Crochet Mindful Mandala – Rows 30 thru 34

· by · in Crochet Mandala, Mindful Crochet. ·

Happy days are here again, the skies above are clear again! 

I am very happy to report that the Universe has forgiven me and rows 30 through 34 were wonderful! I have to admit I was a bit anxious about spending time with my Mindful Mandala again. I was worried that maybe this is all a bunch of malarky and that I was just a sloppy crocheter using depressing colors on those last few rounds.

But that just simply isn’t true. I am a very good crocheter. When I crochet, my hook and my yarn are not just the tools that I use to create – they feel like extra fingers on my hands. I have never felt more confident than when I am crocheting.

The colors that I chose for the last session don’t feel depressing to me now. When I look at the Mandala I see balance, and I see honesty.

My stitch counts were spot on. The repeats were easy to get the hang of. My faith in my Mindful Mandala project is restored.

mindful mandala 30-34b

If you would like to catch up on my Mindful Crochet project click here – Mindful Mandala.

Mindful Mandala Osho Zen Tarot Color Inspiration – Slowing Down

Inspirational and meditative excerpts from the Slowing Down card.

osho zen slowing downThe Knight of Rainbows is a reminder that, just like this tortoise, we carry our home with us wherever we go. There is no need to hurry, no need to seek shelter elsewhere. Even as we move into the depths of the emotional waters, we can remain self-contained and free from attachments.

It is a time when you are ready to let go of any expectations you have had about yourself or other people, and to take responsibility for any illusions you might have been carrying. There is no need to do anything but rest in the fullness of who you are right now. If desires and hopes and dreams are fading away, so much the better. Their disappearance is making space for a new quality of stillness and acceptance of what is, and you are able to welcome this development in a way you have never been able to before. Savor this quality of slowing down, of coming to rest and recognizing that you are already home. (From Osho Zen Tarot – published by St. Martin’s Press)

This was such a nice card. I’m sure there are better words to describe it, but somehow the simple word ‘nice’ seems to fit it best. It’s colorful, it’s very calming, it has both obvious and subtle symbolism. And it was the perfect next card for me to pick.

mindful mandala 30-34A

Here’s the thing – I don’t think this card was meant for me.

The day before I was planning on choosing a card I thought it would be interesting to let my husband choose it. It was an amazing experience when I let my daughter Madeline choose a card so I thought – why not let Patrick choose one.

And then I forgot to ask him to pick one. He went off to his Jiu Jitsu and then I remembered that I forgot. Now, when he is off learning how to choke people out I like to spend some quiet time with my mandala. So I picked the card. I usually leave the card right here on my desk next to my keyboard so I can look at it and do research on the definition and symbolic meaning on the card. We have a very large desk and Patrick’s keyboard is set up right here next to me (aren’t we cute!). That afternoon we were both sitting here at our workstations and he commented “Oh I really like that card.” I was so pleasantly surprised because I had not even told him that I was going to ask him to pick the card.

When I was reading the definition of the card there were some good meditative points, but these were lessons that I have been actively practicing for years. And then it clicked when he commented on the card – this IS his card (he normally doesn’t pay much attention to anything on my side of the desk)!

Patrick tends to get very restless – it’s not really boredom, it’s more impatience. Of course telling him about the symbolism of this card, and that I think he is the one it was pointing to just led to some scoffing and quick subject changing.

mindful mandala 30-34

That’s fine. We are a team and I am a team player. I see this card as the Universe reminding me of how I need to focus my attention on him. Remind him to be patient, be mindful of what triggers his restlessness. Love him and show him daily where his home is.

I liked this card – it was nice.

Thanks for reading.

~ Tami

Crochet Project Notes – Mindful Mandala

Time to give credit where credit is truly due!

Mandala Pattern – by It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet, YouTube video tutorial link – Mandala Madness

Written pattern and designer credit – Crystals and Crochet

 

 

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48 responses to “Crochet Mindful Mandala – Rows 30 thru 34”

    • That’s exactly what I was thinking as I was writing this up! Thanks for doing the ‘hokey pokey’ for me! LOL It is true though. I’m hoping for some nice shades of pink to pop in here soon. I’ve noticed that there really isn’t much in the red spectrum going on. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Wow it’s really coming along now. I love how your desks are close together and you can work near each other. It is so sweet. How interesting that the card was for him when you needed it to be. I find that fascinating. It’s such a pleasure to share your mindful journey.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I know right! Thanks Dysis! I am getting so much out of this project. I love when the card is so in sync on such a personal level. I really really love the connection I have with this piece. It is so much more than the yarn color and stitches. I’m glad your enjoying my journey!! I am too! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • That’s an awesome question. I had to think about it for a minute. The Osho Zen tarot card really helps keep me focused. It is a pick it up and put it down a lot type of project, but even when I’m not crocheting I’m thinking about the card’s message. When I am actually working on it I remind myself of why I started this to begin with and then I go through mindfulness exercises. Feel the softness of the yarn, grateful that I have the skills and materials to do this, joy at the beauty of what I’m creating, the repetitive pattern lets my mind relax, the counting stitches keeps my mind from wandering away from what I am doing. So I guess that I do get interrupted often but not really distracted because I’m thinking about the card’s meaning in the back of my mind all the time – crocheting the mandala is really the tool that reminds me to bring those thoughts into the front of my mind. Plus when I do work on it I pick times that I know are usually quiet during the day and I have at least an hour or so that I’m less likely to be interrupted. 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

  10. You are making awesome progress, the colors are stunning together.I chuckled when you talked about yours and your husband’s desk.
    My husband and I used to share a desk together but his chaos drove me crazy. I’m very organized and neat whereas he is total cluttered chaos. I can’t function that way.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks Lyn! Our desk clutter kind of mingles in the middle, eye glass cleaner and wiping cloth, a small flashlight, a cup with pens and a small notepad. But it really is funny the contrast in clutter between his side and mine. Me – a lot of crochet hooks, stitch markers, pattern diagrams and notes on scraps of paper, safety pins and bits of yarn. Him a small stack of paperbacks, his binoculars, a handful of little screws and washers (why?) and a lot of geodes. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ha! You’re the best Teresa! I’ve got plenty of ‘Abstract Asymmetrical Yarn Sculptures’ in my collection too. A pile of projects that are far too ‘uniquely constructed’ and never make it to the photo shoots for this blog. 😀 ❤ ❤

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hahaa! I think yours looks really bright and cheerful!! That’s the best thing about this pattern – all of the textures in the rows is what makes it. I think this mandala would look amazing no matter what colors are used. How big is yours right now? Mine is about 24 inches across from point to point. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you Theresa! I sometimes reflect that had I embraced my passion for the hook earlier in life, I may have saved myself a lot of needless stress. But as they say – every thing that has been is what you are right now. And right now I’m pretty darn happy! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  15. It really just keeps getting better and better. I think not only was that the perfect card (for hubby anyway) but the perfect colors as well. Both the blue and the purple make the center pop while the black and gray from last time gave it balance. Very lovely.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Trudy! Thanks. These few rounds were so lovely to crochet. I’m so glad I decided to include the darker colors, it really does add some balance. I can’t wait to pull the next card and see what direction we go in next! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

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  18. That is very pretty. 😀 I haven’t crocheted anything bigger than my Cross-body bag for quite some time, but this looks like something I would enjoy. I have done some mandalas on paper, so why not make an afghan.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you! This is such a lovely pattern. And I’ve learned a few new stitches along the way too. It is going to end up being very large especially because I’m using medium weight yarn and a larger size hook than in the tutorial. It’s already 2 feet across and I’m only about 1/3 of the way through the pattern! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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