Here you go....a post that has little to do with mandalas except for Mindfulness, Moving Meditation, and Art. Well that's a lot actually. And where it goes... :) spirit stole my fingers again.
Origami: The Japanese art of paper folding.
Recycling old magazine pages for peace cranes.
For many years when it gets to be around the "holiday" I fold paper cranes. I give many away with the intent of spreading peace and good wishes. I don't usually have traditional Christmas trees. Often I simply decorate with garlands of cranes or put the cranes on a ficus tree along with little colorful globe ornaments and cocktail umbrellas. It's not so much about the religious holiday for me. It is about thankfulness, reflection and new year intentions to go forward brighter and better.
Peace and goodwill for all. The CRANE means that for me.
This year I am in my own BoHoMoHo Boo *Bohemian Mobile Home Base of Operations* in Central Florida. I have no family here and few friends outside of my work at the art center. There will be no gifts to put under the tree again. That's just stuff anyway. My MoHo is uncluttered in the no chaos zen way that I like it. I don't need nor want gifts. The sentiment is the important thing to me. If someone wants to gift me something make it their friendship (that is an honor) and an excellent experience. I opted for experiences over material stuff decades ago pre-nomad time.
I have been cutting 5- 6" paper squares from old magazines and aged colored copy paper on my paper cutter and making the first waterbomb fold. I have many "starts" stacked in a container to easily take along with me. I can fold the rest of the creases myself and teach others. Spread and share the love. There are a few stories about the crane and its meaning. 1000 is a personal quest. I am expanding that to be a community quest of good intentions this year. More on that in another post.....
For now I just want to introduce you to this amazing young woman and what folding cranes did for her, her heart, her creative expression and more. The cranes can do this for all of us. Pay attention. Our next generation of creatives are the ones to bring change to our world. Take a moment to watch, listen and be inspired.
I am going back to mindfully folding good intentions. >>>>>
What a whirlwind of activity. I apologize for not posting my usual Mandala Monday cheer for a few weeks. Many of you know I took on the position of Program Coordinator at the Leesburg Center For the Arts last January. Last weekend was our annual Art Fest with artists showing from all around the country, two stages of music, an indie film festival and so much more. The preparation and days of the event were insanely busy. On top of that, I was referred to do an emergency wordpress web build for a startup company. Breathe Patt Breathe.
So - ya - busy. And it continues with friends coming, garden and home renovations, blah blah blah. No excuses this week - as promised here are some images of the Create Your Own Personal Mandala event in the woods. It wasn't short of joyfully intense, internally and externally expressive and profound.
Many thanks to Maria Stefanovic and the LCFA for trusting to take on this event and to Christina Carroll of "Off the Beaten Path" Blog for documenting in images both still and moving. Yes Central Florida YOU ARE READY for these types of programs!
I can gear these workshops to older teens, college students and adults. Limits of participants is best kept to 20 people or less and prep time is essential for scouting out an appropriate park/property that suits our needs. Meaning BOOK EARLY IN THE SEASON. ;)
MANDALAS AS RORSCHACH TESTS - A LOT OF FUN! I love positive energy! I love it when others participate. I have a personal facebook account plus the MANDALA EARTH ART FACEBOOK PAGE. Starting this month I began posting a photo of a mandala and asking others what they saw. I began doing it on a whim. I needed to title the painting and after I finished the piece each time I looked at it I saw something different. I invited my friends to tell me what they saw. And now I invite you. WHAT DO YOU SEE? Please let me know in the comments. If you click on the image it will open in another page to help you focus. Don't venture below the mandala just yet. Look first and make some mental notes before reading the replies of others. I don't want you to be influenced. Come on...WHAT DO YOU SEE?
CLICK THE IMAGE
THEN COME BACK
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Did you find some interesting things? These are some of the comments others made.
