I am delighted to welcome my first ever guest blogger!  Áine Atara shares with us her wisdom on Feng Shui. Many of you know that I'm now based in a new space in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin called 300 Acres. I share this beautiful space with Emer Halpenny and Caitriona Breathnach who run ANU Skincare and Candles. We were delighted to engage Áine to come and work her Feng Shui Magic on our new space and have found it to be a powerful and enlightening process. As we gradually implement the guidance, we can really notice an energy shift taking place. I will let Áine take over from here:

Being Magical: The virtual Feng Shui-ing of 300 Acres
by Aine Atara

To be in the world right now is to live in a really unique time. While we are enjoying our technological advancements to connect to each other, many of us are also increasingly turning to more ancient ways of connecting too. In her book ‘Finding Your Way In A Wild New World’ author Martha Beck discusses the amazing magical tools available for us 21st century humans to use. She calls the ancient tools ‘the technologies of magic’ and the modern tools ‘the magical technologies’. Examples of the ancient would be the use of mandalas, and the practice of Feng Shui. An example of the modern magic would be our smart phones, and the Internet’s capabilities to connect us.

 The Feng Shui-ing of 300 Acres
When the women of 300 Acres asked for a Classical Feng Shui consult I used both kinds of magic; I completed a Virtual Visit. This means I didn’t visit in person yet I was able to read the land forms, feel the space, take dimensions, calculate compass readings and research the site all the way back to 2000 BCE. I was able to complete many calculations that have roots in 4000 year old practices based on the Magic Square.

In mathematics a magic square is a way of ordering numbers in a set and particular way. In Feng Shui we use a certain permutation of this magic; a three by three grid of squares and each square has a number 1 to 9. In the perfection of the Universe, we find that if 5 is at the centre there is just one arrangement of the remaining numbers where the addition of the three numbers either down, up, across or diagonally will add up to fifteen. This number is relevant to us all; fifteen is the number of days between the new moon and the full moon and the full moon to the new moon again. This circularity and rhythm of cycles are seen all around us. One example of this is the number fifteen being involved in ordering our days into 24 hours (360 ÷ 15 = 24). In Feng Shui calculations we also look at direction as well as time to see where there are imbalances in this perfect harmony.
 
Using contemporary technologies I was able to measure 300 Acres’ Facing and Sitting directions and from there I was able to calculate its Flying Stars Natal and Geomantic chart. With this combined knowledge I was able to advise my clients on how to fully support their new shop and what to do to correct the imbalances found in their numbers. This information was valuable to them as it turned out that their newly leased shop was a ‘Reverse’ environment.
 
There are four ways the numbers can go and these patterns are correlated with either being beneficial to health and wealth, or not.

The four types are;

1. Wang Shan, Wang Shui: Supportive for people and for money.
2. Double Sitting:                Supportive for people, but not for money.
3. Double Facing:               Supportive for money, but not for people.
4.  Reverse                         Not supportive for people or money.

 
My full client assessment and report covered much more than I can share here (and because I protect the confidentiality of everyone I work with I don’t disclose details ever) but I can share that I was able to advise Patricia, Emer and Catriona on the following;

• Where to place their cash desk for best financial flow and where to avoid placing it.
• What colours to use to support the shop.
• What colours to wear and what colour wallet each of the three owners should carry.
• Where to place the Five Element theory ‘Hua Jie’ or cures. Hua means to transform or neutralise and Jie means to understand or explain.
• Where to place affirmations, and guidelines on how to write them for each of the nine guas or palaces. Each direction relates to an aspect of the business, for example the East (3, Wood, Green) is correlated with the structuring of the business and its growth while being rooted in knowing its provenance or heritage.
• How to correct the missing gua in the West sector of the shop. The West is correlated with communication, marketing and completion of projects.
• How to activate the positive and neutralise the negative energies through the correct placement of a mirror (expanding and doubling the light), the omission of red in one area and the addition in another (red colour is the representation of the Fire element).

 
I absolutely loved consulting on this shop and brand for Healing Creations and ANU. Indeed the work Patricia and I do is very much aligned as there are many crossovers and symbology in common. The word ‘mandala’ is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘circle’ and it is a symbol of the Universe. In Feng Shui the Luo Pan compass has a circular plate that has many rings. Each describes a perfection that is related to the Taiji or Universe. This circular plate sits in a square base plate and it is this square edge that is lined up with the structure of the building being measured. Many mandalas have the square symbology too as representative of Earth and built forms. Both mandalas and Feng Shui work with focusing the mind and both are also used for establishing sacred space, externally and internally. These arts are ancient magical technologies that we moderns are appreciating more and more everyday.
 
