A Mandala for Rest
In this high speed world of ours, I talk to so many folks who endure a lack of sleep, and a lack of “just being.” I created this “mandala for rest” in honor of gently persuading you, dear reader, to take a moment of rest.
In fact, I cannot tell you how many people I have met lately who have had sleepless nights, feel general anxiousness, and have difficulty settling down. This is part of why I decided to teach meditation – there are so many people who live in such stress and they never really relax. I find that even for a few minutes, folks are intimidated to sit down and just let themselves be.
That is what inspired this mandala. I created it as an homage to “rest” – in the hopes that it might inspire you to take a few moments to watch the video and let yourself drift with the music and the drawing process.
The drawing
When I create my mandalas, I do not plan them out. As a standard approach, I do find the “center” of my paper, and create right-angle lines, as well as diagonals. I then use my compass to create concentric circles that serve as guiding lines as I draw in the mandala.
Once I begin with a dark marker, I don’t “pencil” the shapes in – I just go for it. I draw upon my drawing experience, as well as my intuition in order to create whatever is meant to come to the surface as I draw the mandala. Sometimes sacred geometry shapes emerge, sometimes the mandalas look reminiscent of stained glass.
For this mandala, I’d say it came out more like stained glass.
I chose the color blue to symbolize “rest.” The color blue is one that represents “peace” and “tranquility.” “Faith, truth, heaven, mind and body” are some other ideals this color imbibes. This is why I chose different hues of blue for this particular mandala.
Different ways to use this mandala for rest
I have a full-size version of this mandala here. You are welcome to download and print it to put on your own altar or to use in meditation.
In addition, you can use it as inspiration to create your own. A mandala can serve as a center point on your altar, or as a decorative art piece. I love to give these as gifts.
Mandala Meditation
There are several ways to meditate with this mandala – indeed, any mandala.
You can watch the video, and let yourself come to your breath. Become aware of your breathing as you watch, and maintain that awareness until you finish watching.
You can use the video as inspiration to create your own mandala. As you create your own, it is an opportunity to go within and find your center. Indeed, finding the center of your page is extraordinarily symbolic of finding finding your own center point. Become aware of your breath, put on some lovely music, and just let yourself create, without judgment.
I am also putting this mandala for sale in my store. I’m still building and working on it. But if younwould like to purchase the original, I will send you a signed copy along with the original piece I created here. It is marker on paper, 9″x12″, $50.
I hope you enjoy this mandala and let it serve as the impetus to let yourself rest.
I coulsn’t love this more if I tried, especially this week when we have a ton of end of the year school stuff for my kids. Seriously, I need all the inspiration to relax and rest when all is said and done after this week ends. So, definitely will be revisiting once the craziness dies down here. Thanks and Happy Monday now, my friend!! xoxo <3
Janine – haha, I feel ya. Last week was the last week of school complete with graduation and all the events leading up to it. Whew! I took the weekend to regain balance. 🙂 May your week be as peaceful as possible. Remember to breathe and rest. 🙂 Sending you big hugs! xo
So here’s the thing, about you, that I don’t say enough, Lil Sis: You are seriously talented! I mean it. You are creatively and artistically mind-blowing. I mean, I can write. I have some talent in that field. Even I recognize that and can admit it,but you? You blow me away with the stuff you can do. I can’t draw stick men. That may be a cliche but it is also the truth for me. Sigh!
The next best thing to me being able to do artistic stuff is knowing you, so I will bask in the glory that is my Lil Sis!
Hugs heading your way
Big Bro – what a nice thing to say. Thank you – you made me smile so! And WOW! You CAN WRITE!! 🙂 We all have our gifts: you write amazing, compelling fiction. I can write some non-fiction, and do some art, but that’s where we can balance each other out. 🙂 For what it’s worth, if you can draw squares and rectangles, you can do pretty good! 😀 You are awesome, you know. I’m so fortunate to have an awesome Big Bro like you. Have fun with the chickens, farmers markets and quail this week. Hehe. Sending you big hugs 🤗
Just a beautiful creation, so peaceful and calming to watch you create it Cynthia. And Like Bill has said, you hold many talents.. 🙂 I always find when I paint it relaxes me
I find your own unique styles and colours you use blend together perfectly.. To say you never plan in advance and you create as you go along . Shows that when we follow our intuition and trust, ALL things come together .. Making a Perfect Whole..
