BRIGHT SPIRIT MANDALA

Bright Spirit Mandala (Circle of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: thistle gone to seed

To the illumined mind, the whole world burns and sparkles with light ~ Emerson

I love creating mandalas from photographs of things that have gone to seed. More than any other subject that I capture, plants at the seeming end of their growth cycle seem to show off the light within them. Of course, that growth cycle never really ends, as their seeds are scattered for the coming year. There is always that growth potential.

Bright Spirit Mandala shows that sizzling brilliance that is always inside of us and inside of our worlds, because really there is no separation. Thank you, thistle, for helping us see.

Brightest blessings to you on your path!

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

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AMANDLA! SHIELD MANDALA

Amandla! Shield (Circle of Awareness Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image - unidentified autumn leaf

My computer had an attack of old age this past week that resulted in replacing her motherboard. By all accounts, this should keep her in good stead for a couple of years while I manifest the funds for a brighter lighter zippier system. My tech guys say Windows 7 looks pretty good. I thought it ironic the new O/S came out the same day I got the news about the needed repairs on my baby.

The first thing I had to do once plugged in was to create a new mandala.

A friend of mine told me that the word amandla was the Zulu word for power. Amandla! Awethu! means power to the people, and the phrase was the inspirational call to arms against apartheid in South Africa.

The vision suggested in this version is we are all powerfully connected to each other as elements of Hindu and Muslim cultures are blurred in with the central mandalic statement. I included Mehndi (henna tattoo) patterns and Arabic calligraphy in the field surrounding the mandala and blended them as a statement of oneness: Our cultural influences support the greater good. We Are All Powerful. The 13 rays suggest our own individual uniqueness within the great circle of life, as 13 is a number unique unto itself.

Finding our power and not giving it away to anyone or anything, I believe, is the ongoing quest of a lifetime.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

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Amandla!Shield

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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THE POWER OF LOVE MANDALA

Power of Love Shield (Power Shield Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: cedar tree bark

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.
~ Arapaho Proverb

When I was reviewing this photograph of the bark of a mighty cedar tree, I clearly saw two faces snuggled up against each other, and I thought, this tree is all about giving and receiving Love.

Cedar trees are steeped in mythology from different traditions.
The cedar is referenced many times in the bible as a symbol of prosperity because of its long life. Cedar trees are also revered in Cherokee tradition; for a time the Cherokee tribe prayed for continuous days of sunshine, which was granted to them. When the people realized they had made a mistake, when their tribe began to die away from days of continuous heat, they once again asked to have night returned. This was also granted, but Spirit left them with the cedar tree as a reminder of those that had passed away. Cherokees believe powerful spirits of those who had left them lived in the trees. (from Cedar Tree Myths).

There is also a smudging ceremony, which I am most familiar with:

Cedar is burned while praying either aloud or silently. The prayers rise on the cedar smoke and are carried to the Creator. Cedar is also spread along with sage on the floor of the sweat lodges of some tribes. Cedar branches are brushed in the air to cleanse a home during the House Blessing Ceremony of many Northwest Indian nations. In the Pacific Northwest, the people burn cedar for purification in much the same way as sage - it drives out negative energy; but it also brings in good influences. The spirit of cedar is considered very ancient and wise by Pacific Northwest tribes, and old, downed cedar trees are honored with offerings and prayers. (from www.asunam.com)

I'm sure you know other stories about the cedar tree and I'd love to hear them, too.

I was guided to create the Power of Love Mandala in this configuration. It reminds me of a rose like you might see carved on a cedar chest . I also see the Four Directions. But mostly what I see and feel is the strength of never ending love.


Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

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CALENDARS,ETSY & NEWSLETTERS, TOO!

My 2010 Sacred Circle Mandalas calendar is now available for purchase! This year, all of the images are accompanied by quotes from Rumi. Choosing just the right quotes to go with each mandala was an act of love for me, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Want to see a calendar preview?

The calendar is $24.95 plus shipping. This year I am offering North American residents the opportunity to order directly from me. I am accepting payment via Paypal, check or money order. To insure you receive your calendar in time for holiday gift giving, I will need to receive your payment by November 30th. Email me here for more further. Ordering directly from me will give you a bit of a price break on shipping and I will receive a bit more revenue for my calendars, so it's a win for us both. We're all in this together, right?

If you want to receive your calendar sooner or live outside of North America, then by all means order directly from the publisher. Here is the link to Lulu.com. (For those of you who encountered problems with their shopping cart last year, the issues have been resolved. Hurrah!)

