of whether or not you believe in a higher deity, Alex Grey's "Sacred Mirrors" series focuses on evolving oneself to the point where you become your own god. Hands of God is comprised of two main parts, the wings and the body. The body is made out of a multitude of symbols and patterns (studies can be found in Session 7), modified to fit the shape of the silhouette (inspired by Alex Grey's "Sacred Mirrors" as found in Session 6).
The runes speak of protection, healing, love, knowledge, the elements, eternity, life and rhythm. The idea is that once you have gathered an understanding of these concepts, you will become your higher self, or your "own god", as you have achieved a higher understanding of your individuality and surroundings. Wings are associated with angelic divinity, in Hands of God they are comprised of handprints, representing how your efforts are really what gains you this higher divinity.
Here's a poem about my experience of doing this piece:
In wondrous mornings frogs do sing, as
Wooden fingers are stripped bare, and
The pale blue dress blankets all, so
There sat the Tattooed Man
The noontime hour be crisp, but
Pigtailed girls roam the streets, and
Couples share fingerprints, so
There sat the Tattooed Man
Altar candles lit, why
Are the shoes left out? Must
They all be so quiet? But
There sat the Tattooed Man
Springs and boughs,
Mortal vows,
Chickadees,
Dear God please,
Candles lit,
As I sit,
A Tattooed Man I am
As with all poems, the above is open to interpretation, but generally the poem talks about the ascend from primal situations to a spiritual condition (note the environments in each stanza). The "Tattooed Man" is the figure in Hands of God, a symbol of understanding and wisdom. The last line is meant to "wake" the reader, who, after facing all these situations, becomes the Tattooed Man.