Radiate Thirteen
- Yassica
- Nov 6, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 20
October 2021: Painting & Essay
The Vision
The inspiration for this painting began with a vision in a session in May 2021. While sitting with my eyes closed in a deeply reflective state, I observed a 13-petaled flower open from within the mouth, emitting rays of Light that enveloped the head and cascaded outward around the body like a toroidal field.
The vision conveyed a sense of healing that felt powerful and radiant. The flower's stem went down the oesophagus and through the solar plexus area, reaching further down, rooting this energy with strength and precision.
It seemed to be clearing the vocal airways to allow information (or a message) to flow freely while laying the groundwork for firmer boundaries rooted in love and acceptance.
As I reflectied on this vision, I found myself contemplating the many way we keep parts of ourselves hidden. Sometimes we hold back on sharing our thoughts, new ideas, and aspirations hidden behind veils of fear, old patterns, beliefs, and conditioning.
Can you visualize this flower emanating from within you? What new things in your life want to emerge? Is there something you kept hidden that is now ready to be reveal?
The allure of the number thirteen has fascinated me for years, its significance takes on greater meaning with time. Throughout this article, I touch on some insights and sacred symbolism associated with this number that you can delve into further if it resonates.
Exploring Sacred Geometry
In the months following the initial vision, I delved into sacred geometry, using the Flower of Life pattern as the foundational concept to translate my vision onto canvas. In this intricate pattern, the feminine principle finds expression in the Fruit of Life—a configuration comprised of 13 circles found within the Flower of Life pattern. From the Fruit of Life emerges interconnected lines representing the masculine principle and forming Metatron's Cube. This geometric structure serves as the genesis of the Platonic solids, the fundamental building blocks underlying the fabric of our physical reality.
My painting highlights the Fruit of Life pattern, the feminine principle needed to manifest physical reality. What excites me the most is the "hidden" or unseen nature of the feminine, that when "found", all else falls into place. The feminine energy is our intuitive nature; without that connection, we struggle to see the depths of who we are, losing sight of our meaning and purpose.
The first time I encountered this beautiful geometry shape was in The Ancient Secrets of the Flower of Life by Drunvalo Melchizedek. However, there are many books that delve into these profound and sacred patterns. One of my favorites is Quadrivium: the four classical liberal arts of number, geometry, music and cosmology published by Wooden Books, and to begin drawing geometry, Drawing Geometry by Jon Allen. One of my favorite places to attend sacred geometry classes while I lived in England was the Sacred Art of Geometry studio at Emerson College in Surrey, although it is only an in-person learning studio.
Insights From Soul Plan
In Soul Plan, a methodology that maps the soul's journey through the sound vibration of the birth name, the number 13 holds significance as a feminine energy that embodies the Divine Mother. It symbolizes water and wisdom—a duality of what is revealed and concealed.
In the physical body, the energy is connected to the abdomen, where the sacral chakra resides and governs the water element and creativity. In the sky, it is connected to Neptune, who is associated with the depths of the sea and the mysteries of the subconscious. Neptune is the planet of inspiration reigning over our dreams, illusions, and all things magical, enhancing our intuition and nurturing our capacity for compassion. Connecting with water enhances our intuition.
Furthermore, in the framework of Soul Plan, the number 13 is paired with the number 4 (1+3=4), an energy that embodies fertility and abundance. It aligns with the Sun, and the directional pull is the East, where the rising Sun heralds the dawn of a new day and illuminates what is on the horizon.
Marigold Symbolism
With its 13-petalled structure, the Marigold caught my attention due to its resemblance to the petals in my vision, sparking a sense of resonance with its symbolism. Often associated with the Sun, the Marigold embodies power, strength, and inner Light qualities.
The name Marigold carries profound symbolism, blending Mary, a historically rich feminine name, with gold, an element that can be reshaped into endless forms without fracturing. It demonstrates its great strength and brilliant colour, making it a powerful symbol of our highest nature and truest expression.
When I applied the soul plan methodology to the name Marigold, it carries the strongest earth vibrational energy through the number 8, which is also connected to clairvoyant abilities. Enhanced intuition comes from a place of being centered and grounded within oneself.
When I began painting in October 2021, I later learned that Marigold is October's birth flower! This remarkable synchronicity added depth as I continued to explore its symbolism.