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This week I'm celebrating the Grand Opening of my Etsy shop, Sacred Circle Mandalas, with a 20% off sale everything in the store through October 18th. Opening this store is just the beginning of a three year old dream, and I have to say it has been worth every minute I have spent on it. Please come by and take a look at my offerings. (If I could I would even offer tea and cookies.) Suggestions? Comments? Questions? I'd love to hear them.
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If you are not on my mailing list and want to be updated on the latest, including offers that wont be posted on my blog, I know have a sign up widget on the top of my blog. Be assured, I respect your privacy and won't sell my list to anyone.
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AUTUMN SPLENDOR MANDALA

Autumn Splendor - (Fall Circles Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: walnut leaves

Looking up gives light, although at first it makes you dizzy ~ Rumi

I know a walnut tree whose branches cover what I bet is close to a city block. The tree, I'm sure, is over 100 years old, and whenever I see it I feel uplifted. I'm sure this tree has great stories to tell, of swings and people reading under her and lovers' trysts. When I looked up to take the photo I used for this mandala, I did get dizzy from the light shining through her leaves. She is truly magical, and I wanted to create a mandala that would showcase her splendor.

I have lived on the North Coast of California for almost 25 years, but there has been something about this fall that has been truly special. I am seeing the world around me with new awareness, and I am full of gratitude. Every day is a new beginning.

So I am sending out special thanks to you, my readers, who have followed me for the last 293 posts, who have purchased my art prints, my greeting cards, my calendars. I am here to testify that following your dreams is worth the effort. Creating art is the most God-like thing I know of.

Can I hear a hallelujah?

(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Peace Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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OCTOBER FIRE MANDALA

October Fire Mandala (Fall Circle series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: unidentified leaf

Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity~ Hal Borland

I love perfect autumn days when the sun is out, the wind is not, and the light is a golden glow. I went out for a photo shoot yesterday. My intuition was urging me out the door, and I'm so glad I listened. Unfortunately I don't have any idea what kind of bush it is that caught my eye when I was walking about town. Purple on the top side and totally autumnal underneath with the sun shining through, it was striking and begged to be noticed. I love the slant of shadows on the leaf the hidden-ness, and having to search for the prize; these are common themes of mine.

Everything about creating this mandala just seemed to flow into rightness. I was going to make it six-rayed, but it quickly morphed into twelve. Twelve is symbolic of cosmic order, as well as being related to Jung's idea of individuation, according to Susanne Fincher. Twelve is seen in the twelve months, twelve planets, twelve disciples and can be seen as the end of a cycle and completion of a period of time. It seems like this mandala could be a great image for someone who is celebrating the completion of an important task or maybe needs some spiritual support in getting there. This mandala seems to shout out I am so powerful; don't nobody mess with me now. And, it is for sale on my Etsy shop too!

I am putting on the finishing touches for my shop and will be annoucing the grand opening, complete with a grand opening sale, within the next few days. In the meantime, for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, get out there and enjoy those crisp October fire days!

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MARISPOSA MYSTERY STAR

Mariposa Mystery Star (Exploring the Mystery) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: mariposa tulip

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes ~Unknown

I never knew the Mariposa tulip grew anywhere on the North Coast until this spring when I spotted this low growing sweetie hidden in the grasses along the bluff line of my walking path. Mariposa means butterfly in Spanish, and I love the way this delicate wildflower transformed itself into a six-pointed shining star. Six is a number of creativity and the star is a symbol of the Self. And if you look closely, included in the circle surrounding the star, are 6 bi-colored purple butterflies!

I am just about done setting up my store in Etsy, and will be announcing the Grand Opening very soon. Oooh, it's all so exciting.

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ANCIENT WISDOM MANDALA

Ancient Wisdom Mandala (Circles of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image:Henderson's Angelica

Angelica is an herb in the carrot family related to Queen Anne's Lace and Poisonous Hemlock. For all the time I have spent exploring the nature on the North Coast of California, I don't believe I had ever seen this plant before. Henderson's Angelica is not used in herbal remedies, but I like the herbal lore surrounding the angelica plant. In pre-Christian days in Northern Europe, angelica was revered as a plant to thwart off infectious diseases. After the advent of Christianity, the story was that an angel revealed in a dream that it was a remedy for the plague.

I named this mandala for the ancient wisdom contained within the angelica plant. Angelica as an herbal remedy is still used for the treatment of coughs and colds. I love the calming sage green and burgundy colors. Who wouldn't be healed meditating on these colors?




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FLORAL HEAVEN

Floral Heaven (Circles of Beauty and Light) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: hydrangea buds

O let us live in joy, although having nothing! In joy, let us live like spirits of light! ~Buddha

Hydrangeas are one of those flowers that keep on giving and giving. They begin blooming here in the early spring; and now, on the first of October, they are still producing buds. Offhand, I would say this is the third mandala I have created from hydrangea blossoms, and this one is a beauty.
What a pleasure it is to visit friends' gardens and fill my eyes with the wonders they see every day where they live.

