London Hummingbird Arts

I have been preparing for the "Islamic Mandala Workshop" that Louise Pare, Ph.D. and I are offering on Nov. 13 in Ashland, Or.  I have done some reading about the Religion of Islam and am struck by the strong devotion to the workship of God and how this devotion seems to be a way of life as opposed to something a person does on one day a week or occasionally.  I colored a mandala from a coloring book entitled,  "Islamic Mandalas", by Klaus Holitzka.  The design is taken from the Koran and as I was coloring, I experienced this devotion and saw love woven through every part of the design.(The design is pictured above.)  The designs in the coloring book are so intricate and beautiful and coloring  them is giving me a better understanding of the Religion of Islam.

I also purchased a poetry book entitled, " The Soul of Rumi" by Coleman Barks.  Rumi was a 13th Century Persian poet, philosopher and mystic of Islam (Sufi mystic).  His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love.  His peaceful and tolerant teaching has  appealed to people of all sects and creeds.  He believed passionately in the use of music, poetry, and dance as a path for reaching God.  In listening to music and turning(Whirling Dervishes) or doing sacred dance, the seeker symbolically turns toward the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego, finds the truth and arrives at the Perfect.  The seeker returns from this spiritual journey with more maturity, to love and be of service to the whole creation without discrimination with regards to races, beliefs, classes, etc.  I am beginning to read the poetry that is so beautiful and soulful.  I will share some of the poetry that speaks to me in my next blog.