Gothic Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2008, photo © 2008-2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
ONE: Crystallization, Stage 9 of The Great Round, creates the opening in which seeds planted in earlier stages bloom into full flowers. The first mandala alludes to the rose windows in Gothic cathedrals, designs that continually pull the gaze back to the center.
Medium: Crayola markers, Portfolio Brand Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, and Rainbow Magic pens that erase and change color
Rule Of 8’s, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2008, photo © 2008-2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
TWO: The underlying structure of this Stage 9 mandala is based on the number 8 which imparts order to the complex design (when you begin this mandala, give yourself plenty of time for the details). Derived from a Turkish design, it communicates the Islamic belief that all is held within the One, or Allah.
Medium: Crayola markers, Portfolio Brand Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, and Reeves Water Colour Pencils
Sri Yantra, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2008, photo © 2008-2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
THREE: In this mandala based on the Sri Yantra, a sacred Hindu design used for meditation, the single downward-pointing triangle in the center is a symbol of divine feminine energy, the source of all creation. Expanding outward from the center, upward-and-downward-pointing triangles signify all male and female creatures coming into being. Lotus petals enclose the field of emanation; lines that represent the 4 directions, the 4 elements, and other ordering principles border the whole.
Medium: Crayola markers, Portfolio Brand Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, and Reeves Water Colour Pencils
Rule Of 6’s, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2008, photo © 2008-2009 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
FOUR: The overall pattern of this mandala is based on a Hindu design signifying creation. Based on the number 6, the interplay of lines brings one circle after another dancing into view.
Medium: Colored exclusively with Rainbow Magic pens that erase and change color, experimenting with color subtraction and complements
September Mandalas — Stage 9 -Crystallization
When you reach Stage 9 of The Great Round, it is time to pause and take a moment to stop and smell the roses. The Crystallization of Stage 9 is a time of fulfillment, satisfaction, and completion. It is opened by the adult experience of finishing a project or fulfilling an important commitment (such as raising a family) which creates a natural pause to experience delight and joy in what you have accomplished.
These mandalas are from the 9th month of a year-long mandala practice that began with the post Coloring Mandalas. Early in 2008, I made the decision to follow the twelve passages of Joan Kellogg’s The Great Round. According to Susanne F. Fincher, the healing benefits of The Great Round: Stage 9 – Crystallization are:
- a slowing of creative activity followed by a sense of balance and relaxed enjoyment
- completing tasks and finding deep satisfaction in what you have accomplished
- scattered puzzle pieces come together in harmony; seeds planted come to full bloom
- seeing through appearances to grasp fundamental structures of reality
- reviewing each facet of what you have created, you survey your labor of love, and conclude “this is good”
In later cycles, Crystallization is a time when you achieve mastery of a spiritual practice. It’s a sweet time, a moment of joy. I think that’s why many of the mandalas in Suzanne F. Fincher’s Coloring Mandalas 2 are based on the Crystallization phase. I was going to do another elaborate essay about color systems at the end of this post. But it’s been over a year since I posted Stage 8, Functioning Ego — August Mandalas (Goethe & Color) (my apologies). So I decided the most important thing I could do for our readers is to complete the publishing of the entire Great Round I completed in 2008.
I’ve learned a lot from the practice of mandalas. It’s moved out into my photography practice. I’ve continued on to Coloring Mandalas 2 and hope to start posting them in 2010. Anything we take on as a practice — writing, haiku, photography, doodling — takes us where we need to go. Whether we decide to take a practice to the next level, or abandon it altogether because it has run its course, the structure, repetition, and dedication prove to be excellent teachers. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to color a few mandalas while Liz watches the Vikings game!
-posted on red Ravine, Sunday, November 15th, 2009
-related to posts: The Void – January Mandalas, Dragon Fight – June Mandalas, Winding Down – July 4th Mandalas, and WRITING TOPIC – CIRCLES
I so like this: “Anything we take on as a practice — writing, haiku, photography, doodling — takes us where we need to go. Whether we decide to take a practice to the next level, or abandon it altogether because it has run its course, the structure, repetition, and dedication prove to be excellent teachers.”
Daily practice has made such a difference in my life. Two years ago, in the midst of a full blown personal crisis, I decided that if I could do just one thing every day for a year it would somehow justify my existence and help solve a problem I thought had no solution. How I came about thinking that is unclear to me. I had no experience with “daily practice.” I had never read about the benefits or other people doing such a practice, but I took on the challenge of posting one photograph each day for a year. At the time, I knew very little about photography; I had taken maybe a hundred photos with my digital SLR.