Feng Shui Guidelines on where to hang a Mandala
Thanks for reading my guest blog post! I’ll sign off now with some Feng Shui guidelines on where you should hang a mandala;

• The most important thing is that you see it and appreciate it daily, don’t hang it too high! The middle of the piece should be at your eye level. If there are taller and shorter people in the space then compromise and go for the best height to suit all.
• You should be able to enjoy it up close to appreciate its details and also be able to see it in its entirety too. So don’t hang it behind a tall plant or in poor light.
• If your mandala is a print behind glass then go for TruVue or museum glass so that you avoid obscuring reflections of nearby lighting or windows.
• In Intentional Feng Shui terms, the ideal gua to place a mandala would be in the Northeast, as this sector is related to inner development and knowledge.
• Place a mandala anywhere you meditate or anywhere you want to add quiet strength and a calming influence.
• Always make the space as beautiful as possible around the mandala. Your environment is sacred ground and you are a sacred being! Love your space and honour yourself within it.

 
In light and kindness,
 
Áine Atara
 

aine@aineatara.com
aineatara.com
@designerfengshui

Deep gratitude to Áine for doing such amazing work on our space and for writing this wonderful guest blog. I hope you'll come and visit the space for yourself soon! We are open weekdays from 10am -12pm and from 11am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Namaste

Patricia

About Áine Atara
Áine Atara is an interior architect and Classical Feng Shui practitioner. With over 20 years experience in the construction industry she has designed corporate HQ’s in London, hotels in Europe and palaces for the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Royal families. She is a Registered Interior Designer with the British Institute of Interior Design and a Professional Member of the International Interior Design Association. Her private consultancy clients are interested in great design and personal transformation together. She is a Red Ribbon Professional with the International Feng Shui Guild and a certified life coach, training with Martha Beck. She consults on how to use interior design and Feng Shui together to delight hotel guests, please customers and retain staff by attending to employee wellness. She also consults on residences and specialises in helping people build, find or alter a home so that they are living in the most energetically supportive environment possible. She believes that the aesthetics of a design can align with taste and brand values but the full positive difference to wellbeing involves harmonising the unseen patterns too. Always looking to bring out the outer and inner beauty, her directions produce spaces more  conducive to happier working, better sleep and living well. 

This latest Mandala is a very large piece, the largest I can physically manage without a scaffold! It measures 120cm x 120cm and has been such a journey to create.  I would reckon over 60 hours of work have gone into this piece and the experience has been so very uplifting and revealing. My dreams have become very special, guided in some way with many bright lights, colours and symbols which I then bring into the work. I guess I am painting my dreams with these mandalas, the shapes, the colours and the feeling that comes with them, the energy of them.

Carl Jung famously said that "The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul." and Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist wrote "You came so that you could learn about your dreams," said the old woman. "And dreams are the language of God. When he speaks in our language, I can interpret what he has said. But if he speaks in the language of the soul, it is only you who can understand." And this is what I am painting here, what I understand these messages to be visually and energetically. I am not sure that I can put logical words on it, language. They have a language and energy all of their own.

Whilst creating the piece, there was such a calmness, and a feeling of unconditional love and the dreams felt that way too. It's lovely to be able to recall dreams, and it has taken some practice to do it. I am also certain that interacting with mandalas, be that creating them or meditating on them, increases the dream activities and allows for easier recall.

Do you remember your dreams? Certain techniques can help increase the likelihood of remembering a dream.  Anything that captures your attention immediately after waking interferes with dream recall, so just as you are falling asleep, keep reminding yourself that you want to remember your dreams. Let it be your last thought as you are drifting off. Set that intention.

Keep a notepad and pen by the bed. When you first wake up, don't jump up or turn your attention to anything. Even if you do not think you can remember a dream, take just a minute to see if there is any feeling or image you can describe. Following these simple steps may cause an entire dream to come flooding back. If you need to be woken by an alarm, set a very gentle one (I use the harp setting on the iPhone) for about a half an hour before you really have to get up. Allow yourself to press the snooze button two or three times. I find drifting in and out of consciousness very gently allows for recall.

I have also found writing immediately on waking works wonders, even if it is just pure drivel. Just put the pen on the page and go for it, and then the dreams come back in through the pen.

