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While on route to our picnic at Brownhill Creek reserve on Sunday, Carol and I dropped in to the Waite campus labyrinth for a location recce for our short film "Mandala Magic". I had heard a lot about the labyrinth and wanted to take a look. The labyrinth is an ancient symbol, a mandala whose twists and turns represent the cosmic dance, the universe in microcosm. Walking the circular path that twists and turns back and forth upon itself one is disoriented to the external world and drawn within the the centre of one's being, to the place where we experience wholeness. In other contexts it represents the steps of Shiva Nataraja, the Divine Transformer, Lord of the Dance. It is a symbol found in many disparate cultures throughout the world, from petroglyphs in the Americas, to Egypt and Greece and in many European cathedrals with Chartre Cathedral being a prime example.
The similarities between walking a labyrinth and colouring a mandala are remarkable, calming the mind, mentally stepping through to a subtle realm where the cognitive brain is confused into a state of flow, allowing intuition and creative mindfulness to be revealed and revealing. Carol, Gemma and myself will be recording the sequence this week.
Should you wish to walk the Urrbrae Labyrinth, I have attached directions below.
In the short film, Mandala Magic, we discover how colouring and conversation circles have helped many women who are living in women’s refuges, outreach programs and emergency motel accommodation recover from the shock and trauma of domestic violence. The calm, creative and resourceful state induced by colouring is an antidote to the chaos they have experienced.
Women in crisis have numerous and complex challenges to overcome the injuries inflicted on them, the trauma to their children and the vulnerability of their pets. Many have found sanctuary in colouring and conversation circles and, as a result of the relaxation they experience, are able to plan safer, healthier futures for themselves and their children.
Carol's work has many supporters and the number is growing all the time. Initially it was by people working in the the domestic violence and women's sectors and by those who experienced her work directly. Since the publication of her book, "Big Girls Little Coloring Book" more people and agencies have become aware of Carol's work and recognise its value. Firstly, because a creative approach can be powerful, especially when women are experiencing cognitive overload. No prior knowledge is needed and the creative process is intrinsically calming. When mandalas are introduced to women in crisis it has an ordering process, the pattern recognition function of the brain kicks in and decision making becomes much more straight forward. Those who most strongly advocate Carol's work have experienced it directly either with clients of their service or their staff team or both.
I am approaching people familiar with Carol's work to participate in making Mandala Magic so that other people can hear about it from those who have direct experience. Each time we take a box of books supplied through the crowd funding Big Girls On The Move campaign to a new service the response is overwhelming and reaches into new networks and services. Mandala Magic is a short film and there will be a lot of material that I will record that will not make the cut. That does not mean that the unused footage will end up on the cutting room floor, so to speak, but rather it will be repurposed and made available at the online hub for people to watch and gain a fuller appreciation of how colouring mandalas is a simple but highly impactful approach to address post traumatic stress for those who have experienced domestic violence.
Keep in mind that it isn't just in domestic violence that the Mandala colouring approach is effective for relieving stress and providing a base for women to rebuild their lives through the colouring and conversation circles. Take for example the monthly Meetups at the Box Factory in Adelaide. This is an open group that all women can join and meet others who have most likely experienced something similar to you and have found a pathway to share.
It's always a great week when you get funding approved, this time from Social Development Network for a short film called Mandala Magic. The film explores the art and science of mandala colouring and conversation circles for women particularly for those who have experienced domestic violence.
For some women mandala colouring and conversation circles are healing and relaxing, for others they are pivotal for developing new life skills and there are those who experience the colouring circle as transformational and they go on to develop their passion and talent and make a significant contribution to their communities and society.
Can colouring ...
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