Where the Mandala Magic Happens!

by: Michelle

Years ago there was a show on HGTV where different crafters would share their homes and where they create and they would demonstrate how they made a piece of art. I loved that show and watched it all the time. I used to rewind the part where the person would say, "This is my studio" and play it over and over to my husband. Haha, I'm so subtle.

I always wanted a studio!

I have tried creating a studio in different parts of my home. I set one up in my master bedroom a few years ago, I've worked in my screen room and basements always seem to be the only real place for messy work. Let me tell you, nothing has ever really worked for me.

When I started working on mandalas for I AM I knew I needed a place to work on them easily and because the technique I created had a very specific set of materials, I didn't I need a huge space to work.

Let me show you my studio!

No matter where I started working on a piece of art, I almost always ended up finishing it in my kitchen/family room so I decided to just set up in that space. I was worried that it would be messy and clog up the flow of traffic but it didn't. It's actually perfect.

Making it work with my lifestyle

I asked for a small art desk for my birthday last year. It's the perfect size for the mandalas and even has a spot to hold my heat gun which I use endlessly.

I put it on the edge of my kitchen under my family command center. It's sitting on the wood floor so I don't have to worry about dripping on the carpet...phew! It seems like a bit of a tight fit but it actually works great.

Ooooh, fun art supplies!

Next to it I put a shelf I already owned and purchased some bins to hold my paints, pencils, brushes and the like. I also keep all my magazines and books that I incorporate into the mandalas. Everything I need is here, at all times, ready to create. I love it.

My little creative corner. Yes, that's my dog Snickers relaxing in the background.

I wanted to show you "my studio" for a couple of different reasons. First, I wanted to show that you can be creative when setting up an art space. I never would have thought I would do this in my public living space and yet it works...it works better than any other set up I've used before. So think outside the box and try it out.

The other reason I wanted to share was so you can see where I'm creating your mandalas; in the heart of my home, surrounded by my family. I enjoy peering into an artist's life and seeing behind the scenes so I thought I would give you a little glimpse into my world.

Have a great day!
Xo

The Birth of Emerge

By: Michelle

I was talking to a friend the other day and explaining the origins of the Emerge class and it occurred to me that you might enjoy hearing about it too.

Jill & I were wanting to offer something to all of you lovely people in our community. We weren't exactly sure what it was going to be so I decided to go into the Akashic Records and ask for guidance.

It always amazes me how powerful and beautiful the messages are for me in the records and this day was no different. The idea for Emerge flowed through me in the most amazing way.

The meditation was so powerful and I could feel the energy surging through me. When it was complete I was completely energized, excited and inspired to share this with all of you so you could experience it too.

The process of creating the mandalas was so fun and I was deep in the creative flow, just playing around with art supplies like I did when I was a kid. The whole process was just... FUN!

Jill was creating a mandala too and when we met to discuss the experience we were so thrilled at the amazing and deep insight we received from our mandalas and we knew even more strongly that we had to share it.

Jill is such an expert in the energetic world and that expertise helped to anchor that energy and keep it flowing and I just knew something so cool was happening.

It's times like these that I am so grateful for learning how to partner with the Universe to allow such amazing gifts to flow through me. And I am so grateful for Jill's talents, wisdom, and her incredibly strong connection to Spirit to create something completely awesome.

Emerge is starting on Monday, April 22nd. I would love to invite you to join us on this journey because I truly believe it is an amazing process!

Spring Energy is Emerging!

Happy spring everyone!

While it doesn't quite feel like spring in our neck of the woods, (yes, it's colder here than it is in Alaska today) we can still feel the spring energy rising and Jill and I are riding it up and up!

We have two exciting announcements to share with you today in honor of the first day of spring.

The first is that we have a new Spring Emergence Mandala for you on our website, ready for download. The energy of this mandala is light, powerful, and bubbling up to be shared. We would love for you to check it out on our website.

The second announcement is in regards to our upcoming Emerge online class. We are finishing up the details and will be ready to launch very soon but we wanted to share this short video to introduce it to you.

We have been working feverishly, fueled by the power of the energy of the Spring Emergence Mandala to bring our first online class to you and we can't wait to launch it. Until then, enjoy this fun little teaser!




Update
Emerge is open for registration! Find out more about it here.

TV and Mandalas? Yes, They Can Go Together.

By: Michelle

 

I have always been attracted to mandalas. It started long before Jill and I got together to start Inner Alignment Mandalas. I used to doodle them, paint them onto rocks, and create them in glass tile mosaics. I've also used them for healing purposes in my intuitive paintings and in my emotional release work. There is just something soothing about the circular form that appeals to me and draws me in time and time again.