I truly believe that there is power in dreams, that dreams are another state of consciousness. In Tantra, dream consciousness is known as tejasa, which means ‘illumined’ or ‘brilliant’. So the dream consciousness is a very brilliant consciousness. It is not a state of thinking, reasoning or forming ideas. It doesn't involve the intellect. It is a state of seeing. You can see in dreams and you can think about what you saw when you are awake.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati said in a talk in France in 1984 that "The objective mind cannot see; the subjective mind cannot think. The dream consciousness refers to the subjective mind. A yogi does not think like an ordinary person. He ‘sees’. Therefore he is called a seer. In India he is called rishi, ‘one who can see’.

Once a disciple of Sri Aurobindo wrote a letter to him seeking guidance. Sri Aurobindo replied, “I do not think as you do. I see and take from this seeing.” That is the state of dream consciousness. In Sanskrit, the term used for ‘dream’ is swapna, which means ‘independent experience’.
You may think that whatever you see in dreams is the projection of your objective experience, but you make a mistake there. I want to make it clear that dream consciousness is independent of any source of knowledge, it is not dependent on objective experience. Did you ever ask a person born blind if he dreams? You may think that he does not dream because he has not even seen himself. He has not seen a tree, a motor car or his own tongue. Then what is the source of his dreams? That is the level of mandala.

When an aspirant begins to see independent objects in his dream, they are mandalas.Sometimes you can project your dream consciousness over the waking consciousness and when you are able to do this, you begin to ‘see’ even when you are awake. There have been some painters, artists, musicians, writers, poets, army commanders and scientists who could project their subjective consciousness over the objective mind. The artist does not have to think how the colour red will look, he just puts it there. His thought forms flow in the form of perceptions. This is the source of mandala."

That passage very much resonates with me. So don't dismiss your dreams, pay close attention to them, for they have much to give to you and others.

And back to the waking world, do pop in to visit me in the Courtyard in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin if you are about. I'll be there every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 10am-12pm and every second weekend from 11am-3pm.

The next full day Mandala workshop is happening in Clondalkin Dublin on July 21st. You can book here.

In the meantime,

Sleep well and dream well.

This piece measures 120cm x 120cm and is acrylic paint and metallic pen on deep edge fine canvas. It costs €2,800 and I am very open to taking installments if that is something that works for you. You can email me at peace@healingcreations.ie for more details.

This latest mandala is something quite different. It began with a dot as always and I allowed the piece to unfold naturally. The Koi fish arrived from some ethereal realm, I am not sure where! The symbolism of Koi Fish in Japan is good fortune or luck they also are associated with perseverance in adversity and strength of  purpose. The Koi fish symbolize good luck, abundance and perseverance. In the Buddhist tradition they represent courage. Today the fish are considered to be symbolic of advancement materially and spiritually.

According to Japanese legend, if a koi fish succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate on the Yellow River, it would be transformed into a dragon. Based on that legend, it became a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement. One of the primary reasons the fish is symbolic in Japanese culture is because it is known for swimming upstream no matter what the conditions are. These fish are even said to swim up waterfalls. This is viewed as an absolute show of power because they will continue to swim upstream as if on a mission. They cannot be distracted or deterred by anything.

In the mandala they circle a moon of pure light and energy, and they are surrounded by an abundance of life. Both the moon and water represent emotion, thoughts and feelings. The creative process of this piece really felt to embody that feeling of abundance of all things, both material and spiritual. Unintentionally, we can often reject this energy by coming from a place of fear or resentment, or beliefs such as “there’s never enough” or “it will never work out for me.”  Your feelings, attitudes, beliefs and vibrations always lean in one of these directions – towards welcoming or rejecting abundance on an energetic level.

In order to welcome abundance into your vibration, you must line up your thoughts, feelings, and attitudes with the energy or feeling of abundance, so that your stance is one of open welcoming arms.  The energy of abundance is feelings of optimism, joy, passion and happiness.  

When you think of abundance, are you in any of these emotional states?  Or are you feeling a sense of scarcity, lack or poverty?  The attitude of scarcity directly opposes the vibration of abundance.

Ways in which to Welcome the Energy of Abundance

Think about how you might be experienced by the universe in relation to the energy of abundance.  Take a really honest assessment of your emotions and feelings in relation to abundance – are you welcoming and open?  Are you willing to appreciate abundance when you notice it and are you willing celebrate it wholeheartedly in the lives of others?  Are you ready and willing to receive abundance when it comes your way?  These attitudes or vibrations will all be welcoming to the energy of abundance in your life, as opposed energetically turning it away. 

