Are you interested in plants and women’s health? Come for a morning with... Deb Soule Founder, Avena Botanicals Saturday, March 4 10 -11:30 Presentation by Deb “Everything About Calendula and Vaginas” St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates St. Lewiston (by Kennedy Park) 12:00 -1:00 Lunch and Conversation with Deb “The Women Center’s Calendula Projects” The Center for Wisdom’s Women, 97 Blake St. Lewiston (between Pine & Ash St.) Sponsored by and benefitting $10 donation suggested for the day. The Center for Wisdom’s Women. Participants get a free packet of Calendula seeds! RSVP for the Lunch – 513-3922, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The magic stones, earrings and necklaces below were made by the magnificent women in the Women's Healing Arts Circle at The Center For Wisdom's Women to reflect the jewels within their hearts and souls.
Mandalas (Sacred Circles) created by out~patient supervisors at Health Affiliates Maine in Expressive Arts Therapy demonstration. I had the joy of facilitating the demonstration and witnessing this birth of beauty!
Exploring Yin and Yang Through a Fusing Glass Mandala
According to Chinese philosophy, yin is the feminine or receptive principle and yang is the masculine or expressive principle. As human beings we all have both principles and require a balance of yin and yang to give our intentions and ultimately, our purpose, the best chance of fulfillment. According to Sanscrit, the ancient language of India, mandala means Sacred Circle. In other words, the Divine is the center of the circle and the Divine is the circumference of the circle. In the center of the mandala above, the yin or receptive principle is represented by the figure leaning against the left side of the Tree of Life listening for Divine Guidance. The head is bowed in a gesture of turning inward. The yang or expressive principle is represented by the figure leaning against the right side of the Tree of Life expressing Divine Guidance. The head, the body, and the legs are pointing outwards in a gesture of manifestation. In the circumference of the circle, the transluscent triangle on the left and the transluscent rectangle on the right suggest the presence of mystery in both the act of listening and the act of responding. The blue shape towards the top of the tree symbolizes the heart of the Tree of Life, which unites both yin and yang. The firing process brings out the luminosity of all the pieces reflecting the alchemical process which is available to all human beings.
Exploring the Conscious and Unconscious Through Jewelry Making
Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist brought to light the concept of what is conscious or within our awareness and the concept of the unconscious or that which lies outside our awareness. According to Jung, it is this merging of opposites, which allows us to find balance and our core Self or illuminated identity. The medium of fused glass which means melting two or more layers of glass in a glass kiln is a powerful way to not only help see and but wear the manifestation of possibilities as a form of actualizing potential. Making fused jewelry such as the necklace and earrings above reminds us that there are unknown qualities waiting in the shadows of our being longing for expression as well as qualities and spiritual gifts already in the light of consciousness. The earring in the shadow on the left represents the unconscious and the earring in the light on the right represents consciousness. A star expresses the essence of an embodied human being. The necklace above illuminates the balance of opposites with the guiding star in the middle as the core or spiritual Self. The firing process reveals potentials hidden from view in the unconscious until great heat is applied, which can be looked at as the firing process of life's challenges bringing strengths to the light of consciousness.
Photo by Akiba Mermey
