Truth Blossoms Mandala

 

Truth Blossoms Mandala (Circles of Spring) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010

source image: California lilac (ceanothus)

I had a strong expansive experience in my body while creating this mandala. I could feel all the various shades of purple and blue being absorbed into my upper body, especially my throat and face. Sometimes, as this conduit for the art that comes through me, I need more perspective on what is being created. I was curious how others experienced this mandala, so I took my question to my Facebook fans and followers. Many of those dear people who took the time to answer also reported feeling the energy in their throats and upper bodies.Antoine of Chimbre Shamanic Retreat told me the mandala was bleautiful. (I smiled alot ) Julia Chambers of  The Seekers Round Table told me that the number seven (seven petals in this mandala) related to  being a seeker, scribe, and preserver of truth. I asked for help naming the mandala as well, and Cassandra came up with the name, Truth Blossoms,  that resonated for me most. I loved interacting with everyone this way and will definitely do it again. Oh, the influence of blue and the spirit of communication!

Being willing to speak the truth is not only a matter of integrity but also one of self trust. It is a journey of the spirit. There comes a time when holding  back from speaking your truth out of fear becomes debilitating; learning how to speak with clarity rather than reaction is a process. During this re-awakening time of spring, what can you do to prune away old stories and beliefs in order to create a clearing for a blossoming of your  truth? This is how Truth Blossoms Mandala speaks to me.

Bright blessings on your path this day!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Rise and Shine Mandala

Rise and Shine Mandala (Circles of Spring) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: Potentila fruiticosa "abbotswood"


Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the world of physical forms and the formless. They not only had a scent that was delicate and pleasing to humans, but also brought a fragrance from the realm of spirit. Using the word ‘enlightenment’ in a wider sense than the conventionally accepted one, we could look upon flowers as the enlightenment of plants. ~ Eckhart Tolle,  A New Earth

Spring is definitely in the air on the North Coast of California. Life is waking up all over the place. One of my current joys this spring is discovering flowers new to me. Last week while walking on the campus of Humboldt State University, I discovered this lovely blooming shrub of 5 petalled white flowers which I'd never seen before. Life is full of unexpected pleasure as long as we remain open to receiving them. Ain't that the truth?

 

Spirit suggested I create a 6 petaled mandala from the photo of these flowers. Six is a number of creativity and balance, and I love the balance that is in the Spring cycle. Life unfolds with Love, offering inspiration, desire, joy, beauty, and a gift of themselves from the world of Spirit. 

 

This mandala reminds us to open our arms, open our hearts, and receive all the beauty that Life has to offer during this spring time of transformation, regeneration, and resurrection. 

 

Rise and Shine Mandala is available for purchase at my Etsy shop

 

 

Bright blessings to you on your path!

 

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

 

Boldness of Being Mandala

Boldness of Being Mandala (Circles of Awareness) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: red maple leaves
© photo courtesy of Becca Allison
   
It wasn’t until the mandala emerged from the printer that I understood the story it wanted to share was about the power that comes with boldness.

         Whatever you can do, or dream you can,
         begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and                  
         magic in it. ~Wolfgang Johann van Goethe
                                
The maple tree, with its shimmering red leaves, reflects qualities of both groundedness and  inspiration. I can imagine the branches reaching up towards the sun while the roots dig deep into the earth. This is classic imagery of what it means to be present.

The thirteen petals in this mandala suggest a new beginning as well as an ending. In classic numerology, twelve represents the end of a cycle, while thirteen points to  the beginning of another. Our culture tends to see thirteen as unlucky, while ancient cultures considered it a number of power. I see this thirteen pointed mandala telling us it is time to  wake up to the powerful forces within us after having experienced long periods of trial and confusion.

Be bold!

Do you remember a time when you took that leap and how good it felt?


~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Circle of Love Series #2 - Love's Canopy

Love's Canopy Mandala (Circle of Love Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: willow tree leaves

Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere~Pascal

I was walking across the grocery store parking lot when I felt something about the willow tree planted there calling to me. It had been raining and the wind was still softly rustling. The leaves were all sparkly and wet. I started taking photos from underneath the tree, forgetting that I was shooting straight into the light, so the feelings I was hoping to capture standing there were totally backlit. I can remember as a little girl playing underneath a willow tree's flowing skirt and loving that feeling of hide and seek and being held in the love of that tree.