If your vibration towards abundance is not emotionally welcoming, then you will repel it from your life… abundance will automatically move away from you, regardless of what you do or say.
Here are some ways in which to energetically align to a welcoming attitude to abundance:

1. Appreciate and celebrate the abundance you see others enjoying, really feel joy for them.
2. Each and every day, write a gratitude list about the abundance you already have in your life.
3.  Recognize and appreciate every small sign of abundance on a daily basis.
4.  Be grateful for things that you perceive as negative in your life, instead give gratitude for all you have learned from these experiences.
5. Be grateful for things before they have even materialised.

It takes time and persistence to turn your momentum to this vibration, so go easy and slowly at a pace that suits you. Try not to judge yourself if you find yourself having more negative thoughts. These are natural as our old brain tries to keep us safe by highlighting the negative.  Simply accept the thoughts, observe them and try to shift your focus onto something that makes you feel happier. Focus on the beauty of the sky, or a plant or the stars in the sky. You will turn your vibration from rejecting to welcoming...your thoughts are real and carry energy… your vibration matters.

This Mandala I have called Abundant Universe and is available for sale. It measures 100cm x 100cm, acrylic and metallic pens on fine grained art canvas. It costs Eu 850, and I am always open to people paying in installments if that was something that works.  Please message me at peace@healingcreations.ie for more details.

There was a beautifully powerful yet gentle energy whilst creating this piece and many many hours of quiet contemplation. There is something about the constant flow of the ocean, the soft breeze, and sound of crashing waves that is entrancing. It captivates and pulls our thoughts into its rhythms.There is so much we can learn from the sea. 

Our lives flow just like the water does.
Sometimes there are big waves that carry something further or in a direction that was unintended. At other times it seems like the water is almost at a standstill. Sometimes the waves crash so hard that you fear they’ll destroy everything. And that exactly is how life goes. We are always moving forward—no matter how slowly, quickly, hard, or stuck we are. We are always moving. Everything is always changing. And whether we are at a high point or low point, it is all relative and can completely turn around within a moment. The only permanent continuity we have in life is continuity itself.

Don’t give up when something is worth it.
I love this quote by Sarah Kay, “There is nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” I am a firm believer that if something is worth it, you should fight for it no matter how many times it doesn’t work out. If at any point it’s no longer worth it, let it go. But as long as it is, don’t give up.

We don’t know everything about ourselves.
We don’t know everything that is within the vast depths of the ocean or indeed within ourselves. We are constantly growing, changing, and sometimes even blocking parts of ourselves off from our own minds. It is important to take the time to dive into our own lives every now and then to explore and understand who we truly are.

Blue and turquoise are the most calming and healing colours that I know.
There is something so serene about them. Someone once told me that blue was their favourite colour because it is peaceful and reminded them of the sea. I think I finally understand why.

There is always more to explore.
The sea has a lot more to teach us. Its depths reach far below the surface and its vast sparkling blue stretches far out into the horizon. I can’t even fathom how it would be possible to explore every part of that. In the same way, there is always more to explore around you. So learn more about the people in your life or the places that you go. Just don’t ever think you know it all, because truly you never will.

We are a part of something bigger.
The sea doesn’t just exist on its own. It is part of an entire water cycle and an entire network of life. And so are each of us. We are not meant to just live our own lives and be done. We are meant to be part of the greater whole of this world and play our role in shaping it, whatever that role may be.

This piece measures 100cm x 100cm, Acrylic and Metallic Pen on Fine Grain Canvas. The piece has been sold to two beautiful people from County Cork. May it bring them much peace and joy. Greeting Cards featuring this piece will be available soon.

Sometimes, we need to pause - to step back from the hustle and bustle of daily life. One way to do this is to get away from our daily life and go on retreat. Far more than a holiday, a retreat offers us time for ourselves to rest, heal, reflect and to renew our spirit. It is a time to nurture ourselves, to cocoon ourselves so that we may re-emerge renewed, refreshed, and ready to return to our lives with a fresh and invigorated perspective. A retreat gives us time for uninterrupted meditation so that we may go deep within and spend that vital time with ourselves. 

When we spend days in contemplation and meditation, we can more readily respond to our heart when it speaks to us. We are able to become more present to ourselves and what surrounds us.  We can give ourselves our full attention. We can put the oxygen masks on ourselves first, be present for ourselves, enabling us to be more present and helpful to those around us.
 
