All posts filed under: Practice

February Mandala Challenge

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The topic for the February Mandala Challenge is sacred geometry. In this video, I interview Susanne Fincher author of Creating Mandalas with Sacred Geometry. Susanne gives us a step-by-step demonstration of how to construct the triangle and circle progression. Our conversation covers: When and how Susanne got started creating mandalas. Susanne has been creating mandalas since 1976. I asked her why she thinks the mandala has held her attention for so many years. The difference between geometry and sacred geometry. Who has had the most influence in creating sacred geometry? What is the Tetrachtys? What is Metatron’s Cube? How can one use sacred geometry for personal mandalas? Challenge Details Create a mandala based on Susanne Fincher’s demonstration of the triangle, circle progression. Watch the video for step-by-step instructions. Have fun adding your favorite colors and patterns to the mandala. Use any medium. Post a photo or scan of your mandala in the 100 Mandalas Sharing Circle. Not a member? It’s free to join! SIGN UP HERE. Members Log-in HERE. Deadline to enter is February 24, …

Gallery: Creating Mandalas for an Inspired Year at Kripalu

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To inspire your mandala practice, I collected a selection of mandala art that was created during the “Creating Mandalas for an Inspired Year” program held on New Years Eve weekend at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA. I asked participants, “What would you tell someone about this program who is unfamiliar with creating mandalas?” The comments are found throughout this post in blue. Honoring 2017 Our weekend started with a meditation to help us make the transition from our busy lives to being fully present to this gift that we gave ourselves – a weekend of nourishing our body, mind, and soul. After a couple warm up exercises, students created a Seed of Life mandala and incorporated journal writing, symbols, and colors to represent the year that was coming to a close. Under the mandalas are words to name their year. “Kathryn Costa’s mandala program introduces you to a grounding practice that helps you tap into your creativity, inner wisdom, and spirit.” “If you enjoy the meditation and joy of coloring, this …

January Mandala Challenge: Mandala Inspiration Wheel

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I’m delighted to announce a new series to inspire your muse called the Monthly Mandala Challenge. Look for a video each month that introduces the theme, contest details, and the prizes. Project Theme for January: Mandala Inspiration Wheel One day while looking at my wall on Facebook, I noticed a really cool video clip of a fidget spinner whirring above a hand-painted mandala with the question, “What gift can you give yourself more of today?” The possible answers delighted my heart – ease, novelty, play, stillness, rest, adventure… I clicked through to my friend Tonia Jenny’s Facebook wall and saw that she had created some other Fidget Spinner Fortunes that posed more heart expanding questions and answers. What can you give yourself more of this week? What will support your dreams today? What is your soul asking for? I’m a DIY kinda gal and thought, I want to make one! But wait, I’d love to see what my mandala family would create. I reached out to Tonia and she generously offered to be the first …

Opening My Heart in Hawaii

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If you asked me seven weeks ago that I would be traveling to Hawaii, I would’ve scoffed in disbelief.  I had been working really hard these last three years juggling a day job and building my dream job. My vacations were dedicated to writing and promoting my book, trainings on mandalas and marketing, and connecting with my online mandala family. I can’t even remember the last time I even took a “real vacation.” Seven weeks ago I dumped the day job of 13 years. The following week, my sister-in-law and I were talking on the phone and she said, “You should come with me to Hawaii for a retreat.” In less than 24 hours the arrangements were made and I was heading to the “Open Your Heart in Paradise with Ram Dass Retreat.” What makes this story even more incredible was how the retreat sold out within hours of opening. Since June there had been a very long wait list and here I was going. It was a miracle. My Hawaii Wound When I told …

Gratitude Mandalas

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One of my favorite practices is to combine my love for words and journal writing with mandalas. Each year during the holidays, I pull out a Flower of Life mandala and fill the shapes with words of appreciation. This year I designed a new mandala that starts with the Flower of Life in the center and surrounded it with border of interlocking semi-circles. In the center petals, I wrote down the names of the many people who I’m connected to including family, friends, colleagues, and members of my mandala community. You may include names of your mentors, teachers, authors, and artists who inspire you. Along the outer edge, record words to describe the qualities that you admire and appreciate. As you fill in the mandala, consider the many ways that you are connected. Fill some of the shapes with doodles and little drawings. Here I tucked in hearts under each virtue. A leaf-like pattern was repeated throughout to add detail. Pull out your favorite coloring supplies and think about each person as you fill in the …

