The Mandala Project: #23

*Unexpected side effect: The more engaged I’m becoming with the stories the natural world is telling, the less interested I am in the ones I’m manufacturing between my ears.

“Oasis” - The Mandala Project: #22

There’s a sense of order-held-by-wildness that resonates in this one, and intrigue at the edges where these energies meet.

“True Blue” - The Mandala Project: #21

This is the first time someone spotted one in the wild and connected the dots. Mission gaining momentum…

“Playful Spirits” - The Mandala Project: #20

Heart-shaped rocks and wood creatures make regular appearances on visits to the forest, and both showed up for today’s tale of mischief.

“Nestled” - The Mandala Project: #19

One of the most surprising and consistent teachings of these mandalas is how, when gathered with intention, brought together with care and presented with the opportunity, seemingly separate “things” come into effortless relationship with each other.

“Heart Rave” - The Mandala Project: #18

This mandala was born from a heart-filled wander through a magical river bed.

“Treasure Hunting” - The Mandala Project: #17

Once the raw materials are there, it’s a process of moving things around until magic reveals itself, but it’s intuition—not mind—that knows when the magic has emerged.

“Simple Magic” - The Mandala Project: #16

Every now and then, what’s already there is enough—no creative gymnastics required.

Been diving into some great talks lately on the physics of the creative field—I’m intrigued by the nature of potential becoming actuated, then dissolving back into potential and becoming actuated again; as a unique and new expression. This branch of science and philosophy lines right up with what happened in this chapter of the Mandala Project.

A late day stroll to the top of the street, some random bits of wood and showing up to tinker in the imaginal field—and next thing ya know…Abracadabra-Shazam: “The Rabbit Leapt Over the Wolf-Owl”.

In the end, it was obvious this one wanted to be circular. As often happens, it took several non-circular variations to arrive at the obvious.

Never sure what’s gonna call on a particular stroll through the ‘hood, I think that’s my favourite part. Today, a little drama unfolded with dead things…

Creativity emerges at the intersection of ‘what is’ and ‘what’s possible’, and we’re at our most creative when we’re willing to surrender our commitment to knowing anything for certain about either.

This is a process of bringing unlikely things together, and letting them reveal the relationship that exists between them.

It’s totally making shit up as you go—but also guided by something that has no predetermined structure. Kind of like constructing a puzzle with no picture on the box to point the way, and trusting it’ll ultimately work out.

One of the challenges with creativity is finding the sweet spot between ‘this is pretty damn good’ and chasing down perfect. I often go well past the line before I discover where it is.

“Beauty Calls” - The Mandala Project: #9

Bill Plotkin believes there is a deep (and mostly unmet) longing in all of us for a romance between our ego and our soul, and that cultivating that relationship is how we connect with and embody our purpose in life.

Engaging with the natural world through this practice of making mandalas feels like a facet of that love affair emerging.

It’s a dance between devotion and obsession. Sometimes I’m a creator, creating art—and others I’m more like an addict chasing down a fix.

Still getting clear where exactly that line is.

This morning was one of the most magical moments of the project, and one of the most charming moments of my life. And it almost didn’t happen.

Part of the wonder of mandala-making is that you never know what you’ll be inspired to pick up as you’re walking.

When I open my heart to perceive what wants to capture my attention, to hear what’s calling, I get that I am not the sole engineer and architect of these glimmers of mystery, I’m in a collaborative dialogue with the creative field.