The thing about mandalas is that they can be anything you want them to be. They can be geometric, symmetrical, colorful, free flowing, dark, light, expressive, inspirational, or even ugly. They can be made with paint, pencil, tile, photographs, words, yarn, scribbles, sand, flowers, or other earth materials. There are no limits with mandalas.

Last week I was watching Panache Desai on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday and jotting down quotes and thoughts that resonated with me. This is something I like to do with many of Oprah's shows. One of my learning styles is kinesthetic so writing helps me learn and I've been doing this for ages. If you ever have a phone call with me, just know that I am writing things down and doodling the entire time. :o)

They started out talking about the Soul Signature and I felt like it was the anchoring sentiment for the conversation so I put it right in the middle of my mandala and worked outward. I added things here and there and just had fun with it.

I love the vibrant colors, the messy writing and the imperfect circles It's fun and it holds so much meaning for me. The energy that is in this mandala warms me up when I look at it.

I wanted to share this mandala with you because the mandalas I make at I AM are completely different and they are just one way to do a mandala. I created that technique for this work and it constantly evolves with each new mandala I make. They are multi-layered and infused with so much energy for each person and the work that Jill does makes them an amazing spiritual tool.

They aren't the only mandalas I make. I make them for healing, for fun and even for watching TV. Who knew. Ha ha.

I would like to invite you to start seeing mandalas around you. Play with them, create them, experiment and have fun with them and see what emerges for you. I would love to hear about your experiences with mandalas.

Is It Time To Bedazzle Your Toolbox?

By Jill:

 

My Bedazzled Toolbox

Saturday I was on a coaching call with one of my clients and she asked what tools she could use, if needed, for her upcoming trip to visit her family.  I kind of laughed out loud because her Guides showed me a toolbox that had been Bedazzled!  They wanted me to remind her that she already has so many tools and all she needs to do is look in her toolbox, pick one, and then  implement it.  We talked about what she felt would work best for her and she left prepared with her tools should she need them.

 

That got me thinking not only about my own toolbox but yours too.  I'm guessing that you already have your own and it might even be pretty darn full at this point on your journey.  You have probably invested a lot of time, energy and money to get it so full...  I know I have!

 

Here's the million dollar question though...How often do you actually use those tools?  Do you even know what is in there?  

 

Some people believe that doing their inner clearing work is done and I am so happy for them.  Maybe a wee bit jealous too because I'm just not there yet.  In order for me to be at the level of Inner Alignment that I am most comfortable at, and then continue to evolve and expand, I still have stuff that gets in the way that needs to be let go of and healed.  Remember that the word healing means ~  to return to wholeness.

 

Whether it is old mindsets, habits that no longer serve me, fear of lack and limitation, feeling vulnerable or self-conscious, anxious or depressed or plain old not feeling good enough ~ I know that something is ready to be released and transmuted if it doesn't move through me easily.  That's when I reach into my toolbox and pick something that will help me re-align ASAP.  If stuff begins to cause disharmony and dis-ease in my life then I know I waited  a bit too long and I better go for the power tools!

 

Thanks to my client's Guides I decided to have some fun with this and Bedazzle my own toolbox and take inventory of what is in there.  I couldn't wait to share it with you! 

 

I invite you to have some fun with this and create your own symbolic toolbox and of course...Bedazzle it.  You can go out and pick up some fun items to make your toolbox or you can probably find something in your house that will work wonderfully.  You can even draw one and decorate it with colored pencils, crayons or markers if you want.  

 

Once you have the items to create your toolbox be sure to make a list of all the tools you already have and put them in it ~  You might be surprised to see how many there are.  This is a good exercise to see and acknowledge all the tools you do have, and it also opens up your second chakra and gets the energy flowing.

 

I'm keeping my symbolic Bedazzled toolbox in my workshop with my "tools" in it and when needed I will set my intention to pick the most helpful tool, close my eyes and pick one up and then USE it.  

Who said "healing" can't be fun?

 

Here are some tools in my box:

• Inner Alignment Mandalas
• Soul Art
• Radical Forgiveness
• EFT
• Sedona Method
• Energy Work
• Meditation
• Affirmative Prayer
• Journaling
• Paining/Artwork
• Dance/Movement
• Calling a Like Minded Friend
• Crystals
• Oracle Decks/Tarot/Runes
• Akashic Records
• Affirmations
• Read an Inspiring Book
• Listen to Inspiring Music
• Mantras
• Ho'oponopono
• Essential Oils
• Conscious Breathing 

If you accept the invitation to create your own symbolic toolbox and Bedazzle it,  we would love to see pictures of  it and hear some of your favorite tools that you use.  Be sure to leave a comment when you're done and/or post a picture on our FB page at:

 

  http://www.facebook.com/InnerAlignmentMandalas

With Heart,

Jill Marie

 

Here are the winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered to win our Gratitude Mandala! Congratulations to our winners!


