Nude photography and mystical devotion to the Goddess: HER: the sacred naked mother earth, and the divine feminine soul     preview of HER: the sacred naked mother earth, and the divine feminine soul by J. Haas   Mystical devotion to the Goddess, and fine art nude photography.             For current information on the unity of all existence, go to www.spiritandflesh.com   INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK   The physical is the metaphysical. Flesh is spirit. Form and essence are one. This is not merely a book of artistic, nude photography- it is an initiation. There is an understanding amongst mystic adepts that the Mother aspect of the Godhead is actually everything that exists, for they have found intimacy with Her in all things, including their own beings. Because of this the ancient Goddess worshippers knew that when they worshipped Her, they were worshipping the earth, their homes, and their very own flesh.  In this sense one could say that the Mother Goddess is what is. Though in more obvious ways She is unequivocally manifest in all human mothers. Therefore let us remember that these women are beautiful, sexual, and sensuous lovers, and not just caregivers and suffering child-bearers. Towards that end I have assimilated these pictures of Tanis, who, between the ages of forty-one and forty-four, when these photos were taken, had been a mother for nearly a decade. I have loved Tanis as I have loved the Mother Earth. Both are sensuous, sexual, sublime and substantial mothers. Both have made me aghast in wonder at their beauty and mystery. Both have embraced me and joined me in the mystic dance of the flesh, where substance is spirit and spirit is soul. Tanis is my soror mystica (my alchemical mystical sister), as well as my mate, peer, companion, twin-soul, and lover. She is perhaps the most dedicated and determined alchemical and Jungian scholar I know. She is incredibly lucid when interpreting dreams, has an inherent shamanic nature, and a great gift of penmanship. She is a brilliant, intense, indefatigable student of the great work, as alchemy is often called, and is relentlessly reading arcane tomes on mysticism, esoterica, shamanism, and the like. She is a great companion on journeys both in the outer world, and inwards towards the nebulous self. In the text accompanying the photos, I have included quotes from various spiritual sources, as well as excerpts from Tanis’ early writings. I have chosen these specific excerpted selections because of realizations I came upon while doing research for this book; what I came to understand was that throughout history there has been a divine feminine archetype which has been lost from this world. Originally this aspect of the feminine was brought to light in the apocryphal story of Lilith, Adam’s first wife, who, after rejecting his attempts at domination, flew away from the earth and has ever since been free and yet derelict in the cosmos. And then Adam’s second wife, Eve, after partaking of the forbidden fruit, was thrown out of Heaven and became derelict on earth. Thus the divine feminine was divided into two separate aspects: one flew, the other fell. This is the dual nature of the forsaken Goddess which then leads to the myth of Sophia. According to Gnostic scriptures, Sophia is the female aspect of God who has fallen from heaven and must be redeemed. However, and paradoxically, Sophia is also the redeemer, for she is the Shakti (the female power of God), the Goddess, without which God remains impotent. It is therefore one of our highest, human endeavors to return Sophia to Her rightful heritage, and so to unify Heaven and Earth. This comes about through a lengthy, mystical, alchemical process within each one of us, as well as within the cosmos at large; through this process we descend from non-being, our Lilith selves, into being, our Eve selves, so as to discover and recover the whole Goddess, who is of this earth, this life, this flesh, and much more as well. We descend into Her so as to become one with Her, for to become Her is to set Her free. This is the union of spirit and flesh. As each individual uncovers the lost Goddess within their very own being, She, the Goddess, emerges more and more into the greater consciousness of all humanity, and therefore She once again becomes an operational power within this world and beyond. As the archetypical layers of the Goddess re-unite, and Lilith and Eve (the flown and the fallen) come together, Sophia awakens as Gaia, the Goddess who is Mother Earth. Gaia then grows back into her former stature as Sophia, the Cosmic Goddess, known in the past under many names, including Durga in India, Isis in Egypt, Tara in Tibet, Shechinah in the Kabbalah, and Inanna in Sumeria. In this way the universe returns to macrocosmic wholeness. On a microcosmic level I have witnessed a very similar metaphysical process within Tanis, for I have seen her go through a profound archetypical and mythological journey, in that she has often been a free spirit, lifted off of the earth, away from the constrictions and confines of matter, who then floats freely and yet without grounding through life, as in Lilith, and yet she has also been Eve, a mother made of flesh and bone, who is one with Gaia, the very Mother Earth Herself. Tanis is therefore a living bridge between the Lilith and Eve. This living bridge is Sophia. Therefore, along with the photos, I have interwoven some of Tanis’ writings which are specific to this theme, with quotes from various metaphysical sources, so as to document the process of the divine feminine returning to Her true glory. In many ways, the act of taking the photographs became a spiritual journey similar to the mythological drama I have just described. This is because Tanis is for the most part a very shy and secretive person, a Lilith, and so the process of watching her slowly open up and reveal herself to the world has been like watching a rose grow from a little green bud into a remarkable blossom, a Gaia in full bloom. It is this revealing of ‘sacred innocence’ which I find so astonishing in these photos, for it is through the process of allowing her nude body to be exposed to the world that her naked soul is also revealed. I see now why Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, after God saw that they were ashamed of