{"id":635,"date":"2015-03-11T16:14:55","date_gmt":"2015-03-11T16:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.healingicons.org\/?p=635"},"modified":"2016-08-26T17:15:44","modified_gmt":"2016-08-26T17:15:44","slug":"calming-practice-creating-mandalas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healingicons.org\/calming-practice-creating-mandalas\/","title":{"rendered":"Calming Practice: Creating Mandalas"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I arrived last Wednesday to set up for our new\u00a0Lunch and Learn Series<\/a>, Mickey and Linda were already there, setting up the registration table. Our \u201cgreeters\u201d Donna and Mae arrived soon thereafter, and Evelyn was not far behind. These five women are our ambassadors. They are experienced, seasoned participants who are well on the other side of treatment or loss and are crucial supporters, offering encouragement and guidance to the newest students among us. Evelyn brought her neighbor Liz, who she had learned was a breast cancer survivor.<\/p>\n

Circles of\u00a0Calm and Renewal<\/h2>\n

The lunches had been delivered, the art supplies set out. All that was left was to create our blessing mandala. If you are not familiar with the word mandala<\/em>, it simply means \u201ccircle,\u201d a shape without beginning or end. It is a symbol of wholeness, balance and renewal. Working within this shape allows us to intuitively resonate with\u00a0feelings of calm, tranquility and peace<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Beautiful<\/a>

Beautiful mandala is in the right hand corner of this photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019d gathered supplies to make my own mandala by gathering small branches of rosemary and plucked a couple handfuls of huge, purple-and-white pansies from my garden – rosemary for its healing powers and flowers for their beauty and symbolism of introspection<\/strong>. My grandmother\u2019s age-worn tea tray was to serve as the base for our mandala, and a red candle would be placed in the center. Mickey and Linda placed the tea tray in the center of the table and began arranging the rosemary around the edge of the tray, radiating the sprigs outward, extending the shape of our mandala. Light-heartedly, they laughed at the gargantuan size of the pansies as they placed them in circle around the tips of the rosemary. We were ready to receive.<\/p>\n

Most came alone. A few brought their husbands; one had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some were in active treatment, some just outside. Donna had picked up Tesha, who did not have a car but desperately wanted to come to class. Her treatment protocol had been changed and she needed to be in a supportive group. By noon, all 17 had arrived and the chatter in the room was filled with anticipation. We were ready to begin, to dive into a creative, calming practice that would lessen stress and anxiety<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Beginning the Creative Calming Practice<\/h2>\n

If you are new to these creative practices, there is always an added layer of stress that comes from performance anxiety that just can\u2019t be helped. Creativity, much less crafting something visual, seems to carry a weight of either being good or bad, beautiful or ugly. \u201cI like yours better than mine\u201d is a phrase I banish from our circles of healing. The art of mandala-making is not about right or wrong, good or bad, but about the process itself,\u00a0the journey of creating<\/strong>\u00a0and what it reveals and teaches us.<\/p>\n

\"Simple<\/a>

Simple and direct. Black paper and white pencil. Look on our Shop page on where to order supplies.<\/p><\/div>\n

So we begin with our black paper, representing the void, the mystery and the unknown, and we add light into this darkness with our white pencil — our light wand. It is simple and direct, like doodling. As\u00a0thoughts or feelings arise while we are drawing<\/strong>, we write them down in a long column. We are not illustrating or thinking of something to draw; we are simply floating in a space without directive thought. We are wandering into another way of being.<\/p>\n

\"Spontaneous<\/a>

Spontaneous words pop into our minds while creating. We record these.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

For about 30 minutes, we create.<\/p>\n

Then we pause to make<\/strong>\u00a0word associations with our core words<\/strong>, circling 10\u201315 of them and then linking these words together with other adjectives, adverbs and verbs into a stream-of-consciousness style of writing. The same philosophy holds true here: no right or wrong, no good or bad \u2013 just trusting the process. After selecting a title for our mandala drawings, we pair up, munch on our sandwiches and share our discoveries with one another.<\/p>\n

From Art to Conversation to Healing<\/h2>\n
\"Commonalities<\/a>

Commonalities and differences explored.<\/p><\/div>\n

Engaged, direct, intimate exchanges ensue. Quiet whispers, silly laughter, deep tears, sighs of relief \u2013 sounds of connection fill the room. I want this moment to last forever. This is where the healing begins<\/strong> \u2013 in the opening up and into our interior lives and then speaking this aloud.<\/p>\n

Take out a piece of paper and record some thoughts about the mandalas below.\u00a0Consider sharing them with us.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t