Trees are the big mamas of nature and I will never tire of the love they offer. The pastel rainbow adorning her leaves in this mandala is a symbol of spring -- light, refreshing and a sign of renewal.

Sometime go stand under a willow tree and look up, and be nourished by all the love offered to you there. And remember to give her a hug and say thank you.

Bright blessings to you this day.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Circle of Love Series #1 - Prayer of Light Mandala

 

Prayer of Light Mandala (Circles of Love Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010

source image: rhododendron plant parts

Love says: There is a way; I have traveled it thousands of times ~ Rumi

Usually when I am out on a photoshoot, I focus on photos of flowers in their entirety. The naked remains of this rhododendron flower caught my eye, though, and I was pretty sure it had a wonderful story to share with us. Pistils and ovaries still hold plenty of energy even though the petals have fallen away. The cycle of beauty is continuous. 

My guidance suggested I create an 11 petaled mandala. In numerology, 11 is a master number and represents intuition and wisdom.  

I love being enveloped in all of the greenery that surrounds us this time of year. Green represents the heart chakra, growth and abundance, and offers harmony, balance and a sense of well being. What could be a more perfect color for a mandala? While I was creating this image, I felt uplifted and heart centered. Recently, with all the physical disasters that have been occurring, I have wanted to create art that celebrates humanity's love for each other, and so it is with great happiness that I have started a Circle of Love series that will continue at least through 2010. My art has always been about embodying Love in all its many forms, but now I am setting that intention in a more direct way.

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

Light of the World Mandala

Light of the World (Circles of Healing 2010) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010

source image: ceanothus

Light of the world shine on me love is the answer

Shine on us all set us free love is the answer

~England Dan and John Ford Coley

Thanks to everyone who participated in my recent give-away. Congratulations go out to lucky winner Kate. I can hardly wait to see which of the mandalas she chooses for her living space.  I also want to thank those of you who signed up to receive my monthly newsletter. Don't forget, I do a  give-away each month to one of my subscribers for three of my greeting cards.

I spent much of this past weekend creating mandalas to send out prayers and energy for those impacted by the 8.8 quake in Chile. The impact of this quake hit a little closer to home, since tsunami warnings were issued for Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S.   I was relieved there was no bad news here, while saddened about the losses for our neighbors to the south.  10% of any sales for this mandala will go to Doctors without Borders. You can find this mandala in my Etsy shop.

And when you feel afraid(Love one another)
When you've lost your way(Love one another)
And when you're all alone(Love one another)

And when you're far from home(Love one another)
And when you're down and out(Love one another)
And when your hopes run out(Love one another)
And when you need a friend(Love one another)
And when you're near the end(Love)
(We've got to love)
(We've got to love one another)

~Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

Love Is The Answer - England D...

Mandala GiveAway #2

Sweet Spring Joy (Circles of Spring Series 2010) Sue O'Kieffe ©2010
source image: wild strawberry blossom

It seems like February can be a challenging time for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Have you had it with too much snow? Too much rain? Not enough sun? Too cooped up? I try not to focus on the negative, but I sure know how much better I feel basking in the sun and filling my eyes with light. Bring on that Vitamin D!

So I think it is time for another mandala giveaway. I want to celebrate the blessings of over reaching over 500 followers on Facebook and over 100 followers here on Blogger. I know that many people come and read my blog that I don't even know about, and I want to thank you too. I am grateful for all of you who are inspired and uplifted by my mandala art.

Here are the giveaway rules :

1. Leave a comment on the blog that you want to be considered for my giveaway
2. Important! If you don't have a way for me to contact you when I click on your name (that will lead to a blog or website, in case I don't know you by name) please leave me your email address. I will save it and then delete it when I moderate comments, and enter you in the drawing without showing your contact info.
   
3. I will leave this drawing open until Sunday February 28th
4. On Monday March 1st I will use random.org to select the winner
5. The winner will be able to choose one of the mandalas on my Facebook fan page and I will send you a small print (a $30 value) of the mandala of your choice. Anyone, anywhere in the world, may enter.

