Day 6: Compliments of a Spiral

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The spiral represents the flow of energy. I think that means my energy is flowing outward to the left?? With the drop in temperature last night I certainly feel like it is leaking out somewhere.

But seriously, the spiral as a symbol has a long history of cultural significance.

"Perhaps it's most prolific appearance is in Celtic symbology where we see the spirals decorating a myriad of their ancient artifacts. In Celtic art and symbolism, we can intuit a few meanings from the forcefully present spiral... 

In terms of spirituality, the spiral symbol can represent the path leading from outer consciousness (materialism, external awareness, ego, outward perception) to the inner soul (enlightenment, unseen essence, nirvana, cosmic awareness). Movements between the inner (intuitive, intangible) world and the outer (matter, manifested) world are mapped by the spiraling of archetypal rings; marking the evolution of humankind on both an individual and collective scale.

Moreover, in terms of rebirth or growth, the spiral symbol can represent the consciousness of nature beginning from the core or center and thus expanding outwardly. This is the way of all things, as recognized by most mystics."    ~From What's Your Sign.com

I chose to use a few complementary colors, red/green and blues/oranges, allowing them to flow into each other i some areas of this mandala. Fincher interprets this choice as "The paired opposites of complementary colors can express the oscillation between opposites...The appearance of these pairs of colors in your mandalas may indicate that you are experiencing the rise to consciousness of opposing aspects of your psyche."  Edinger adds that this could suggest "a metaphor for dynamic movement between opposites." 

In my own case today, I am struggling with the opposite forces of physical limitations and mental inspiration. 

The muses are stirring and running forward while my body is struggling to keep up. I am flowing between the desire to push to get the ideas on paper, so-to-speak, and the NEED to go back to bed.  (Hence the particularly shaky lines and unintended asymmetry in today's mandala.)

I am headed outside to lay in the grass and soak up some sunshine. It is warmer outside than in, in Upstate New York today.