I love the elegance of this image, the nurturing blues and greens set off by the high spirited purples and pinks.

Seven is a sacred number of the ancients. Pagans honored the number seven because it is comprised of the numbers three and four. In goddess tradition three is feminine and four is masculine, so seven represented the union of masculine and feminine, a sacred wholeness.

Wouldn't this mandala make a lovely wedding gift?
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Peace Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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THERE IS NO TIME

There is No Time (Earth Mysteries series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: sand from Elk's Head, Trinidad CA

When doing becomes infused with the timeless quality of being, that is success ~ Eckhart Tolle

One of the pleasures I experienced this summer was drumming with a friend at the ocean. We walked a long enough path through a couple different microclimates, stopped to examine the blooming flora of the season, then descended down to a place butting out in the ocean and got out our drums. We could hear seals barking and watched gulls, pelicans and cormorants fly past us. We drummed to the earth and the ocean, chanted and felt the wind blow through our hair and the sun shine warm on our faces. When I drum, there is no time.

I created this mandala as a remembrance of those very special times honoring Mother Earth with the heartbeat of my drum and the sacredness of my voice.

Aho

View from Elk's Head

SAGE WISDOM

Sage Wisdom (Circles of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: decorative sage

Faith is our direct link to universal wisdom, reminding us that we know more than we have heard or read or studied that we have only to look, listen, and trust the love and wisdom of the Universal Spirit working through us all. ~ Dan Millman

I love this mandala! Everything about it makes me happy...the yellow, the purple, the texture, the eleven points, the star in the center. It speaks to me of consciousness and creativity, of wisdom and universal love . I had never seen decorative sage like this before which grows in my friend's garden like shrubbery.

I've been busy healing from the flu and almost two week's worth of laryngitis. Rest and art keeps me going. Next on my to do list is creating a store on Etsy. I let you know when my grand opening occurs!





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Sage Wisdom Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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THE GODDESS AMATERASU

Amaterasu (Goddess Circle series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: Japanese maple leaf

Amaterasu is the Japanese Goddess of the Sun worshipped in the Shinto religion. In the myth, Amaterasu and her two brothers were responsible for governing the Universe; her brothers were jealous of her because she was favored by her father. Amaterasu, as the sun goddess, was responsible for making sure the rice crops thrived. She was also a skilled horsewoman and weaver of fine silks and brocades and was known for her beautiful kimonos. One day during a fit of jealousy one of her brothers killed one of her horses and Amaterasu fell into a deep depression. She crawled into a dark cave and the rice crops began to fail. The gods and goddesses decided to trick the radiant goddess out of her cave when all other attempts to coax her out had failed. A large bronze mirror was placed in front of the mouth of the cave, whileUzume, a lesser goddess of dance and mirth, danced on an overturned tub. Her dancing was very bawdy and suggestive; she lifted her kimono up over her head and everyone laughed and clapped. All of this noise and laughter roused Amaterasu's curiosity. She came outside the mouth of the cave where she was dazzled by the brilliance of her reflection in the mirror. Immediately the gods and goddesses rolled a large bolder in front of the cave to keep Amaterasu from going back in, and Amaterasu's grief was dissipated by the revelry around her. Light was once again restored to the land and the rice crops were saved.

I wanted to share this story as we enter into Autumn to remind us all to continue to let our lives shine. When things get dark, find that mirror and be dazled by your own radiance. If your spirits are low, grab a drum, put on some music and dance dance dance. Dare to be bodacious. Let your energy soar.

What do you do to take care of yourself when life starts to get you down?
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Amaterasu Medallion

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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THE ABUNDANCE OF FALL

Summer Abundance Mandala (Summer Circles series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: huckleberries

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have been waiting to post this mandala for the Fall Equinox. The photograph of huckleberries was taken a couple of weeks ago on my birthday walk with my friend SueZen, and the autumn equinox is her birthday. I love how this mandala came out, with the grey representing our ever present coastal fog, and the lusciousness of the ripe and ripening berries in a never ending circle. What would we do without the juiciness of our friends' companionships sharing in each other's hopes and dreams?

This one's for you, girl. Happy birthday.
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The Abundance of Summer Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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EVERLASTING MANDALA

Everlasting Mandala (Fall Circles Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: pearly everlasting

Pearly Everlasting is a late summer bloomer in my neck of the woods. Native to Asia, it can be gathered and dried and used in flower arrangements. It's one of those plants I forget about and then am happy when I stumble upon it during my early fall walks.


I will let this mandala speak for itself.