Love and Mega Hugs dearest Friend.. ENJOY ALL that you create.. I am busy knitting at the moment, again!! 🙂 💜
Hi sweet Sue!!
I have been thinking about you so much on this trip – the words you share, your wisdom…and oh how I have felt spirit. My meditations have been incredible. We’re now with family. I am glad to see them but I was also sad to be leaving the wilderness. I could have used another week out there. Hehe.
In any case, thank you so much for your comment here. That warms my heart. I love the relaxation I get from making mandalas. Out in the wilderness I mostly did writing because it’s much harder to carry all my drawing stuff around as we camp. But I have plans for these mandalas. Hehe.
And intuition. TRUST. I am learning that in spades at the moment. A few things have happened lately (I should send you an email) that just have me floored and awed. But most recently, we were out in a little town called Mexican Hat in Utah, USA. There were…30 people or so that lived there. Haha. It was the middle of nowhere. The check engine light had been on in my car and we thought it was because we’d gotten some bad gas or something. But then the engine started misfiring. I immediately went to the breath. To get into a place of “trust” – of knowing that everything would work out. I knew what the misfiring engine meant: one of the cylinders stopped working. Husby had replaced three of them last summer because I’d had the same problem, but those three he’d replaced were much harder to get to. He told me he brought with us – oh the foresight of that one action! – the two good cylinders from when he’d replaced the three (only one had been bad). Well, now, there was one bad one that was easy to get to, but we had pretty much one chance to guess and figure out which one of three was bad (we were in the desert…limited water…it was getting interesting). I told J that I was going to meditate for a bit and discern which of the three to replace. I closed my eyes, stood in front of the engine, and the “right” one came to mind. I let my mind settle for a bit to be sure that was what was standing out. I opened my eyes and still hadn’t quite made my decision, but then husby said, you know, this right one doesn’t feel as warm as the other two. Neither of us knew what that meant. But I told him, let’s replace the right one (as opposed to the middle or left). Wouldn’t you know, it was the correct one!
Over and over again, I am learning that if I slow down, breathe, and TRUST – ALL things come together. It may not be how we want exactly or what we plan, but trusting the journey and allowing the lessons to come forward and be our Teacher…it’s incredible.
Now I’m with my parents and it’s fun to do a bit of catching up, though I’m not spending a lot of time online. Just checking things here and there. I hope you’ve been well. I have more to tell you with regard to your other comment about readings and mandalas but my immediate response: YES!
You are so incredible. I so need to meet you someday soon!
So pleased you followed your intuition dear Cynthia and that it paid off listening to your higher self and that hubby also had the foresight over the cylinders in the first place.. Its amazing this journey when we are in ‘tune’ with our intuitive self. Trusting is the hardest part, but once we surrender and trust and we then see the results, it becomes easier to then trust the process and know you are guided as you follow your gut.
So pleased you enjoyed the wilderness, and hope you enjoy your reunion with your family..
Much love your way dear friend <3
Sweet Sue – thanks for coming back and responding. I find it’s easier to listen to my intuition when I’m in nature, able to spend time in silence, and just wait for the answers. That “trust” you speak of is asking me to do just that. I was on a hike with husby back in the state of Colorado and suddenly, almost overwhelmingly, the thought came to my head, “just surrender. You don’t have to know the ‘whys’ of everything. Just do what you are called to do.” I know it was in reference to my website/teaching/what direction to go in. I was thinking earlier this year that out of the gate I’d finish my course and line up all kinds of meditation classes. That didn’t happen. I also began to question whether I could charge folks for something spiritual like this. When the idea of surrendering came to my mind, I knew what it meant: to keep doing what I’m doing, and do what feels good – what feels yummy. Time will sort everything out for me. In the meantime, I now know I need to increase my meditation time in the mornings, to spend more time in silence. That “trust” that everything is as it should be is also telling me to step back (at least a little bit) from social media, to continue creating mandalas, and to not spend so much time willing everything to happen. Just let it be. The universe has taken care of me well and that continued trust is crucial. I say that, too, because I spend a lot of time blogging and don’t have any income to show for it. I question this – both because I owe it to myself to make sure to have enough income to be able to afford things like health insurance (especially as I’m starting to get a bit older) and I want to be able to help my parents, too. And yet, I am compelled to do this – to keep going. It’s more than a need; I feel it is a calling. A duty. And so, I trust. I love blogging and coming up with meditations and mandalas. And so, I will surrender and do what feels good. 🙂
I also thought of you when I was in a gem shop back in this really neat little town. I hadn’t planned on buying “angel quartz” but it was calling to me. It will go on my altar here at home, but right now it’s in a sea salt bath to energetically clean it.
