Monday, November 10, 2014

Mini Mandala Monday I


The dark and cold days ahead make me realize I need to re-connect with my blog, as well as start reading your blogs again more regularly.  Therefore, this is the first post in what I hope will be a weekly effort - Mini Mandala Mondays.

I think I'd like to start out each Monday with a beaded small or "mini" mandala.  I couldn't think of a better partner for my mini mandalas then short Zen stories.  I simply love many of these stories.  They bring forth life lessons in the simplest of ways.  Some of the stories are immediately intuitive, others need to be mulled over.  I hope you enjoy them.


Muddy Road
   Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road.  A heavy rain was still falling.
   Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.
   "Come on, girl," said Tanzan at once.  Lifting her into his arms, he carried her over the mud.
   Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple.  Then he no longer could restrain himself.  "We monks don't go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones.  It is dangerous.  Why did you do that?"
   "I left the girl there," said Tanzan.  "Are you still carrying her?"

From Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.  A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings.  Complied by Paul Reps.

12 comments:

  1. That's a gorgeous mandala. I want to do more bead embroidery like that but I haven't yet. I admire people who have the patience to work with seed beads.

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    1. Ditto on your comment, JoJo! This is a beautiful piece.

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  2. Great mandala! They make great inspirations for beading or embroidery!

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  3. Love the beading and the colours and this story is so profound. It is so true how we can hang on to things and not let go

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  4. Lovely mandella with it's balanced composition and color pallet. Mud...funny how it muddies up man's minds. Very 'Zenfully' well done.

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  5. Gorgeous work! love the mandala, and the story

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  6. The lines and colors and design in your mandala are wonderful and simple. A lot like zen stories. Simple...if we don't think too hard and assume they are complex.
    I could have used this zen story back when I was first starting out. But I am not too old to embrace it now ;-)

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  7. So pleased to see this, love the beadwork and the story!

    Looking forward to more of these :D

    Mars
    Curling Stones for Lego People

    p.s. What did you do with your A to Z letters in the end?

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    1. Hi Mars!
      The A to Z letters are still awaiting inspiration. I'm currently looking at display options for the mandalas and maybe that will give me a breakthrough for the letters as well :-)
      -Liz

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    2. I like the idea of what to do with one set of beads sparking off what to do with the others :)

      I hope you'll share the end result when inspiration visits, she can be a tricky customer and you never know quite when she's due!

      Mars xx

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  8. I love your mandala, gorgeous, looking forward to more to come.

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