Lessons In Love

Within a week of blessing my work with two rainbow labyrinth mandalas, and praying for ways to share it sustainably, a friend has asked for one.

Yesterday I read and adapted the Franciscan Fourfold Blessing:

THE GIFT OF TEARS

 May I be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that I may seek truth boldly and love deep within my heart.


May I be blessed with sacred anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that I may tirelessly work for justice, freedom and peace among all people.

May I be blessed with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that I may reach out my hand to comfort them.

May I be blessed with enough foolishness to believe that I really

can make a difference in the world, and maybe do what others claim cannot be done.

and illustrated it with this painting:

I have called this painting "Gift Of Tears". She was co-painted by raindrops, tears of Mother Earth. The friend to whom she is winging her way told me never to be ashamed or frightened of honest tears.

I love lighting a candle and painting a rainbow labyrinth mandala with a person or event or blessing in mind. I hope this a beginning of people asking me for rainbow labyrinth mandalas. This week I have painted one for the largest bruise I have ever had:

One to bless my first ever home on our ten year anniversary: 

and one today to bless my heart:

I could never have imagined in a million years that painting rainbow labyrinth mandalas was my destiny when I was growing up.

Just over a year ago I met a pair of swans near the beach where I like to walk. I felt they were teaching me to be, to accept that I am not wonder woman and maybe how to listen to my heart? I did not have a camera then and I did not have a camera today when I saw them again.  Of course I cannot know if it was the same pair of swans but I like to think so. The tide was out and there were dogs and people to disturb them this time. I sat on a rock and watched them circle me three times. At one point I could hear the wind in their wings. I hope they were deliberately communicating with me, teaching me how to "love deep within my heart". I hope they were a good omen. I hope I remember how they flew together around Cardigan Bay, devoted, inseparable, powerful.....

Blessing My Work

Yesterday I lit a candle an began to paint this Rainbow Labyrinth Mandala to bless my work, to pray that I do work that is completely new, unique , challenging and recognised as such. This was the result.

This morning I picked up my copy of Anam Cara by John O'Donohue and it opened at this blessing, which I had never read before:

May The Light Of Your Soul Guide You

by

John O'Donohue

May the light of your soul guide you.

May the light of your soul bless the work

You do with the secret love and warmth of your heart.

May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.

May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those

Who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.

May your work never weary you.

May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement.

May you be present in what you do.

May you never become lost in the bland absences.

May the day never burden you.

May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams,

Possibilities and promises.

May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.

May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.

May your soul calm, console and renew you.

 I read the blessing aloud as I prepared to paint a second blessing for my work. The shape and the colours are different as is the blessing.

Maybe sometime soon I will feel ready to share my work with the world and allow her to support and feed and nourish and nurture me?