************ PATT: No one sees a CUPCAKE? Cosmic tribal village with YURTS? * patriii... !!!! son preciosos! ! * Strawberry Ice cream for four? But also I see yellow fish heads with a blue eye, mouth open. And it gives me a feeling of Fertility and G-d knows it's been a long time since I felt that! LOL * Bikini bottoms from the back..cyclops, the Eiffel Tower, a sad dog with pink ears...I can keep going. PATT: Carl G Jung would love this. * Still looking for the sad dog..... *Well, it is sort of bowwowtik! *I see something from another world. PATT: Well that would describe my unconscious mind. When I first started I saw bunny ears for Easter but as usual it turned into something else fun. * I see fish jumping and flowers twirling. I love the way it moves!!! And the fibonacci swirls. Beautiful!!! * Bird heads. * I am seeing a funky beetle. His mouth is at the mandala'center and he has yellow scales and a pink bum. This was so much fun that I decided to do it again for MANDA-LOGICAL MONDAY on the FACEBOOK PAGE. Carl G. Jung drew mandalas and also had his patients do the same. He believed that the images gave insight to the unconscious mind. It is not that I want you to analyze me (insert snicker), I want to engage you to SEE. Consider this a fun Rorschach (inkblot) test. You never heard of inkblot tests? This is a short explanation and you can google more. Hermann Rorschach's INKBLOT TEST (from biography.com) "In 1917, Rorschach became aware of Swiss psychiatrist Szyman Hens' studies using inkblot cards to analyze patients' fantasies. Rorschach was also influenced by his acquaintance and contemporary, Carl Jung, who was using word association tests to tap into the unconscious mind. Rorschach combined his interests in psychoanalysis and art to create his own controversial "Rorschach inkblot test." He was the first researcher to use inkblots to analyze how patients projected their own associations onto seemingly random stimuli." So have a look. WHAT DO YOU SEE? Again resist the urge to read what others saw before making your own observations. Click the image of the mandala to open it in a separate window, note what you see and then come back.
CLICK THE IMAGE
THEN COME BACK
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So what did you see? Several things in little pockets or a bigger overall view? Below are the FACEBOOK comments of others.
************ * Sand dollar. * They are all looking 3D lately. Almost like a diamond in a setting.
* Why does it look like a pizza to me? PATT: I see propellers, records (jukebox), fish heads, bird beaks, geese in flight.... * I'm sorry...I see a spaceship...from the beginning. PATT: Like it is hovering above you. * It's a purple sand dollar. * From when you first showed it it makes me feel like it is a spaceship from a really cool place. * It is like a combination of a sand dollar and a fat star fish. Both calling from the beach. * It looks like a concert tent (a very very big one). PATT: Oh that's cool. I think I am seeing it - from overhead like a stadium and the records are being tossed out to the audience seating. * Actually they are not records, they are special theme lighting which we only see the top of ... * Gorgeous. The colours and design really pop!! PATT: Awesome view from the rafters. * And I can hear the sound coming out -"....!!! ... and let me introduce to you, ..the ONE AND ONLY BILLY SHEARS... Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Bandandahahand..... *Tent over a large pool with the top middle rolled back so you can see the synchronized kayakers. * Butterfly umbrella! What do I win?
YOU ALL WIN!
YOU JUST HAD FUN AND EXERCISED YOUR CREATIVE MIND!
Please post your observations in the comments, LIKE the FACEBOOK PAGE and SUBSCRIBE to this BLOG >>>>> upper right portion of this page.
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" The other day I was in an area of Buenos Aires known as Lago de Regatas. I was on my way to an ART SHARE meeting and took extra time to walk around the lake and look for items to forage. I settled on a spot and let the energy express itself.
The following day I posted the below photo on my personal facebook page and it began a lovely thread. I am taking the liberty to put some of the comments here.
********************************************* Your artwork with my morning coffee. Makes me smile! Fantastic! Thank you for the wonderful feedback. Art is meant to be shared. Otherwise it is the tree falling in the woods... does it make a sound if no one hears it? Does art have meaning if it is not seen? I believe that Patt's art has meaning, even if not seen, and deep in the forest. Having worked with the Earth's energy for many years, I know she is creating power spots and opening portals with particular vibrations with each mandala that she creates. This one, I feel, is for combining the female and male in each individual...those who need it will be drawn to this spot long after the creation has disappeared. I'm getting a fertility vibe from this one. It feels very healing. just sent a copy to a friend who is struggling with cancer. I hope that's ok!! It truly brings me a feeling of peace.
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It is so wonderful to have feedback. Between the ART SHARE group meeting where I shared photo images of my work and the history of how I began to make earth art and the feedback on my personal facebook page I am once again juiced.
THE MALE VERSION?
I invite you to leave comments here on the blog and also to subscribe. Look to the right side bar for the FOLLOW BY EMAIL - SUBSCRIBE field and insert your email address. Each time I make a new post you will receive notification in your email inbox.
Soon I will be creating a separate YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK PAGE for this joyful and healing artwork. Please share the blog and it's images and messages to those in need of an energetic boost in their day.
I have been cutting 5- 6" paper squares from old magazines and aged colored copy paper on my paper cutter and making the first waterbomb fold. I have many "starts" stacked in a container to easily take along with me. I can fold the rest of the creases myself and teach others. Spread and share the love. There are a few stories about the crane and its meaning. 1000 is a personal quest. I am expanding that to be a community quest of good intentions this year. More on that in another post.....