Going on retreat is an excellent way to do this. I am delighted to announce the first Healing Creations Mandala Retreat to take place in Ireland. Previously, retreats have been held in the ancient city of Fez in Morocco and so it will be lovely to do this work on home ground. Lisnavagh House offers the ultimate mix of homeliness and grandeur, making it a most appealing destination for those seeking somewhere unique. I could not imagine a nicer and more relaxed place to do the work we will be doing on this retreat.  

Situated on the Carlow/Wicklow border about an hour or so from Dublin, there are striking panoramic views of the Wicklow Hills, Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster beyond the estate’s 600 acres of woods and farmland. Here you will gift yourself with wellness on all levels. 

"When we spend days in contemplation and meditation, we can more easily respond to our heart when it speaks to us."

Join me for a 2 night mandala creative visioning retreat at this unique venue. During the weekend we will look back with gratitude on all you have accomplished in the past year. Perhaps you have accomplished a lot, perhaps you feel it is a little. Giving gratitude even from the smallest things is so very energetically powerful. All of your food will be provided, organic and cooked to perfection, nourishing your physical body too. 

Mandala art is an energetic tool to free your expression and awaken your creativity and vision. Creating mandalas brings about a relaxed mental attitude and frees internal dialogue so that you can be in touch with your own inner self. On this retreat, we will be creating a personal mandala to embody all that you wish to manifest in the coming year of 2018. There is absolutely no need to be artistic to do this work, this is about process and I will guide you all the way.

Through our mandalas and meditations, we will look at various aspects of our 'selves' and come to realise that all we do is connected. Each section of our vision mandala will reflect an aspect of ourselves according to the Feng Shui principles:

• Wealth & Abundance
• Admiration & Reputation
• Relationship & Love
• Family & Stability
• Children & Creativity
• Skill & Wisdom
• Career & Life Path
• Travel & Helpful People
• Health

Working within a circle requires wholeness, it makes you look at the full picture. We begin to get a sense that all is connected, and indeed that all of these parts of our lives are inextricably linked. Helping one, will help the other and so on. 
​
You will return to the outer world transformed, refreshed and rejuvenated and filled with new ideas and focus on where you want to go in your life.
From this retreat you will:

• Come away with a beautiful personalised vision mandala
• Reflect on the past year, your achievements, learning, and challenges
• Set an intention for the next year, name your vision and connect with your purpose
• Step into the next year with trust and faith in your dreams and desires
• Gain clarity first and foremost how you want to feel in your life, which in turn leads to what you want to manifest in the physical world.
• Enjoy reflective meditations to explore & create your vision
• leave feeling prepared, empowered, motivated and inspired to create an amazing year in 2018.
• Share, connect with like minded people, have fun and enjoy the creative process in a safe space.
• Feel energised and connected to yourself and your purpose

Marcus Aurelius quoted: “You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” When we truly get in touch with our true nature, we gain clarity; we are in total peace. Imagine you are sitting in the eye of hurricane, you feel the sense of peace, stillness and calmness. If you begin to move away from the centre, everything will fall back into chaos and distortion. And when you can get to the place of your true centre, you begin to gain true perception.

Without the pull of deadlines, relationships, the Internet, or other media, we can gift ourselves this time to tune in deeply to our own solitude where we can fully reflect on our joys, sorrows, and fears, owning and releasing them as needed. Lisnavagh House offers wonderfully peaceful accommodations. You can stay in the big house or in the quirkily converted stables. You won’t find televisions, radios, or minibars in the Lisnavagh bedrooms. The unique and dramatically different bedrooms are tranquil and calm - ideal for sleeping well.
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We may even come to know and understand our life path and what direction we want to follow more deeply. When we return home, we can bring with us a little piece of this time alone and perhaps create a space for deep contemplation and meditation on a daily basis. We can also come back to our lives renewed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.
Read more about the retreat at Lisnavgh House.

"After drawing my circles with the compass, I relaxed into a meditative, quiet space and let my hand be guided into creating shapes and  choosing the colours. In this stillness, questions, insights  arose from a deep place, reminding me of what my heart and soul is really seeking. Since that day, whenever I now look at my Mandala, I am taken back to that place of stillness and centeredness. Thank you Patricia for creating that space." Noreen O'Donoghoe, participant at Mandala Workshop at The October Gallery London.