While you are here, won't you consider signing up for my monthly newsletter? Every month I randomly pick one of my newsletter subscribers to win 3 of my greeting cards.

Do you know about my Etsy shop? You will find many inspiring mandalas and greeting cards available there. I'd love for you to come take a look around.

I hope the Sweet Spring Joy Mandala,created from wild strawberry blossoms already blooming here,that Ive posted today, helps lift you out of the winter doldrums. May Spring always blossom in your hearts.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

My Mother's Mandala

Gift from God Mandala (Circles of Awareness Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: bicolored daffodil

When I woke up this morning, I realized this mandala was all about my mother Dorothy. Yesterday would have been her 81st birthday. Mom passed away on February 15th, 1999 from complications of multiple sclerosis. She was diagnosed with this crazy diseases in her late 20's, but it wasn't until my father passed away ten years before her that the MS really came out of remission. All I remember from my childhood is that it was a big mystery to me (and probably to her, too, since no one really knew anything about it back in the late 50's and 60's).

Dorothy loved red, black and gold. She was a classy lady in many ways, and a searcher for the truth. (I think she is younger in this picture than I am now; and that is somehow hard for me to wrap my head around.) I know that some of the many gifts she gave to me were her exquisite color sense and her stubborn strength. My mother was determined not to let MS get the better of her. She learned Reiki before it was a common alternative healing modality. She was a leader, a searcher, a seeker, a frustrated artist. Mom also suffered from social anxiety and was prone to bouts of depression. I don't think she ever accepted who she was or learned to live in the Now, although I saw moments of that lucidity a few days before she passed away.

I don't know if she loved daffodils, but she loved red, black and gold; and I know she would have loved this mandala. Dorothy means Gift from God. This one's for you, Mommy. I'm so glad I don't have to prove myself to you anymore. Thanks for being proud of me.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

OCEAN SERIES #5 - Ocean Weaver Mandala

Ocean Weaver Mandala (Ocean Story Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: driftwood

As I was creating this mandala I was thinking about all the stories this piece of wood could share from the moment it was first washed up onto the shore. It is worn by wind and waves, smoothed by time and full of marvelous patterns. I wonder where the tree was originally rooted and how long it has been on this beach. It is curious to me how this wood arrives at the coastline, especially after one of our magnificent rain storms - the power of nature never ceases to amaze.

I have been experimenting with a new Photoshop kaleidoscope plug in that I downloaded from mehdiplugins.com. It's been fun to play with for additional textures and patterns, and I like the way all the subtle colors of the source image as well as the foamy ocean spray all play out in this image.

Sand and sea, ocean and river, wind and water ... all these elements weave together in power and majesty. Can't you feel it, smell it, taste it, touch it? These are the stories that nature shares with us.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Delicate Love Mandala

Delicate Love Mandala (Circles of Spring series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: white plum blossoms

Spring has returned. The earth is like a child that knows poems ~ Rilke

Delicate Love Mandala is the first I've created for the Circles of Spring series for 2010. While other places in the United States are being blanketed in snow with plummeting temps, we are being graced with these delicate blossoms of early spring. When I notice the blooms for the first time each year, my heart actually skips a little beat and I feel joy.

May your heart be encircled with tiny little buds of love, knowing they will burst open with your care.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Free Mandala Wallpaper

All Paths Lead to One Mandala © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: honeysuckle blossom

I love offering gifts whenever I can.

I created desktop wallpaper in three different sizes for all of you who follow my blog and anyone who happens to find their way here in the future.

The original mandala, All Paths Lead to One, symbolizes a philosophy I want to embrace in my own life, when I feel conflict with another person's beliefs. I know that we are all connected and that we are all one. We are Love.

There is a great awakening on this planet at this time and great shifts are occurring. May this wallpaper remind you that we are all part of each other whenever you turn on your computer.

