Haiku Ellipses...Invitation...Response...

LITTLE CIRCLES little circles swirl around in patterned circle one circle holds all little swirling circles spread into patterns and shapes...finding their way around the rim of a larger circle that contains everything and deep inside they find their way into a core of swirling atomic energy...like the doiley mandala, small movements produce a final shape unexpected by any single swirl. every day we are making tiny swirling circles of energy and light, renewing the pattern of our being and in some sense co-creating the greater world of our reality...the  tiny swirling circles  are conscious in creating patterns of shapes that we observe and name...how much of this process is our consciousness shaping reality...how much is interaction with "other" consciousnesses...and how much is the unique destiny of an energy being taking form information riding on the waves of light...such mystery and wonder. practically, be mindful of the little swirling circular motions we dance into e...

  GRANDMA'S DOILIE rings of colored yarn criss crossing in a pattern grandma's handiwork the little doilie about 5 inches across, brightly colored rings that form a pleasing pattern to contemplate...at the center of this i place a heart shaped stone about 2 inches from top to bottom, reminding me that the heart is at the center of all things--i'm not sure Grandma Baesler who created this doilie was aware of the meanings i would engender to her handiwork, but i am appreciative of her efforts (i haven't developed the skill) to create something beautiful from scraps of material.  the practice: i place my forehead on the heart over the doilie every morning, bowing deep to my ancestors and to the Spirit of all life, offering the day and asking for grace and mercy...i feel connected to all, especially to grandma. what kinds of things have your grandparents (or other relatives, ancestors, or kin) bestowed to you? what meaning might they have for your life? can you create a r...

KINDS OF LOVE the top of the figure represents divine love, the two figures in the middle are human love , the green branches and brown roots are nature love , and either figure in the middle are self love --hearts of varying sizes for different kinds of love , the sparkles and glow radiate out into the world/universe. the love s.o.n.g is an acronym for the different types of love:  s = self, o = others, n = nature, and g = god/goddess or more broadly, divine love ...the practice is one of self-reflection, are we, and how well are we, engaging in all the kinds of love that are possible in this human form?

WITHIN THE EGG hidden in colors within the swirling egg shape is the holy name Many life forms, including use, begin hidden within the egg. ..a flash of light at conception inside the egg is recorded by scientists...this light can be thought of as the divine spark, and in the depiction below, the holy name. Repeating the holy name is sometimes called mantra prayer...i have written about different spiritual traditions and mantra prayer here: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=communication_fac_pubs The egg symbolizes the birthplace of life and spiritual transformation. The practice of mantra prayer is an aid to this birthing and transformation, and it's practice is deceptively simple: choose a holy name, repeat the name silently (and/or chant the name aloud), and when distracted, return to the holy name for as long as one chooses. One can use the holy name for transforming emotions, repeating the name when noting negative emotions, using th...

HER SHAPE pairing of spirals swirling from top to bottom revealing her shape i often surprise myself when creating these "mandala" forms..." her shape " (see image below) started out as a diamond in the middle of the page followed by pairings of spirals that eventually transformed into what felt like a female shape: rounding, circular, smooth, swirling, like spiraling chakras... might drawings like this unveil hidden aspects of reality? and/or accentuate what is already there, like an emerging figure rising from the ground in Gestalt theory? As a practice, one might sit with oneself, a pencil or some colored markers in one hand and a sheet of unlined paper (simple copy paper will do) in one's lap or on a table, and then, beginning in the middle, create and keep going without too much conscious thinking/reflection about how your artistic creation looks. It's vital to keep the flow going, to let happen whatever needs to happen without too much interference fro...