DEVELOPING A RESONANT HEART

Heartbeat Mandala (Mandalas for Peace series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image:coleonema flowers imbued with rose quartz energy

The mission of the Institute of HeartMath is to help establish heart-based living and global coherence by inspiring people to connect with the intelligence and guidance of their own hearts ~ (from their website)

The first time I noticed these flowers up close was right after a refreshing spring rain. The pink energy of the blossoms seemed to radiate soothing love. As I was completing this mandala, I was reminded of the calm that rose quartz offers during times of stress. I created a rose quartz mandala from a photo I had and used it for sparkly texture that is in the space surrounding the flowers.

So what does this have to do with the Institute of Heart Math's Mission Statement that I posted above? My perspective is rooted in spiritual orientation, but I love finding examples of how spirit, science and art all interact. The Heart Math Institute does some amazing research on the relationship of the heart to the brain and emotions in developing what they call a resonant heart. It is much too involved to go into in great detail here, but I would definitely recommend a look-see of their website and the work they are doing in reducing world wide stress. What a goal, eh?

I have a PDF from IMH called The Resonant Heart that speaks, among other things, of Attitudinal Breathing ® and how it helps in developing consciousness. I would be happy to email this PDF to anyone who wants one. Just contact me using the email link posted in the right hand side bar.

Below is the Attitude Breathing Tool developed by Doc Childre, founder of the Heart Math Institute:

Attitude Breathing Tool
1. Focus on the heart as you breathe in. As you breathe
out, focus on your solar plexus.The solar plexus is located about
four inches below the heart, just below the sternum where the
left and right sides of your ribcage are joined.

2. Practice breathing in through the heart and out through
the solar plexus for 30 seconds or more to help anchor your
energy and attention there. Next select a positive feeling or
attitude to breathe in and out through those same areas for
another 30 seconds (or more). For example, you can breathe in
through the heart an attitude of appreciation, and breathe out
through the solar plexus an attitude of care.

3. Select attitudes to breathe that will help offset the
negative emotion or imbalance of the situation you are in. Breathe
deeply with the intent of shifting to the feeling of that attitude.
For example, you can breathe in an attitude of balance and
breathe out an attitude of forgiveness, or you can breathe in an
attitude of love and breathe out an attitude of compassion.
Practice different combinations of attitudes you want to
develop.You can tell yourself, “Breathe Genuine,” “Breathe
Courage,” “Breathe Ease,” “Breathe Gratitude” or whatever
attitude you need or want.Even if you can’t feel the attitude shift
at first, making a genuine and earnest effort to shift will at least
help you get to a neutral state. In neutral, you have more
objectivity and you save energy.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

HOLIDAY MANDALA 1

HOLIDAY HEART - (Seasonal Circle series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

I am giving myself a challenge of posting twelve seasonal images by the end of December.

Im not sure what kind of flower I used for the source image for this mandala. Photographed on a summer's day in my friend's garden,it called to me this winter to be transformed for the holidays. Any one have an idea what it might be?

I do love the colors of this image....pink for the heart, red for passion, green for growth. When I first created the mandala I was thinking of the expression "cross my heart" when I saw how the center emerged.

Wrap yourself and others in love this season and remember those who matter most.

GRATITUDE

Gratitude Mandala - (Healing in Circles series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2007

Everything is made of light; everything is alive. The Great Mystery of life has little to do with intelligence. The universe is not an intellectual process. The intellect is helpful; but our hearts are the wiser part of ourselves.

~ Mellen-Thomas Benedict

I chased this mandala around Photoshop yesterday afternoon and this morning. Usually when I put more than a couple of hours into an image and it just isn't coming together for me, I hit the delete key and move on. But I wanted to get to a place with this mandala where I could at least feel satisfaction. I do like how the peachy tan ties all the different colors in this image together.

I have been experimenting using different colored backgrounds with my mandalas. This is all for the time, of course, when the struggle I have been experiencing with printing practices comes together and I am able to live with an answer that satisfies me. Currently I am researching different inkjet printer possibilities; I suppose I will also contact local printers for price quotes, just so I know.

Mostly what I wanted to talk about in this post, though, was to express my gratitude to Neda Doany and Diane Clancy for bestowing upon me the Thoughful and Inspirational Blogger awards. I have chosen to wait until later to bestow these awards to other bloggers out there, so you just never know when the fairy blogmother might shower you with her goodies.