Beniguie'a: flowered people

Size: 130x200cm; 4.2x6.5ft 
Master Weaver: Justino Martinez Mendoza
Materials and methods: criollo sheep wool and fine merino wool hand dyed with natural dyes: Bèé (cochineal), yauhtli (tagetes lucida) and Xiuhquilitl (indigo) . Handwoven on a Zapotec style loom of the 16th century adapted from European styles. Woven using a 7 threads per inch reed and cotton warp. 
Patterns and symbols: the rug is framed with a cycle of life pattern to remind us of our fragility on this earth and the mortal dream that we are experiencing. The cycle of life is wrapped in the warrior's life cycle which represents the journey to knowledge and wisdom, an ever growing struggle embraced by mortal beings seeking their full awareness. Each side of the frame has an expanding Quincunce mirrored on the other side to illustrate our split awareness. 
Our split awareness can only be united by seeing the world through the eye of the feather snake (the perfect union of heaven and earth awareness), this is shown as the two big diamonds in the center. Becoming a flowered person requires one to live a life of balance and constant growth and learning, this is shown in the pattern of a diamond within a diamond, to represent the eye of the feather snake that opens up to deeper and deeper understanding of life; just like the 1000 petal lotus flower that the Buddah talks about. The short life cycle patterns decorating the blue diamond represents the many times a flowered person has died and born again in their path to reach awareness of the great spirit. 



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