Autumn Portal

 

Autumn Portal (Circles of Fall) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010

source image: plum leaf 

I was going to wait until Monday to post this, but it's message needs to be shared today.

The time of going inward is upon us. We have cycled to that place of meeting with our inner space. We  greet the dark in order to find the light. Some of us find comfort there. For others it brings up fear. This is a time of transition, but it is not the end. It is just another moment in time. What I heard this mandala share with me upon completion is that there will always be Light to guide us during our darkest moments. Solace is available and Love is a constant.  We are never alone.

Bright blessings!

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

FRIDAY FIND: Inner Portals

if you are viewing my blog post from your inbox, you will need to come to my blogsite to view this amazing video

Illuminate Your Mind!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Holding the Heart Mandala

 

Holding the Heart Mandala (Earth Mystery series) © Sue O'Kieffe © 2010

source image:serpentine stone

Sacred Circle Mandalas 2011 Calendars

Many of you know that I create a calendar every year with mandala art and inspirational quotes.  This year I was super inspired and created two! Creating these calendars is an act of love.  We need these reminders of healing in our daily lives as we move forward into greater awareness.

The Love of Nature

I hope you enjoy this year's uplifting mandala imagery inspired by nature. These calendars are  perfect for everyone on your holiday gift giving list who is on a journey of spiritual growth. People are drawn to the sense of balance and calm that the mandala imagery offers.

This year I am once again offering the opportunity to order calendars directly through me. Doing so will afford you a bit of a price break in shipping. In order to make sure I can get your calendars delivered in time for the holidays I will need to have payment via PayPal, check or money order by November 30th. Email me with the number of calendars you want to order, your payment method, and your email, and I will send you an invoice for your order.

I'll try to make this as uncomplicated as possible. Here are the details:

U.S. Customers
1-3 calendars is $24.95 each plus $4.90 shipping Priority Mail.
More than 3 calendars ship $10.70 Priority Mail.
(In comparison, ordering directly from the publisher will cost you $8.99 in shipping for one calendar, $11.99 for 3 calendars, $14.99 for 5 calendars sent FEDEX ground)
6 calendars or more are eligible for a quantity discount.
California residents will be charged applicable sales tax.

Canadian/Mexican customers
Each calendar is $24.95 plus $11.45 shipping Priority Mail.
More than 3 calendars ship $26.95 Priority Mail.
6 calendars or more are eligible for a quantity discount.

Customers outside of North America
So that you can be sure to receive your calendar on time, I would recommend ordering directly from Lulu. com

Circles of Love 

Local customers
I'd be happy to make arrangements to deliver directly to you.

Gifting someone? Want me to mail directly to your giftee? I can do that. Just send the necessary information in your email.

Rather just order yourself? Not a problem. Lulu.com has a 3-5 day printing turn around, and shipping ground FEDEX takes about a week. (Shipping US Mail will take longer and cannot be tracked.) Just go ahead and order when you are on the site. Links to ordering directly from Lulu.com are here and here

Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have about ordering these calendars. My contact information is in the sidebar to the right.

FRIDAY FIND: Mandala Circles for Healing

Enjoy this beautiful slideshow of illuminated mandalas drawn by the students of the late Judith Cornell. Her legacy lives on through all that she touched.

From the Mandala Universe website:

Dr. Rajita Sivananda (Judith Cornell Ph.D.) is the award-winning author of MANDALA:Luminous Symbols for Healing. Since a radical awakening in 1979, she began pioneering a method to help others to awaken and heal at the deepest levels. Her method blends the sacred art and the spiritual science of the mandala with theories in quantum physics, raja and kundalini yoga, and transpersonal psychology.

Rajita is remembered as a bringer of light on the planet. Her life was dedicated to helping people on their path to awakening. She introduced people all over the world to healing on many levels using mandalas long before they had regained their current popularity. Rajita was a pioneer in blending sacred art and meditation and today there are many who use her process as a method for spiritual, emotional and physical healing.  Her focus was in helping others to awaken by experiencing unconditional love, forgiveness, gratitude for the present moment, connection with Nature and the spiritual depth of Silence. Rajita guided many souls to live with integrity and intentionality, honoring their True Nature.

She leaves a legacy of great award winning books and many mandala facilitators that will continue to bring her brilliant work out to the world for the greater good of all.
We will miss you, Rajita and we are certain that you will continue to do your light work on a higher plane.
Fly with the Great Ones, beloved friend and teacher.

Have a great Friday!

Bright blessings

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Autumn Mystic Mandala

Autumn Mystic Mandala (Circles of Fall series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: autumn leaves

Spice of Life Mandala

 

Spice of Life Mandala (Circles of Fall Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010

source image: wild dried fennel stalks

Fennel grows wild along the roadways. I love its umbrel blossoms, but appreciate it even more in its dried autumn state. Last week when I was in the southern part of the county, it was wonderful to run my hands against the plants and smell the spicy aroma of fennel seeds while basking in the warmth of autumn sun.  It was just so fallish!

This mandala, with its thirteen points, seems to whir and spin if you stare at it long enough. I think thirteen is actually a lucky number that represents both endings and beginnings. I actually began this mandala on October 13th, but it was spirit that guided me to use thirteen points. I know not why.

Recent events in my life have shook me awake just a little and led to me believe that variety just may be the spice of life after all. I have been thinking about wanting to make some changes to my blog for a while anyway, and now is a  good  time to put some of these ideas in motion.

