Patty Hearst in Hibernia
by Steven McCabe
On April 15, 1974,
Patty Hearst,
A 19 year old university art student and heiress,
Kidnapped by revolutionaries,
& Suffering from
Stockholm Syndrome,
Appeared on camera,
Robbing the Hibernia Bank, (Sunset District Branch, San Francisco),
Alongside her new comrades.
Pulled into this place,
Across time & coincidence,
Into this name
Pursuing
Consciousness &
Thirst,
Into, possibly, a
Type of
Portal…
In Rudolf Steiner’s slim volume ‘The Druids’
He discusses The Mysteries of Ancient Ireland,
& the Mystery Centres of Hibernia:
It sounds strange today that an older humanity experienced sweet after-effects of sleep in the limbs, the arms, right down into the finger-tips and the other parts of the body. But the research of the science of the sprit shows that it was so; and the genius of language has retained something of this, though in a crude and materialistic form. A sleeping-draught was once something spiritual, that is, sleep itself, and it was only later that it became an actual liquid draught in a material form…
In modern initiation we ascend from our ordinary ideas to spirit-sight, but in those days, while ordinary human beings passed from their dreamlike life into sleep, for which they cultivated a consciousness and experienced this after-taste, the mystery priests had the ability to feel their way consciously into sleep and so learned what this after-taste implied…
Her thirst for
A draught of sleep,
&
A waking-dream of
Clouds or plants…
This was the consolation which the priests of the Mysteries could give their people in ancient days; they made them see that plants are not just beautiful but are permeated by the weaving of the spirit; that the clouds do not just sail through the air but that divine spiritual elemental beings are active in them, and so on. It was towards the spirit of nature that these initiates led the human beings who depended on them for guidance…
Digitally collaged images include security camera footage,
An ancient navigational device,
A neolithic stone structure,
A stone carving,
(authors unknown).
I do not claim copyright of the original images.
I have created a new composition
for non-commercial purposes
of parody or commentary.
poemimage 
I admire and very much appreciate how your life is your art and your art is your life, with so many diverse and seemingly unrelated elements…
“Pulled into this place,
Across time & coincidence,
Into this name
Pursuing
Consciousness &
Thirst,
Into, possibly, a
Type of
Portal…”
this blog, these images, your art, a blessing to all who receive it.
Good afternoon Jeanie! I’m painting the kitchen and came back to check on an image and discovered your comment. This is such a warm and generous thing to say. I’m very touched and thank you. I’m glad you found those words when you did because I’ve changed them about ten times and finally was able to let them be. I can’t explain this post except I pulled the image of Patty Hearst off a page the other day and yesterday morning it…just…started. Thank you again.
There you go again; in and out of your portal, making connections, making your art, painting your kitchen—I see it as orange. I can’t explain that! 🙂
Orange is an interesting idea! I’m on the white ‘trim’ now. But orange is a thought! 🙂 Yes, a good thought! Your long distance colour intuiting! 🙂
This is beautifully done. I’ve always felt sympathy for Patty Hearst, living her ‘normal’ life as a university student and then, one day, taken down this terrible other path. And then imprisoned and tried.
Thank you mrsdaffodil. Indeed, What a story. So many cultural misfires at the time. I wonder too about the ‘vibrations’ passed along to her from her grandfather.
Fascinating idea to combine these elements – what a strange life Patty Hearst has led, given how it started. A portal indeed. Did you see her in John Waters’ Pecker?
Thank you Richard. Yes a strange life. I haven’t seen any films she has appeared in. That too is an odd reality for her. I wonder if she ever got back to her initial interest in art.
Your mind (and art) wanders down strange and wonderful paths, Steven. There is something of time travel in here, push and pull, the extraordinary.
Thank you Karen, for these thoughts. Yes push and pull! Entering a story at any point and pushing and pulling in a circular (round) fashion. Traveling time in the round.