Leo New Moon Mandala

Leo New Moon Mandala
August 2, 2016
Open Hands

The year is by no means over, but this cycle is certainly one of the cycles that my spirit was speaking about last December when it nudged me to choose this figure to accompany my sacred word for the year:

As I mentioned earlier this year, I always choose a Willow Tree figure…more appropriately perhaps, it chooses me. I didn’t understand it at the time. The figure seemed to conflict with “Luscious”…as in creating a Luscious Life and yet, this dark-skinned angel stands with open hands…and an open heart… The Angel of Grace…open, receptive, submitting to what is. More than ever I understand her significance.

 

The Mandala

I am wondering if you are as surprised as I am by the colors in this mandala? When I first looked at it back on August 2 when Sunny first released it, my impression was that of a powerful, fiery and feisty image. But, the more I sat with it the softer it got. In my mind, it went from earthly, firey reds, oranges and yellows to the softer hues of a more heavenly realm… a higher elevation… a higher path… a different kind of power.

The color transformation came by way of all the Eights in this mandala:

“Eight: The symbolism backing number Eight deals largely with business, success, and wealth. This is due to the fact that Eight represents continuation, repetition, and cycles. Such elements are seen in arenas where success is obtained simply because of dogged determination and repetition. Also, matters of business and wealth largely depend on cycles to fulfill their manifestation. It’s like the snowball analogy: As it continues to roll, in gets bigger and bigger with each revolution. Eight represents that kind of momentum.”
~http://www.whats-your-sign.com/spiritual-meaning-of-numbers.html

Eight is also the number of the Cosmic Christ. Red is the color often associated with that image. Yet, eight is the octave of 1 – red often being associated with One…root, blood, family, tribe. So the octave would be a higher vibration…pink, the color I often associate with unconditional love… with God-like love.

“In the Catholic tradition, “eight is associated with joy and the resurrection. There are eight beatitudes, and Christ rose from the grave on the eighth day after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, symbolized in the octagonal shape of many baptismal fonts.”
~https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=35179

There are solar and lunar influences in the shapes represented as well… radiating sun, and softly arced, and receptive moons – a balance of yang an yin.

The central figure looks like a soft cross and is actually four, thin-grinned, interlocking moons…on a bed of a seven-sectioned “pie.”

“Four: The symbolic meaning of number Four deals with stability and invokes the grounded nature of all things. Consider the four seasons, four directions, four elements all these amazingly powerful essences wrapped up in the nice square package of Four. Fours represent solidity, calmness, and home. A recurrence of Four in your life may signify the need to get back to your roots, center yourself, or even “plant” yourself. Fours also indicate a need for persistence and endurance.”
~What’s Your Sign

“Number 7 is the number of perfection, security, safety and rest.”
~ http://mysticalnumbers.com/number-7/

The colors then:
Yellow for Leo – but a softer yellow than I would typically choose.
The Pink of unconditional love.
The Blue-Green or Aqua of peace and tranquility.
The Peach of compassion.
The Purple (or in this case the softened hue of lilac) the color of a royal people… a holy people…the children of God.

Eight interlocking hearts create the 8-pointed star or golden sun. These hearts also create eight larger mandorlas, or almond shapes that encircle the 8 smaller mandorlas created by 8 interlocking eggs. I envision that these smaller mandorlas are the gateways through which the higher ideals of love, compassion, peace and mercy are bestowed upon children of The Light.

The Month

“Practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm,
your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence.
Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.”
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn,

Inspired by the mandala and the bright sunlight of summer, Light was a focus for me this cycle… as it pertains to being light. The sight pictured above above on an early morning walk made me ponder how often the path I choose to be on intersects with The Light. How willingly do I follow the path that God sets before me? Do I stumble…take my time… choose another path? Are my hands open? Or do they grasp and hold on? Or want something else than what is presented? OR Do I walk the path given me with purpose and integrity? And questions like: Are you really living? Or just taking up space? And, how do you know that you are truly living? Truly ALIVE?!

At one of the funerals during this cycle, Fr. Andrew spoke so beautifully about what I believe to be the central theme of this cycle:

“Our mission in life and the purpose for which we all live is:
To be lights in the world,
to shine the brightness
of compassion, care and forgiveness
on the people God sends to us.”
~Reverend Andrew Jamieson

Sometimes blooming where we’re planted can feel very challenging.  Many people I know have been “going through the fire” during this cycle, not unlike trying to find a way to bloom while being planted in concrete as pictured above. Bloom! I wish that for my friend now moved and settling into her new home, my daughter now away at college and myself in this new season of my life.

Ministry at my parish continues…nothing has really changed. I’m still facilitating the Prayer Shawl Ministry, now in its fourth season and through its members connecting to other ministries in different parishes that support the homeless. I’m still doing what I can to support the music ministry. Even though there is a new music director very little has changed for me. I’m still leading sung prayer, playing at mass when the director is away, and making rehearsal recordings. But home – though still I seem to have too few hours in a day – home is quieter… there’s more stillness. The beds are made…the rooms are picked up… and empty.

I can say with all sincerity that I feel content. Yes, there were tears – and on occasion there are still a few, but, Lovie and I have raised two independent, self-sufficient, sensitive, loving, caring, kind kids…now young adults… each with a great sense of humor – and we find ourselves back at the beginning – just the two of us – except, so says Lovie, “This time we have money!” Lol…  It was very tight back in the day!  He’s taking great care of me and keeping me busy. He has been very attentive and planning… a lot!  Whether it’s a trip, a weekend away, a day trip to a local attraction, the symphony, or the holidays when we will all be together again for a time, we have something to look forward to every month.  In addition, I am grateful to the many light-bearers who lifted me up in prayer and surrounded me with love during this time.

No matter how challenging life becomes, no matter how difficult it might feel at times… may I strive to stand tall with open hands and open hearts… open to where I am guided… open to what is set before me.  May I be flexible and limber enough to go with the flow and the change of the season wherever it may take me.  I hear the still small voice… “No worries!” says God. “No fears! I’ve got you! Let go!” and all is well.

Love, Hugs and Blessings,
Lynn xoxxx