Category Archives: soul symbol mandala
Unveiling “The Seeker”
“The Seeker.” 24×24″ 2024. Acrylic & jewels on canvas. ©Amy Livingstone
Dear Karen G.
When we spoke, you said you wanted to feel: “Gratitude. Acceptance. Presence” when you viewed your mandala. I kept this in mind while working on the piece. Also your ability to be “grateful to see beauty. Lucky to have richness, depth of curiosity—and that which is spiritual.”
The color palette is drawn from your love of Naples yellow, terra cotta, olive green, turquoise and teal. The colors of the desert. And bright like the sun and summer, your favorite season.
The inner circle represents your search for the Transcendent. The desert where you feel closest to God. The canyons with light and shadows that you love. Here, is the Court of the Patriarchs from Zion in Utah representing three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I chose this as you explore your relationship to your Catholic faith through the lens of the Mystics and the Desert Fathers and Mothers. The Seeker, the veiled figure—you—standing in the arched threshold symbolizes the light you see around others and the healing pranic energy you offer to others.
Coleus, one of your favorite plants, has a lot of symbolism in different faith traditions around spiritual evolution and healing and are associated with enlightenment and spiritual growth. They are also said to possess healing properties. Your beloved bees called serve as a symbol of rejuvenation and divinity.
The outer ring symbolizes Immanence. The mystic in you that sees the beauty of the natural world. I chose one of your favorite flowers, the day lily, for it’s “unique structure” and sits in the four directions. Also the canaries you love and birds for your mother who sang to them.
The outer pattern symbolizes your love and appreciation of Islamic architecture and culture, and your recent journey to Andalusia.
May this mandala guide you on your journey of FAITH…
Commemorative Mandala
“Let us green the earth, restore the earth, heal the earth….” -Ian McHarg
“Commemorative Mandala” for Mike Marxen
Commemorative: an object such as a stamp made to mark an event or honor a person.
This mandala honors you and your 41-year contribution to the planning, conservation, and restoration of eco-systems from Minnesota, Iowa, the Pacific Northwest to the Hawaiian Islands.
Forty-one years of “walking your talk,” being a “believer,” symbolized by the outer ring—the walkway—so prevalent in our wildlife refuges—with 41 footsteps intertwined with the tracks of bison, bear, wolf, deer, otter, and duck family. Because of your dedication, you created and restored natural environments where animals and humans can co-exist.
Ancient civilizations practiced the sciences of Alchemy and related the different metals to specific planets. Copper is ruled by the planet Venus and is associated with the matters of love and symbolizes characteristics like charisma, artistic creativity, affection, caring, and balance. It is also considered a healing metal that teaches about living a fulfilling life. Silver is connected to the Moon and associated with philosophical traits of intuition, self-reflection, and inner wisdom—like your Cancerian self. It is symbolic of attributes such as vision, clarity, awareness, focus, persistence and subtle strength.
Being a stamp collector as a youth, I chose the stamp as a commemorative symbol for your journey beginning in the direction of the East. Minnesota where you were born, with Loon, the state bird. The Loon relies on water and water is a symbol for dreams and multiple levels of consciousness, thus Loons teach us to follow our hopes, dreams and wishes. Which you have done! Showy Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota.
To the South: I sensed a deep pride in your work on behalf of the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge. Here, through your contribution with the USFWS, you restored the tall grass prairie, brought back the Bison, Elk, and created habitat for critically endangered monarch butterflies. The Wild Prairie Rose is the state flower of Iowa.
In the West: Your journey brought you to Oregon and here you made many contributions to the health of our forests, rivers, estuaries—our ecosystems—around the Pacific Northwest. You shared your joy of salmon fishing with your son. Though the Oregon Grape is the state flower, I chose the ground cover cornus canadensis as you mentioned its significance to you around your farm.
To the North: The last stretch of your 41-year career brought you to the magical islands of Hawaii. Though separated from your beloved Kim, you were able to contribute to the development of a marine monument, educating and protecting marine animals like the monk seal, and contributing to the cultural preservation of Midway, the home of our beautiful, magical Albatross. An albatross as a spirit animal is attributed to grace, stamina, monogamy, loyalty, faithfulness. The yellow hibiscus is the state flower of Hawaii.
In the center of the mandala, Leech Lake, the place you most love—on the lake, fishing (next to being in the garden in summer). Here, the sunset symbolizes the end of this particular chapter and offers a new beginning back in Oregon to the West, reunited with your beloved, to live happily ever after!
It was an honor to create your soul symbol mandala for you, Mike. Thank you for all your work on behalf of our Earth and all her creatures!
Hope Mandala
“Hope Mandala” Commission ©2015 Amy Livingstone
From my September Newsletter:
Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them –
The summer flowers depart –
Sit still – as all transform’d to stone,
Except your musing heart.
From The Autumn by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I welcome the Autumn and the element of water as it begins to rain while writing this message to you. Blessed rain after a long, dry, and hot summer. Though I appreciate the everyday epiphanies of time spent in the outdoors, the garden, and the thrill of growing tomatoes, the turning of the wheel guiding us toward our inner world is my true home. This is a fertile time for our creativity!