Two years later, almost to the day, I had my first photographs in a juried art show, had my photo cards in 3 shops or galleries with several more coming on board this month, and will do my first art show on Thanksgiving week-end.
I am now a firm believer that daily practice, any kind of daily practice you choose, will change your life. Maybe in small ways almost unseen, but perhaps in a major life-altering way, the way photography has changed my life.
Thanks for sharing your mandalas, QM. It is a good thing to make a creative commitment such as this.
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Ooooh, those Rainbow Magic Pens that erase and change color look SOOOOO cool! I love the effect in the last mandala. Soft and hazy in places, and the way you start to see different textures. I also like the black in that mandala. Or maybe it is a deep purple that looks almost black.
It’s great to see the completion of the Great Round I. I’m glad you posted it. BTW, I looked at the Mandala series on your Flickr account, which anyone can see by clicking on one of the mandalas in this post and then clicking on the Mandala Series set. It is amazing to see the entire series in one screen shot. They are so very cool, and I think there might be some there that didn’t show up in your posts. Or at least, I don’t remember them.
Also, I had to do a double-take and click on the Functioning Ego (August) link in your post here to make sure that it had been over a year ago. Wow! I just feel like we are flying through time. It doesn’t feel like a year ago when you did that last mandala post! Does having a practice like this make one more aware or less of the passage of time? Makes me wonder.
You mention that what started as a coloring practice with mandalas has moved to a photography practice. Interesting, isn’t it? The sink mandalas, and others, I think of immediately. And then I wonder, are the mandala practices a continuation and expansion of your labyrinth walking?
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Wow. These are gorgeous!!!
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These are beautiful, QM. I’m glad you decided to finish the series.
I like what you said about practice, and how one practice can contribute to another. It was something I needed to hear today. Thank you. 🙂
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My words for this post kinda go without saying… D
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Bo, that is an amazing testament to practice. I’m so glad you stopped by and commented on your own experience with it. I’ve seen your growth over the last few years and it’s amazing what you’ve done with your photography, your website. Kudos for sticking with it!
I’ve been thinking about some form of daily photo practice in the coming year. I need to think more about it though. I don’t want to set myself up for something I won’t do or won’t follow through on. Once I commit, I commit.
Thanks so much for visiting. Always love reading your comments.
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Thank you, Robin, diddy, Kalliope Amorphous. I appreciate your kind words.
ybonesy, I bet they are connected — the labyrinth walking I did that year and the mandalas. Circles upon circles. The wheel of life. That’s a good connection to make.
I can’t believe it’s been a year either since I posted the August set of mandalas. (For all, for the record, I did complete the Great Round in 2008; just didn’t get them posted on red Ravine! Which is a way I didn’t follow through. And I want to make that right.)
About your question, I think having a practice makes you more aware of the passage of time. BUT…I also think it slows you down so that you notice each moment more. That’s really why I love having a practice. It slows me down, keeps me in the moment. Otherwise, time flies even more.
Bo, what do you think? Or others? Does having a practice make time go faster or slower? Curious to hear from readers.
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I’m sitting here chuckling about the passage of time… where does it go? I wouldn’t have thought it that long since your last mandala post. Incredible!!
That said: Nice work QM! Thanks for including the explanations re each design’s context and origins. I’m wondering if you felt drawn to any particular one? Did you repeat any of them with different color choices?
When I have more time to spend here I’ll follow yb’s directions and check out the entire selection.
Yesterday was funny / strange. I had been lax in my daily practices in my recovery but picked up and read my daily meditation for the day. It talked about estrangement from those things we know are vital for ongoing recovery. Within the hour someone I hadn’t heard from in months called looking for help. We met last night and he asked me to be of further service on an ongoing basis. To be of use to him I need to get back on track with my own program and have my house in order. One of those curve balls that we get served every once in awhile.
Now I have to go rooting for those Rainbow Magic markers. We had a couple of packages around here somewhere….
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[…] posted, I feel like I’ve accomplished a great deal. I know from past practices of writing, mandalas, and haiku, that yearly dedication to a craft can take you a long way. It can also drive you crazy! […]
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[…] Stages Of The Great Round on red Ravine: Crystallization — September Mandalas Functioning Ego – August Mandalas (Goethe & Color) Squaring The Circle – July […]
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