A Time of Inner Light – Mandalas & More
December 5th, 2023
A Time of Inner Light – Mandalas & More
A Different Time of A New Year
The circle of time really has no ending or beginning, but the rhythm of light and dark brings a sense of beginnings and endings to each year. These beginnings and endings differ in various traditions. One tradition has the year’s beginning in late autumn, after harvest. This newness of the year lasts until the Winter Solstice. It is a time of letting go to let the new emerge. A time of going inward as the darkness, like a womb, grows newness. A time of inner light shining. A time of preparation for the darkness night of the Winter Solstice and the return of waxing light.
Letting Go
Kathy F. expressed this time of letting go with her tree and falling leaves art.
Kathy F – The Bliss of Letting Go
The beauty of letting go is seen in the magnificance of fall colors. Linda M found a ginko leaf on the ground that glowed with the most amazing colors. She captured that amazement in her painting and added blessings with her words.
Linda M – Blessings and Honoring Ginko Leaf
Inspired by this view of the wheel of time, I led a guided meditation during the last Mandala & Creativity Circle with thoughts of this view of a new year. Symbols and images of letting go, remembrance, intuition, the phoenix bird and the depth of quiet inward wisdom were shared. The artwork created brought some of these inspirations to life. We also explored new papers and paints with a tan watercolor paper, gouache paints and handmade papers.
Inner Light & Dark
Several mandalas represented the inner light and dark in a simplicity that draws us deeply into the center.
Ann’s red sun-like center shows the fire of inner light. Turquoise and orange surround and embrace this light. The color combination of turquoise and orange always thrills me. And when a spot of red joins these two colors, I am even more thrilled.
Ann B – Red Center Mandala With Turquoise & Orange
The flower mandala below invites contemplation of the darkness we enter during this time as daylight dwindles. It is a time to explore the inner mystery of our souls as the quiet of darkness invites exploration.
Gouache paint is a water based paint, but more opaque than watercolor. White gouache paint covers the tan paper and lightens the other colors. Applied thickly it a looks more like acrylic paint than watercolor. This flower mandala invites the viewer into inner mystery with its bullseye center.
My Flower Mystery Center Mandala
Seeds, Stillness & A Symbol of Birth
The almond shape that represents the union of divine/worldly and birth reflects this liminal time of inner contemplation and growth. Linda M. is called to this shape that appears in two mandalas created with gouache paint. Inspirational words complete these personal journals and creative journeys.
Linda M – Seeds & Birth Mandala
Linda M – Listen & Be Still Mandala
During our creative inner flow creative time, we are so focused on our own creations, we don’t look at what everyone else is doing. It is only at the end when we share what was done, do we find similarities of colors, shapes and other creative expressions.
I sat next to Linda M. during our last Mandala & Creativity Circle. The deep purple, orange and gold colors called out to us, unbeknownst to us that we shared these color inspirations.
The symbol of a phoenix bird was one of the essences of this late autumn time. It represents a mythical ending and a beginning.
My Phoenix Ending & New Beginnings Mandala
The Centering & Beauty of Flowers
Flowers are nature’s most beautiful mandalas (in my opinion). Their petals guide us to the center to a beauty beyond what our minds can comprehend. Christine’s orange, red and gold petals and deep center float in the mystery of the cosmos.
Christine T – Cosmic Centered Mandala Flower
The calm colors of Ann’s art always soothes. These three morning glories, each a mandala with their focal centers, float in a soft green background.
Ann B – Morning Glory Serenity Mandalas
Karen created collages of gouache paint and colored handmade papers. The papers were made by a friend years ago. They are thin, almost translucent. These flower like mandalas each draw us into their beauty and centers. They incite creativity as Karen shows.
Karen M – Inciting Creativity
The papers and paint create a garden of flowers that sing with their shapes and colors.
Karen M – Paper & Paint Flower Garden
Explorations
It is always a treat to explore new ways of creating. Ann and Kathy ventured into trying new materials and expressions.
Ann played with one of my favorite pens that creates lines of varying width. In this piece the black ink and green watercolor dance on the page.
Ann B – Dancing Green and Black
Kathy was inspired by a folded book I created a month before. She folded tan paper and created interesting shapes on the soon to be book pages. I can’t wait to see more.
Kathy F – Images for Book To Be
Circle & Spiral Inspirations
Spirals are often found within the circle of the mandalas I create. These two shapes appear also as I play with clay. I recently made a set of stoneware bowls that celebrate these shapes. Here are photos of one.
My Stoneware Bowl -Circles & Spirals
These bowls remind me of many mandalas created over the years. In some ways this mandala created a few weeks ago and the bowl feel akin.
My Mandala for Late Autumn – Seeds & Center
Let these mandalas and other creations be inspirations. May your inner light shine brightly in this time of darkening days until the Winter Solstice brings growing light with each day.
