Haikus and Photos: Mystery Stone's Animal Forms (Shenandoan Stone: Haikus & Photos, #4)

This work features animal forms depicted on a quartz cobblestone found in a clearance cairn near the Lower Shenandoah River. Possible associations to Eastern Woodland cosmology are related in Haikus and images, from the spirit helpers of shamans to animals that dwell in different parts of a triparite world. You are invited to view these animal forms and envision their meaning from clues the Mystery Stone offers.

The author, for many years, taught a course on the symbolism of Indigenous cultures. He has made several trips to the interior of Guatemala, where he experienced the Indigenous lifestyle and ancient Mayan rituals. In this work, he also draws upon his experience as a photographer and his own experience of symbolic realms. By sharing this work, the author hopes to return the gift that this Stone has given him.