September 2013:A New Mandala Daily at SheilaLynnK Art Studio

It is with great trepidation that I have made the daunting commitment to post a daily Yantra (visual mantra) from the studio during the month of September. I say, "Yantra" instead of "Mandala" as I have very recently discovered that there is actually a difference between these two concepts. At the risk of minimizing that significance, here is the Wikipedia Link which provides a brief summary of the difference.
Also, the term "Yantra" eliminates the knee-jerk, less-than-inspiring, response to combine "Mandala" and "Daily" as "Man-Daily Month." (Because that is an entirely different concept for an entirely different page.)

"Yantra mandalas are seen as an avenue of higher understanding, or enlightenment...a vehicle/tool to higher awareness."

MANDALA: From sanskrit means "circle". It may be dominated by squares or triangles but has a concentric structure "offering balancing visual elements, symbolizing unity and harmony."

In the process of researching this topic during the summer, I had the time and opportunity to create my first original Mandalas/Yantras. The very first was influenced by the accompanying research of the symbolism of shapes, colors, numbers, animals, plants, etc. The placement of the Scarab and Ouroborus (snake swallowing its own tail) were predetermined aspects of the design. The Scarab symbolizes "renewal and regeneration and later the endurance of the human soul." The Ouroborus symbolizes "totality, rebirth, immortality, and ultimately the round of existence." The rest evolved as the drawing progressed. The words/concepts at the front of my mind were, "cycles," "endurance," and "grace."

However, to be clear, my work over the last several years has largely focused on the concepts of the cyclic nature of the human condition and the natural elements which make our existence possible. It is not surprising to discover that the fundamental cycles of living are evident in one form or another as my work progresses.  The dichotomy and/or duality of victory/defeat, life/death, grief/joy, community/isolation are common themes represented in the majority of my work since my return to Art in 2009 (following the preventable, debilitating onset of spinal adhesive arachnoiditis in 2007.)

$16.99 to Buy and Print This Mandala or                                                             
                                                                                                           Buy the Inverted Digital File of this colored pencil drawing

I am a complete novice on the Mandala/Yantra topic and hope to share what I learn as I go.
Current references include:
 The Secret Language of Symbols ~David Fontana
Creating Mandalas: for insight, healing, and self-expression~Susanne F. Fincher
Mandala: luminous symbols for healing~ Judith Cornell
Scarab Symbolic Meaning