Mandala Art with StencilGirl® Stencils

Give the Gift of Healing Mandala Art

I don't need a scientific study to know that creating art offers healing benefits. I can't tell you how many times I have felt resistance, restlessness or heavy energy from feeling tired, unwell, or overwhelmed by life. When I show up and get started, invariably the energy shifts from heavy to light, my body relaxes as does my mind and emotions.

There is a saying, "where your attention goes, energy flows." When we create our art, our attention focuses on what we are doing and the energy flows toward it. I can feel it in how my body, mind, and emotions feels lighter.

There is also the fun of experimenting with different mediums and the process of creating something. Not to mention the sheer joy of observing the beauty that emerges in what we create.

What I love about the stencils that I've designed for StencilGirl® Products is that they make it quick and easy to get a basic mandala drawn. Within minutes, the design takes shape and I can spend more time adding color, patterns, and even words. 

In my video, I show you how to take the healing benefits of art making to a whole new level by working with symbols, colors, and intentions. The four examples include two healing mandalas made for friends and two that I created as part of my "Traveling by Moonlight Series" where I check in at the full moon and new moon each month to focus on healing intentions, gain clarity, and set in motion my dreams.

Healing mandala art made for a friend who recently received an unwelcome diagnosis.
Stencils Used: Four Gates Mandala Stencil and Heart Chakra Stencil
Medium: Watercolor, salt effect, black finalizer

Message: "I made this mandala holding you in my heart. At the center is a six pointed star and 21 lotus petals that symbolize the heart chakra. Central to all healing is the power of love, loving-kindness, self compassion, forgiveness, and surrender. The gold details reflect how precious it is that we have access to this powerful energy center of the heart in any moment. The bronze hued areas are the same gold paint mixed with the rich earth color of brown. This grounds us in our spiritual practices and supports us in bringing grace to our daily lives. The violet, green blue textured areas were created by sprinkling salt. After the salt dried, I rubbed off the coarse caked on layer to reveal a beautiful effect. The process of removing the salt felt like scraping sand paper and showed me that the gritty moments in life give way to the most beautiful moments. Enjoy your mandala. Sit with it and discover your own truths.

Healing mandala art made to remind my friend that she is divinely guided and supported.

Stencils Used: Four Gates Mandala, Third-Eye Chakra Stencil

Medium: Watercolor, Black fine liner, charcoal pencil.

Message: I held you in my heart as I co-created with Spirit to make this healing mandala. At the center is the third-eye chakra, luminous and full of the divine, peaceful light of a dove. The central mandala floats in the green waters of the heart chakra. Surrounding this mandala is a channel, a violet pathway. Run your fingers along this violet path, traveling around the entire mandala. May it remind you that the Divine Spirit embraces you in every moment in all situations. Meditate on this mandala when you seek a connection with the divine and you're looking for support in tapping into your intuition and wisdom of the heart.

Virgo Full Moon Mandala

Stencils Used: Four Gates Mandala, Heart Chakra, Zodiac Chakra and Celestial Bodies Stencils

Medium: Watercolor, salt effect, black fine liner, gold foil (German Scrap/Dresden) dove

Intention: This mandala is dedicated to cultivating inner peace and to show myself loving-kindness, compassion, and gentleness.

Pisces New Moon Mandala

Stencils Used: Four Gates Mandala, Sacral Chakra, Zodiac Chakra and Celestial Bodies Stencils

Medium: Watercolor, salt effect, black fine liner, gold foil (German Scrap/Dresden) dove

Intention #1: May this day unfold with grace, ease, and flow.

Question: What spiritual practice would I like to commit to in this next moon cycle? meditation, keeping a dream journal, creating mandala art at the full and new moons, etc. What are you curious about? Learning about chakras, astrology, Tarot, divination, etc.

Intention #2: I recommit to a daily morning meditation practice followed by time for journal writing.

Now you don't need to wait for a full moon or new moon to create healing mandala art. Any time is a good time to nurture your body, mind, emotions, and creative spirit!