Through the summer I have been working on the mandala commission shown above. What I have titled the “Hope Mandala,” was commissioned by a lovely woman, Patti, who lives in the Boston area. It became clear in our exchanges via Skype and email that the universe had conspired to bring us together in order to manifest this work of sacred art that is both personal to her and universal in its message–hope and interconnectedness.
When I asked what she wanted to feel when looking at her mandala, she said hope and inner strength to preserve in her meditation practice. It became clear to her to dedicate her practice to the healing of the earth. I was thrilled that we shared this common vision and when I unveiled her mandala this week, she wept. The highest compliment I can receive for my work as it has touched the soul and why I refer to these commissions as soul-symbol mandalas. Learn more here.
Her chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra (Da Bei Zhou) immediately inspired my vision of Kuan Yin, Bodhisattva of Compassion, or She Who Hears the Cries of the World, to be at the heart of the mandala or yantra. Here, she holds the willow sprinkling the divine nectar of compassion and healing on our beloved mother earth. Behind her, the Taoist symbol of yin/yang symbolizes her dual nature/paths in life: The yang/masculine side as a finance person (represented by the mother board texture). The yin/feminine aspect of your Spiritual Self, who feels connected to the universe as represented by the Gemini constellation, her astrological sign (the twins reinforce her dual nature).
On a macrocosmic scale, these also symbolize the ways in which we are all interconnected in the web of life. Through our technology, our cosmology, and globally as expressed with the longitude/latitude, or energy meridian, that holds the mandala. We are indeed one.
The flowers in the thresholds at each of the four cardinal directions symbolize hope, healing, clarity of vision, and courage/devotion. As a Chinese American woman, I included the kanji which translates as hope.
Pulgaria Mandala
“Pulgaria Mandala” ©Amy Livingstone(soul-symbol mandala commission)
For Jewelz:
When we spoke you said you wanted this mandala to represent your “Choosing Life” and embodying the qualities of innocence, magic and the child in you.
At the center of the mandala is “Pulgaria” your spirit guide filled with birds that represent all species from Stellar’s Jay, Crow, Redheaded Sapsucker to Love Birds and brother/sister Eagle who watches over all. Pulgaria’s branches reach far into the North, to the transcendent/Spirit. The direction of Crone Wisdom. Teal Spider sits atop Pulgaria in wait as your spirit helper.
In the South, the direction of your Maidenhood, Pulgaria wraps her large limbs/roots around you, the white tiger, as she guides you in life, and in your healing work in the world.
In the direction of the East (and the season of the child), is the winged Pegasus, or White Unicorn which symbolizes the bloodline of your Mother. She softens you and is a sweet memory of youth.
In the direction of the West, the water element is present, and symbols represent the season of Motherhood. The narwhal and the rhino. The horned creatures that are to be guiding when the time is right. The rhino asked to be set back in the shadows in wait for you to claim at some time in the future.
Circling the mandala are tiger prints, your prints, that represent your journey around the medicine wheel and through the seasons of your life.
Moon and Sun representing the balancing of the masculine and feminine which is also represented by your astrological symbol for Gemini.
Lime green came through as a primary color for you as it reminds you of youth and the pink and orange together felt like ice cream sherbet to me and are playful!
May this sacred mandala remind you to celebrate and choose life. To remember and embrace the sweetness of your youth and maidenhood as you journey forward as the wise, woman and healer that you are.
Celtic Tree of Life Mandala
©2010 Amy Livingstone
“Celtic Tree of Life Mandala” for Mary M.When I met with Mary, she said “When I look at my mandala I want to feel JOY.” Gratitude for life right here, right now in this present moment. As a pagan, shamanic healer, and lover of trees, and with her roots in the Celtic tradition, the Tree of Life and the Triple Spiral called to me for the center of this mandala. The ancient Celts envisioned the cosmos in form of a great tree—the roots deep in the earth and branches stretched to the heavens. The Celtic Tree of Life is the symbol of balance between these worlds; the unification of above and below. Spirit and Earth. It is a sacred symbol of balance and harmony. Within the center and in the larger mandala, the night/dark/new moon and the day/light/sun represents the balance between the masculine and feminine which she is learning to balance through her recovery from cancer.
The number three, as in the shamrock and triple spiral, is significant for Mary, so the three half-circles surround the center mandala represent that number. Within these shapes lie a world of magical creatures that inhabit our world. Often they are too small to see at a passing glance, like a slug or lady bug, but when we slow down and come more fully into the present moment, we are able to appreciate the miracle of all living things and find joy and gratitude in the moment. The hummingbird, butterfly, and dragonfly are symbolic of transformation, beauty, and love. The red flowers are impatiens which are symbolic of “motherly love” which I discovered after being called to paint them when a hummingbird visited these flowers outside my studio door. Synchronicity, spirit guiding my hand. They are reflections of Mary—with her enormous love for your family, community, Mother Earth, and the women she supports in recovery.
