30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day Two

"Flamingo Garden" - acrylic on cradled board, 8" x 10"

Day two!  More fun without using my paint brush.  This wild bird was a MUST PAINT after our family adventures at Flamingo Gardens last week.  I am completely fascinated by the flamingo, which is much taller than I expected, and is quite hilarious in its body movements and crowd mentality.  When one begins to squawk, the entire community chimes in, complete with awkward head movements, like some sort of ritualistic dance and sing-a-long.  I could watch them for hours!

So of course that got me to thinking...what does the flamingo mean?

The flamingo symbolizes balance.  It is the color of the heart chakra, and is focused on emotional energy.  The flamingo spirit animal teaches us to filter our lessons through emotional waters, just as the bird filters nutrients through water.  This beautiful avian shows us how to maintain our spiritual balance and purpose while within a group.

Flamingos also symbolize flirtatiousness and sensuality.  Perhaps it is time to focus on a little romance in your life?

Despite their community lifestyle, flamingos do not teach us a "herd mentality," but rather the ability to be one in the amidst of others, being true to yourself while loyal to your family or community.  Their long legs symbolize the ability to remain grounded even while exploring deep emotional waters, and to stay sure footed and graceful.

So here we are, at the beginning of a bright and shiny new year, with a fabulous, fashionable and flamboyant bird leading us to be brilliant selves no matter who we are with.  An auspicious sign and a sure reason to wear something fancy around the house, just because you can!

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