The wallpaper was created in three different sizes, depending on your monitor resolution. Here are the links:
800x600=http://www.box.net/shared/eyejltipdd
1024x768=http://www.box.net/shared/8zm9uxgxj4
1280x960=http://www.box.net/shared/oinn7c516n

If you aren't sure how to install wallpaper on your computer, here are some instructions

MAC OS 9
1. Download image according to your monitor resolution
2. Go to Apple menu > Control Panel and select "Appearance".
3. Select "Place picture" and locate the appropriate picture.
4. Click "Set Desktop".
MAC 0S X
1. Select the picture you want in the resolution which matches your display.
2. Save image to desktop.
3. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Personal section and select "Desktop".
4. On the "Collection" pulldown menu, go to "Choose Folder" and locate the appropriate picture.

WINDOWS 7 and VISTA
1. Select the picture you want according to the resolution which matches your display
2. Download image and save to your desktop
3. Right click on desktop and choose personalize.
4. Browse to the mandala image and click on it. Make sure picture position is set to fill screen
WINDOWS XP
1. Select the picture you want according to the resolution which matches your display
2. Download image and save to your desktop
3. Right click on desktop and choose properties
4. Click on desktop tab. Browse to mandala image and click on it

Bright blessings to you on your path this day!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

JEWELED ESSENCE MANDALA

Jeweled Essence Mandala (Circles of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: eucalyptus flowers

The universe and the light of the stars come through me. Rumi


When I first saw these eucalyptus flowers, I knew that something special was waiting for me to discover. I created this mandala a week ago, and I have not been able to find the words to write about it. Sometimes it's like that.

As a people we are being called to discover, reveal and be our best selves. The recent tragedy in Haiti has opened up our hearts to those who are suffering and in need of assistance. We are embracing our basic love of one another.

When I was creating this mandala, it opened itself up to me in layers of development. Each one had its own story to share. When I blended them all together, the true nature of what needed to be revealed showed itself to me. This is the heart of us. We are all precious jewels. Do you believe that?

My intention is to show possibilities for humanity through my art and to share the messages that nature has to offer. If you gaze into the center of this mandala and breathe in the energy being offered, I wonder if you will feel the stirring in your heart like I did?

I hope you will share your experiences of this mandala with all of us here.

Many blessings on your path this day.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Ocean Series #4 - Ancient Voices Mandala

Ancient Voices Mandala (Ocean series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: jasper beach stone

Every time I look at this mandala, I am almost overcome by its power. I immediately feel the strength it is offering, as well as recognize the ancient spirit that resides in the source stone. My guidance tells me it is jasper. The source stone reminds me of the face of a native figure. What is he sharing?

I keep hearing the words Be Present. Be Here Now. Don't Forget. I gaze in the center and I hear the words I am here for you.

I love finding hidden things in my mandala art. I was struck both by the shamanic figures and the lips that appear in the points of this mandala. Jasper was worn by shamen for protection and it is also known as the "supreme nurturer," reminding us that "we are not here just for ourselves, but also to bring joy and substance to others to release the bonds of constraint."(Melody, Love is in the Earth).

I am sure over time that I would learn to hear what else it has to share. This is a mandala for all of Us, as it reminds with clarity that we are all in this together.

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

Ocean Series #3 - Mystic Love Mandala

Mystic Love Mandala (Ocean Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: clam shell

Smell the sea and feel the sky, Let your soul and Spirit fly into the mystic ~ Van Morrison

The Pacific Ocean I experience on the North Coast of California never ceases to astound and take my breath away. There are so many aspects of her character that I love, but I especially love her on a misty morning. It was that misty mysterious quality that I wanted to capture in this image. The center is a little hazy and indistinct, surrounded by eleven brilliant stars. Eleven is a master number symbolizing inner vision containing a message that must be communicated to the world in sacred text or a new teaching (David Hulse, The Truth about Numerology). I like to think that the eleven stars around the mandala are beacons of truth for the center seeker.

There are so many places that I call my spiritual home, but the ocean will always be my powerful mother who clears my emotional body and roars her truth to me.

