Skip to main content

Flower mandala

 


Mandala is a spiritual symbol in Buddhism and Hinduism. Mandalas have magical qualities that are intrinsic to its creation — no beginning and no end.

Mandalas are often used as a meditative tool. When creating mandalas it’s a way to center ourselves and focus our thoughts. The meaning of the word mandala is a sacred circle and it signifies the cycle of life. Creating a mandala out of real flowers and flower parts is an ephemeral art that will wilt, die and return to the earth. This process is a very symbolic and theraputetic tool to connect to whatever we may be struggling with internally; help us gain perspective; and then let it go.

– The most typical model mandala form is a square with four gates containing a circle with a central point. Mandala often has an outer circle. – This basic form can be found in many ancient mandalas but there are endless variations which all include flow.

Materials:

– Flowers, petals or leaves

– Flat work surface

How:

– You can adhere to the most traditional format, as described above

or

– Follow the flow of the petals and leaves:

Take a moment + write down in a notebook several words that describe your current state of mind.

Notice the pace of your thinking, moving and feeling.

Then go to a forest, a park, botanical garden or field for an hour or just use flowers from your vase or garden.

Sit and relax, or take a walk. Look around you.

What colors do you see?

What shapes intrigue you?

If walking, pick up little treasures along the way that attract you: a twig, a flower, a leaf, piece of bark, stones.

After an hour, notice how you feel.

When you’ve gathered up enough materials, find an area you’ll feel completely comfortable and at ease to make your mandala.

Start from the center and build outwards. You have complete freedom! The mandala can be a circle, square, diamond ~ whatever suits you!

Keep building or changing the design up until you're completely happy with your beautiful creation.

You should find the process uplifting, centering and peaceful.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mindfulness - Vipassanna

Vipassana is a traditional Buddhist practice that originated in India over 2,500 years ago. It was taught by the Buddha himself and is considered one of the most effective ways to achieve enlightenment. *What is Vipassana?* Vipassana is a Pali word that means "clear seeing" or "insight." It's a meditation technique that helps develop mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. The practice involves observing the impermanent nature of all phenomena, including thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. *Key Principles:* 1. Impermanence (Anicca): Everything is constantly changing. 2. Suffering (Dukkha): Suffering arises from attachment and ignorance. 3. No Self (Anatta): There is no permanent, unchanging self. *Benefits:* 1. Reduces stress and anxiety 2. Increases mindfulness and concentration 3. Develops wisdom and insight 4. Enhances emotional intelligence 5. Supports addiction recovery 6. Improves physical health 7. Cultivates compassion and empathy *Techniques:* ...

Drying Flowers

  There are a number of simple drying techniques to choose from. The trick is to choose the right technique to suit your flowers. Here are five of the most common methods… 1. HOW TO DRY FLOWERS… IN THE AIR One of the easiest ways to dry out a bouquet is to hang it upside down and allow the moisture to evaporate into the air. This is great for robust flowers, such as roses, and long-lasting varieties, like lavender. Strip away any excess foliage, secure your stems with an elastic band and hang in a dry, shady spot away from direct sunlight. TIP: Once completely dry, spray with unperfumed hairspray for protection. 2. HOW TO DRY FLOWERS… IN THE MICROWAVE Pop your flowers in the microwave if you want to dry them fast. This technique is also ideal if you want to preserve single flowers, such as gerbera daisies and chrysanthemums. All you’ll need is a microwavable container and, strangely, some cat litter (if it can dry out what the cat left behind, it can dry out fl...

Rose Water Recipe

  THE GENERAL BENEFITS OF ROSE WATER • Roses, in general, have a lovely smell which can be used to  reduce anxiety  and help you to  relax  – meaning it’s great to be used as a room spritz! You can even spray it onto your pillow at night to help you  sleep better. • Similarly , some have found that rose water can be used against  depression.  Both ingesting it and using it for it’s scent. • Rose water apparently has some fairly powerful  antiseptic properties , which can help  prevent and treat infections . THE BENEFITS OF ROSE WATER FOR BEAUTY • Rose water has amazing  anti-inflammatory properties , which makes it great for treating  skin irritations, eczema, rosacea – reducing redness  and can even have a positive effect on  acne. • It can actually help  maintain your skins pH balance,  c ontrol excess oil  and is great to use as a cleanser to  remove oil and dirt  from your pores, as ...