Mandala For The 5th Element – 10/52, BlackBerry 52 – WEEK 10, March 13th,
2011, photo © 2011 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Medium: Drawn by hand with a black Fine Line DecoColor Opaque Paint Marker on Canson Mix Media XL Series 98lb drawing paper. Collaged & colored with Faber Castell 6 PITT Artist Brush Pens, DecoColor Glossy Oil Base Paint Markers, Portfolio Water Soluble Oil Pastels, Caran D’Ache NeoColor II Water Soluble Wax Crayons, Sharpie Medium Point Oil-Based Opaque Paint Markers, Lineco Archival PVA Adhesive, yellow felt letters, metal fastener, archival card stock paper. Photo taken in streaming sunlight on a BlackBerry Tour.
At 6:20 CST on March 20th, 12 hours and 9 minutes of light welcomed Spring to the Midwest. Seasonal rituals are important to our spiritual health. Honoring cyclical changes in the seasons is one way to stay grounded. We delved into daily and superstitious rituals in one of the first Writing Topics on red Ravine. Animals engage in rituals to feed themselves and hibernate, to define and defend their territories; humans do, too. Rituals comfort me in times of loss and uncertainty — walking a labyrinth, creating a mandala, or celebrating the Spring Equinox.
My first response to Cityscape: Behind The Gray in the BlackBerry 52 collaboration with Lotus, was that it captured a late winter mood. The second time I viewed the photo was March 11th, after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Everything changed. I saw Every City, Every Town in her photograph — a skyline, a parking lot of white cars, minutes away from being tossed on the sea like toys. I felt helpless, sad for the collective suffering, for the families living through the devastation.
It was about that time that I learned about terma in Tibetan Buddhism — physical objects, texts, or ritual implements that are buried in the ground (Earth), hidden in a rock or crystal, secreted in an herb or tree, hidden in a lake (Water), or up in the sky (Air), elements that contain sacred teachings, accessible to all when we need them (Essence). Mandala For The 5th Element followed; the center is the symbol for Essence, also symbol for the Sun.
One night at the studio, while collaborating on Obsoletion Blues, an art project for Strange Attractors, I ran across an old article I had copied years ago at MCAD — The Art of Ritual. I read it, remembered the Akashic Records (akasha is a Sanskrit word meaning sky, space, or aether) — source of mystical knowledge, the collective unconscious, the history of the Cosmos. Perfectly in sync, readers began commenting on the same subjects in our daily haiku post. From annie:
I first came across termas when I read Thinley Norbu’s book ‘Magic Dance’. He describes, poetically, exotic tales of the ‘five wisdom dakinis’ (earth, air, fire, water and space/ether). These five dakinis manifest the feminine wisdom energy, bringing strength, power and transformation to our lives. They are known collectively as ‘Sky Dancers’ who dance in limitless space and are the writers of the termas, which they conceal until the time is right for them to be found. Their form of writing is ‘subtle and mysterious’ and the being who finds the terma must call on the five wisdom dakinis to help them interpret it (they also reside in the mind). I like the similarities of the elemental archetypes of Buddhism and Celtic Paganism. It brings it closer to home.