Resources to Support Your Practice:

• Browse & Buy Stencils at StencilGirl® Products
• Chakra Stencil Reference Guide (pdf)
• Zodiac Signs & Celestial Bodies Stencil Reference Guide (pdf)
• YouTube Videos on Chakra Art, Astrology Art Journal Series, and "Traveling by Moonlight.”
• Kathryn Costa's website

Kathryn Costa is an instigator of soulful and creative living. Kathryn’s passion can be summed up in three little words: “create and connect.” Kathryn’s workshops help people to find clarity, let go of fear, embrace their dreams, and explore their creativity. She is the author of “The Mandala Guidebook.”

Cecilia Swatton and Kathryn Costa each have a new stencil!

Hi there! StencilGirl is bringing you 2 new designs today: Four Gates Mandala designed by Kathryn Costa and Palm Fronts Silhouette designed by Cecilia Swatton.

The Palm Fronds Silhouette 9" x12" Stencil 

Add depth and mystery to backgrounds with this stencil by Cecilia Swatton. Make people ask, “HOW did you do that?” 

Use it repeatedly across a layout, choosing different colors while turning the stencil around with each paint application.

Use it repeatedly across a layout, choosing different colors while turning the stencil around with each paint application. 

For more zing, put it to work with 6” x 6” 
Palm Fronds Silhouette Small and 4”x4” Palm Fronds Silhouette Mini.

L791   9”x 12”          S238  6” x6”          M050  4” x 4”

Mini, small, and large Palm Fronds Silhouettes

Cecilia says: "What to do when your first idea doesn’t work?  Aw heck, just keep going!

 

Cecilia had this to say about the art above: "Grab a stencil, modeling paste, iridescent beads, bits of multicolor faux foil, string gel medium, gloss liquid medium, dry pigment powders like Brusho, metallic powders like Pearl Ex, inks of any brand or Golden High Flow acrylics – and prepare to amaze yourself!  With these, my plan was to create an ultra-wet, 3-D surface that would contain color, flow when tipped, and accept small inclusions. Step-by-step photos with directions on my blog."

The embossed-looking area on the art print below was actually a ghost print made with another sheet of paper that had been sponge-brayered with metallic gold acrylic paint. Cecilia used another sheet of paper instead of a Gelli Plate and "smushed" the two papers together while the gold paint was still wet. After that ghost paint dried, she made a new print over it. The original background paper is black. 

All of Cecilia's stencil designs are available via this link.

Four Gates Mandala Stencil by Kathryn Costa

The Four Gates Mandala Stencil by Kathryn Costa is inspired by the traditional mandala and yantra art from the Hindu and Buddhist culture. Many wisdom traditions work with the four directions representing the four elements of air, water, fire, and earth. This stencil can also be used to create the Chakana also known as the Inca Cross from the Peruvian tradition. Some additional geometric shapes and symbols provide even more design possibilities including the ouroboros, infinity symbol, Chinese Yin Yang, and the OM symbol.

There are so many possibilities one can do with this stencil and Kathryn has made a diagram on the right highlighting in red which part of the stencil she traced for the design. 

This stencil also pairs well with Kathryn Costa’s Chakra Stencils Set. 

An infinite number of possibilities exist as to what you can create with the Four Gates Mandala Stencil.

Cecilia's, Kathryn's, and all of the newest stencils can be found right here!

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Join Kathryn Costa from True North Arts and Mary Beth Shaw for a soul to soul conversation on how their creative and soulful practices keep them grounded, peaceful, and creative during these unusual times.

The soul to soul conversation covers:

• Creating art for self-expression, insight, and healing
• Integrating spiritual and creative practices
• The power of living and working with intentions
• Tapping into the healing power of color and sacred geometry
• Recognizing the grounding and centering patterns found in the art of all wisdom traditions and cultures
• Introducing Kathryn Costa's newest stencil from StencilGirl Products, "The Four Gates Mandala" and how to use this stencil to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, peace, and joy.

Register for this free webinar. (Open to first 100 people but Kathryn will have a replay and we'll make that link available when it is ready.)