A mandala is a representation of cosmic wholeness and interconnectedness, a spiderweb of life. "Mandala" is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle" or "center". This recurring art form has been flowing out of cultures across the world since ancient times. Mandalas reflect the patterns of energy vibrating through all things and non-things; the universal harmony and unity. They tell stories of life and death, represent personal journeys, and communicate spiritual perspectives. A circle with a distinct center, all things radiating outward, is a representation of our home, planet Earth. The solar system itself is a giant, moving mandala. These patterns manifest themselves in small ways as well: an eyeball, a snail shell, a mushroom cap, a flower, a pine cone. And even very, very small ways: snowflakes, cells, molecules.We can initiate the manifestation of this radiant, spiralling energy: the simple act of sitting down to create a mandala can unlock mysterious and all-knowing aspects of yourself. You are directly aligning yourself with the energy of the whole universe, allowing yourself to be a channel for those vital vibrations.
The intention of this project is to create a collection of mandalas, a gathering place for that flow of energy. Each mandala will all be posted on this page, and the hope is that this will slowly turn into a beautiful story of life on earth and its many realms. Eventually one giant mandala will be made from this collection of smaller mandalas, all things uniting into One.
If you feel inspired, please make a mandala to contribute to this project. It can be a representation of everything, nothing, anything... Use any art form you wish, drawing, painting, using things from nature like leaves or ferns, anything you're drawn to. This does not require any sort of "artistic talent" whatsoever: just let the patterns of energy flow through you, go with the flow. Start at the center and work outward, or start at the edge and work inward.... start anywhere! Your mandala can be very, very simple or very detailed. You can include a couple of sentences, a poem, a haiku, or a title... or no words at all, the mandala might speak for itself. A cake pan or a medium-sized plate can be helpful for tracing the outline of the mandala; make a mark in the very center of the circle. Make copies of the "blank mandala", pass them out to your family and friends!
Send your mandala, or a color copy, unfolded, in the mail to The Clearlights, 2610 Meier road, Sebastopol, CA 95472, or if possible scan it and e-mail it to clearlightearthmedicine@hotmail.com. Photos can be sent directly to the e-mail address as well. Send as many as you please, as often as you please. Include your name if you want, and where you live or the origin of the mandala. All mandalas will be credited to the person who created or photographed them unless you request to remain anonymous.
Photos of mandalas are also really wonderful! Whenever you recognize the pattern of a mandala, in nature or in the world of human-made things, please share it with the rest of us! Also experiment with creating mandalas of all sizes wherever you find yourself. Make a salad mandala. The beach is a giant easel for mandalas with the sand, seaweed, shells, stones, feathers.... take pictures and share them with us all!
Thank you for your energy and love. Enjoy your journey into the mandala.
Green love shining everywhere,
The Clearlights
A pine cone spiral in the high sierra, photo by Kate Clearlight
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