The Five Elements
______________
FIRE — SOUTH
Summer, Youth, Midday, Full Moon, Intuition
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES: Flames, Red, Point, Combustion, Energy, Passion, Desire, Inspiration, Beginning, Energy, Individual
OBJECTS:
fire, flame, candles, lamps, fireplaces, torches, matches, sparklers, fireworks, triangular shapes
Foods: hot-spiced foods, cayenne, salsa, Tabasco, curry, hot foods & drinks
Clothing: light and warm
Scents: sharp, tangy smells like cinnamon, odors from a fire
ACTIONS:
darting, rapid movements
lighting a fire or candle, burning or sacrificing
COLORS:
reds, oranges, yellows
bright, direct light, steady like the noon sun, or a flickering fire, or candle-light
SOUNDS:
arpeggios, staccato rhythms
the crackling of a fire, violins and other high-pitched strings, soprano instruments
inflaming speeches, stating an intention, invocations, appeals to the Spirit
______________
AIR (WIND) — EAST
Spring, Infancy, Dawn, Crescent Moon, Thinking
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES: Bell, Incense, Blue, Line, Gas, Mind, Communication, Study, Planning, Merging, Creation, Mental, Relationships
OBJECTS:
air, wind, round shapes, feathers, fans, incense, pinwheels, books, pens
Foods: light desserts, puff pastry, champagne, sparkling drinks
Clothing: light and free-fitting
Scents: clear and delicate scents
ACTIONS:
quick, light motions
lifting up or offering up
speaking or reading
COLORS:
sky blue, blues, whites
bright but indirect light, increasing in intensity, electric lighting
the morning sun
SOUNDS:
sound itself
clear, high-pitched tones; rapid, precise, light rhythms
the rushing wind, rustling sounds
wind chimes, flutes and woodwinds, rattles, bells or drums
speech and laughter, words that direct thoughts, appeals to reason and logic
______________
WATER — WEST
Autumn, Middle Age, Evening, Waning Moon, Feeling
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES: Cup, Silver, Plane, Liquid, Feeling Emotion, Integration, Process, Cycle, Deepening, Feeling, Family
OBJECTS: water, cups, liquid containers, crescent shapes, seashells, starfish, fish, dolphins
Foods: libations, clear broths
Clothing: smooth, flowing textures of materials such as silk
Scents: rain, sea air, water lilies
ACTIONS:
fluid, graceful, rhythmic motions
actions that denote giving and receiving aspects of water: pouring, drinking, washing
dancing, swaying
COLORS:
blues, blue-greens, silvers
filtered, indirect light, gently changing
twilight
SOUNDS:
melodious, flowing
rhythmic chanting, rushing water, waves, rain
vibraphone, harp, rhythm section, alto pitch
poetry or singing, speech that appeals to the emotions
______________
EARTH — NORTH
Winter, Old Age, Night, New Moon, Sensation
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES: Disc, Cube, Earth Tones, Solid, Body, Affection, Application, Product, Ending, Manifestation, Action, Group
OBJECTS: solid, sturdy objects of cubes, globes, squares, stones, metals, crystals, wood
Foods: breads, grains, meat, fruits, mushrooms
Clothing: coats, capes, rough mottled textures such as wool
Scents: heavy, musky odors, the smell of earth, forest floor, baking bread
ACTIONS:
stillness, slow, steady deliberate motions
lying, sitting, squatting
digging, planting harvesting
eating, ingestion, digestion
moving to each of the four quadrants of the circle
COLORS:
earth tones: browns, blacks, russets, olive greens, yellows
darkness or dim, steady light
nighttime
SOUNDS:
silence, the pause between sounds
low, deep tones; slow steady rhythms
bass instruments, drum, fiddle, oboe, tuba
speech that refers to body, the world, actions
______________
ESSENCE — ALL AS ONE
Everything Is Connected, The Ethers, Life Force, Energy That Permeates All of Nature, Wholeness, Unity of Self, the World
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES: Circles, Mandalas, Altars, the Sun, Labyrinths, Centers, Balancing Points, the Bindu (point of origin and return)
OBJECTS: central altar, candle, lantern, lamp, cauldron, the ritual circle
ACTIONS:
standing in the center of a circle or labyrinth
holding hands in a circle, prayer chains
recognizing life force energy — prana, chi, ether, Akasha, Spirit, God, Tao (to name only a few)
COLORS:
brightness, light itself, the speed of light
SOUNDS:
sounds of pitch higher than human hearing
solitary clear soprano note, a choir’s single voice, monks chanting
instruments with a lingering echo, Tibetan bells
in speech, giving thanks for what has been received from Spirit through invocation
______________
I posted excerpts from that old MCAD library book (The Art Of Ritual) containing lists of objects, foods, actions, smells, and sounds to remind me to engage all of the senses, and in turn, each of the 5 Elements. Keep in mind that directional correlations and colors may vary from culture to culture, depending on what books you reference.