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EverlastingMandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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I REALLY DON'T KNOW CLOUDS MANDALA

I Really Don't Know Clouds Mandala (Exploring the Mystery Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: thunderhead clouds

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all
~Joni Mitchell

Breaking out of a comfort zone is a pretty good thing, even if it's hard at first dealing with resistance. Up until the past few days I have had some firmly entrenched creative rules which I stubbornly refused to break. Silly Sue. Thank goodness my sense of wonder is stronger than all my shalt nots.

There were some stunning thunderhead clouds in the sky over the weekend. I pulled over and took a few pictures. Yesterday when I was editing them, my creative voice said Do it!
How nice to know that voice is growing stronger than the voice of my ego.

The finished mandala reminds me of a cyanotype, an old fashioned printing process which you can read more about here if you are interested.

Do you have rules that beg to be broken?

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Clouds Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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CROW DRUMS WITH SHAMANS

Crow Drums With Shamans (Power Shield Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: tree branches

There was a lot of activity in those dead tree limbs. Crows cawed, flickers pecked on wood rat-a-tat-a-tat, hummingbirds flitted back and forth between them and the feeder at the house. Something about the way the morning sun shined on the naked branches caught my eye. For the longest time I just soaked it all in, wondering what would happen next. Those were precious moments, and the gifts I received when watering a friend's garden while she was on vacation.

When I created this image, the emotion that it called up in me was what I imagine finding petroglyphs or cave paintings would be like, that sense of awe and history and magic and wonder. It's not unlike how I felt observing those trees. I know everyone will have their own story when they look at this image.

Tell me what yours is.


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MORNING STAR MANDALA

Morning Star Mandala (Messenger Mandalas) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: pigeon feather

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star ~American fok song

Pigeons have a reputation for being pests, but I love their shimmery beauty and soft, nurturing coos. Pigeons medicine is about finding your way home again, even if once you felt lost and off track.

Stars represent the Self, and the number of points in the star is significant. Alchemists believed that transformation occurred in seven stages, and Jung said the number 7 stood for the highest stage of illumination.

Stars are also a navigation aid guiding the sailor home. We all have our own internal GPS systems, if we take the time to listen and not second guess what we hear.

How do you know when you are home?

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Morning Star Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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FAIRY DANCE MANDALA

Fairy Dance Mandala (Awareness Mandala series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: alyssum

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.~Iris Murdoch

While recently photographing flowers at a friend's house, the alyssum on her porch seemed especially inviting after an early autumn sprinkling. I swear sometimes I hear flowers saying to me "Oh please take my picture." How could I resist something as sweet as that?


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Fairy Dance Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANDALA

OWNING PINK MANDALA -© Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image - coleus

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. ~ Henri Bergson

I created this mandala for my 58th birthday, which is August 31st. I am visioning this as a significant year as I move into creating a life for myself that I love.

Coleus is one of those plants I have loved since forever, and I am especially attracted to the bright pink throat contrasted against the dark burgundy leaf on this variety.

This is how the mandala speaks to me: Green center for growth, eight hearts in the middle for love, eight owls nestled in eight yonis representing goddess wisdom. Eight is a number of rebirth; on its side eight is the infinity symbol. As the eight spoked wheel, eight is seen as a symbol of endless change. Change is not one of those easy things, as neural pathways are rewired and the ego protests.

But change is good. I love what Pamir Kiciman tweeted on Twitter: Cooperate with what wants to emerge.

VISIONING MANDALA

Visioning Mandala (Messenger Mandala series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image-northern harrier hawk feather

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid ~ Audre Lorde

The Northern Harrier, or Marsh Hawk, is one of my favorite raptors. I love watching it soar and glide over the marshlands and then quickly dive for some unsuspecting mouse or snake that got its attention. Hawks are an awesome example of the power of nature. When I see any of the hawks sitting on a telephone wire, highway sign, or billboard, I feel somehow like they are watching out for me too.

I was guided to use the four rayed configuration for this mandala, and I understand after completing the mandala how appropriate this choice was. Solid, bold, balanced, and complete, the four rays of the equidistant cross speak of the power of the Light and our relationship to it. According to Sayadha:

Hawk signifies union with Great Spirit. A bird of the heavens the hawk orchestrates the changes necessary for our spiritual growth. Having this totem can be bitter sweet. If we accept its presence in our life we will be asked to surrender anything that doesn't honor the integrity of all life. Be it an idea, a feeling or an action. Although hard work is involved the rewards the hawk offers us are great.

Hawk soars between heaven and earth and encourages us to live our lives with creative visionary purpose. During these remarkable times of awakening and change, having hawk's clear eyesight to assist us is a blessing.

Marsh hawk photos ©gloperflicker and greg gothard
Hawk medicine information also cited from Ted Andrews Animal Speaks pg 155

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Visioning Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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