According to the Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham, Marigold is attributed to masculine energy and is linked closely to the Sun element of Fire. Therefore, we find this combination of the feminine and masculine, to water and fire, to the earth and sky that are fundamental to creation and our cyclical nature. Cunningham explains its magical properties extend to areas such as protection, prophetic dreams, legal matters, and psychic/intuitive abilities.
He writes, "Marigolds, picked at noon when the Sun is at its hottest and strongest, will strengthen and comfort the heart...Looking at the bright flowers strengthens the sight...if a girl touches the petals of the Marigold with her bare feet, she will understand the language of the birds." Hence, his intriguing insights underscore the rich tapestry of folklore and mysticism surrounding this humble yet potent flower.
After this magical journey with Marigold, I bought the dried leaves and on occasion drink Marigold tea!
Exploring the Cosmic Womb
The cosmic womb is a sacred space associated with the feminine essence of creation. The number thirteen is the number of the moon, and according to the wisdom explored in the book Womb Awakening by Bertrand, she is the goddess of the night in both her celestial aspects and in her role as governess of the female menstrual cycles. There are 13 new and full moons in a year and 13 lunar months of twenty-eight days.
Across cultures, thirteen is connected to ancient lunar cosmology, from the original thirteen-division zodiac to the Mayan worldview of thirteen celestial heavens. In Egyptian tradition, Nut, whose dark womb contained the moon and all the stars in the sky, was painted on the inside of sarcophagi and coffins to welcome the dead back to her heavenly maternal embrace. This cosmic wisdom reminds us of life's cyclical nature, offering endless opportunities for growth, renewal, and transformation. Another wonderful reference for exploring this theme further is the book The Great Cosmic Mother by Monica Sjoo and Barbara Mor.
Navigating Transformation: The Tarot and Egyptian Mysticism
Another reference to the number thirteen can be found in the symbolism of Major Arcana Tarot Card 13—Death—revealing a profound journey of transformation. According to Elizabeth Haich's interpretation of this care in the book Wisdom of the Tarot, it serves as a poignant reminder of the inevitability of change and the subsequent rebirth that follows. How we navigate this profound transformation can be found in the spaces before and after.
Elisabeth Haich shares an old saying that resonates deeply with this theme:
Long did I resist,
Finally, I gave way
When the old person turns to dust,
The new one greets the day.
This encapsulates one of the most exciting parts of our spiritual journey: releasing old stories, identities, and illusions. While the transformation process isn't easy, freedom awaits on the other side.
In the book The Qabalistic Tarot by Robert Wang, he writes, "The personality undergoes a willful "death", surrendering everything that it believes itself to be. Most difficult is that this total surrender of life, this initiatory sacrifice, must precede the experience of cosmic awareness. One is required to give up the totality of one's being, one's very life, in relative darkness, yet in the faith that there will be a resurrection into the Light."
Egyptian Mysticism also offers profound insights into the process of transformation in the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony. It is associated with Ptah, who created the universe and all other gods, and symbolizes the spiritual rebirth of the individual. It was thought that he first conceived them in his heart, the seat of the intellect, then spoke his thoughts. To allow the deceased's spiritual essence (ka) to merge with their soul (ba), this ritual signifies a transformative journey towards a more realized version of oneself. Although my understanding of this ceremony is limited, the vision of the flower opening in the mouth and emanating Light and brilliance resonated throughout the painting process.
Conclusion
Radiate Thirteen encapsulates a spiritual exploration and transformation journey ignited by a vision during a Soul Plan session in May 2021. As I explored the intricate symbolism of the painting, I uncovered layers of universal truths and ancient wisdom, from sacred geometry to Egyptian Mysticism, from tarot insights to the mystical qualities of the Marigold. Each element intertwines to form a rich tapestry of insights and growth, inviting us to explore our inner landscapes and embrace the inevitable cycles of change.
Through the lens of Radiate Thirteen, we are reminded of the profound beauty that emerges from releasing old stories, identities, and illusions, paving the way for new beginnings more aligned with our authentic self.
Author's Note (2026)
Five years after completing Radiate Thirteen, the painting inspired Marigold Rising, my first surface pattern collection. The collection translates the geometry, marigold, symbolism, and themes of transformation explored in this essay into a series of coordinated textile patterns.
Explore Marigold Rising here: Marigold Rising Collection
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