What rituals help you to heal or feel connected to the world at large? How do you integrate human suffering and pain into day-to-day life. What symbols help you to heal and grow, to come to terms with death and loss, to create balance in your life. For me, art and writing open doors to other worlds
The essence of ritual is that something done in the physical realm is related to the higher worlds. This may be a simple gesture of the hand or an elaborate ceremony. It can be working consciously in everyday life, so that quite mundane actions become full of meaning, or a carefully designed ritual acted out for a specific occasion…Ritual is the mode of formalizing action and giving it not only meaning, but creating a contact with other worlds.
—Halevi, School of Kabbalah
-posted on red Ravine Monday, March 21st, 2011
-related to posts: Functioning Ego — August Mandalas (Goethe & Color), Flying Solo — Dragonfly In Yellow Rain
I love this post and did a quick haiku and posted it in the other section, for one of my morning rituals, running to the lake. I am trying to learn how to bring more ritual into the everyday mundane aspects of life. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to orient myself towards some things and actions, like art, writing, or being in nature etc. and give them more attention in terms of ritual and deeming them sacred. Then I tend to disregard or give less value to other things like doing dishes, laundry, errands, etc. Your writing about this subject is a good reminder for me to keep looking for ways to give meaning and find ritual with all aspects of existence, because everything is connected. It is only our thinking that divides things into sacred and profane, why not light a candle before washing the dishes?
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Teresa, I know what you mean. When I think about how much time I spend on everyday maintenance like dishes, laundry, paying bills, chores, it only makes sense to learn to allow joy to seep into what some consider mundane. Hard to do sometimes, especially when we are in a hurry.
Liz recently found a used copy of Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Miracle of Mindfulness and I was thumbing through it the last few nights. One section is on cleaning house, being mindful when we clean. Here’s the section on doing dishes:
Washing The Dishes
Wash the dishes relaxingly, as though each bowl is an object of contemplation. Consider each bowl as sacred. Follow your breath to prevent your mind from straying. Do not try to hurry to get the job over with. Consider washing the dishes the most important thing in life. Washing the dishes is meditation. If you cannot wash the dishes in mindfulness, neither can you meditate while sitting in silence.
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Oh, there is another section on the sutras and one is The Contemplation of the Body. It starts out with the breath. But the 5th contemplation is on the Elements:
And further, monks, a monk reflects on this very body, however it be displaced or disposed, by way of the material elements: ‘There are in this body the element of earth, the element of water, the element of fire, the element of wind. Thus he lives contemplating the body in the body.’
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Wonderful post, QM.
I am now pondering coincidence. On the morning I saw the news of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan (I was still in Florida at the time), I went out for a walk and I took one photo while on my walk. Normally I take about 15 or so on a short walk like that.
I uploaded the photo to Flikr for you:
(I hope that works. I’m still getting to know Flikr.)
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QM,
I’ve been patiently waiting for your latest mandala since you mentioned it on Renga 52 – I wasn’t disappointed. It is grounded and whimsical all at once, a compass to a life. It was also the first time I saw Lotus’ Cityscape: Behind The Gray, and like you, it deeply touched and moved me. Isn’t it strange that a picture so pleasantly everyday can be transformed by events thousands of miles away. I wonder what made her decide to capture it?
Thank you for adding my little piece on the 5 Wisdom Dakinis. I have to say that I only decided to buy the book because I liked the title Quite a lot of it went right over my head, but I loved his poetry and style of writing (playful mind). He writes, ‘All limited or limitless spheres of existence which arise, whether gross or subtle, unhappy or happy, ordinary or sublime, depend on the five elements, which are the basis of all pure and impure phenomena. Throughout samsara and nirvana, from atoms to insects, human beings and objects and machines, everything is made up of the five elements.’ Basically, we’re all just stardust, which even the scientists agree with! Little atoms, all connected, dancing around the universe – a jig here, a death march there, a waltz somewhere else. Strangely, I’m starting to understand it more since I started writing poetry myself – thank you Lotus! And thank you for the beautiful descriptions and interactions of the five elements. Although I’m aware of these customs, being part of this community helps me remember and reinforces what I’ve discovered. And you’re right, being mindful, no matter what you do, gives us a glimpse into something magical.
Below is the ethical code for Celtic Pagans:
• Respect for nature and all it’s creatures
• Honour (as defined by the community)
• Truth
• Service to the community
• Loyalty to friends, family and local community
• Hospitality
• Justice
• Courage
I think redRavine ticks all the boxes
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Oh, Robin! That is totally amazing! Talk about being in sync!