"A short note to thank you for the wonderful workshop you shared with us on the sacred art of mandala meditation and creation. I enjoyed a deeply calming, healing, and restorative experience - a true disconnect from the external 'chaos'. The combination of creativity, stillness and connection was supportive, light and fun.  Although it was my first experience exploring this holistic art, I felt very at ease and 'free'. I look forward to much more creation, connection and sharing through the magical medium of mandala." With love and light, Anna, Punchestown workshop.

Taking time out to nourish our minds and our spirits is now more important than ever. Today, personally, I have had a day of it; between a sick child, work issues in a job that increasingly does not feel like a fit for me. Then there are family obligations and an ever increasing to do list as well as noisy road works outside the house...I began to worry. The inner voice began to pipe up in a big way, telling me of all the things that would go wrong if I left my stable job. How I am not a good mother. How I couldn't possibly make a living doing what I love. How I wasn't good enough to do it. Blah. Blah. A big huge knot had formed in my stomach.

I caught the voice. I took some time out to meditate and to draw a small mandala in my journal and things began to calm a little. I will continue on a larger piece this evening for sure.  I realised that the problems that the voice in my head was creating are not actual problems. They're just things that haven't happened yet, things that could happen tomorrow or next week. I have a job. I have a pay check. What I in fact need to do is to become still and to gather information in order to make an informed decision on my future. I realised that the roadworks are outside of my control and will finish soon. That I am in fact doing the best I can in mothering my child and feeling guilty for taking time off work to mind her is in fact a waste of time.

Through mandala art and meditation, it is possible for that voice inside your head to suddenly stop. You realize, "Wow, it's so beautifully quiet". This is exactly what you need to make effective choices. You need to be present. You need to be free of anything other than what is happening now. Today, I floundered. And I will flounder again and again. But I have a skill to help me return to my still point. A point where I can make sense of the world and a point where I can put a halt to the oft irrational voice that goes on inside my head. And I know it is not just me. We all have this to some extent, it increases and decreases in volume at different times. If mandalas can help me, they can help you too.

I regularly give full day mandala workshops to share a little of the experience with others. Let me tell you a little of what to expect on the full day workshop. I initially give a short presentation on mandala and how I came to create them. We look briefly at the history and philosophy behind mandala which is fascinating. We then undertake a short guided meditation where we can really get in touch with our mind and bodies to see where we might be holding tension or dis-ease within our bodies and energy centres.

I then guide the group on creating their own mandala from scratch. We work in silence i.e. no talking, but I do ramp up the music which is carefully chosen to bring you on an internal journey. The journey can bring you deep, and often things can come up into awareness from the subconscious realms. This means that we can bring awareness to them and begin to heal them. The creation phase lasts about three hours with a break for lunch in between.

Towards the end of the day, I will guide you on a deep Yoga Nidra practice, a lying down mediation which is utterly relaxing. It lasts about forty minutes. You drift in and out of consciousness during it and it really seeds the inner work that you have done with your mandala during the day. After the deep meditation, we have a share group where you are welcome to share your experiences of the day with the group in a safe environment. There is absolutely no obligation to share if you would rather not.

"After drawing my circles with the compass, I relaxed into a meditative, quiet space and let my hand be guided into creating shapes and  choosing the colours. In this stillness, questions, insights  arose from a deep place, reminding me of what my heart and soul is really seeking. Since that day, whenever I now look at my Mandala, I am taken back to that place of stillness and centredness. Thank you Patricia for creating that space." Noreen O'Donoghoe, participant at Mandala Workshop at The October Gallery London

It is always a lovely day, and I look forward to hosting and holding the space each and every time. There is no need to be artistic to create or engage with mandala, they are within each and every one of us. The next workshop will be happening in Aras Chronain in Clondalkin, Dublin on Saturday September 23rd. Why not give it a try?

When I create or look at mandalas, they teach me so much. They help me overcome the struggles and strains of everyday life and provide a deeper look into what is going on. How I might rise above a particular struggle. Whilst creating this mandala, there was a strong feeling of moving in very close and out very far. Some parts remind me of outer space, the universe afar. And then other parts took me deep into the microscopic. As though looking at plants or cells under a microscope. There was an overwhelming sense of all of this being intricately and fundamentally connected. The energy of both the microcosm and the macrocosm being one.

