Grandmothers' Grace Mandala

I love this one so much!

It's one that just kinda evolved as I went. 

At first, the small circles were going to be 

friends quietly gathered around me.

And then it seemed right to add a bun to each one 

because I instinctively knew that 

they are grandmothers.

I had already colored the middle circle blue

and it was the same size as the grandmothers.

By now it was feeling much more like our world

and I knew that I needed to make

it's circle bigger.

So I did as I was led.

The navy circle behind them 

is dusted in gold glitter,

reminding me of the stars.

The yellow with orange field 

between the grandmothers and the earth

is their circling of light and love.

This mandala is an affectionate tribute to

all of the grandmothers

who tenderly hold our world 

in their love and their prayers.

Where on earth would we be without them?

....

(P.S. - I know that not all grandmothers, for a variety of reasons, are able to give freely from a place of love.  I place great Hope (<-- my word for this year) in the fact that there are many other grandmothers in our world, willing to share their love beyond their families.) 

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Star Shine Mandala

I'm back to playing with mandalas.

This one is in honor of the vast evening prairie sky

that I gratefully grew up under.

There are so many beautiful, twinkling stars!

Always a deep comfort for me

and one of the things I most appreciate 

when we go back for a visit.

.           *           .

Wordless Wednesday - Hearts, Pink and Green

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Thankful Tuesday

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Sheer delight found in mandala making.

2.  Warm smiles for this mandala in particular

3.  A lovely reminder to stay close to my word for the year, Hope

4.  Making space for my heart by intentionally cutting back on some 

     things that have been more of a drain than a help.

5.  The company of birdsong

6.  and a lit candle

7.  Some quiet evening time at home, alone

8.  A calm, peaceful day at work,

9.  with room to take care of some things that have been waiting 

     (and piling up for) a very long time

10. The Hope of a new, honest beginnings

11.  Resting in Enough

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Summer Picnic Dress Mandala

This mandala is my new favorite!

The daisy in the middle

Blue gingham - always a favorite!

Cheerful pink with white polka dots

and a country eyelet edging. . . 

all remind me of a something playful 

I might

make for myself.

Perhaps a lovely, flowing dress 

(the best kind!)

that could be worn 

to a picnic on a summer's day.

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Standing in the Light of Truth

This month's practice in Hand to Heart of intentionally setting down tired, old stories that no longer serve us has been and continues to be meaningful and timely for me.

Today I need to set down the story that the way I was as a child and teen (and beyond), both with myself and the world around me, was shameful and that I "should" be deeply ashamed . . . still (and forever).

The wise words I need to hear, tenderly whispered into my heart, are "You did the very best you possibly could, dear girl. Quite remarkably well in fact, given the limited, sometimes primitive (and at times non-existent) tools, skills, knowledge, and support you had at the time. I'm so proud of you for making more self-nurturing choices and responses today. I honor how you are learning to see, hear, and love the little girl of your past and so touched by how you are gently taking her hand, inviting her to walk with you and finding a way of thriving . . . together."

(tears)

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Angel of Hope

She was only with me for a little while.

A real beauty, that's for sure.

So before I gently tucked her 

back in her box

and sent her on her way,

I took this photo of her 

to remember.

It's all about self-nurturing, 

listening well,  

and taking good care.

Ah, Hope continues to 

teach and bless,

even when a particular 

moment's visit of hers is 

short and sweet.

.           *           .

Country & Western Inspired Mandala

This one reminds me of a pattern that might be found

on a pair of cowgirl boots

or a pretty, ruffly, country and western blouse.

I really love it!

Both the design and the colors.

(And having so much fun playing, too!)

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Mandala Play ~ Stars at Night

Still playing with Mandalas!

This is the first one that I've drawn out the lines across the circle 

so that the spacing would be even throughout, all the way from the inside to the outside.

Being born and raised on the vast prairies of Texas, 

the land of wide open spaces,

where you can see for miles and miles,

and the star-filled sky night is awesome,

I especially love the star round

on this mandala.

And that it's surrounded by diamonds.

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Mandala Play - Reds and Black

Smiling because for this mandala I wanted to try doing some zentangle doodling in it and then on the third round (I started in the middle), I wondered what might happen if I only used reds and black. I'm way more drawn to blue than red which makes it even more fun to realize just how tickled I am with the way this one turned out.

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Baking and Remembering Day

Baked a couple loaves of Banana Bread on Saturday.

