Mandala for Prosperity

Presenting the Prosperity Mandala.

Prosperity Mandala approximately 50cm x 50 cm

Mandala means 'circle' in the ancient language of Sanskrit. It is thought that to meditate upon the image of a mandala helps us to become centered within ourselves and connects us to 'all that is'.

I personally find these illustrations soothing and beautiful, creating a sense of calm and flow. The process of painting them onto timber for me is in itself a meditation.

I craft my wood with up-cycled pine that was a pallet destined for land-fill.  I owe my deep enjoyment of making my homeware pieces to the pine trees that have been used to create these pallets. To acknowledge my gratitude to these pine trees I have a poem here that is written about them.

"The trees indeed have hearts.

With a certain affection the sun seems to send

its farewell ray far and level over the copses to them,

and they silently receive it with gratitude,

like a group of settlers with their children.

The pines impress me as human.

A slight vaporous cloud floats high over them,

while in the west the sun goes down apace behind glowing pines,

and golden clouds like mountains skirt the horizon.

                                                                 - Henry David Thoreau

By the end of May we will start harvesting the turmeric.

This year's turmeric is growing very happily.

These are from last year's crop.

Digging turmeric out of the ground.

This is last year's work station. It was the chilly time of year and sitting here I had the sun warming my back.

It is lovely to recognize the time of year by which crop we are working on. There is a sense of continuity and rhythm that soothes and helps to create a sense of place and time. 

Before much longer the trees at the back of the house will drop their Autumn leaves exposing bird nests.

Autumn leaf carpet - my favourite kind!!!