Each Monday I will offer you a new mandala along with my interpretation of its meaning. Wednesdays shall be wordless. My offerings will be totally visual. I would love to hear your words and feedback. At least, come say hi. And Friday I will offer 5 things I have seen elsewhere of a spiritual nature around the interwebs that you might find useful, illuminating, or maybe just a little fun.

And if I have other things to share along the way, it might just end up being a full week!

Please know that my intent is to create uplifting mandala art to heal your heart and soul. If you have any questions about my art, my process, or my inspiration, please be sure to let me know. I will do my very best to always answer your comments and questions.

Bright blessings to you always,

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

Magic Mountain Mandala

 

Magic Mountain Mandala (Circles of Fall) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: dwarf huckleberry leaves

This photograph of dwarf huckleberry was taken during a recent visit to Mount Shasta, which I wrote about earlier.  I traveled to the mountain on a full moon, so the energies of that day are contained in this mandala.Curious about those energies?  This newsletter , written by astrologer Lisa Zimmerman, offers information about the Full Moon in Aries.

My intuition suggested that I create this mandala with ten points. I was immediately struck by the center of the image looking like an eye. Traditionally, the center of a mandala is the Self/the heart. The Eye is the I, as Life Coach Richard Ingate pointed out to me on a comment he left about the mandala on my Facebook page. The Self reaches up to a circle of ten elders, spirit guides and guardians raising their arms in support and jubilation of the Self. The circle is uplifting. I was curious about the significance of the number ten and discovered that 10 represents unity.  In Judaic tradition, ten is used to signifty God, who is thought to incorporate ten intertwining divine attributes. (Susanne Fincher, Creating Mandalas).

One of the messages that I received during my day on the mountain was about change and a shift in consciousness: When you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got. So many of us, including me, fear change and the unknown, even when change is really the only constant. What I/eye perceive when feeling in to the message of the mandala is that through the challenging transitional times when we aren't quite sure what to do next, that there will always be spiritual support available. We can call on it at any time. I forget this.

And it seems appropriate also that the colors in this mandala are of fire and earth - fire to transform and earth to ground it into a new view of reality. (Oh and yes, according to Fincher, the number 10 is also one of realism.).

I sat with this mandala for quite a long time, trying to hear what it was trying to say to me. I suspect the conversation is just opening now, since in my own life I am actively asking for change and shifts to occur to take me to the next level.

If you feel inspired, won't you share your perceptions of this subtly powerful mandala with us?

Bright blessings on your path this day!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Solo Show at Moonrise Herbs Arcata, CA Opening Oct 8 2010

Crow Drums with Shaman © Sue O'Kieffe

This mandala, along with seven other framed prints, other matted prints and a wide selection of mandala greeting cards (some available nowhere else but this venue), will be on display from October 8th through November 11th at Moonrise Herbs. This will be my first solo show and I couldn't be more excited! When I first began creating these nature mandalas, I envisioned having a show at Moonrise Herbs, and here I am!

If you live locally in Humboldt County, I hope you will consider stopping by and saying hello. I love talking about my art and the process of making these mandalas. Come join in the discussion.

See you there!

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

I Went to the Mountain - Part Two

So I thought I'd finish sharing my experience of Mt Shasta before the significance of it all fades away. Did you miss Part One? You can read it here.

Walking on the meadow path and really being present, I sunk my feet in and grounded. I could feel the earth vibrate beneath me. I felt connected to the mountain and all that was before me. Being present, I could feel the intense energy contained in the meadow, reverberating off the volcanic stone that is this magnificent mountain. I found a secluded area off the path where I wouldn't disturb vegetation and stripped to the waist, baring my breasts and my soul, shouting out to the Spirits of the Mountain Make me free! Make me whole! This had really been my desire the whole time and not that other, that should which I held onto for so long, I am grateful for my courage to fulfill my vision for my time on the mountain.

It really is ok to do those things that our soul most desires.

Something shifted while I was there. I asked for that shift. I came home feeling full of love and light. I have also been crying a lot and needing a lot of sleep. It's a time of release, of letting go, of making way for what comes next. It's a time of awakening.

I am ready.

 mountain vistas

 panther creek

 paintbrush flowers

 self portrait

volcanic voices

May you fulfill your desires as you wish them!

Bright blessings

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

I Went to the Mountain - Part One

Mount Shasta is a power spot and has been my personal mecca for over ten years. I hadnt traveled there since 2003, so I knew I was way past due in spending time someplace that has been transformative for me and holds many pleasant memories for me as well. I went with the intention of taking drum, rattle and blanket, then finding a pleasant corner on the mountain to drum, chant and meditate. When I got there, I could find no pleasant corner; in fact, walking in the meadow is discouraged because it is being reforested. Local Native American tribes consider this a sacred spot and drumming is also discouraged. I did climb upon a fairly flat rock and tried to meditate, but was uncomfortable sitting out in the open. And then I heard the words When you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got.  I was trying to recreate my day from visits past!  I packed up all my gear, hiked it back to the car and focused on the perfection of the day that was there all along, waiting for me.

How often do we make decisions based on the way things have worked (or even not worked) for us in the past, just because it is the only way we know how to do things? Right now, writing this statement, I am getting  chills and realizing that this message was perfect for me, not only a week ago, but for many aspects of my life right now.

What about you? Do you get stuck in these grooves of familiarity? And how do you unstick yourselves? I'd love to hear your stories.

I'll share the rest of my story about the mountain on Monday. Stay tuned!