Mendhi Project Part 2: Reflections

It is really important to me that I journal reflections about my experiences. In going over these I have noticed that I do not remember what I would have liked so I plan to do this with more frequency.





Zeek was my first victim. I got the message for a lot of fire and arrows and expansiveness. It was a nice experience. We sat in the sun by the beach. May 11. I received the message, "One Eye Open, One Eye Closed."



Later that day I did Gary's hand. He is much more sensitive and the drawing came out more dreamy and expressive. Some sort of fish that is also a submarine.


Josephine's wrist was an interesting experience. I felt like her body was asking me to lay the lines down in a particular way. When I was halfway done, she exclaimed, "Gosh Dre, it looks like one of MY drawings." Her body was pretty specific.


Carly's ankle was the start of my experiences being more prayerful. As I worked we didn't really talk, and my prayer at the beginning was powerful. I felt her spirit guides as well as mine. I noticed particularly that some things that I wanted to do I was asked not to do. I was asked to leave the design open. The big flower on the ankle is looking over the little flowers and that was important for some reason. She is either the large flower herself or being looked out for by this 'big mama' flower (that's what it is called) or both.



Renee's experience was interesting because I don't know her as well. The design started out more quaint and ended up being rather psychedelic.



Ellen, who is one of my closest friends. I thought the design would be crazy but the body asked for something traditionalish. I was also asked to write "Ma".



The experience with Nicole was intense. Her body literally displayed the line for me and all I did was trace it. She told me she asked her body for clarity. As I did this one my whole body was lit up and vibrating. We worked on her right (masculine) side. I am very interested in healing the masculine in order to heal the feminine. The act of creating this was very methodical and focused.




I worked around Jasmine's tattoo. Again, the skin showed me what to do. The patterns were so different. The speed as well. The creation was more frantic.

Mendhi Project

I have taken on a new project. A new inquiry into the healing of the divine feminine that combines some pertinent aspects of my life.

Background:

As an artist, I have struggled over the past few years with the idea of 'object making'. As life is inherently transient and full of change, how logical is it to create something that exists stiffly in time. I understand that having a beautiful painting in the living room and being with it daily can be a powerful transformational experience. However it is still a challenge to know what a burden 'stuff' can be. And I felt funny about adding more 'stuff' to our material world. Thus I switched to digital artwork. Which I am extremely grateful for because it has informed my pattern making and my brain in terms of knowing how to explore potential. Which I don't think I could have done on the earth realm. However I don't care for working away from the earth. I missed the act of having supplies and being in relationship with them. I missed creating things with my hands.

Starting in February I became a teacher of Yoga Nidra. I have kept this teaching practice twice per week for the past 3-4 months. Through this practice the act of release and letting more powerful forces 'work through me' has become increasingly more important. I have started to communicate sincerely and directly with my guides and give up my labors to a higher purpose. This non-attachment to outcome is also a key element of the practice of Karma yoga, which happens to be the focus of my practice this year living at the Kripalu Center. So as I relenquish control, I have started to notice an astonishing power of healing that moves through me and not from me. Many people have experienced profound healing with me, but I didn't 'heal' per se, I simply held the space to enable it to happen.

In April I received an interesting attunement that seems to complement this established yoga nidra practice. I attended a weekend program with Sri Raniji and she and her assistants gave me heart blessings all weekend long. This was the point where I felt my communication with spirit become more clear. I also have an easier time living from my heart since this experience.

A couple of weeks ago I went to see one of my favorite teachers Jeff Triplat. One of the main ideas I have received from his teachings over the past nine months is that light comes from darkness. That a reawakening of the divine femine is COMING and coming from a deep scarring of the divine feminine that exists currently. All false constructs are currently breaking down and we are moving into a period of peace. I, in my own small way, am going to be facilitating this healing as well. This is important to me.

The large connector to all of this that around the time of the heart attunement in April I became aquainted more clearly with a spirit who is telling me that in order to heal the feminine pain in my lineage and in the world, I need to make art about it. She was pretty emphatic. So I have been asking for a lot of guidance on the way in which I am supposed to do this. Or, in the latest words I have been borrowing from Jeff, "Let me know what it is I can do to bring about heaven on earth." And it has been coming to me with rapidly accelerating clarity since the beginning of May. It wants me to work with an ancient feminine art form, henna, and channel healing energy to body parts in the form of these unique and sacred imprints. I don't quite understand it yet, but I wake up with an incredible sense of purpose since I have started this practice. When I am not hennaing I think about hennaing. I am ordering nicer materials and researching techniques. Finding more about this seemingly alchemical and personal art form.