Advanced Luminous Mandala Workshop Student Work/May 5, 2012

On Saturday, Diane Tibbitts and I facilitated the "Luminous Mandala Advanced Workshop."  We were so impressed with the deep healing that happened in the workshop as a result of the mandala drawing using meditation as a basis for the drawings.  Here are the drawings that emerged.

 

November 13 Islamic Mandala Workshop Information

Please join us Saturday, November 13 from 10am - 4pm at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 87 Fourth St. in Ashland for an Islamic Mandala Workshop. Together we will gain a general understanding of the religion of Islam and find deeper meaning and understanding about ourselves using Islamic mandalas and free form movement expression. Coloring mandalas connects us to our center and can bring increased awareness, balance and harmony.

Janet London is facilitating this workshop in tandem with Louise Pare, PhD. A dynamic women's spirituality and movement healing arts educator and published writer, Louise has a doctorate in Women's Spirituality from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is the director of the Center for Women's Spirituality Education and Empowerment, where she offers classes.

Janet has a Master's degree in counseling from Antioch University and currently operates London Hummingbird Arts, where she offers mandala classes and coaching.

Pre-registration is required for this workshop. Please call Janet London at 541.608.9238 or email hummingbird710@msn.com.

Today, I am thinking about the restorative aspects of coloring a symmetrical mandala.  The structure works to support the person coloring and conveys that harmony is possible, even in times of chaos and challenge.  I read an interesting story in Mandala for Meditation, edited by Zoe Frances.  There was a young female doctor who had to work a year's residency in a psychiatric ward.  She was assigned to the geriatric ward where there was little therapuetic activity.  She handed out some mandala coloring designs and colored pencils to see what would happen.  Soon the entire ward was decorated with mandalas, and more and more people started to color them.  The doctor began to notice amazing changes in her patients.  They seemed calmer and more centered and the overall atmosphere became more harmonious and lighthearted.

 

This symmetrical June Moon design was colored by Susan Dunn.

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!                                   

                                                               

London Hummingbird Arts News Update

This weekend I put up mandala bookmarks created by Jan Ferris for sale on my website. I made the first sale yesterday. The customer purchased a set of 10 as a graduation gift for her minister's daughter. She thought they were the perfect graduation gift. I am quite happy about what a great gift the sets are if a person wants to send a small but meaningful gift.