Not too long ago…
"Cosmic" from the Mandala Mala project put some crazy magic into the universe!
A lucky side effect of being an artist is having some of the most amazing people swirl into my orbit. Many of these “stars” can see way more in my art than even I can! This has always made me feel that things are truly more mysterious and magical than we can imagine.
One of these "stars" randomly crossed paths with another at the open studio this past Spring. That led to this mandala inspiring a “gifting” of this painting from one stranger to another. Yes! you read that right..someone gifted a work of art to another someone…they did not know. Talk about stars crossing!
It’s a reminder that the world can absolutely and totally surprise you with beautiful “crazy” random acts of kindness✨
A little side note…
I’ve been working on this Mandala Mala Project for many years now. I’m endeavoring to make 108 mandalas. I don’t sell them…I give them in exchange for “random acts/tasks” of kindness.
The word “crazy” has always seemed to follow the project around. Lately, I’ve been seeing some thoughts about how we should “retire the word crazy” because of its unhelpful association with mental illness.
It made me curious about the actual root meaning of the word and I came across this…
“The word “crazy” craze. late 14c., crasen, craisen "to shatter, crush, break to pieces," probably a Germanic word and perhaps ultimately from a Scandinavian source (such as Old Norse *krasa"shatter"), but it seems to have entered English via Old French crasir (compare Modern French écraser). Original sense preserved in crazy quilt (1886) pattern and in reference to cracking in pottery glazing (1815).”
I like that idea of “to shatter”…it’s definitely part of the intention of this “heart project!”
That whole idea “to shatter” the ordinary ways we exchange energy with each other.
Being a little bit crazy…as Seal reminds us… it’s the only way to survive;)
Be well✨
Also…
This Hafiz poem is one of my absolute favorites. It has traveled this “crazy” mandala making journey with me as inspiration. Enjoy!
“Zero Circle
Be helpless, dumbfounded,
Unable to say yes or no.
Then a stretcher will come from grace
To gather us up.
We are too dull-eyed to see that beauty
If we say we can, we’re lying.
If we say No, we don’t see it,
That No will behead us
And shut tight our window onto spirit.
So let us rather not be sure of anything,
Besides ourselves, and only that, so
Miraculous beings come running to help.
Crazed, lying in a zero circle, mute,
We shall be saying finally,
With tremendous eloquence, Lead us.
When we have totally surrendered to that beauty,
We shall be a mighty kindness.”