It's lights off at 8.30pm tonight for Earth Hour, a global event to celebrate a worldwide commitment to protect our planet. It's an apt time this weekend to gift yourself some off time too in order to check in with your inner world via the creation of an Earth Mandala.
The word mandala is Sanskrit for both circle and centre, and sacred circles have been used as a meditation, focusing and ritual tool since ancient time. The Universe is a master mandala maker, creating natural mandala's throughout all of creation, from the cosmos to our very cells. An archetypal symbol of wholeness, protection and healing, psychologist Carl Jung worked with the mandala as a therapeutic tool to help make the unconscious conscious. Mandala making is a part of all my Classes & Workshops, and when appropriate it is often used during my one-on-one Soul Work Sessions to help hold safe all that is placed within its enclosed and contained space. Inspired by Earth Hour, here is a process I have created to help you make one wherever you are.
Earth Mandala
You will need paper to draw on and a drawing tool like pencils, crayons or pastels. Draw a full size circle on your sheet of paper. This is where you will create your mandala. Sitting in a comfortable place, close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat 3 times. Allow your breath to relax your being. Now bring your awareness to your heart centre and take a few deep breaths from this space. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat 3 times. Imagine you can see planet Earth in front of you, with it's land masses and blue oceans. Imagine all the living beings that currently live on and with Earth. Imagine all the cycles, seasons and movements Earth experiences in one day. Breathe this is. Breathe this out. Ask yourself, "What does Earth mean to me?". Allow any words, shapes or images to come to mind. Sit with this for a few moments. Then, when you are ready slowly open your eyes and express this out within your circle, creating your own Earth Mandala.
Create on, Jelena x
p.s. As Kalvin likes to point out, flowers are one of Earth's natural mandala's. Yes, that's him in the centre of one. He said he's embodying my process. In order to do this he took a journey to the centre, literally, and just breathed. He said he felt wonderful and took a fancy to focusing on his breath and using it to help him be in his centre, that space where we simply be and we simply are. Kalvin tells me each new dawn is a daily invitation from Earth to be our true selves, to centre our being ~ to sit in our own mandala within.
p.p.s. Kalvin reminds me to tell you no worries if you don't create an Earth Mandala at precisely Earth Hour time, any hour is a good hour to create one!
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© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2011.
Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