The cat—and cougar who curled up with her in the sweat lodge—sleeps quietly as a reminder of her spirit guides. Finally, she spoke of the power of herbs and the importance of rosemary. Framing the mandala are sprigs of rosemary to guide and support Mary on her journey of healing and JOY!
I feel honored and great joy to create these personal, soul-symbol mandalas for others on their journey. When I am immersed in the process of creation, I feel the spirit of the Creator working through me and am enormously blessed to be a vessel in which to birth each of them into the world. For more information about soul-symbol mandalas, please contact me through my web site at www.sacredartstudio.net or call 503.239.9671.
Rose Mandala
Someone asked me recently if I mapped out my mandalas on the computer. How times have changed! No, I replied, in fact they emerge quite organically. These mandalas are highly detailed and call for intense focus, so my process is very much a meditation for me. Often there are periods of waiting and trusting that what is needing to come forward will show itself to me. I begin all my sessions in the studio by lighting candles on the altar; making an offering to the muses or spirit helpers that want to support me that day; and smudging myself, the work, and the studio. Having created this sacred space, I ask for guidance that I may be a vehicle for spirit to move through me. For personalized soul symbol mandalas, such as this one, I hold a vision of the person that I am creating it for and an intention for bringing forward those aspects of the soul that want to be acknowledged, celebrated, or healed. (see Shri Yantra Mandala post for more information on soul symbol mandalas)
My dear friend, Christina Rose, ask that I paint a mandala for her and gave no specific direction. She simply trusted in my vision. Of course, I wanted there to be a rose to be at the center. At first, I began work on a very different, peach rose but after wrestling with that for a time I realized it just wasn’t working. I let go of my resistance and was guided intuitively to go in a different direction. Over the years, I have come to see that this is part of my process. I start down one road, hit a bump, and turn in another direction. I’ve learned to trust this and know that in the end the work will be better for it.
I drew inspiration from the many aspects of what I know about Christina, her spiritual path, and what nourishes her soul. This is what I shared with her when I presented her with the mandala:
In the Christian tradition, the white rose is a symbol of the Virgin Mary. It represents reverence, purity, and humility. From an Eastern perspective, we might also call this egolessness.
Drawing from the indigenous medicine wheel:
In the North, the earth element: This represents your love of the earth. In the East, the air element: The dove represents your want for peace. In the South, the fire element: The hands and heart represent your love/passion for your partner and community. In the West, the water element: The fish represent your astrological sign, Pisces.
Inspired by the gold that is used in illuminated manuscripts, the gold creates a holy framework to hold each of your soul elements in a sacred manner.
Shri Yantra Mandala
Shri Yantra Mandala
Soul-symbol Mandala for G. Ota
At the center of the mandala is a Hindu ‘Shri Yantra.’ This represents the union between the masculine and feminine. The Sri Yantra is a configuration of nine interlacing triangles centered around the bindu (center), drawn by the super imposition of five downward pointing triangles, representing Shakti; the female principle and four upright triangles, representing Shiva; the male principle. The nine triangles also represent the spiritual journey from the material realm to ultimate enlightenment. I was drawn to this symbol for you as it brings together in union your bold, masculine nature (as you spoke of with me) with those feminine aspects of yourself—compassionate heart, relationality, generosity, and healer.
The center of the mandala symbolizes the cosmos, the union with the divine (enoughness), which is then held by the cycles of the moon (31 days to represent your birth month) and nature (where you feel closest to God) and the cycles of the seasons. The four Japanese characters read as the cycles of the seasons. To the North is Winter. To the East is Spring (daffodils). To the South is Summer (echinacea). To the West is Fall. Framing the mandala, I was drawn to the bright red and green from the Japanese culture which represents your ancestral line and wisdom. The lotus pattern a reminder of death, rebirth, and healing. When you meditate with this mandala, my hope is that you will know that you are more than enough and whole. You are one with all creation and a gift to us all.
About Soul Symbol Mandalas
Mandala is sanskrit for circle. The mandala has long been a vehicle for healing and meditation in many spiritual traditions including Native American and Tibetan sand paintings. In Christianity, the twelfth-century abbess and visionary Hildegard of Bingen often expressed her illuminations of God through mandala paintings. A mandala represents wholeness and can be seen as a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our connection to the Divine, or God, as well as our interconnectedness in the web of life. In this way, mandalas are an expression of the Sacred that is both immanent and transcendent.
My studies in the spiritual traditions of the world have given me a broader understanding of the shared symbolism that weaves itself throughout the sacred texts of Eastern and Western religions—most notably within the mystical arms of these religions—with those of earth-honoring traditions. It is my intention to create a visual tapestry that expresses our innate interconnectedness within the web of life. In 2002, I began practicing and studying earth-based spirituality and, more recently, shamanism which is an ancient but still practiced healing modality among indigenous communities around the world. Bringing together these two ancient healing practices of the mandala and shamanism, I offer original soul-symbol mandalas to support you on your spiritual and healing journey. Contact me at www.sacredartstudio.net for more information. aho
