what carries you?

Our lives being a journey

gave rise to the thought of what carries me through the day.

Most days I move along at a steady pace

rituals played out.

Deep waters make me more conscious of life

and it brings me to realize how it is love that carries me through the day.

Faith plays a part

Without it

I would not trust the boat that carries me over to the other side

of fear and uncertainty.

I continue to move towards that which I love to do

rather than do the expected responsible thing-

the mature adult thing

the money thing that is constantly being slammed at you

by way of media.

No.

It is the child within me

the idea of trying something new

that carries me

to a shore of possibility.

But ultimately it is because

I love you

so

deeply.

Buried Seeds

Buried seeds

keeping warm deep in the earth

beneath this blanket of snow

One day you will emerge

move towards the light

and

rejoice.

You will begin again

another round

another birthday.

The wheel of life turning round and round

from seed to blossom to fruit and back to the earth again

rest

because you will rise again

to be in your glory

colorful

brave

open

dancing your feverish dance

with all of life

forgetting where you came from

Wild Thing

While I was creating this mandala, "passion" entered my thoughts. I've been thinking a lot about following my passions. Art is one of my greatest.. there are other which I won't get into right now, but for the last couple of months, I've been doing mandalas as a daily meditation.
I've become very passionate about doing them... sometimes avoiding doing other things.. but what the heck.
But the language of the mandala shifted and spoke of being wild, taking a risk... that side of you that wants to be a "wild thing"... a bit rebellious, wanting to move outside the box.. s t r e t c h into something new.. go exploring again.
What is calling you?
What is it you'd like to try?
Where can you stretch yourself... and maybe take a walk on the wild side :-)
Maybe I'm just getting cabin fever!!!!!!!!!!!

compass of love

Finding your true north..

that which you love to do, that which you are passionate about.

Your heart becomes the compass showing you the direction,

the path upon which you should be walking.

Many times I have questioned my purpose,

but what I have learned is that life will show you if you are willing to listen,

listen to your heart

that is.

Here is where the answers lie.

Whatever you find yourself doing

over

and

over again.

Whatever brings a smile, make you feel like singing,

whatever brings joy

whatever makes time

stand

still.

That's it.

Transition

As I was working on this mandala, the word "transition" kept popping up in my mind. Here's where I say that the mandala speaks to me. It begins the conversation within the process, getting stronger towards the end and most often it speaks more clearly at it's completion.
About halfway, it had a strong energy of summer.. the energy of vibrant color wanting to be felt, turning away from the gray, black and white... ok, mostly white - of this winter.
But transitions are about just that, the moving from dark to light, and then from light back to dark... from warm to cool, business to stillness.
Moving from inside myself to outside in the world.. these are small transitions of each day.
Moving from one sign to another.. moon, sun.. outer planets.. these take longer and even longer..
Each transition comes with ease or difficulty, depending on how we are, what we are feeling.
How well do you transition from one activity to another?
Watch children. This conversation was held during our class last night, discussing our different experiences with children during transitioning and I think that is what must have been sitting deep inside while I was completing this. I think Mandala wanted to discuss it a little more with me :-)
When I am totally engrossed in a project, I do not want to stop to do something else.
I want to sit with what I am doing.. focused... totally immersed in what I am doing as if there were nothing else in the world. Being in the now.
But "now" moves forward and we begin transitioning into another activity. Maybe some responsibility that MUST be done.. like shoveling your car out or doing a load of wash..
But ooh so sweet are the times when we can linger on and on, taking it slow, transitioning slowly... flowing well from moment to moment. Such bliss.
I was taken with an event I saw on the local news station - a man with a rare cancer was turned down by the insurance company, but channel 12 news interceded on his behalf, calling the insurance co. on it... and they took another look at it and decided to cover his treatments.
This happened as the sun moved into the humanitarian sign of Aquarius.. cool, I thought and Kudos to you channel 12 news!
I hope all your transitions today go smoothly..
Namaste'

New Journal

Opening

Heart Light
I bought a new journal from a local art store that has beautiful handmade paper. The mandalas are cropped, so you don't see the ragged edges. This caused me to take a break from markers and go back to watercolors.. H2o's. Unfortunately, you cannot see the glimmer these colors have. They are one of my favorite mediums to use.
I treated myself to 2 new journals, both having watercolor paper... both delicious to use.
Food and Art.. two things I love that nourish me!
I've been "hungry" lately. For some reason, I am looking for some food to satisfy and it ended up I was eating too much junk food... then I realized, it's not the food but the art that would satisfy this time. With a cup of tea (Relax from Trader Joe's) I went into my art room and painted.. and that does the trick every time.
Trying to lose weight? go pick up a brush.. or marker or whatever tool you prefer :-)
You are changing your focus. You resolve the emotional eating that does us in every time... and instead become centered on creating and your own inner self and just maybe will uncover some issue that had been lurking deep inside.. bringing it up to the surface and making it conscious.
Once it is brought to Light... then we can deal with it.
"Enlightenment is not about imagining figures of light, but of making the darkness conscious" Jung wrote that and I get it.. and doing art, especially creating mandalas, does that for me.. it brings things to light and if we bring the light to something "dark" it's there for us to see.
I see you now.
You are out in the open.
Now I can deal with you....
and be open
to some new possibilities...

what guides you?

I created 2 mandalas while waiting yesterday. I have a series of "waiting room" mandalas :-). I bring a book and pens, markers, journal, blank cards...
Because of the snow, I stayed at the hospital while John had his paracentisis (sp?) procedure. I usually drop him off and go do what I have to do for a few hours and then go back to pick him up when I get the call... but yesterday with the snow coming down like it did, I stayed.. no way was I going to make that trip twice!
I was concerned about the roads, but the Universe was good and they were just wet while everything else was covered.. COVERED.. in a blanket of heavy snow. It was beautiful to see and I thought, that too was a gift.. a gift of beauty.
I sat in the cafeteria for a while making mandalas and getting lost in time.. no time.. while creating them. I believe they bring me to a place of calm and healing and while I'm in that mode, I feel that healing energy go out to every one there besides my husband.
Remarks on how well he is looking from his doctor, a smooth "tap" all verify this for me. If I can be calm and loving and send out this energy, it can only be good for others as well.
WE are energy.
If we are filled with love, that energy must go out into the world too. If we are joyful, notice how much joy we see out in the world.
If we do what brings us joy... then we are living our truth, walking our path.. it is a constant reminder to do just that. Do what brings us joy.. let it be our guide.
Thank you Universe for my eyes to see.
Namaste'
Doreen

Open arms

This is the last mandala of 2010. I made it with the intention of giving it to a friend to say thanks...
I called it open arms, because of those golden extenions and the blue wavey lines reaching out. Sometimes I feel as if I was to wrap my arms around it all.. all of my friends, all of life. I want to give it a big hug.. to hold on to it, encapsulate it all inside of me.. to hold on... to hold on.. but it is all there and no need to hold on to it, because it is all right there.. right here.. all a part of the whole and there's no need to hold on.
Release is something I am keeping consciously aware of this year. I want to let go of stuff, material stuff as well as emotional stuff that does not serve me well. I want to let go of stressful emotions, the worries, the fears that prove to do nothing but cause dis-ease.
I want to let go... not hold on.
If my arms are open, I can not hold on and I can let go.. no grasping and there's no need for it because it's all right here.
In my heart.
I breathe it all in.. hold ... and let it out.. letting go with a soft sigh.