Elegant Inspiration Mandala

Elegant Inspiration Mandala (Circles of Beauty and Light) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: buddleia

This photograph of buddleia was taken on a warm October morning, a time when I’m still surprised to see such beauty. This particular genus of flowering shrub is often called butterfly bush, so I imagine the blossoms must smell quite wonderful. I love the delicate lavendar colored flowers that seem to emit a come to me energy. If I were a butterfly, I would certainly want to dance on these blooms.

The mandala, comprised of eleven rays, contains a sense of opening both deeper and higher. It invites us inward to develop a more refined state of spiritual development and then lifts us upward with its elevated lavendar and violet hues.

The number eleven itself has many different meanings and connotations, but those who are drawn to this number are often spiritually oriented and psychically inclined. It is a number of balance that invites us to take a look at how balanced we are feeling in our lives. Are you feeling balanced emotionally, physically, spiritually? Are you keeping a good balance between work and play?

Eleven also represents refinement, vision and higher ideals. It was these qualities that most spoke to me when naming this mandala. However this mandala may speak to you, I hope it brings you joy gazing into and feeling the more transcendant energies it has to offer.

Bright blessings on your path always!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Spring Illumination Mandala

Spring Illumination Mandala (Circles of Spring) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: wild radish

Wild radish grows prolifically where I live and is usually found with yellow, white, or pink blossoms. Every now and then I will spot these mixtures of all three colors, and those are the blooms that really catch my eye. I especially love the delicate veining in the petals.

When translated into mandala form, I saw dragonfly wings, and that is the theme that captivated me while I created the image. The dragonfly wing sun rays around the mandala speak to the powerful way dragonfly illuminates light. Since dragonflies are cold blooded, we don't often see until the sun appears when they are warming their bodies. Their bodies are transparent, so when they dip, spin and dart through the air, they reflect and refract light like prisms. Dragonfly's message is that life is never what it appears to be. and that non-ordinary reality and magic worlds are also available to us to help us with our spiritual expansion.

May your life be expanded and transformed by the magic offered in this mandala through dragonfly's colorful vision.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Earth Day Mandala::Green Love

Green Love Mandala (Love Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: yarrow buds and leaves

I am busy busy busy getting ready for my art opening, but I did want to post this mandala in honor of the 40th anniversary of earth day. When I created the mandala, I was thinking about some people I know who are journeying in Peru. I have felt drawn to be there, too, at that shamanic healing retreat known as Chimbre, and maybe someday I will be. Peru is definitely on my bucket list.

I've known for a long time about the energetic vibrations I feel when I am out in nature and it is that vibrational energy I want to capture when I create this mandala art. This morning I read this wonderful article about the electro-magnetic waves that everyone and everything radiates, and how we can aid the planet by controlling our emotional output. Here is the link. It shows me more and more how everyone and everything is connected. It's nice to have a little science to back up what mystics have always known.

Enjoy the Green Love and have a great day!

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

IT'S ALMOST SHOWTIME!

Summer Magic Mandala (Circles of Summer series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: daylily

I am busily preparing for Art of Wine's Annual Photography and Digital Art Show opening May 1st in Old Town Eureka. So far I think I am on schedule with my to-do list. Creating the art was the fun and easy part. Now Im down to the nuts and bolts part of matting and framing. I've chosen seven pieces in the show that speak most directly to the magic and mystery that nature shares with humanity. I'll also have matted prints and will be debuting a new series of greeting cards. It's all great stuff, and such an honor to be part of this group...six other artists plus myself.

If you are local, please put May 1st on your calendar and come on down to this art opening. Wine and goodies will be served, plus you can chat with all the artists and find out why we love doing what we do. Does it get any better than that?

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

MANDALA TUTORIAL V2

6 Pointed Mandala Created from Mandala Tutorial

Back in the early days of both the internet and of Photoshop, Komra Moriko had a vision about creating mandalas from images from nature. Many of us have benefitted from her vision and her generosity through her original website Earth Mandalas. For years, she left her mandala tutorial available on the internet. She never charged anything. And the tutorial was never updated. I think it was originally written for Photoshop 4, and Adobe is preparing to launch another version of Photoshop that would be the same as Photoshop 12. As Komra noted elsewhere, the tutorial was never updated because"life happens"

I've re-written the tutorial to bring it up to date. It's written using CS3. I've added some tips that I have found helpful along the way. And in the spirit of Komra's original generosity, I am making the tutorial available for anyone who wants it. Originally I tried to teach mandala making online, but for one reason or another this endeavor never took off. After a lot of thought, I decided that if people are interested in creating mandalas in Photoshop then I want this tutorial to be available to them. The tutorial is written using the 6 pointed mandala, but all of Komra's original templates are included in the PDF.

Unfortunately this tutorial does not work in Photoshop Elements. I've never used The Gimp software, but I've seen people use The Gimp for mandala making. I'd be interested in knowing.

Feel free to download the tutorial here. Have fun.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

SPRING MYSTERY MANDALA

Spring Mystery Mandala (Exploring the Mystery Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: pear blossoms

You can't tell me there is no mystery
Mystery
Mystery
You can't tell me there is no mystery
It's everywhere I turn

Moon over junk yard where the snow lies bright
Snow lies bright
Snow lies bright
Moon over junk yard where the snow lies bright
Can set my heart to burn

Stood before the shaman, I saw star-strewn space
Star-strewn space
Star-strewn space
Stood before the shaman, I saw star strewn space
Behind the eye holes in his face

Infinity always gives me vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo
Infinity always gives me vertigo
And fills me up with grace

I was built on a Friday and you can't fix me
You can't fix me
You can't fix me
I was built on a Friday and you can't fix me
Even so I've done okay

So grab that last bottle full of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline
Grab that last bottle full of gasoline
Light a toast to yesterday

And don't tell me there is no mystery
Mystery
Mystery
And don't tell me there is no mystery
It overflows my cup

This feast of beauty can intoxicate
Intoxicate
Intoxicate
This feast of beauty can intoxicate
Just like the finest wine

So all you stumblers who believe love rules
Believe love rules
Believe love rules
Come all you stumblers who believe love rules
Stand up and let it shine
Stand up and let it shine

~Mystery by Bruce Cockburn

Listen to the song and view some other amazing artwork