Mine is a special recipe as it was the very first thing

my beloved Granda and I baked together,

in her warm kitchen, 

dressed in aprons she had made.

Plus my recipe card is in Moma's handwriting.

It was a very good day to pause and 

remember both of them

and gather their love for me

to me

one more time.

(Plus the bread is mighty tasty, too!)

.          *          .

Daddy and Me

Thinking of my Dad on Father's Day

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Nourish

Quiet time 

spent reading 

with a candle

and a special 50ish-year-old,

dolly-sized blanket

(not sure if it was made for me 

by Moma or Grandma)

nourish my heart

and soul.

.            *           .

Pause

Reading over some notes made 

while talking to a dear friend 

and 

intentionally 

taking a moment 

to pause 

and receive 

her wisdom 

and most especially 

her love 

for me . . . 

again.

.          *           .

Wordless Wednesday ~ Morning Mimosas

(reminds me of my Grandma)

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Mandala Discovery - Lesson 4 - Balance

Funny, I got a little stalled on this one. I drew and colored it on Saturday and had started writing in words. Then I ran out of synonyms for Order (the white side) and Chaos (the blue side) before I ran out of space so I put it aside. It later occurred to me that using a thesaurus really wouldn't be "cheating" so I did that this evening.

Heather's question about which side am I more comfy with is a no-brainer for me. Being a "J" (as in INFJ on the Myers Briggs scale), I am much more at home on (and at ease with) the order and planning side than the unstructured side. (Though not so comfy with, or fond of, the rigidity part.)

With that said, I'm also very strong on the iNtuition scale and, seems to me, that requires some unplanned space for creativity to bubble up. 

Hmmm, kinda like mandala making, yes?

Yes.

.          *          .

Mandala Discovery - Lesson 3 - Chaos

This one didn't turn out like I first thought it might. The pink center is meant to represent my precious heart. I made that circle small intentionally but after drawing it it seemed too small (and easily overwhelmed) so I drew the slightly larger circle around it and colored it a soothing, calming blue. I like the idea of my practices (journaling, prayer and meditation) as being a protective cushion around me. (I'm resisting the temptation here to feel that I'm doing this one wrong because the buffer feels comforting to me)

I've been on a journey lately to reclaim things from my past.  Stories that always felt negative and shameful to me I want to frame in a more redemptive light. Doing my mandala in the way that feels most right to me feels like a continuation of that process.

When I first started drawing them, I didn't intend the brown to look like petals but they do and I really like that.

Rather than my feeling overtaken and absorbed by the chaos around me, I see this mandala as a powerful reminder that I can stand still in the midst of it (as best I can in any given moment) and beauty can - and will! - flow both to me and out from me.

(In later re-reading Lesson 4 on Balance, I smiled to realize I wasn't as "off-track" as I originally thought when I made this one.... just a lesson ahead.)

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Truth

We got to babysit our littles tonight.

I was playing with our girls and taking some selfies with them.

(Love this one)

Hubby took this one and yes, it's true.  I'm teaching

our sweet little girls about (the importance of) selfies.

.          *           .

Mandala Discovery - Lesson 2 - Journey

After I finished this one, I was delighted to see that it looks a lot like an unfolding flower bud. What a happy accident! I really resonated with a lot of Heather's words in this lesson so, before I started working on the actual mandala itself, I just wrote them around the outside of my circle.

I'm so drawn to labyrinths and the idea of being on a journey that I have a feeling I may be returning to this lesson over and over and over. And I would imagine that each mandala will be a little bit different.

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Basking in Prairie Love

I took this photo on our last evening of our visit with my family in Texas a few days ago. Smiling softly because I hadn't really started my selfie practice until after our last visit there so it was important to me to intentionally take a few moments, sprinkled throughout our week there, to stop and breathe in the Texas prairie that is so much a part of (and home to) my heart.

I am delighted to say that I now have several selfies of me standing on the land that I love and what a gift that I can now look at them (((and remember))) anytime that I want and/or need to. 

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Mandala Discovery - Lesson 1 - Play

I'm taking Heather Plett's Mandala Discovery: 30 Days of Self-Discovery Through Mandala Journaling, running through the month of June.

Truth is I had been hesitant about starting my mandalas. All of my art supplies are at the table and, having been to visit my family last week and coming home with bronchitis, I've been tired when I come home from work.

It occurred to me this afternoon that I could just bring a few supplies here to my old, comfy brown chair and "play."  

And lookie who I found when I sat down to "Play"!

Had the best time, too!

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