Congregational Church

I was invited to teach a Mandala Coloring Class to a Sunday School Class at the Congregational Church in Medford.  Once again the children were so fun to work with and I enjoyed their colored designs.  The positive feedback they gave following the exercise was so mindful and sweet.  After the class was done I went to the coffee hour and a woman came up and ask if I would do a mandala class for the adults.  I told her I would do a free workshop so will keep you posted when that happens.

The above mandala is my Mandala for Meditation design which is a free download in the Mandala Store and was colored by Barb Wallgren.

Dharma School

Yesterday I facilitated a Mandala Coloring Class at the Dharma School at the Buddhist Center I attend.  (KSC in Ashland.)  I was totally amazed at the spontaneity and joy that arose when the children colored.  They lack the "inner critic" that so many adults, including myself, have when doing the same task.  After they colored, the children and teachers shared what they like about each other's coloring.  What mindful and detailed feedback the children gave.  I left feeling joy, exhilaration, and gratitude that I had this opportunity.  A sixteen year old girl named Emma, who helps teach the younger children also colored a mandala and added words to go with what she colored.  The words she added were:
                                                      May no harm come to you
                                                      May you be at peace
                                                      May your eyes be deep like the sea
                                                      May your heart be solid like a  mountain
                                                      And may your mind be free like the sky

Here is a picture of her mandala.
 Thanks Emma for your generosity in sharing this!                                   

                                                               

Authentic Joy donation benefits Children's Advocacy Center of Jackson County

My prints were recently moved from where they were on display for the month of April at the Goodbean Cafe in Jacksonville to their May location at Joyfull Yoga, also in Jacksonville. As it happened, Joyfull Yoga was hosting a benefit event for the Children's Advocacy Center the Saturday (May 15th) after I placed my prints there, and as this is a cause I truly believe in, I offered them a print of my latest original pressed flower mandala, "Authentic Joy." They gladly accepted, and rather than add it to the list of raffle items others had contributed, the owner, Louise LaVergne, decided to auction it separately. Though I only brought it to them a couple of days before, miraculously it wound up framed by the day of the benefit. The great news is that Linda Otto (a teacher of infant massage) won the auction with a bid a little higher than my regular price for this print!

I was unable to attend the event myself, so my webmistress Hannah West represented me there. She says she was deeply moved by the executive director's opening speech introducing the Center and its mission, and as she prepared to speak to the audience about my contribution, she realized how many connections, some going back several years, had resulted in my participation in this event, and in how many ways my print was appropriate for this occasion. I created "Authentic Joy" last year as the third of a series of three mandalas beginning with "Inanna's Descent" and progressing to "Ego Disintegration," with "Authentic Joy" as the conclusion, symbolizing the healing of a broken life. I did my best to put into it all the joy of the healing I myself experienced. Hannah said the audience responded very positively to the presentation. Pictured are Hannah with Linda Otto and Marlene Mish, Executive Director of the Children's Advocacy Center.

The benefit was a sucessful one, but the CAC needs ongoing support in their efforts to give abused, neglected and traumatized children another chance at childhood. If you would like to do something to help, here's the link to their website:Children's Advocacy Center of Jackson County. You can also call them at (541) 734-5437.