The central piece of the mandala is reminiscent of a Lotus flower blooming. One of the most interesting symbolic aspects of this plant is how it comes to life. Typically the lotus (often known as the water lily) is born from deep murk and mire. From the darkest mucky muddy waters, this brilliant blossom emerges. It is the metaphor for life as we know it. My own journey began in the murky depths of a divorce and life throwing a particularly sharp curve-ball which left me reeling.

Things happen in all of our lives, both good a bad. Most of us at some stage get thrown a curve-ball. We struggle. It is what we make of that situation that counts. We have two choices. We can crawl under our misery, never lifting our heads to the light that beckons us. That is option one. Or there is option two; we can be like the lotus. We can make the best of a bad situation and work through it and rise above it. Lotus flower meanings are all about aspiring to express, to live, to share beauty. To move through the darkness and murk and out into the light.  It doesn't have to be in the big whopper situations of divorce or grief or job loss...which hopefully don't happen all that often! But we can take that lesson into the smaller areas of life. Because as in this mandala, the energy of the big things (the macroscopic) and those of the small things (the microscopic) are one and the same.

 This work measures 70cm x 70cm  and was created on canvas using acrylic paints and metallic pens. It is available for sale, please email me at peace@healingcreations.ie if you would like more details.

Today's mandala is another Zodiac mandala created around a Metatron's Cube. From the cube, I have again pulled the Star Tetrahedon, one of the five Platonic solids. It feels to be a shape I am very drawn to at the moment. So let me tell you a little of the meaning behind this shape.
 
Working within Metatron's Cube, we find that it contains not one tetrahedron but two, one within the other, each an exact reflection of the other. 

These two tetrahedrons are known as the star tetrahedron also known as the 'Merkaba', the ancient Egyptian vehicle of light. This shape represents the innermost law of the physical world:  the inseparable relationship between the two complementary halves – the positive and negative. The manifest and the unmanifest; look around you. Everything that you see was once merely an idea in somebody's head, their spirit and will power brought it into being in the physical material world. This shape also embodies the masculine and the feminine aspects which form a perfect equilibrium.  In creation these two overlapping shapes rule as two opposite laws: the law of spirit and the law of matter.

The Star Tetrahedron models the energetic body of the human being, the blending of Heaven and Earth, Male and Female, and was known in the esoteric knowledge of Ancient Egypt as the ‘Mer-Ka-Ba’. 

• Mer means connecting thread- Light
• Ka means The Spirit or Astral Self
• Ba means The Body or Physical Self

The two tetrahedrons contained within each other represent the two poles of creation in complete balance; spirit and matter.  It is the inner law that operates through all forms. Whether it is that of a plant, an animal or a human, the body of each of these is subject to the laws of the three-dimensional world.  Hidden and invisible within this body, however, is the higher divine self. And it is this balance between these two worlds that many of us seek. There is only one creature which is able consciously to combine the two laws of spirit and matter and that is a human being.

He/she is the connecting link between the world of the spirit and that of matter.  We are able to live at one and the same time by the laws of both worlds.  By meditating upon the shape of the Merkaba/Star Tetrahedron, or by visualising ourselves held within the rotating shape during closed eye meditation, we can amplify the connection between both worlds. Some of you may already do this, and for others this may be a completely new concept! The Merkaba enables us to experience expanded awareness, connects us with elevated potentials of consciousness, and restores access and memory of the infinite possibilities of our innate being.

When the Merkaba meditation is performed correctly, the Merkaba seamlessly integrates our feminine (intuitive, receptive) and masculine (active, dynamic) aspects of mind and spirit. The world at present appears unbalanced and in turmoil, and it is only by achieving inner balance that we can begin to reflect and manifest that balance into the outer world.

This was a very powerful piece to create and came through very quickly. Bar having the initial intention to work within the sacred geometry of Metatron's Cube, the star tetrahedon then emerged as did the twelve Zodiac circles.

Metatron's Cube is birthed from the Flower of Life pattern. From this initial pattern, thirteen circles are pulled out. Thirteen represents the thirteen moons of the year, the feminine. There are thirteen weeks in a season and so on. You then join the centre of each of these circles with the the centre of all the others by drawing straight lines, representing the masculine energy as you can see in the drawing above. These energies are not gender specific, but are contained with in all of us and ideally should be in balance as much as possible.

From the completed Metatron's Cube it is then possible to pull through the five Platonic Solids: tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron or icosahedron. These solids describe and symbolize the five elements or states of matter of earth, water, fire, air and aether/spirit.

