Tuesday, August 5, 2008

12 moon cycles

Circle, equidistant cross and the square.
***As I am sitting here beginning to write about this, the oddest(?) thing is occurring!!!
I am watching a program on India and they are talking about mandalas... not only that but the image they showed is similar to the image ( the center part) here. .. and with the white center the same in the cross ... they say it is the most important part... representing "enlightenment"...
... so cool.
ok. now that THAT is over :-)
back to my feelings about this~
As I chose my first, third and fifth symbols to create this, (check link below for explanation)
I found my self resisting, hesitating... I think it was the square.. I kept looking at "perfection".
I even looked for some stencils. I did use them with part of this and then abandoned them.
Square to me is "structure" and I tend to have a bit of a rebellious relationship with it. It's more of a love/hate one. I need it to a degree, especially to help me get started.. to keep deadlines, etc. but when it come to the act of creating, I need more freedom, so that is where resistance was coming in. It wasn't as spontaneous as I have been with the previous mandalas.
With the square, I was also feeling that it needed to be symmetrical. (some discipline involved?)
As I moved along, I realized I was creating the Andean Cross which I have been attracted to since my first trip to Peru. The image is in the yellow square, and is made with my three chosen symbols.
I intensely observed my reactions to creating this, which is something I don't always do, at least not as much.
I began to like where it was going and my attitude was changing to one of openness, excited and then settled into this feeling of being inspired ... until one point - the moons and the background to them. Unsure what to do, I waited... and then....
...... the asymmetry comes in at last. Because there were 12 circles, I thought of the 12 months, the phases of the moon and that's where I gravitated to.
To me the square is grounding (foundation). I see it as Earth, structure, rigidity, solid, stable and it is the number 5 choice of my preferences.

This was an interesting process that can be found on Sue's blog, Sacred Circle Mandalas where you can read about these symbols in depth and some very interesting info she gathered from Angeles Arrien's book, Signs of Life. Go check it out!
I'm ready to do another one..

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Doreen,
Thank you for picking up the challenge of this prompt. I will be back to look at this some more.
~Sue

Margaret Ann said...

Beautiful...I am so intrigues witht he phases of the moon and different bits of cultural antiquities...I am very drawn to your work! What a treat! :)