Bright blessings on your path!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

First Blush Mandala 2010

First Blush Mandala (Beauty and Light series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2010
source image: tea tree flowers

delicate pinkness ---
seashells and climbing roses---
lovers' first blushes

This is my first mandala actually created in 2010 and the first haiku I've written since I was in high school. Writing haiku was something I had wanted to do during Art Every Day Month, but I never quite got to it. I needed space to let my brain relax and let it in; and with the holidays past I guess it finally happened! Im sure I will play with this more in 2010

When I was creating this mandala today I realized how much I needed to be taking in this delicate pink color. I could almost feel it being absorbed through my skin, this color of love and the heart and compassion. And so I pass it on to you. Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Have you ever noticed the widget at the top of my blog to subscribe to my newsletter? Beginning this month and every month now going forward, I will hold a random drawing for three of my greeting cards to my newsletter subscribers. This offer is only available to my subscribers.I've created six new greeting cards in beautiful pastel colors that are suitable for framing or giving to your friends for special occassions. You can take a look at them on my Etsy shop.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I hope the beginning of 2010 is going well for you all. I am optimistic about the coming new year, myself. How are you feeling about the beginning of a new decade?

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

OCEAN SERIES #2 - Shore Magic Mandala

Shore Magic Mandala (Ocean Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: gull feathers

The ocean remains for me a magic place of immense power. Walking along the sand dunes, I become so aware of all the ways that life happens. The shore reveals life and death. Sometimes it's not so pretty. Feathers and bones stick up out of the sand. Shell bits, crab legs ... they leave behind a haunting memory.

I believe these feathers belonged to a seagull who reached the end of its cycle of life. I love sea gulls. They seem to have a distinct personality, and I have read that they have developed a series of calls and gestures to communicate with each other. I love how gulls tilt their heads and shine a dark, knowing eye your way.

The magic of gulls comes from the time they spend on the shoreline, which is a place of not quite land and not quite water. The shoreline is the domain of sea sprites and water spirits. It is the magic of gull medicine that I wanted to honor in this image. I was guided to create a seven pointed mandala. Seven is a mystical number in many ancient traditions. I used blue for the surrounding field not only to represent the power of the ocean, but also to remember the gull's fine communication skills, since blue is the color of the throat chakra. Perhaps spending time with this mandala will help you finely hone your own powers of communication in this coming new year.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

OCEAN SERIES #1 - IMPERMANENCE MANDALA

Impermanence Mandala (Ocean Series) © Sue O'Kieffe
source image: sea foam

My gift for the holidays was an afternoon at the beach on Christmas Eve. It was a perfect winter day, which for me means sun out/no wind.

The lesson I receive whenever I visit the ocean is that nothing stays the same. The waves roll in, leaving sea foam behind. The bubbles glisten on the sand for a while, then pop pop pop they are gone. To visit the ocean is to learn about impermanence.


This visit to the beach on Christmas Eve day was holy; I got to take in everything offered to me -- the sounds of roaring waves, the smell of fresh salt air, the exhilaration of highly oxygenated air -- and in return I sang back my praises to mighty Pacifica. Give and take ... the tide rolls in and then rolls out. This is the ocean's pulse.


The mandala created from sea foam has 13 points. While some consider 13 to be an unlucky number, others consider it to be a number of new beginnings. It signifies the beginning of a new mandala series. I look forward to exploring the stories the ocean has to offer and sharing them with you.

How do you explore the sacredness in nature?

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS

Love Came Down at Christmas - © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: cotoneaster

However it is you choose to celebrate (or not celebrate) this time of year, may it be filled with Love and the spirit of giving.

From my heart to yours,

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.

HOLIDAY PEACE MANDALA

Everlasting Dance Mandala

Everlasting Dance Mandala (Circle of Winter series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: Japanese skimmia

I discovered Japanese skimmia while nosing around the local nursery and was immediately taken by her showy red berries. I knew the photograph would transform into a powerful mandala.

The seven points of this mandala relates to the mystical traditions of many different religious orientations. When I look at this mandala created in traditional Christmas colors, I see a celebratory joyous image. And yet there is tension in this red and green combo, as opposites on the color wheel do.

Red is a passionate color associated with blood, fire, and transformation. Green is harmonious and a color of balance. It is the color of the heart chakra and is the resolution of darkness and light. There is a colorful dance going on here, with the boldness of red vibrating against the calmness of green.

Is it possible that, because of the colors we have chosen to celebrate this time year, we have created an opportunity to take a look at these seemingly opposite energies, and create for ourselves and for humanity a compassionate dance of peace? What would it take?

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

1.