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I found it amazing too, Annie.
I noticed that Flikr shows the photo taken on March 9th. That’s because I had my dates scrambled (vacation does that to me) when I reset the date and time on my camera (after having to leave it without batteries overnight while I charged them).
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Robin, maybe we’re all dancing to the redRavine jive 🙂
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Robin, so cool! We were all in sync. Love the photo, too. Flickr is fun. I think you’ll like it. I think archetypes like directions, elements, compass as center, connect us all globally. So much going on right now, there is hardly time to stop and figure out how you feel. Art, photography, writing, poetry helps me make sense of the craziness. We are only hearing the spin, too, what news organizations want us to hear. The human interest stories are heartbreaking. The loss is staggering. Thank you for sharing your photo!
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Annie, you are kind. Thank you. The fun thing for me about the collaboration with Lotus is that I don’t have to be perfect. I can spend a few hours with myself, playing off of her images and writing, and see where it takes me. I was kind of surprised at this mandala because it wasn’t what I first envisioned. I just let myself get lost in it. Then it seemed too cheerful to me for the subject and I almost didn’t post it. But then, that wouldn’t be honest. In the end, I realized it was what it was. Like what you mention, a jig, a death march, a waltz — it’s all connected. Can’t be separated. We have to sit with it all. Nothing is that black and white.
Your comment is rich with detail; thank you for adding the descriptions. The ethical code seems like one we all aspire to, a good way to live life. You know that line “we are stardust” from the Joni Mitchell version of the song Woodstock? I can’t read about carbon and stardust without thinking about Joni Mitchell. Like you, I’ve read many books about the elements, color, direction in different spiritual traditions. I don’t know why I’m surprised when they surface again from a different angle. It’s somehow comforting to me that I can go back to the familiar when the world seems craziest. You’ve inspired me to want to read more about the 5 Wisdom Dakinis. That seems inspiring in and of itself.
I appreciate your thoughts tonight. Oddly, I have Get Low on the background and am listening to the movie again with the commentary. Did you see it? Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, Lucas Black. It’s set in Tennesee but was filmed in Georgia and I recognize that red clay. The movie is about death, loss, forgiveness, redemption. How we come to terms with our own death and the way we’ve lived our lives. It’s set in 1938, a beauty of a film. All the elements are there, and the slowness to appreciate them. S-L-O-W. I am feeling slow.
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Robin, I just looked at your photo again and it almost glows from the inside out. Where were you in Florida when you took it? It draws me right into the center of the photo, then I spin around the white tiled area, and out to the directional letters. Glowing.
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QM,
I LOVE Joni Mitchell’s music. My favourite song of all time is The Circle Game 🙂
Right now, BBC2 are showing a series called ‘Wonders of the Universe’ presented by Professor Brian Cox (he’s really dishy :-)) Obviously, it’s all about science and physics but it’s one of the most spiritual programs I’ve ever watched! Quantum Physics has so many stories still to tell 🙂
Btw re another post – I saw Tom Waits live in Edinburgh in the early eighties (my husband’s a huge fan). It was a brilliant concert – the man’s got a deep soul!
Will try and get the DVD of ‘Get Low’ this weekend, sounds great. Glad you’re enjoying your winding down S-L-O-W time – it will do you the world of good!
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Annie: The redRavine jive! I like it. 🙂
QM: Lauderdale By The Sea, a small community just north of Fort Lauderdale. Some of the appearance of a glow may come from the way I processed the photo, giving it the matt (or vignette) look on the edges. The rest I attribute to the great Florida light. The sunlight seems different down there than it does here in NE Ohio. The color, the angle, even the way it reaches into the shadows.
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Sounds wonderful, Robin. The light *is* different there. Further south and south and south. Light reaching into the shadows…I love how photographers notice with great detail the light. I spent some time in Sanibel. Or on Sanibel, an island. The road across the ocean went on forever. I bicycled through a refuge that it seems like they called Ding Darling (?). Don’t know if that’s the correct name. Maybe local. The birds there were out of this world. And the reptiles. It’s kind of like stepping back in time. A photographer’s paradise. I wonder whatever happened to the photos I took that day. A mystery.