their nudity; and I see also why Christ later stated that one would return to the Kingdom of Heaven only “After you take off your clothes and are not ashamed.” It is interesting indeed that both the Fall and the Redemption are recognized by this essential state of unashamed nudity. To be naked is to be exposed without anywhere to hide. This is innocence. And it is only through such innocence that we return to our true, unashamed, divine nature. These pictures, therefore, are both artistic and alchemical; the photos reveal the sublime physical story of a mystical rose blossoming, while the text charts a metaphysical path of transformation and awakening. Both of these forms of expression lead the reader on a journey toward the emancipation of the Goddess, and therefore the healing of Gaia, the physical body of Sophia. I believe that, beyond our personal journeys upon this wonderful globe, the healing of the planet, of Her, will only be prioritized when we no longer perceive the Earth solely as our home and Mother, but also as our lover and mate. I say this because many times I have experienced a very sensuous relationship with the Earth. I have become intimate with Her. I am a lover of the earth. I am the earth’s husband, as much as I am the husband of Tanis, for they are one. To be a husband, etymologically, is to look after that which is in your care; not because it is your property, but because you love that which is in your care. I love Tanis, and I love the earth.  I see them as separate, beautiful, bewildering entities, and I see them as the same. No doubt this explains why, over the centuries, the nude female form has fit so well with artistic images of the naked earth- for they are one.  And so I believe we must now learn to make love to the earth as intimately and often as we would to our own cherished spouse. In doing so we transform our relationship with matter, the Mater, the Mother, and thus bridge the gap which has been destroying us both. The dew must moisten the earth if the Tree of Life is to bare fruit.   In keeping with this theme of loving the earth, most of these photographs were taken in the wild areas of British Columbia, Hawaii, Ireland, and the American desert. They represent the joyous documentation of a petite incarnation of the Goddess, naked on the sacred naked mother earth. The fruit and the soil, the dew the sky. J. Haas     The ultimate Nude Photography Book HER: the sacred naked mother earth, and the divine feminine soul by J. Haas      ISBN 0973467770 8.5" × 11"  full color book: $29.50 ebook $14.95   Combining beautiful, artistic nude-in-nature photographs of his soror mystica (his alchemical mystical sister), whom he has written about throughout his three autobiographical books, J. Haas adds metaphysical writings and quotes from various esoteric sources, to create a unique book which emphatically declares the sacred, living aspect of the earth and all flesh, as well as the divine nature of the feminine soul. The theme of the inspired text is intended to awaken the reader's consciousness to the actuality of the feminine aspect of God, and to impart an understanding of the divine nature of Gaia, our Mother Earth. The juxtaposition of numerous stunning fine art nude-in-nature photographs alongside the unique metaphysical pieces makes for a tremendous spiritual and aesthetic journey into the body and soul of the Mother Goddess. This is perhaps the most profound and beautiful book of nude photography ever published.         As a work which honors the beauty and aliveness of the earth, most of the photographs were taken in the wilderness areas of British Columbia, Hawaii, Ireland, and the American southwest desert, and 10% of profits from the sale of this book will go towards old-growth forest preservation.   The 8.5" × 11"  large-format book is available using this link: $29.50: buy now The ebook is available for $14.95 using this link: buy now  (Adobe Reader required) (get Adobe Reader) Or purchase the ebook for your mobile device here:   Other books by Jack Haas.           The model, Tanis, (a petite 5'0", 92lbs/42kg) is a Jungian scholar specializing in shamanic studies, a writer, and a mother. She is J. Haas' soror mystica (alchemical mystical sister) who travels and lives with Jack, and has accompanied him on many of the spiritual adventures documented in Jack's three autobiographical books.         For current information on the unity of all existence, go to www.spiritandflesh.com   *   A note from the author:             A person might wonder why a writer of spiritual books, such as myself, would choose to publish a book containing nude photographs of his own twin-soul and partner. The explanation, however, is rather simple, and goes like this: as with all of my artistic endeavors- during the creation of which I often seek guidance and inspiration from the infinite wealth of wisdom found within the cosmos- I can state quite bluntly that, in the case of this book, the Cosmic Goddess herself was ever inspiring and guiding its creation, which, as you may well imagine, is no small thing. When a benediction such as this happens, it is a privilege to take part in such a creation, no matter the potential misunderstanding of humanity. And though it is likely that, in the absence of such holy involvement, I may have chosen to publish a similar book, based on the sheer beauty of the photos alone, I know now that I have been assisted in creating a book which is both aesthetically striking, and is also a sacred and divinely consecrated phenomenon. Knowing this, I can only expect that the images and writings within the book will deliver a profound and transforming experience for the reader. J. Haas Other model-photographer couples who have shot nudes are listed on this page.     Other nude photography books at amazon.com   Customers in the UK, EU, and Canada, use these links to purchase these books:  amazon.co.uk           amazon.ca   Continue to the spirit and flesh nude photography exhibit    more nude photography books at amazon   the HER book purchase page   Click on the appropriate link below to search for books or other items at amazon:

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HER: the sacred naked mother earth nude photography book and nude photography exhibit

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