Am I Able To Draw A Mandala?

Two questions that I am frequently asked are:
1. I cannot draw. Am I able to create a mandala?
2. I cannot draw. Can I attend your Mandala Journeying workshop?

The answer is a "Yes" to both questions. Because creating a mandala is not about drawing but more on focusing and centering yourself to express your inner stories, and Light within. This is how I draw my mandalas, and this is what I teach to my students.

I, myself, is not a professional artist. In fact, before I started my mandala journey, I had never considered myself an artist, nor had I thought I would be able to draw anything.

I started by knowing I could draw a circle, and I could center myself enough such that I was able to express whatever colours and forms that I was drawn to, inside the circle. That was my first step of my mandala journey.

Until today, I am still going along this journey, drawing and teaching along the way. Throughout these few years, I discovered so much about myself - my strengths and my weaknesses  and the rich stories of my inner self. Many times, my drawings provided an outlet for my Inner Child to express herself. And, I discovered I can draw a decent mandala after all.

I encourage students to draw whenever possible. There's always something to discover, and uncover. Something changes within every time a mandala is created. When the inner vibration changes, the outer vibration changes as well.

So, I repeat: Everyone can draw a mandala. And if you think you are not the artistic type, do attend my 2-day Mandala Journeying workshop. I'll help you discover that hidden, shy artist inside you.

Everyone can draw a mandala!

(The two mandalas above were drawn on 19 November 2016. It was a day of Bersih 5, and I decided to sit down, center myself and created two mandalas by just using white colour pencils on black paper)

Oracle Readings for 18 - 20 November 2016

This weekend is bursting with political movements in Malaysia. So, I thought of picking a card to see what holds for this weekend. The card "Awareness" flew out with great intensity while I was shuffling the deck! It is going to be an energetic weekend in Malaysia.

This card is about burning through the veils of illusions to see what is really inside us - a Little Buddha. This fire is not the fire of burning passion and desire, but a cool flame of pure awareness. It is Awareness that burns through the illusions of reality to reveal the truth of what lies within.

This weekend, spent some time dropping away the noise and confusion and allow your awareness of who you are comes through to you. Allow the cool flame of awareness to reveal the Buddha-nature that has always been there inside us. Understand that everyone is a spark of Divinity inside, despite outer appearances. Let go of judgements to see the goodness that is inside each and everyone of us.

For those who are participating in the political rallies tomorrow, this card is also cautioning you to stay calm, with full awareness of the situation, and to carry that peace and serenity with you, even though the hot, fiery passion of the rally is all around you. This card may also mean that the truth of the matter will finally be revealed.

Awareness is the essence of the message for weekend.

(This card is drawn from the Osho Zen Tarot deck. This is one of my favorite deck of tarot cards and I've used it for more than 10 years. It is also a deck that I frequently use with clients)

A Most Sinister Butterfly

Once upon a time,
while flirting with colourful dreams,
a most sinister, pompous butterfly
fluttered up my nose.
"Go away, you nasty, annoying butterfly,"
said I, swatting him with my hands
I swatted him right,
I swatted him left.
But he didn't want to go away!
Instead,
he gave me a most wicked grin,
and peered straight into my eyes, and said,
"I certainly am not going away.
I'll stay right here,
in front of you;
my presence annoying you,
torturing you.
My wings,
flapping and fluttering,
creating ripples all around you,
and all over you;
making you dizzy
and spinning with angst.

Pay attention Little One!
Do not fear me.
Do not hate me.
Do not call me names,
What you see in me,
you see in yourself.
For I am Butterfly,
and I come to usher you
Great Change.
I am a gift from Great Spirit,
whose ways are unknown to humankind
Learn from my people,
and change from the inside.
For this is the Wisdom of the Butterflies."

By Golly!!!
Suddenly,
I don't find him sinister and pompous anymore.
He has turned into
a most cheeky and charming butterfly!
I stop chasing those flirty dreams.
- Khema Yen, 14 November 2016, Full Moon in Taurus (Super Full Moon)

(The mandala above is titled, "A Most Sinister Butterfly")

Oracle Readings for 14 November (Super, Super Full Moon Day!)

Today is a Super Full Moon day; the biggest full moon in 68 years. For this special day, I've drawn a card from the Inner Child Cards deck, and the Five of Wands came up. And what a beautiful message for the Super  Moon too!

The fairy in the card is the Roman Goddess Flora, and she represents all that flowers and blooms. Legends said she has the magical powers of procreation and self-fertilization.

In this card, Flora is seen opening the last petal of a 5-pointed flower. 5 is the number for change, and together with the symbol of the flower, this card carries the message of a change towards opening and blossoming of our highest potential within.

Therefore, expand and unfurl your gifts that lies inside you. Allow yourself to flourish! Let your creative juice flow! Draw or paint a mandala!

In summary, allow yourself to blossom and flourish, just like this 5-pointed yellow flower. Shine like the Super Duper Full Moon today!

What a beautiful message for this Super Full Moon. Thank you.

(The card above is picked from the Inner Child Cards, A Fairy Tale Tarot deck. This deck is created by Isha Lerner and Mark Lerner, with illustrations by Christopher Guifoil. It's one of my favourite decks and I use it often during my Cellular ReOrientation sessions with clients.)

Coexistence

One of the wonders I saw this morning at Taman Tun park: on the right is the zumba group (with loud zumba music), and on the left is the qi gong group (with quiet qi gong music). At the background is a huge stretch of mighty, silent rainforest trees. 

All life coexist together - the loud, the fast, the quiet, the slow, the silent and the still. 

Let's embrace and appreciate the diversities of life. 

Oracle reading for 11.11.16

Today is an 11.11 day. And Sulis came up as a guidance to ask us to connect with water today, to allow the blessings of water to heal you.

You can take a walk near a lake or a pond or river or even a visit to the beach. If possible, dip into the waters or if not, just breathe in their vibrations and allow your cells to rejuvenate. Perhaps there is a message the waters want to convey to you? Listen, and pay attention.

This card could also mean, you need to drink more water. Perhaps you are dehydrated but you're not aware if it?

When this card comes up, it usually means we are tired and need the blessings of water to rejuvenate us again. So, use any ways to connect with water today, including something like soaking your feet into sea salt for a few minutes or yes, drink more water.

Blessings and deep appreciation to all the waters in the world.

(This is a card from Doreen Virtue's Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards deck. Sulis is a Celtic goddess who oversees bodies of water associated with healing. It's so appropriate that she appeared because there are lots of uncertainties around the world now after the US presidential elections.)

Bread Dharma

Waiting... 

Life is like this. We put in the right ingredients, in the right proportions, give it a good knead, then we wait; and allow Nature takes it's course. 

Now, while waiting, I am going to do some vegetables. Waiting is good. Later, I am going to punch this dough. In life, we also need to punch a little.

And then, I bake this dough, putting fire into it, for everything to come together. Life is like baking bread.

Bread Dharma 😃