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Oh, I forgot to mention, did you see the Brown Pelicans in the town you were in? I fell in love with them. And the osprey that make nests on the tops of the old wooden telephone poles.
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The pelicans! I love them. And, don’t laugh, but my tongue and brain get confused and I always, always, start out calling them penguins even though I *know* they are pelicans. I’m beginning to think that some mystical, magical combination of a penguin and a pelican is my spirit guide because when I see penguins (in the zoo, television, etc.) my brain says, “pelicans!”
Or maybe, being named for a bird, my brain has some sort of avian disorder. 🙂
Last year was our first year as snowbirds in Lauderdale By The Sea. There is a fishing pier near where we stay. They charge $7.00 for fishing and $2.00 for sightseeing. The pelicans hang out near the pier and I think it is more than worth the $2.00 to walk out and see the Brown Pelicans. I recently posted a close-up of one on my blog. I’ll put it up on Flikr for you soon so you don’t have to go looking for it.
I could have spent hours out there just watching the pelicans. If we go there again, I think I’ll arrange for a late afternoon/evening out there on my own with no time limits and send my husband off to do something he would enjoy on his own. I can commune with the pelicans and he can play tennis or volleyball or just go sit and relax for a change.
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Ooops… I referred to us as “snowbirds.” A friendly Canadian we talked with informed us that if you stay for a month or more, you are a snowbird. Anything less makes you a snowflake. I am still a snowflake. There and gone. 🙂
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It’s lovely just reading everyone’s responses to this post. But before I get into all of that, beautiful mandala, QM! I love the mixed media that you’ve used and the colors as well—vibrant and adventurous (at least that’s how I feel about the colors). 🙂 I had to tweet this and favorite this wonderful blog entry on Twitter also because of the wonderful breakdown between the cardinal signs linked with the elements. My favorites were the sounds and actions you’ve posted for each cardinal sign/element. It would make sense because it says a lot about our characters or our body makeup. For instance in Ayurvedic yoga, a person’s constitution or character depends on his/her particular configuration of doshas, which influences the body’s functioning and structures of growth requirements and emotional and psychological reactions (Source: http://www.yogachicago.com/may00/ayurvedicyoga.shtml). Doshas are the three humors (vata, pitta, and kapha) according to the Ayurvedic system which need to be in balance or else the human body goes haywire (http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_articlethreedoshas.htm). For me, I’m a vata-kapha combination, so my elements are mostly ether, air, earth, and water. I love poetry, sounds of water, etc. But anyway, I’ll stop here as I can go on and on about how all of this Ayurvedic system is similar with what you’ve posted, QM. 8) 🙂
Back on topic. I think if we stop and really be mindful of the things we are doing in life such as washing the dishes, we would be more mindful on a much larger scale such as feeding the poor, doing good for others, not hurting others in any way (including verbally), etc. Being mindful help us be aware of the things outside ourselves other than just within ourselves and how we are all interdependent and interconnected with the world around us. Thanks for sharing the Washing the Dishes Exercise, QM.
@Robin: I have added you as a contact on Flickr as well as posted your photo,”Direction,” in my gallery called “Blackberry 52 Photo Collaboration 2011,” which is a gallery that showcases my collaboration with QM for this year. However, we happily encourage everyone to share their artwork/writing with us if any part of our collaboration inspires anyone. I’m glad you shared your photo with us (it made me so excited so I just had to post it to the gallery). It looks like we all have been in sync with the universe just like QM mentioned in the Haiku post. If you do not wish to be included in the gallery, please let me know. I can remove your photo though I do realize I should have asked you first before adding it but I was just too excited!
@Annie: I have no idea what lured me to capture such a photo. The scene was calling out to me, and I couldn’t let it go and not snap a photo of it. The skies were gray but there was no rain that entire day. I took this photo a few days before Japan’s earthquake-tsunami tragedy, so I had no idea if it would relate to Japan or anything else outside of this captured moment. I was just noticing how the buildings in Downtown seemed to blend in with the gray skies and how there were so many white vehicles. I was hoping to capture a sense of mystery, something that haunts the senses and the soul. I wanted to show how nature is interwoven in the midst of a city and how behind whatever gray we see, there is also beauty, happiness, and even a sense of awe if we look beyond that gray.
