Symbalas by Lahrinda Eileen

The life work of artist Lahrinda Eileen is well summed up in her blog tagline “The Music of Spirit Sings in Beauty, Color, Symbols, Geometry and Light.”  It is clear that her studies in science, her fascination with energetic healing, and artistic explorations come together in amazing ways.  She calls what she produces Symbalas.

Currently living in SeaTac, Washington, Lahrinda actually began her studies in science, and only came into producing her mandala art in mid-life. She began creating her Symbalas on the computer after what she calls an epiphany in 1993, which lead her down the path of translating life energies into circular symbolic art.

The word “symbala” – a combination of the words symbol and mandala — brings together the essence of what she creates.  In her own words a Symbala is “a mandala or magic form representing wholeness or unity. Each one is created from an intuitive integration of Symbols, Golden Proportion Geometry, Numbers and Color inspired by the energies of an individual, an event, a concept or an attuning intention.”

Lahrinda’s work can have many different purposes: as commissioned works for individual and personal use, or for anyone as “focusing tools for therapy, contemplation and beautification.” They are all about shifting perception, what she says is the catalyst behind belief and therefore what we create in our life.

She has a series of Life Symbalas created specifically for Divination, inspired by Cards of Your Destiny: What Your Birthday Reveals About You & Your Past, Present & Future by Robert Camp. She has been inspired by many sources, another notable one being the work of Dr. Masuru Emoto, the well known author of The Hidden Messages in Water.

sure to explore her many galleries, or get copies of her work as gift cards and posters on Zazzle.

Mandalas of Gold

Once in awhile I come across an artist that I simply must rave about.  It goes beyond someone’s artwork inspiring me, beyond appreciation for talent, and into the realm of sensing the deep and profound spiritual “ring” that I hear when viewing their work.

I speak now of David Wietzman, the creative designer behind KA Gold Jewelry.  My son and I spent an hour last night drooling over the bountiful photographs of his gold and silver designs (with my son constantly saying over each item, “I want that, can I have that?” — and he’s 10). What is so impressive to me, beyond the sheer beauty of the designs and obvious quality of construction, is the depth of knowledge that has been cultivated by the artist over the years.  Each design is the embodiment, in precious metal, of sacred symbols from spiritual tradition.  Having been a long time student of multiple spiritual traditions,  symbolism and Phoenician-based scripts (Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, etc), I can truly say he has done his homework.  And beyond that he has blessed each piece with his rich energy and created valuable works of art.

A statement from his website: “[David has] devoted his life to seeking the greater truths from the world’s religions and cultures by studying the fields of Kabbalah, Judaism, Buddhism, eastern spirituality and ancient wisdom…. He understands that sacred geometry and spiritual symbols from around the world tie everything in life together. …..When David achieves a new understanding of a symbol, he shares it with the world through his jewels to empower the wearer and share his knowledge and greater truths.”

I share with you here some of my (and my son’s) favorite pieces, but you really must go look for yourself.  Even if you aren’t in the market for jewelry, go look for your own inspiration, and be fed by his special energy.  It is artists like David Weitzman who can help empower us all.

“David’s work transcends cultural, religious, and even language barriers……..David’s jewels aim to unite people in a world that often seeks to divide them. People everywhere share values such as health, love, and a connection with something greater than themselves. David’s designs are meant to inspire the wearers to bring that fulfillment to their lives.”

Layering Your Colors

Layering your colors is another way to express your artistic eye when coloring a mandala.

Layer your colors, one on top of another, to attain depth and dimension. Layering is merely adding one color on top of another color over and over again. Use as many colors as you wish.

Start out by stroking your first color lightly. Heavy pressure at the beginning builds a waxy surface that will resist further applications.  Layering is a simple matter of lightly applying one color after another, and takes some patience.  Try cross hatching, which is stroking your color first in one direction and then going back over the same area stroking the opposite direction.  The key really is to build up the colors slowly to get the blend you prefer.

You will be able to finally blend colors by using a lighter color to press down heavily on top of  your layered colors,. You can also purchase special colorless blending pencils, which help to bring out the vibrancy and depth of colors. Practice your blending on a separate piece of paper if you are unsure of your outcome.

Experiment and most importantly, have fun! Also remember, if the tools you’re using are mediocre the results will be less satisfying. I recommend watercolor pencils for their bright colors and greater versatility.  Try
Prismacolor Colored Pencils available from Dick Blick.

Three Ways I Use Mandalas to Relax

Here are some of my favorite times to color mandalas:

1.  When my husband and I are talking about our finances.  This one I figured out by accident.  Usually these sorts of conversations drive me crazy, particularly if we don’t see eye to eye.  But if I am coloring while we talk, I find it much easier to listen and relax.  Therefore, it’s also much easier to find the right words to express my own opinions.

2.  While watching TV with my son.  Now those who use mandalas for meditative purposes may shudder at this one, but I find it works for me.  His selection of TV shows is not always that interesting for me, but that’s not my point in being there.  I want to have the opportunity to interact with him and be aware of what’s going into that brain of his.  Having a mandala to color gives me something to do that I enjoy, and yet I can still be available for those moments of laughter at silly characters and conversation over concepts he doesn’t understand.  And I can remind him that with TIVO, he can fast forward through the commercials.

3. When I’m having business conversations on the phone.  This was another accidental discovery.  Not only did I find that it helped me relax (I’m not big on these kinds of phone calls, particularly with people I don’t know very well) but I was better able to focus.  And later, when I looked at the design I had been coloring, I found I remembered more details in the conversation.

How do you use mandalas to relax?