The Wildness Within

Nine Mile Lake

South Dakota magazine published my photos and essay on Nine Mile Lake in its current May/June issue.

I own some land on the lake and have been photographing it for about 7 years.

Blue Cloud Invisible Landscape

The Invisible landscape at Blue Cloud                                                                                                    JimJ11


I caught this scene at Blue Cloud Abby near Marvin, South Dakota.

It reflects the feelings i have after being on retreat at the Abby this last week with my Woolly Mammoth Brothers and the my Benedictine Brothers at the Abby.

A question that is asked at the retreat is ” Where am i headed ? ” Am i paying attention to what God might be telling me ?

For me this photo captures the theme that i am exploring in my art work. This theme The Wildness Within can also be described as finding ” The invisible landscape ” Within.

To me the shape of the soul is an invisible shape. It is the shape when i feel the most alive in – The Contemplation of Beauty – This contemplation connects me with an ‘ interior landscape ‘ deep within my soul, my WildnessWithin.

According to John O’Donohue the Irish poet and philosopher beloved for his book Anam Cara — Gaelic for “soul friend “

John talks of his insistence on beauty as a human calling and a defining aspect of God. John had a very Celtic, lifelong fascination with what he called ” the invisible world. ” He talks about how through the ” aesthetic event of Art ” the inner life is awaken and reminded of a hugh interior life.

Since my retreat from the city, 8 years ago, i have been looking for this invisible world, not really knowing that that’s what i was looking for. I have been calling it the WildnessWithin. I have found that it is Beauty that i have been seeking. ‘ The inner landscape of Beauty ‘ that John talks about. The visible world & the invisible world intertwining in human experience.

“ Beauty is a human calling and a defining aspect of God .”

Winter Solstice Aberdeen

May all the light of the Winter Solstice be full of blessings for you this Holiday Season

and the New Year.

day arises
from the sleep
day wakes up
with the dawning light
also you must arise
also you must awake
together with the day that comes

thule eskimo

Poem from:
Changing Light edited by J. Ruth Gendler
A collection of Myths, Poems, Prayers observing the Eternal Cycle of Night and Day.

Winter Solstice Aberdeen #1                                                                                                        JimJ10

Winter Solstice Aberdeen #2                                                                                                         JimJ10

The Samhain Mediator between the Two Worlds

This is my first entry since moving from the Ranch to the Wildness of the city – Aberdeen -

One Wildness that i found in my new home is a resident Great Horned Owl ( My animal totem ) who has a nest in a huge blue spruce tree in our back yard. Its as if the owl medicine comes with me – or is this just coincidence – What do you think ?
Ever since one of my shaman teachers Martin’ told me that according to one of my recurring dreams – one of my animal totems or guides is an Owl – i have seen and heard them, where ever i wander.

The Owl is traditionally – The Mediator between the Two Worlds

In the dark of night as is sit in my bedroom i hear — WHOOOO WHOOOOO WHOOOOOing.


So here’s an image for this time of passage of the seasons ‘ Summers End ‘ SAMHAIN

The Samhain Mediator between the Two Worlds
20 ” x 30 ” Photo collage by JimJ ’10


Samhain is a Gaelic festival held on October 31–November 1.

The Irish name Samhain is derived from Old Irish and means roughly “summer’s end”.
A harvest festival with ancient roots in Celtic polytheism, it was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and continued to be celebrated in late medieval times. Due to its date it became associated
with the Christian festival All Saints’ Day, and greatly influenced modern celebration of Halloween.

The Fallen One

The part that i never talk about in Wildness in the death part. All living things die in order for the living

to carry on. In our animal families on the ranch. We are always walking over the dead ones to get to the living ones.

In this photo it is amazing to see the concern and curiosity of all the animals for the fallen family member.

July 4th Caspers Ranch

Mother Nature gave us some fireworks for this Independence Day



July 4th at Caspers Ranch                                                                                               JimJ10

June Wildness

The Beauty out here still takes my breath away




After a Great Plains Thunderstorm                                                                  JimJ10






A Snowy Egret on Caspers Ranch                                                                     JimJ10

Nine Mile Lake Reflections                                                                                 JimJ10




This reminds me of the great architecture of the Hindu temples in India

Pinkness in June                                                                                                    JimJ10

Nine Mile Lakes’ Two Worlds                                                                            JimJ10

June Sweetness in lavender                                                                               JimJ10

Into the Storm

Looking West from the ranch into an approaching Spring storm

Into the Storm                                                                                                                                                                      JimJ’10

Queen of the May

A Crown of Wool for our Queen of May here on the ranch

Queen of May                                                                                                        JimJ10

The Wildness Way

Framed Wildness or is it a Wildness Frame ?

The roads out here on the ranch are beginning to come back after being underwater due to Spring flooding.

I think thats the way it is when we rediscover our Natural selves. We start to appear on a path of discovery again. After being submerged in the industrial world, a slave to the routine of chores and obligations we find some green space  – a Spring feeling to let our souls breathe.

The Wildness Way                                                                                                                                                          JimJ10