“Little atoms, all connected, dancing around the universe – a jig here, a death march there, a waltz somewhere else. Strangely, I’m starting to understand it more since I started writing poetry myself – thank you Lotus! And thank you for the beautiful descriptions and interactions of the five elements. Although I’m aware of these customs, being part of this community helps me remember and reinforces what I’ve discovered. And you’re right, being mindful, no matter what you do, gives us a glimpse into something magical.”
There is truth in these words, and I couldn’t agree with you more, Annie. 🙂 Your words are similar to how I felt about my “Cityscape” photo. Thank you for sharing and writing with us on red Ravine! And yes, I agree with the ethical code you’ve listed too—red Ravine does capture that!
@QM: Hmm, I’m going to have to add GET LOW to my list of movies to watch. The list seems to get longer and longer, and I feel I’m never going to catch up! But it’s alright. I’m perfectly content watching movies during any free time I get to have. And yes, I agree with you. I really enjoy our collaboration and how we don’t have to worry about perfectionism. Just let go and see what comes out. I’ve been doing that with my own artwork/poetry. I think it shows our free creativity in all of our pieces in the collaboration so far.
I am enjoying the conversation that has ensued with this entry. Thank you everyone for making my day lovely and enjoyable. 🙂 Enjoy the blessings of the day! 8)
~Lotus
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@A~Lotus: I don’t mind in the least! In fact, I am flattered that you would want to include it. Thank you! 🙂
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Hi Lotus
Good to hear from you again, I so enjoy your energy 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful description of your photograph. I think I missed a lot of it’s ‘energy’ because I was busy relating it to what happened in Japan. You have a great insight into the ordinary, Lotus. I admire that so much.
Hope you’re managing some S-L-O-W time – you work too much, lassie!
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[…] EarthHealer is a tribute to Turtle and her grounding and healing place in the world-wide celebration of Earth Hour on March 26th (here’s my photograph from Earth Hour 2010). It is also my contribution to the collective healing energy of Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, 2011. The mandala was inspired by Hope Among The Rubble, the Week 12 BlackBerry 52 Jump-Off from Lotus, and Tortoise Highway from Seattle poet Teresa Williams. The Tortoise has long been a symbol of the Earth across many cultures, from Ancient times through current day. She is strongly related to the New Moon, the direction North, and the element Earth in Mandala For The 5th Element — The Role Of Ritual In Our Lives. […]
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It’s taken me a while to get to this post to comment, and now a whilte to read all the comments. So rich!
What a wonderful mandala, QM! I love the shadows of the letters against the background. It makes the letters at times look raised and other times embossed.
Also, I loved reading what you wrote about Lotus’s photo and how it changed when you looked at it again, this time after the tsunami. I see what you mean about it being Every City. I saw so many videos of the big wave coming in to northern Japanese towns and slowly and methodically sweeping away cars and buildings as if they were little toys. And by slowly, I mean, minutes versus seconds. In the life of a catastrophe, minutes can seem to be hours.
Also appealing in this post is the description of the elements. I am Air – East. I had to chuckle as I read the words underneath, thinking of how I spend so much time sitting next to the East-facing sliding glass doors, the morning sun streaming in. Logic, reason, Communication. Books, pens, wind chimes, words that direct thoughts. Mind. Mental. Creation. Yep–all me. 🙂
Did I miss it, QM, but did you mention which element you are? Earth, I would imagine.
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Robin, please feel free to add the link to your photo in the comments here:
The pelicans hang out near the pier and I think it is more than worth the $2.00 to walk out and see the Brown Pelicans. I recently posted a close-up of one on my blog. I’ll put it up on Flikr for you soon so you don’t have to go looking for it.
I’m going back and catching up on some of these wonderful comments. I read them as they come in on my BlackBerry but sometimes wait to respond on red Ravine so I can give each comment the attention it deserves.
I really did love the brown pelicans. I had never seen them before going to Sanibel. In North Dakota, there are white pelicans that migrate through the middle of the state. On several of my trips to Montana, I have seen them on the ponds and lakes there. I don’t know what it is about pelicans. They look prehistoric to me!
