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Mandalas have been employed in spiritual
practices and created as ritual art objects for
millennia. You will have noticed the marvellous mandalas on the entry
pages to each of our Sun Sign sectors. These mandalas (energetic spiritual
doorways) were created by Helen Grant-Johnston, who has been working
with mandalas for many years now.
The word Mandala
comes from the ancient classical Indian language Sanskrit. It means
"circle", but a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It
represents wholeness, and in its simplicity reveals the model which
organizes the structure of life itself—a cosmic configuration or
diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite. This world,
hidden deep in the unconsciousness of humanity, extends beyond our
limited perspective to the outside world of infinity—to the All that
Is.
As we in the western world begin to understand
what Eastern religions have long embraced, we can create a change in
how we see ourselves and our planet, and begin to discover
our own life purpose. My mandalas are created to assist this opening
of the mind. They stimulate an awareness of a greater potential of
self and our place in the scheme of things.
“Since a mandala requires no allegiance to a particular belief
system, it can be utilized in any number of ways as a visual and
schematic tool. In secular education, the mandala can be used as a
skeletal pattern to organize information, leading students to a
greater appreciation of relationships, helping them to answer the
question “How is this relevant?” before it is even asked.”
Psychoanalyst Carl Jung brought the mandala to
the West in 1928, and in 1988, Joseph Campbell wrote about mandalas in
The
Power of Myth. These great thinkers and others realized that
when used as a tool in personal meditation, healing, or
self-realization, the mandala helps us to find the center within
ourselves and reconnect to the world outside: in the words of
Campbell, “to coordinate your circle with the universal circle.”
Journey to the Centre
The more we are able to recognize the pattern of the mandala, the
more we are able to live our lives in harmony, connected to the world
around us.
”As the foundation upon which all geometric forms are generated,
the circle also has a revered place in the continuing history of
architectural design, from man's earliest structures to today's
modern buildings. The mandala pattern lends function and form, as
well as symmetry and grace, to places of worship, to dwellings, to
tombs, even to urban plans”
This quote is from Bailey Cunningham's excellent book Mandala,
Journey to the Centre.
A mandala is a primal pattern based on the circle that has existed
in nature since the beginning of time. This primal patterning can be
easily understood when viewed through a kaleidoscope. All the patterns
we see within the kaleidoscope appear and disappear, but are all
connected. All the pieces are eternally expanding and growing from its
center, while simultaneously contracting and returning to its core.
At the centre, the geometrical point, is the potential of creation.
The circle then becomes the reflection of the center, when one places
a compass on a piece of paper pivoting it around that central point to
become a circle of infinite points. It is from the circle that we are
able to create all shapes. Oneness (the circle) is the principal that
creates the foundation of geometry.
The “point” of our very existence becomes possible through
mandala, the geometrical configurations held within the mandala
unlocking our understanding of the infinite patterns held within our
cellular memory—our DNA. When we understand the profundity of the
information contained within our cells, waiting to be unlocked by the
expansion of our minds, we begin to understand that knowing how to
unlock this information is paramount in the understanding of our
existence as humans. We have personal and collective divine
possibilities. Only conscious awareness makes it possible to grasp our
primal origins.
Throughout my life I have, to the best of my awareness and ability,
searched for the truths of life. Only now, through my use of Sacred
Geometry and in the creating of my mandalas, have I begun to tap into
the vastness of the possibilities creating mandalas has offered me.
With humility I offer to create a sacred space with my mandalas for
those interested in connecting with themselves in ways made possible
with the use of spiritual integrity, sacred geometry and the intent to
create such a space that is conducive to individuation and the path to
the Self.
Individually Hand-Painted Mandalas
I have a basic need to express and share as I am guided with
others. My work elevates me to a state of bliss and higher
consciousness—universal heartspace—which begs to be shared in the
most practical way.
For the past 10 years I have been developing my craft, offering my
unique, individually hand-painted mandalas in whichever way seems most
appropriate. I am always surprised at the results and how well the
mandalas fit the situation of the person involved, resulting in
profound and exciting life-changing transitions (the feedback from
satisfied clients confirms this). By creating a mandala for my
workshops and Soul Mastery courses I create a space in which the
participants can themselves create and develop their skills using
sacred geometry in a safe environment conducive to their highest
development.
The initial intent when requesting a mandala be created is
crucially important. The responsibility lies with the person making
the request. I am but the “scribe,” creating on their behalf,
making the connections to lost or sleeping parts lying in the
unconscious waiting to be reclaimed to make this transition.
Color, in itself, is another language involved in creating mandalas.
The colors chosen for the mandala are purely intuitive, allowing
self-expression and release to the core of your being, of the feelings
and emotions involved. Interpretation and reactions are unique to each
individual. Just as the mandala is uniquely created for the opening to
transformation a mandala can bring, offering infinite possibilities,
enhancing your potential to create without limitation.
Now, check out Helen's website, Creative
Mandalas
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