10.5.13

mandala making

today I found myself in an unfocused haze,

 the different threads of my life I was following seemed to to be out of my reach.

all those details, plans, momentum, lost in the ether.

a change of plan and quite honestly, too much time on pinterest, 

still important things happened, but my clarity and direction seemed to be flung wide open.

So many threads, all important,


but I found my way back to this.

very soothing, very easy, very intuitive.

I have always loved mandalas, of all different kinds,

from the patterns on the beautiful moroccan tiles, to the delicate crochet and mandala artwork.

and I've always wanted a mandala drawing book......


apparently a mandala contains all possibilities inside and outside of us,

and creating a mandala is a way of opening ourselves up to these possibilities,

and can help us become more focused when we feel scattered.


sometimes i think confusion and chaos, and the unexpected, is life's way of throwing us wide open,

so that other new possibilities can appear,

this of course could be a good thing,



sometimes i fear i won't find my way back to all my threads and that somehow i'll have to begin again.

and for some reason that's really worrying!

I can start to resemble a hamster on a wheel, trying to keep up with them all.

sometimes surrender is the only option!

***

this mandala will eventually become a cushion, 

i'm enjoying it's roundness, 

i'm sure there will be many more! 



  

22 comments:

  1. That's very lovely Heather, I love the pink hearts ... I'd love to try and make one too, but it looks rather complicated!

    Enjoy your weekend

    Love Claire xx

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    1. thank you Claire, the hearts were just a happy stroke of luck in the random layers! It's almost like doing a cats cradle in the way that you can kind of work out what needs to come next. maybe easier than it looks! x

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  2. I love it..cant wait to see it as a cushion. Would love to learn how to do this!

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  3. Your mandala is looking lovely and colourful:) I want to make such a cushion, too - some day...

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  4. I love all your reasonings developed while making a beautiful mandala!!!!! Ying and Yang, my dear!!!!
    xxxxx Ale

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    1. there's always so much more going on beneath the surface I think! x

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  5. What a beautiful Mandala, I love the colours you chose. This is another little item on my list that has been waiting for far too long. Like you I find that when I go through my Pinterest 'phases' my vision becomes blurred from the sheer multitued of projects I start craving to make. This can be a good thing, but sometimes I feel that it all becomes a bit overbaring and there is definitely a loss of clarity somewhere along the way for me. In sandskrit Mandala means circle and in Buddhism it represents the universe. Although the basic forms of Mandala's contain four gates with a circle in the centre, it is known to exhibit radial balance. So this little mandala of yours may very well just be restoring that wonderful equilibrium. Enjoy your weekend xo

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  6. Thank you Hannapat! I didn't know these details. Interesting that mandala means circle in sandskrit. Generally my pinterest phases are quite spread out. I think it became a place for me to put myself when I wasn't very clear about what I was doing! I like the inspiration, and it made me very much want (need) to connect with what was real again after! I went outside and potted my tomato plants, hands in the earth and all that! x

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  7. Hi There, Clearly you have a project that will help you find focus again!!! Sometimes, without realising it,we just need to sit down and create something!!!And the mind will settle as it focuses on a project!!!
    Have a fab and happy weekend!!!
    Love
    AMarie

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  8. It's fabulous The colours are so pretty. I love looking at crocheted goodies, there's something so peaceful and cozy about them.

    I have a bit of thing for round cushions and am going to make myself one - but stitched not knitted. I am rubbish with knitting needles. :)

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  9. I love your beautiful mandala Heather, you've done such an exquisite job of it. And you have a wonderful way with words - very eloquent - have you tried your hand at poetry?
    Mandalas have so much meaning and are a very suitable subject for meditation - I used to paint them in watercolours but haven't crocheted any - yet - but my interest is certainly there if only I had time to do everything!!! Joy x

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    1. painting them watercolours sounds amazing! you must show us sometime x

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  10. So pretty Heather, and a kind of refuge ... sometimes that what we need x

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  11. It's beautiful, the colours are so vibrant. If it gives you peace to work on this then all the better! x

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  12. You definitely have inspired me to paint a Mandala! Need to find out more about them. Love your colorful, crocheted one!
    Thanks for the continued inspiration, dear Heather!
    xoxo

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  13. Dear Heather, i am loving your mandala already! How true are the things you say, sometimes there is so much around us to inspire us. But sometimes i feel its a bit too much, then i shut off my internet and take a stroll, look at nature and that gives me so much of a breather !!

    Love reading your thoughts as it inspires me to think beyond the surface !

    Love,xxx

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  14. This looks like a perfect way to step back from the demands of life for a while x x x take care x x x

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  15. ~ Dear Heather....I firstly love the name of the Mandala....Then the beautiful, colours and the wonderful concept of setting the mind on a more gentled settled path.....It is very special....~ Wishing you a week full of creativity.....and inspiration....Love Maria x

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  16. I have always loved mandalas. I grew up with a hunger to learn everything about our Native American tribes. A circle is a very important element in their beliefs.

    I too have always wanted to buy one of the Mandela coloring books and one day might. I have a lot on my plate right now, but have a cross stitch Mandela project set aside for when I have some time on my hands.

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  17. I saw this in the background on today's post and had to come in search. It is completely gorgeous..stunning..love it!!! Sarah xo

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