Partridges & Pears

Partridge & Pears, copyright The Mandala Group 2012

It's time to unveil this year's mandala for Christmas, including the usual stars...
Instead of a general Christmas 'free for all', we have decided this year to have a specific theme.  So we chose to use the first line of a well known Christmas tune as inspiration and you'll almost certainly have guessed by now, it's the first line belonging to 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' tune.

"On the first day of Christmas, 
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree"

In the centre of the mandala perches a partridge drawn by Jo Jo.  Below there are four more partridges, not however, in a pear tree ~ are they foraging for something on the ground?

Four Partridges, copyright The Mandala Group 2012

Ribbons & Roses

Ribbons & Roses, Copyright Shastina of The Mandala Group 2012

A mandala made with more found objects; this time by using rosy petals and gold curling ribbons, all put together on a place mat.

Spring & Summery Mandala

A Mandala for Spring Days and Summery Ways, Copyright Anna and Shastina, The Mandala Group, 2006


A good friend Anna, helped me with this mandala. She beautifully created Summery Ways and I was responsible for the Spring Days part. It was made in segments and then placed together. 

A recipe

My uncle once commented that mandalas look like pizzas, so here's a recipe for a mandala

Ingredients:
1 circle drawn on paper
selection of colouring pens
100 beautiful thoughts
A collection of coloured papers to use as a mount, save for later

Method:
Using a chosen colour scheme, select the colours you want to use from the colouring pens.
Add colour to the circle, working from the centre.
Then sprinkle liberally with beautiful thoughts.
Cut out the circle and your mandala is finished.
Serve with a coloured mount.

Enjoy!

Found Objects with Skeleton Leaves

Found Objects One, Copyright Shastina only, The Mandala Group 2009

 A Mandala made by hand, by gathering a collection of found objects; skeleton leaves, blue and green glass pieces and little pink flowers were used. The pieces were assembled and then photographed.

Goodbye Stars

Goodbye, Copyright Shastina only, The Mandala Group 2012

With peaceful light, the yellow sunflower spreads out into the mandala and represents a sense of peace within the sadness of life.

This was done to help to say goodbye to five departed souls, who've all died within a short space of time. They were family members and friends (including precious pets). 

There are also stars around the sunflower, one to represent each soul. As the mandala says around the edge ~ five stars ~ five souls ~ five spirits ~ goodbye. 

Healing Mandalas

Mandalas can be healing. Different shapes can be harmonising as well.  Here are a few examples in images and words.

Jenni's healing mandala, copyright Jenni only, The Mandala Group April 2012

The colours can be healing to look at, though naturally, as long as they are peaceful and calming!

I hope this is what we've achieved with ours, these were made for a friend. 

A healing mandala, copyright Shastina only, The Mandala Group, April 2012

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For Rinki ~ in loving memory

Rinki was one of  The Mandala Group's members and died not long ago.   This is a tribute to his contributions to all of the mandalas we've done, some of which are on here...   We are hoping he is now at peace, with the angels and would like to light a metaphoric candle for Rinki here today.

Indian Summer Lotus Petals

Indian Summer, Copyright Sky Dymondz, Jenni and Shastina of the Mandala Group, 2012

Sky Dymondz chose the colours and an Indian theme for this mandala.  The centre of Indian Summer is one little gold dot around which the rest rotates, like a memory of sun, spice and lotus petals.  The colours evoke the saris of Indian ladies, floating round the middle.

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The Angelic Core of Chakra Stars

Chakra Stars, Copyright Shastina only, of The Mandala Group 2012

The Angels are with everyone, every moment of every night and day.

In Chakra Stars, the golden light in the centre is the angelic core of this mandala and represents the angels' light entering the crown chakra.   The radiating through the chakras, takes place as a transformation; from colour to colour through the chakra stars.

Why I Love Colour

Colour Love by Shastina only, The Mandala Group 2012

I have always loved colour.  It's what makes life bearable.  It's the essence of beauty.

Colour can be beautiful, it can transform your moods, it can heal. Colours in the right combinations can be soothing, calming and peaceful or vibrant and life giving. 

 I love colour!

Many Hearts

Each of us began with the same mandala template and then by adding colour, set about making each one individual.  As can be seen we each ended with very different results. 

 The kaleidoscope, copyright of  Jo Jo only of The Mandala Group, 2011

Jo Jo says ' Pink is my favourite colour and kaleidoscopes are memories of my youth.  Shastina thinks it looks like the helm of a ship, so this makes me think of my husband's two boats that he is trying to renovate'

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Springtime Mandala, Copyright of  Cathy only of  The Mandala Group 2011

Cathy says 'It was Easter time when I made this mandala: I was trying to express a childlike view of spring and the happy feeling of seeing everything new and vibrant.  I feel a child's perceptions are so fresh.  It is lovely to feel the same sensations I had as a child as the seasons change (Not exactly a Paul Klee but an attempt!!) '.

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A Heart Mandala, Copyright Jenni only of The Mandala Group 2011

Jenni says: 'I explored the colour co-ordinations of turquoise with orange and different pinks with purple.  It turned out vaguely reminiscent of some art from ancient civilisation, although which one?'

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Truly Scrumptious,Copyright Shastina only of The  Mandala Group 2011

Something about this mandala (maybe it's the colours and the spots ?), makes me think of when, as a small child ballerina, I had to wear a pink costume in a dance to the music with the same name.  And maybe also as it's slightly reminiscent of a fruit when halved, with it's centre revealed, all scrumptious and luscious: It's Truly Scrumptious!

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