What do you discover when you are still and use your creativity? This weekend was filled with discoveries on many levels around friendships, vulnerability, healing, and upsets. The art brings me back to listening to the part of me that desires to be expressed and in the process I am learning to sit with the fullness of my emotions-sometimes, messy, sometimes in spurts of fits, sometimes without grace, sometimes cutting and angry, sometimes sad and broken- all with an honesty, compassion, and willingness to hear what needs to be expressed.
Posts Tagged ‘mandala and healing’
Mandala Mondays
January 25th, 2010Mandala Mondays
January 18th, 2010
Often we don’t take the time to acknowledge the good in our lives and rush forward into the next thing. What gets our attention are those things that are not working well, or things that could be better, or things that are not how we would like them to be. There also a tendency to focus on the negative feelings we are experiencing, rather than relishing the lightness and joy in our lives. This weekend was a reminder of the joys in my life, of relationships that make my heart open wider, and fun activities that just feel so good and joyful! So I savor a delight filled weekend and set an intention to have a week filled with moments where I focus on the joy in my life and celebrate it!
Mandala Mondays
January 11th, 2010
As my mind becomes still and I respect my need to silently listen to my heart the mandala images become more clear and crisp. After 42 days of making daily mandalas (with a few days missed) I feel a need to center with the artwork. I know when I am not creating I feel a bit off, like my energies are flying around and I cannot fully focus. Yes, there are days when I do the art and I still feel distracted and pulled after making art, but I feel centered in the process.
Today’s Mandala reminds me of what I’ve been hiding from and how I have made excuses out of fear. I allow myself to acknowledge and accept what I am discovering and choose to accept with love the deeper layers I’m discovering.
Mandala Mondays
January 4th, 2010
Monday’s Mandala making reminds me of what I choose in my life and how we consciously choose what we create in our lives. My figure in the center is a flowing tree that is holding the space. As I created the strong lines and leaves I could feel the flow of emotions of holding the emotional space for others and as I sat with those feelings, a deeper realization emerged. It was the holding of the space for the flow of my emotions, a reminder of how easily it is to be in other people’s pain and lose sight of my needs. So I allow the flow of feelings to move through my image, knowing it is all part of nature, and my being. I come back to the reminder that I consciously choose to honor my needs and be in self-love.
Mandala Mondays
December 21st, 2009
Saturday’s Mandala holds sacred the feelings of change and loss and the sheer beauty of moment. I walked on the beach Saturday with my husband. The wind had been blowing all day and there will a wild brilliance of crashing waves that we don’t often see in the gulf. The waves held a raw beauty that comes on a cool winter day at the beach. We picked shells for my mother’s holiday gift and let the feeling of sadness move through us. This was a favorite spot that my mother-in-law treasured when she came to FL. We knew she was walking with us as we combed the beach; this will be the first holiday without her and she’ll be in our hearts as we celebrate, yet there is a sadness that we honor as we move through the holidays.
Today’s Mandala holds the image of coming back to home, back to the heart. Since my husband and I are native northerners, this time of year there is a longing to be up north with family and friends, decking out our house in the Finger Lakes. The trees and hills are the north. Since we had traveled monthly over the last 6 months we decided to stay local and be with my family in the south. There is a longing to be playing in all that snow up north and having things be the same a they had years prior. Yet there is the the water, representing the south, and the continuity that life goes on. There is a sadness in all the changes, and a longing to “return home”. Yet, there is clarity that home is love- love of self, love of others, and love of spirit, and we are always returning home.
Mandalas and Healing, Day 18
December 18th, 2009
It is interesting to see the unfolding of your feelings and thoughts over weeks through the art making process. On day 17 I make this image. There’s lots happening right now in my business, with the holidays, and in my personal life. I find that the 10-15 minutes I take each time I do a mandala centers me for the day. I did not make one a few days ago and felt really off- overwhelmed and stressed out. I find that even though I am really busy, and it could be easy to not make art each day, that the connection with myself and the art grounds me for what happens during that day. This image is about entering into a new period of growth and development (personal and business). There is excitement and the unknown. However, the seeds of growth are being planted and I honor where I’m at in the process.
Today’s Mandala
is very clear. Last night I affirmed a big decision I am making in my life and the feeling of clarity and power of my choice feels so vibrant. The image celebrates the progression of the flame transmuting into growth and budding into new aspects of myself. I can feel the shift within me as I consciously make choices in a new direction. It feels powerful and affirming.
Mandala Mondays
December 14th, 2009
Mandala Monday is here and I create an image that truly captures my unfolding. After a weekend of deep connections with important people in my life, and some time reflecting on what I’m feeling, images emerge over the weekend that honor my sadness, loss, anger, fear, and acceptance. I open my heart to hold these feelings without reverting to old patterns. I allow myself to feel the full depths of these mixed emotions and feel a sense of peeling back the layers to reveal the deeper parts that are emerging. I keep coming back to acceptance, without judgement, knowing I am healing and emerging from my cocoon. With all things that are painful, there is also a sense of beauty and honesty. By allowing others in and witnessing their pain and growth we open up to a deeper level. Although, at times it is quite painful, there is immense gratitude,
Mandala Making, Day 10
December 10th, 2009
Today find myself more centered and grounded. The image is sharp and visually strong and flows from me with little effort. I title it “Clarity” and feel the circle/sun shape on the bottom is rotating from the blue of sadness to the orange, a spiritually strong color. Not only is the energy flowing outward, but it is also flowing back to the center- a feeling of spiritual refueling. I am ready for the day feeling more centered than I have in a while.
Mandala and Healing, Day 9
December 9th, 2009
A foggy morning walk in the park allows me to feel what’s bubbling up inside. I feel fragile, little, and washed in sadness. A part of me would like to climb back in bed and just emotionally rest. I honor that part and ask for healing light to flow over me. Today I will be gentle with myself and honor what that little, child-like, part of me needs.
Mandala and Discovery, Day 8
December 8th, 2009
I find my energy pulled in all different directions recently. I wonder if it’s all the information we have access to or is it my desire to distract myself from my feelings. So I sit still, breathe, and feel the energy moving back into my center. The image is a bottle that is pulling down the energy and busyness, back to a grounding place. I write about it in my art journal, reminding myself I am in control of my choices- and it’s a choice to keep myself and my mind busy. I wonder what purpose all the busyness serves? I process this in my writing and realize the distractions keep me from feeling the things that scare me. I acknowledge my feelings and choose to be gentle with myself.