• Earth = cube
• Air = octahedron
• Water = icosahedron
• Fire = tetrahedron
• Aether = dodecahedron

These shapes regularly occur in nature and ancient cultures and peoples often built their monuments or sites of worship, with these shapes.

In this particular piece, I have pulled through the Tetrahedron representing the element of Fire which is linked to the Solar Plexus; the center for personal power and acceptance. It creates the natural balance between the physical and spiritual. Each side sits flat, no matter how it is turned, making it the perfect symbol for balance and stability. The shape is also linked to creating change in our lives.

When I had finished working with the initial interior star tetrahedron, I was left with six outlying circles. The six then became twelve in the outer rings and something in me thought to put the zodiacal signs within these circles. It then struck me that the initial pattern had thirteen circles and not twelve. Interestingly in astrology, there is thought to have been a thirteenth astrological sign known as Ophiuchus. The Babylonians merely left out the Ophiuchus 3,000 years ago because only twelve are needed. This means that the Ophiuchis Zodiac has always been there.

The thirteen zodiac signs was already proposed back by Stephen Schmidt back in the 1970s but since it drew much controversy, only twelve were retained.

Ophiuchus Meaning & Date

Ophiuchus is the only horoscope that is based on actual person. Its origin is based on a constellation called by the same name which means Serpent-bearer in Greek. It is also linked to Kundalini energy. The constellation was discovered by Ptolemy and it is also associated with healers, doctors and physicians.

People born from Nov. 29 to Dec. 17 will have this Zodiac sign. Ophiuchus will get along well with Capricorn, Pisces, Cancer, Libra and Virgo. On the other hand, they will have a hard time with those who are Sagittarius, Aries, Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini, Leo and Scorpio

You can see the dates of the Zodiac signs below with Ophiuchus included...you might not be the sign you thought you were!

"We are born at a given moment in a given place and like vintage years of wine we have the qualities of the year and of the season in which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything else."
- C.G.Jung

This work measures 70cm x 70cm and has already been sold and will be winging itself all the way to Illinois. If you would like me to create a personal Zodiac Mandala for you, please mail me at peace@healingcreations.ie

You may remember that a couple of weeks back I shared with you an unfinished piece. After many many hours work, it is finally completed. It has been quite a journey, this one. I have tried to capture it as best I can with my camera, but the true colour and detail are proving elusive.

Last night as I put the final touches to this mandala, I experienced such an overwhelming opening of the heart. I could almost feel it expand in my chest. There and then I resolved to call the piece 'Heart Opening'. Then literally 2 seconds later, my phone lit up with a mail from a photographer friend, Peter Maeck. Peter shares a piece of his work every other day, and I love seeing his work come into my mailbox. I opened the attachment on the mail to find the photograph above entitled...you guessed it "Open Heart'!!

It always makes me smile the synchronicities that arise around this work. So this week it is all about opening the heart space. As many of you know, in Yoga, much emphasis is placed on opening the heart. And I believe that meditating on mandala and engaging with the geometries can also have a similar affect. So what does it mean, this opening of the heart?

Throughout our lives, things we have been taught, experiences that we may have had where we have been hurt in some way, cause us to put a protective barrier around our heart.  If you take the time to meditate, gaze at the mandala, close your eyes and tune inside. Take a deep, slow gentle breath in and fill your body with awareness. Begin to feel heart your heart radiating and your whole body tingle with aliveness. Allow your heart to fill with gratitude, even if it is for something as small as a hot cup of tea.

Allow yourself to breathe any toxins out and to let go of any hurt you may feel. Rest in stillness for a moment before breathing in again. Breathing deeply and easily you will feel yourself dropping inside, connecting and coming to inner peace. Feel the flow of life gently flowing through your body.

Our hearts are like a pipelines that carry life force energy and emotion through us. Our heart starts out very open as babies and usually closes down as we get hurt in big and small ways whilst growing up. With this shutting down we can lose our passion and aliveness. We become stressed and anxious and lose our connection to who it is that we truly are.

I read recently that Carl Jung on a trip to Africa was speaking to a shaman there, the shaman said 'You white men, you think from the wrong place.' Jung replied, 'How do you mean?' The shaman pointed to his head and said 'You think from here.' And Jung asked 'Where do you think from?' And the shaman pointed to his heart. (I think the book was Carl Jung by Claire Dunne)

So this mandala urges us to bring awareness to the heart space. If you find yourself too much in the head space, become aware of your breath and move awareness to the heart. It is a life changing habit to engage in!