Idea Mandala

I created this mandala in response to a challenge from a new group I joined, Mandala Oasis.  The challenge is “Explore a practice”.

I have been asked how I do my mandalas so I am going to try and explain my process and hope it makes sense.  I usually get in the ‘zone’ so far I have a hard time explaining it but I purposely ‘watched myself’ so to say.

I have found that I think better if I create a haiku and then the mandala.    As I thought about the challenge of ‘explore a practice’ I thought about where creative ideas come from.  This was the first haiku that came to mind:

Opening your mind
Reveals creative thoughts
Cirlce them and bloom

I wanted to show how ideas come from the outside, enter our mind, swirl around until they ‘bloom with a creative thought’.  As I progressed with the mandala another haiku came to mind:

Once in awhile
The idea blossoms hot
Happiness is born

As I progressed the ideas were coming hot and heavy, (“I think I need something here and a color there and so on”).  When I thought I was done, another haiku came to mind:

Explore the practice
Minds are full of ideas
Just reap the riches

It was at this point that I thought of adding the little bubbles and it seemed to pull it all together.  

As I look at every mandala I have ever done I wonder where it all comes from.   I am also so relaxed when I finish one so I know they are good for me.

As I look at this mandala it seems chock full of ideas that are bursting to get out.  I would be interested in what you think and feel when you look at it.

I almost always use sharpies in a Handbook sketchbook and occasionally a mandala just calls for black paper.

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