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Lotus, that’s really interesting about the doshas. This line fits with what I read about the monks and how we have each of the elements within our bodies. The hard thing is trying to keep them in balance:
According to ayurveda, the five fundamental elements that make up the universe–space (akasha), air (vayu), fire (agni), water (apu) and earth (prithvi)–also make up the human physiology.
So fascinating about Original Constitution, too. I’m not a yoga person and have never done it or studied it. I once did Tai Chi but it was many many years ago. I’d like to get back to it. I think when it comes to the 2 element combo, I am guessing I am Water and Earth, like Turtle:
There are three doshas, called Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and each is mainly a combination of two elements. Vata dosha is made up of space and air. Pitta dosha is a combination of fire and water. Kapha dosha is made up of water and earth.
I wast trying to figure out if one is more dominant than the other. Water or Earth? I may have a little Air thrown in, too, because I can get stuck in my head or online out in the ethers, not moving around in my body. Can research for hours.
In astrology, I am a Cancer, which is heavy Water. But I’ve got a Taurus Moon and Taurus Rising, heavy Earth. I guess that’s in sync with what we are talking about here, too. I believe all these mystical systems are related. All from One. Thanks for sharing, Lotus. I learned a lot.
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Roma, thank you. I watched a lot of videos of that wave rushing into the city; it was like slow motion. I finally had to stop watching for a while. I checked in on the news yesterday and there was a woman still looking for her parents. Just heartbreaking. I saw an interview with a teacher who watched a building fill up with his classroom in it. As the water rose, he grabbed as many kids as he could and pulled them to a high ledge. He didn’t know in the end how many teachers and students had survived. It’s so hard to imagine.
About the Elements, I really do think I’m a combo of Earth and Water, with a little Air thrown in. If I go back and read the descriptions again, I think I am more Water than Earth. And yes! You are Air. I can see it! I like the Air part of me, though it does not dominate. I love wind chimes, feathers, incense. I think I use the Water and Earth to navigate the Air. I’ll have to think more about it.
You seem like you might have a little Fire, Roma. Maybe in the doshas, you are Air & Fire. Though I don’t see that as a major combo, I have always thought of you as full of passion and fire. 8)
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QM, I dreamed about you last night! I dreamed you were making audio podcasts of poems, reading poems out loud, your own poetry. And that you were creating poems via a methodical process where you would count a certain number of letters over on a written paragraph, like from a newspaper, and pick out the words. For example, the seventh word might be “soul” and the ninth word “there” and so on, and then you would make poems with these words.
And now I look up at Water and see the Elemental Correspondence “Process” and have to laugh. Of course you are Water! A big splah of it, indeed.
And yes, I am Fire for sure. Last night I made spicy Vietnamese foods, a tomato-lemon grass-shrimp soup and spicy greenbeans and a lemongrass chicken. It was the kind of meal that you ate slowly and then without even realizing it was happening, your mouth would be on fire. 8)
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Roma, that is the coolest dream! In fact, it makes me want to try creating a poem that way. What a detailed dream, too. Do you always dream in such vivid detail? I wasn’t remembering my dreams for the longest time, and then this last week, I started remembering them again. It was a big relief to me. I was wondering if I had forgotten how to dream. Maybe I am sleeping more deeply or something. I don’t know what changed.
Yes, the Air and Fire in you are ever-present. Maybe that’s why the balance was so good for us with my Earth & Water. It just worked. I do think I navigate the Fire and Air with the Earth and Water. Forever through that lens.
Oh, speaking of hot foods, Liz made the hottest stew a few weeks ago. She used a 1/4 cup of chili powder and we nearly cried our eyes out! It was delicious, but so HOT. Your tomato-lemon grass soup with the spicy greenbeans sounds really good. We’ve got some of those greenbeans in our fridge that we use in salads. We got them at the Farmers Market last year, I believe. I love them.
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[…] to posts: ode to a crab — haiku & mandala, Mandala For The 5th Element — The Role Of Ritual In Our Lives, World Labyrinth Day, Winter Solstice — Total Eclipse Of The Moon, winter haiku trilogy, […]
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