“Circling Venus”
The Mandala Project: #6
Part of the wonder of mandala-making is that you never know what you’ll be inspired to pick up as you’re walking.
This morning it started with the tiny stones that form the outer circle. One, then another, and another, until there were enough of them that I began rolling them through my fingers like a pocket full of change. Clickity, clack, clack, what do you want to become…?
Then this Venus Lady Slipper brushed my leg as I passed. No inner debate in this instance, it made sense to bring her along.
Still felt something more was needed. Crossing through the neighbourhood playground, I noticed the loose gravel beneath the kiddos swings had a pattern of depressions spread throughout it. I knew these divots, they were made by elk hooves, the herd must’ve wandered through here recently.
I scooped up a handful thinking it’d be some good mojo to have in the mix, and it wound up forming the inner circle. *FYI: Making a reasonably symmetrical circle with teeny tiny gravel ain’t easy.
This Mandala is a fav. It set up camp under a tree in my backyard, well positioned for a rendezvous with the morning sun that was just making its way there too.
The Dealio With Heart-Shaped Rocks
In the last post, “Trickster”, I mentioned the rule I mostly follow to incorporate only what is found on that particular day into each mandala. This applies to heart-shaped rocks as well. At first I was surprised how many were crossing my path, and now it’s just par for the course—80% of the mandalas have at least one, and often several in them. Can’t seem to leave the house without finding them. There’s a perfectly good explanation for this, and here it is:
They’re a direct line of connection with my Dad. We’ve been engaged in an ongoing story of enchantment for some time now. One wild chapter (the heart-shaped rock part) happened in the forest across the way a couple of years ago, and marked a moment where it became clear there is way more going on in this Cosmos than my practical self is able to imagine.
Since then I’ve stopped doubting, and started tracking the coincidences, synchronicities and occurrences that can’t be explained within the parameters of a strictly pragmatic orientation.
It’s been pretty much non-stop magic ever since.
Here’s that crazy thread if you want to follow it:
Part 1: Get Your Yes Lined Up with Magic
Part 2: Get Your Yes Lined Up with Magic: What Happened Next
THE MANDALA PROJECT
I’m posting one new Mandala every Monday with a few words about how it came to be, and the challenges that arose or insights that emerged in its creation.
Check back here to see the new ones, or subscribe below if you’d like to receive them directly.
< Mandalas 1, 2 and 3, and the story of how the project came to life