Color I Course

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Do you ever feel stuck and don’t know which colors to choose? Maybe you’ve collected a lot of art supplies and they are collecting dust. Let’s pull out our coloring stash to play and experiment. This course is for you if… If you love to color. You don’t know which mediums you want to invest in. You are a beginner and want to learn coloring techniques. You didn’t learn the color wheel and color theory in school or don’t remember it. You keep reaching for the same colors and you’re feeling bored. You want to get some new ideas for color combinations. What you Get Eleven Product Video Demos Markers: alcohol, water-based, ink, paint pens, gel pens Pencils: colored pencils, watercolor pencils, Inktense pencils Popular brands Different price points Pros and Cons Mixing and Blending Techniques How to select the best paper for different mediums Five Videos on Color Harmony Color Inspiration is Everywhere! Color Wheel Color Temperature + Relativity Value + Intensity Five Color Schemes Supplemental Resources & Handouts Color Charts Lesson Handouts Color …

Mandala Drawing I Course

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The Mandala Drawing I Course Features 11 Video Lessons Learn how to draw geometric mandala patterns including: Trinity Knot Hexagons Pentagons Bagua Seed of Life Torus Yantra and more! This course is for you if… You are a beginner and want to learn how to draw a variety of mandala designs. You find it easier to learn from watching a video rather than reading a book. You’ve been creating mandalas for a while and need some inspiration. You love the Zentangle Method and want to create some new “containers” to play with tangles and repeating patterns. You have my book, “The Mandala Guidebook” and you haven’t started yet. Schedule Available Now. Self-paced course Unlimited, lifetime access Enroll Today! 11 Lessons for only $35 Register HERE Student Artwork These are examples from the hexagon lesson. For a closer look at these mandalas, click on the image.

Life as a Mandala: Discovering that you’ve come full circle

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Do you see signs and patterns in your life? I do. Last week I discovered that I’ve come full circle. Over Columbus Day weekend, I traveled over 400 miles down to Pennsylvania to facilitate a mandala workshop. It was just a few days before heading down that I realized that three years ago on the very same weekend, I was in Pennsylvania. My husband and I were driving when I thought up the idea for the 100 Mandalas Challenge and a how-to book for drawing mandalas. When I think of the anniversary of this occasion, I’ve always focused on when I launched the 100 Mandalas Challenge, not when I thought it up. I mark the occasion with an online celebration called Mandalafest. It hadn’t dawned on me the significance of the previous weekend until now. Keep in mind that in my adult life, I’ve only been to Pennsylvania three times and this was the third visit. So you can imagine my surprise when I noticed a pattern that I was heading back to Pennsylvania to …

Inside the Circle – What’s Happening at 100 Mandalas

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Dear Mandala Friends, You never know when you make a difference in someone’s life. Yesterday, I received a message on Facebook from someone whose life has been changed by my mandala book and the 100 Mandalas Challenge. Bev from Wales writes: Hi Kathryn, I just wanted to tell you how much of a difference buying your book and doing the 100 days mandala challenge has changed my life. I’m in my 50’s and since being told I couldn’t draw as a child, have been blocked creatively all my life. Over the last few years it has felt as though I have been in labour – literally, a feeling of wanting to draw but not knowing where to start. I tried countless times but just couldn’t get past a stick person or a few scribbles on the page. In March, I started your challenge & the floodgates opened – on all levels……… I have suffered insomnia all my life – not since drawing mandalas, I have more energy – I suffer from ME, but most of …

How to Draw Mandalas for Beginners

How to Draw Your First Mandala

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Think you can’t draw? Think again. I designed this video for you! I’ll show you step-by-step how to draw this mandala. I know you have everything that you need. All it takes is something to write with and something to write on plus a desire to create mandalas. Let’s not forget how much fun it will be to color your first mandala. “I want you to know you did a beautiful job in giving me confidence and explaining and demonstrating how to create a mandala. I’m going to try it tonight!!” – Leslie Teltoe Show Notes Supplies Used Please note these products are linked to Amazon using affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small percentage of the sale. I only link to products that I have used and recommend. Thank you for your support of my work on 100Mandalas.com. The commission is used to purchase art supplies and books. Bee Paper Super Deluxe Sketch Pad, 6″ x 6″ Sakura 50035 6-Piece Pigma Micron-01 Ink …