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The Great Gratitude Giveaway!

In honor of the month of November which is all about being thankful and our new Gratitude Mandala, we want to host a little gratitude giveaway here at Inner Alignment Mandalas!

We are giving away 3 instant downloads of our Gratitude Mandala which comes with readings from Jill Marie and Michelle as well as a special report that will give you some ideas on how to work with your mandala.

The giveaway starts today, November 3rd at 12:01am (EST) and ends on Saturday, November 10th at 12:01am (EST)

There are 4 ways to enter so have fun picking and choosing or better yet, do all 4! Just follow the directions below.

Share the gratitude with your friends and family and let them know how to enter!

We will be back next Saturday to announce the winners!

Good luck.

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**If you want a little help figuring out how to enter this giveaway, you can watch this quick video that will explain it all in under a minute.

My Connection Corner

From Michelle

My Connection Corner

I must admit that in the past I've struggled with a daily alignment practice. I would do it for a while and then forget or get busy or...I don't know what.

That is one of the great things about this work. Creating mandalas gives me a reason to connect with my spirit and it has made a big difference in my life. I'm happier, more content and more grateful.

And yet still, I would find myself not meditating or connecting in any way many of the days I was not creating mandalas. I don't do that every day you know. There are many other tasks that have to be done and not making the time to align with my higher self never seemed to make it on the list.

I was inspired by Jill's altar she shared and decided I would make something for myself. I am not a big fan of the word altar so I decided to call it my connection corner.

I went around the house and pulled together some of my favorite items:

• That bowl was made by my son Cody and it holds shells, rocks, gems and crystals.
• There is of course my personal Inner Alignment Mandala.
• I have a bottle of Young Living Abundance essential oil. I just love the way it smells!
• I have a large glass diamond that reminds me of the work I did in The Journey Practitioner Program. It represents the diamond within each of us.
• There is a wonderful wood wick candle that was a gift from one of my former students at IIN. I'm not a big fan of candles but this candle I love. The wood wick burns and it sounds like a crackling fire and it smells divine!
• There is a little moo card from Lori Portka that says, "Abundance is all around us"
• I have my favorite card deck, Tarot of Transformation
• I even went out to get a plant because I knew this spot needed one.

My daily practice is simple. I light my candle, close my eyes and focus on gratitude. I go through a long list of everything I have to be grateful for in my life. I look around the table and see what I'm drawn to. Sometimes I pick up something from the bowl and hold it or breathe in my essential oil. I always spend time with my mandala gazing at it or tracing it with my fingers. Then I pull a card for the day.

That is the simple practice. It takes about 10-15 minutes. If I'm in a hurry I can spend just 5 minutes. If I have extra time I can meditate, connect deeper with my mandala, or do some journaling. It's totally flexible and yet it has become a bright spot in my day.

I feel calmer, happier, more centered. I feel a deep spiritual connection that had been inconsistent in my life previously. I didn't realize I was missing it until I started doing it every day.

One of the things Jill and I have been repeatedly getting messages about from our guides and in the records is to help our community create some kind of daily alignment practice for themselves.

I'm curious, do you have a practice and if so, tell me, what does it look like for you? If you don't currently have a practice, is it something you think would make a difference in your life?

What is one thing you can do today to move you in the direction of creating a daily alignment practice for yourself?

Altered Brush

From Michelle

 

 

I have been working on my contribution to Donna Downey's Altered Brush project. I love the concept she came up with. In case you haven't heard about it, she has asked people to take part in decorating her new studio by decorating these brushes. So cute! You can learn more about the project here.

 

My contribution is a colorful mandala that extends onto the bristles of the brush. I actually decided to go with an inversion in the bristles. There the mandala becomes white and the bristles are dripping with bright color because I love color!!!

 

 

I added some Swarofski crystals for a little bling. I so wish the photo did it justice. The white is actually an interference paint that flashes violet depending on your angle. So fun.

 

I asked Jill to check in energetically to see if there was any kind of message and she was felt called to do a full energy session where the frequency of Inner Light Guidance showed up.

 

The phrases that came up were:

• Validate Your Dreams
• Explore the Possibilities
• Listen to Your Heart

May this paintbrush paint magical moments in each of your lives!