THE HEALING MANDALAS PROJECT

I had my first stress-induced panic attack in 2014. Since then I’ve had 2 more attacks, the recent one just a few months ago. Back in 2014, when I was trying to understand what was happening to me and how to deal with it, my friend recommended art therapy. Being someone who cannot draw a straight line to save my own life, I was a bit hesitant. As an alternative, my friend recommended that I start coloring mandalas, and so I did. Later on, I started a blog as a repository of my mandalas and the thoughts that I had while coloring them. Over the years, coloring mandalas has helped me heal and cope with stress & anxiety. I love their beautiful patterns and the shapes they take depending on the colors I choose and the media I use (e.g., pencil colors, markers, water colors, glitter pens). My friends from around the world have given me mandala books as gifts containing beautiful patterns from different cultures. I have given the mandalas that I colored as gifts to my friends & strangers and am amazed by their impact on the receivers. That is why I decided to initiate ‘The Healing Mandalas Project’.

Through this project I’m sharing the mandalas that I have colored, with others who may be dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses. My hope is that these mandalas will bring peace & harmony to the receivers as well. I also see them as a means to initiate conversations about mental health & positive ways of dealing with everyday stresses thereby removing the stigmas associated with mental health issues.

You can donate to get a mandala as a ‘gift of healing’ for yourself & your loved ones. All donations raised through this project will go to organizations helping people who are dealing with mental health issues.

My friend became the first donor for this project by donating to send 3 mandalas to her colleagues. All 3 mandalas have been delivered! 🙂 Another friend shared about this project with her friend who decided to donate and get a mandala for her friend who lives alone and would love to know someone cares for them!

I hope the mandalas bring peace, comfort and a sense of well-being to the recipients (Amen). You can read more about my project at: https://themandalasproject.wordpress.com/healing-mandalas/

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Jan 11, 2015: Exploding Heart

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Jan 11, 2015: Confused Winter

This was the time when we had 30 degrees Celsius in January which is supposed to be summers! Looked like the winter got a bit confused. Not to worry though as we’re down to 16 degrees Celsius now.

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Jan 10, 2015: The Butterfly Lounge

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Jan 10, 2015: Electric Eyes

Michael Jackson‘s song Xscape was playing in my head while I was coloring this mandala. Especially these lines:

Xscape is what I need,
Away from electric eyes

Hence, the title.

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Fizzoo’s Art Book

Fizza aka Fizzoo aka Fizzy aka Fizz Fizz is a five-year-old who happens to be my next door neighbor. She has practically grown up in our home, visiting us on daily basis since the time she was only six months old. For a year and a half, during my consultancy phase, I looked after her during the day – almost everyday. Fizzy loves colors, coloring, and art work. We started our recreational and educational activities when she was about 2 years old, making collages and learning stuff. In Feb 2014, we started trying water colors. Now, she and her three-year-old sister work with me on various art activities.

I love Fizzoo’s choice of colors and the color combinations that she opts for. I noticed that at her school, when she colors something, she keeps it neat and clean – within the boundaries. However, when she works with me, she lets it all go – choosing her own patterns and boundaries (if any). She has no preconceived notions about which colors go with which other colors; how to color; and which color to put where. This is why her art work truly represents ‘her‘.

I decided to keep a track of Fizzy’s art work. Hope it serves as a gift for her when she grows up 🙂

Fizzoo’s Art Book is up and running at: http://fizzooartbook.wordpress.com/

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A Worried Student, Two Blogs, and Graffiti Art Work

Through this post I would like to thank A Worried Student for honoring my request to create blog headers for my blogs. The style used – graffiti art. Despite being a worried student who had exams a week ago, they agreed to create not one but two blog headers, one each for my two blogs! So, this is my way of saying Thank You! Interesting blog and art work. The art work I checked on A Worried Student’s blog has also got me interested in learning this art. Do check their blog. If you want, you can also place your own request 🙂

Here is the graffiti art blog header for Oblivion:

Blog Header: OBLIVION

And, this one is the graffiti art blog header for my Mandala Project:

Blog Header: MANDALA Project

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My Mandalas Project

I’ve finally done it. Setting up the special blog to keep an online journal of my mandalas. I started painting them starting Feb 28, 2014. However, did not keep a record of my reflections (too lazy). On Thursday, I finally decided to create a separate blog for it. Found an appropriate theme for the blog (what are the chances!) and voila! It’s up and running now 🙂 My Mandala Project blog.

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The Holstee Manifesto

Yesterday, I accidentally bumped into the Holstee Manifesto.

I loved the manifesto and decided to check the story behind it. Found the website and the project. This team is doing some interesting and creative work. It’s not just the ‘feel-good’ stuff. It’s how their own story is linked to the work they’re doing. It is always a pleasure to find out about people who are doing something other than the run-of-the-mill work. Breath of fresh air. So, here’s wishing the Holstee team success in all their current & future endeavors!

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Dream is my reality..

There are some lines that get engraved on your soul. The following verse is an example:

Sleep my friend and you will see
that dream is my reality

– from ‘Welcome Home‘ by Metallica

A very dear friend of mine shared these (and some other) verses long, long time ago. The above verse has been with me ever since. I hold it dear as I know that these words are very close to my friend’s heart.

Recently, I found a beautiful digital artwork at deviantart.com that visually expresses the above verse, and the W.B. Yeats poem that I’ve used while describing Oblivion’s origins.

(c) jerry8448 @ http://www.deviantart.com/

Thank you, Jeremiah Morelli (aka jerry8448) for letting me use this artwork!

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