New Kama Mandala Collage
“I'm just an individual who doesn't feel that I need to have somebody qualify my work in any particular way. I'm working for me." —David Bowie
Yogic wisdom believes that the soul has four distinct desires or purushartas. According to Rod Stryker, author of The Four Desires, they are “dharma, the desire to become who you were meant to be. It is the longing to thrive and, in the process, to fulfill your unique purpose; it is the drive to fulfill your destiny… artha, the desire for the means (such as money, security, health) to help you fulfill your dharma… kama, the longing for pleasure in any and all forms, [and] moksha, the desire for spiritual realization and ultimate freedom; it is the intrinsic desire to be free from the burdens of the world, even as you participate fully in it.”
Getting to know these four desires more intimately will better support our intention, resolution or goal, known as a sankalpa—a desire formed in the heart, in service of our unique and individual purpose. When this intention comes from the core of our heart, rather than the mind it has a much better chance at being successfully accomplished.
The 4 Desires Collage Mandala
Mandala is a sanskrit word that means circle, or circular. Circles have been depicted in many cultures as an archetypal symbol of wholeness and continuation as well as a vessel. Carl Jung called the mandala a “magic circle,” where one places that which is to be protected or held as sacred.
As we take these next few days to create these mandalas, we want to remember the sacredness of the process as we create. The difference between making a collage and creating a mandala is the bhavana or the intention you breathe into its existence.
Supplies you will need for the next couple of days:
- Paper, poster board, or cardboard
- Scissors, or X-ACTO blade
- Glue
- Magazines, images, old cards
- Embellishments, glitter, string, fabric, cord, etc.
- Compass or bowl to make your mandala.
Please watch the tutorial on collaging and read the steps below for some tips and ideas before starting.
Password to Collage: icaniwillimust108
Today and tomorrow we will work on our first collage mandala: Kama.
Kama has been coming up for me a lot, and because this group focused on exploring creativity it’s a great place to start.
Kama—the desire to see and experience beauty, sensuality, sexuality, intimacy, great joy, playfulness, and delight.
- Get all your supplies ready, or at least what you anticipate you will need. The basics are:
- Take some time to answer the Kama exploratory questions (following) for yourself. You can write them down or just sit with them for a bit and activate the feelings of kama within before you start your collage.
- In your sacred space, close the eyes and turn inward. Remembering the answers and feelings that the questions brought to the surface.
- Scan through the magazines, and pull out the images that you are attracted to without thinking about how they will fit together or if they make any sense. Let the images speak to you.
- Cut out your circular mandala from the paper or cardboard. You can choose a bigger or smaller circle depending on the images you chose.
- Look through the images and decide which ones are most important and expedite the feeling of beauty, intimacy, love, passion….kama—how you taste the sweetness of life.
- Make fine cuts on the images you have chosen.
- Arrange them inside your mandala to tell the story of what kama means to you. Essentially you are creating an image definition of kama.
- Glue the images within your mandala.
- Write any thoughts, ideas, other images or references that came up throughout the process. Like I mentioned in the tutorial, I like to keep my journal next to me while I am creating for two reasons: firstly, to jot down anything that comes up, and secondly, to write things down that will distract me or pull me away from creating. Sometimes I remember I have to finish the laundry or call someone.If it’s going to distract me and it’s not urgent, I write it down to do later.
- Give thanks for the time in your sacred creative space, and add the collage to your altar.
Kama Exploratory Questions
Where do you find or experience beauty, community, friendship and enjoyment?
In what ways have your actions, thoughts, and speech brought you joy?
How do you celebrate life and taste the sweetness of delight?
When do you feel pleasure?
How do you experience intimacy?