In any case, thank you, my friend. You continue to inspire me. I am so glad to know you. xoxo
You are doing the right thing in trusting your intuition Cynthia sometimes I think we become impatient and try to force ourselves.. The Universe is speaking to you through your Higher -self and yes sometimes you know when we slow down, and just let all things BE, this is when we allow the ‘Flow’ to happen and all of those doors we wish to open suddenly we find open as synchronicity begins working in magical ways.
I am delighted you are going to have a detox, especially of some of the technology. and your comment upon my post made me think of this channelled information that came in when questions were put about 5G technology.. This is not the first source I have heard warnings of about these micro-waves..
They rolled out some of it here in our area, and have placed what this technology into lamp posts along streets.. There is a major overhaul of replacing lamp posts here, connecting via cables underground ..
We are told its because they are putting more efficient light bulbs in.. Then why replace and rewire the whole thing? My daughter found out that the local authorities admitted it was to connect 5G when it arrives.. We are beging used as guinea pigs as this technology and ‘waves’ it creates has not been tested. the link is this one https://youtu.be/IStGVPWdD08 on YouTube.. She channels some accurate information in my opinion..
Sending Love my friend… Pace yourself and ease yourself back in gently lol
Much LOVE <3
Dear Sue – ah well…the detox isn’t happening quite like I envisioned, but it’s happening little by little. I realized that it would be a bit hard given having been away for three weeks out of the last five. Well…THAT was a good time away. Hehe. I also read that you’re supposed to ease into fasting and detox. I have been thinking about a kitchari cleanse since one of the teachers at the Institute talked to me about it. Mung beans and rice. I think you’re supposed to start out at three days, and then when you try again, do it for five, and work your way up. I love beans and rice, though I’ve never tried the mung dal variety.
As for the 5G, I’m with you. I’m a bit apprehensive about it because we’re energetic beings and that is “heavy” energy. I am a tech buff, but even I have my reservations about 5G – they’ll have to install so many more towers. Ugh. I remember watching some of the other videos on your site about this and I’ll check that one out, too. Sending you lots of love as well. I hope it’s not too warm where you are. I have been seeing reports about the heat in France and Spain…eep!
I came back because I need to rest, Lil Sis. I’m getting less than six hours of sleep each night,and I’m trying to do too much. I really need to gear it down a bit and relax more. Sigh! Something to think about.
hugs from afar
Big Bro, thank you so much for coming back. Ah, when the email went out about this, for some reason, the email system didn’t pick up the newest post I had on Patanjali but well…Technology is a great teacher: it teaches us to be patient and to use it wisely. Haha.
In any case, you’re too funny. Gear it down and relax more? I hear you. I say the same thing and I’m all about the mindfulness you know? And yet…I find myself getting too busy and wanting to cut back. Though it’s pretty awesome this blogging thing. I was just telling husby that maybe I don’t make a whole lotta money at it, but what is so incredible is all the people I’ve met and all the things I’ve learned have enhanced my life so much. I’m in it for the long haul, and so striking a balance for the marathon is key, I think. Now…to figure out how to pace myself…hehe. Sending you hugs from not quite as far away as usual – from the Rockies. 🙂
Dear Cynthia,
I read this a few weeks ago and honestly thought I had already commented … 😉
Hoping you will share the link to your Zazzle store with us – your work is inspirational and beautiful.
Rest can escape us during these busy days – thanks for this gentle reminder of its importance.
Have a peaceful day. Love and hugs, Maria
Sweet Mar – hehe, no worries. Yes..it’s more a matter of making space for the time to do it. I have so many things I want to do and share and all the things! Hehe. And so…that brings me back to this post, the reminder to rest sometimes and take time out to just be. I hope you have a peaceful day, too. <3