My Sacred Life: Using Our Talents


This mandala:
"Cry Me a River", speaks for itself, doesn't it? It's mandala #47 of the 71 I've made so far since May of this year. It seemed fitting to post it with the Paint-It Pink Mandala Project™ that I want to share with you, but before I do I want to let you know that...
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...I am truly loving the My Sacred Life Project because it reminds that so much of my life is sacred. My heart knows this, but sometimes my mind races ahead, so this project is doing just what it's creator, Carla intended...to bring to the surface mind, the sacredness of every day; which by the way is the purpose of this blog!...to see the Art in Every Day!...which I write about it in my description...and I indeed DO see the Art in Every Day; but it's the beauty of subtleties that can make the experience of living so much richer; so having the word "sacred" introduced to my "every day" attunes my heart even more to its existence in my life.
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This is already the case with seeing the "Art in Every Day." Now I get to do that with Sacredness. THIS is what makes our life so very rich...more spiritiual ideas incorporated into our being-ness. The My Sacred Life Project does that for me, and I to pay homage to that principle, and Carla . Thank you Carla. And now...on to "Using our Talents".
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There's not much I love better about creativity than using our passions and talents for a good cause. If you're reading this then no doubt you already know that I am hopelessly in love with making mandalas. For me it's a visual form of Morning Pages...self-exploration, discovery and releasing mind chatter, at it's best. My soul is soothed, and it exhales with gratitude when I indulge it in this "mystical mandala medicine". It's a prescription for well-being that I must fill regularly...otherwise I'm a little "off". Anyway...when I came across the Paint-It Pink Mandala Project™ the other night (yes...I was surfing the net for all things mandala :) it was all I could do to sit long enough to write and share this with you because...
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...The Paint-It Pink Mandala Project™ combines creating mandalas + a worthy cause, Breast Cancer Awareness. It also helps to support artists whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. The Project was created by international mandala teacher Claire Sabo. Don't you think it's awesome that there is an "international mandala teacher"? That in itself lets us know that mandala-making is p-r-e-t-t-y powerful.
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Ms. Sabo started the Project to honor her mother and grandmother, both of whom died of breast cancer. The Mandala Project organization, where Ms Sabo is workshop coordinator, describes the project saying: "This ongoing public art collection of pink mandalas sent in from all over the world, brings awareness and hope until the cure is found."
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So this is the perfect opportunity to yet again, use our creative juices...and our generous, compassionate hearts...to make a difference. Can't you just see our "Works of HeArt" in their gallery...bringing awe to someone's heart, that they were thought of enough to do this on their behalf? And, since it's an ongoing project there a no deadlines...very cool. Details for submitting your mandala are available at Paint-It Pink Mandala Project™. For those who choose to participate...thank you. And, if you need an another reference for making mandalas I describe my simple process at the end of this post. Have fun and may you see and embrace the sacredness of using your talents.
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P.S.- Here are pictures from a Paint-it Pink Mandala workshop featuring finished PINK mandalas!

Comments

Royce Addington said…
Cheryl...

I wish I had pink ink to write this comment. You have, once again, introduced the mystical, magical fusion of human spirituality, compassion, art, beauty, creativity, imagination and the POWER we all possess to heal our circles...those closest to us and those we touch from afar.
patti said…
I like the idea that creating a mandala is similar to doing morning pages. I may just start my day with a mandala! Paint-it Pink is an interesting link, thanks.
Everydaythings said…
your title - cry me a river is so apt when dealing with this topic. I had a look at the pink project mandalas, its so sad that so many women have breast cancer. What a good way to use a mandala though.
Jane said…
I love your mandala designs! I too really enjoy doing them. I like the feeling of being totally immersed in the process of coloring. I find that the mandalas help inspire me for my furniture painting by making me look at new color combinations and patterns.
Annie Z said…
Hi Cheryl, Thanks for visiting my blog. I am so glad to have come across yours.

Finally, I know what morning pages. I have asked people along the way without response. I figured it would come along to me at the right time. Your post, along with its link, prompted to google it further! Derr!! Why didn't I think
of that before! Right timing, I guess. I hope to get up 30 minutes earlier every morning now and start them. Just what I need!

Love your mandala and your descriptions of mandalas. Beautiful!! How wonderful that you can see the art in every day as well as the sacred! :)

Thank you also for your comment on of my older posts. Considering how I am feeling about it all today, it was lovely to receive your comment. Thank you so much. Your comment and my mandalas are keeping me going today.

Love,
Annie
xxx