Hello once more Phil:
I thought you might enjoy reading a little something about my own experience. Like you, I brought a cast of characters into that space with me. The following excerpt details my creation of a mandala using the "characters" within my experience. Previous to that experience I had no idea what a mandala was. I didn't find out what it was until several months after that experience had come to its natural conclusion.
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~ MANDALA ~
A SANSKRIT WORD MEANING MAGIC CIRCLE
A MANDALA IS A SYMBOL OF THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING
A NEW CENTER OF PERSONALITY – THE SELF.
IT CONSISTS OF CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED GEOMETRIC
FIGURES SUCH AS THE CIRCLE, THE SQUARE, OR THE SYMETRICAL
ARRANGEMENT OF OBJECTS IN MULTIPLES OF FOUR.
MANDALAS ARE USED IN LAMAISM AND TANTRIC YOGA.
WHEN MANDALAS APPEAR IN DREAMS AND VISIONS,
THEY BRING PSYCHIC PEACE.</center></font>
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<blockquote>
<font color=191970>Chapter Excerpt:
Tess was sitting on the floor, in front of the new coffee table by the fireplace. Upon its surface she had placed the necklace with the heart of gold. Inside the necklace she was arranging the chess pieces. Gallagher came out from the kitchen with a dishtowel over one shoulder and joined her.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"These people," Tess said, "These people inside the circle are important to me." She pointed and named them each in turn: "Me, the Black ViKing, my Friend, Five-Star Woman, Limh, and Skadi." She then placed an amethyst crystal into the circle. "This is my mother," she said. "She's here with me." Tess added a jeweled autumn leaf to the grouping. "This is my father," she said, "Thanksgiving Man. He's here with me too."
She rearranged the necklace into a rectangular shape. "Some of these people are protectors. The protectors go in the corners." Tess then placed the jewelled autumn leaf, amethyst crystal, Black ViKing, and Skadi into one of each of the four corners. "The people that are left in the middle," she said, "They are the ones who are hurting. They are the ones we have to fix." She pointed and named them each in turn: "Me, my Friend, Five-Star Woman, and Limh." She sat back on her haunches and folded her hands into her lap. "There," she sighed with a pleased expression.</font></blockquote>
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Gallagher was the "character" who served as both my mentor and my therapist through that experience; Jungians may recognize him as my animus. This is a "conversation" that Gallagher and I had during that time. My voice is shown in blue...
[b]<center><font color=#800080>THIEF
I don't want to understand this horror
There's a weight in your eyes ... I can't admit
Everybody ends up here in bottles
But the name tag's the last thing you wanna hear</font>
<font color=191970>As the World explodes
We fall out of it
And we can't let go because ...
This Will Not Go Away!</font>
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~ There's a house built up in space ~
And I can't see that thief that lives inside of your head
But I can be some courage at the side of your bed
And I don't know what's happening and I can't pretend
But I can be your, be your . . .</font>
<font color=191970>Someone'll help us understand who ordered
This disgusting arrangement with Time and The End
I don't want to hear who walked on water
Because the hallways are empty and the clocks tick</font>
<font color=#800080>As the World implodes
We fall into it
And we can't go home because ...
This Will Not Go Away!</font>
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~ There's a house built up in space ~
And I can't see that thief that lives inside of your head
But I can be some courage at the side of your bed
And I don't know what's happening and I can't pretend . . .</font>
<font color=#800080>It's a long, long get away</font>
<font color=191970>It's a long, long get away</font>
<font color=#800080>Make it home again</font>
<font color=191970>Make it home again</font>
<font color=#800080>It's a long, long get away</font>
<font color=191970>It's a long, long get away</font>
<font color=#800080>I can't see that thief that lives inside of your head
But I can be some courage at the side of your bed
I don't know what's happening and I can't pretend
But I can be your, be your . . . mirror</font>
<font color=191970>But I can be your, be your . . . mirror</font>
<font color=#800080>It's a long, long get away</font>
<font size=1><font color=191970>... little by little... every day... like Jesus... he's changing me...</font></font>
OUR LADY PEACE ~ HAPPINESS
Hear the song</center>