Let me start by saying that the more I allow myself to be creative to easier I find running my business. I appreciate that you may find this to be a bold statement. However I’ve experienced this first hand, and I can directly compare this with a business I used to run where I ‘didn’t have time’ to be creative, and the one I run now where being creative is an essential part of my daily life.
During my old none creative ways, I found growing my business very hard. Nothing ever just flowed for me, and if I wanted something, there was always a fight and numerous challenges to tackle. Working in this way gets quite tiring after a while.
As the Magickal Creatrix, I make a point of doing something creative every day. Whether it’s for my business or for myself, it doesn’t matter. And each time I do this I experience a feeling of calm, reduced stress, greater problem-solving abilities and an abundance of ideas!
So can being more creative help your business grow? Well, I believe that creativity helps personal growth and business growth is impossible without personal growth. I am therefore more than happy to stick my neck on the line and say YES!
My creative journey started a little before The Magickal Creatrix although the two are very closely connected. I actually stated with adult colouring books and the release I felt dedicating colouring time to myself each week was amazing. I then wanted to take it further, and Mandala art came onto my radar, and I began by copying pictures from the internet and watching YouTube tutorials. And bingo, now I show others how to do it too.
Mandala art is something I know that everyone can do but before I get into that let’s take a look at what mandala art is.
What is Mandala Art?
Here’s an example of some of my own Mandala art. Looks complicated right? Wrong! It’s actually much easier to do than you might think.
The word Mandala comes from an ancient Sanskrit word which loosely translates to ‘circle’.
The Tibetan Buddhists describe a Mandala as “An integrated structure organised around a unifying centre” and in this tradition, the Mandala is used to assist spiritual meditation and is considered to be a diagram of the cosmos. However, Mandala art isn’t just limited to one faith or belief system. It turns up all over the globe all through time and within many different cultures.
Mandalas have been associated with Hindu, Tibetan and Buddhist artwork. You will also see the influence in the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals, Native American dream catchers, labyrinths, aboriginal art and Aztec sunstones.
The Native Americans use the sacred circle shape as part of their ceremonial practices and rituals as well as in their dancing with the fire being the central point. The Mandala is also seen as a shield of protection, the Medicine Wheel and Dream Catches. And The Navajo also create sand Mandalas in sacred rituals similar to those of the Tibetan Monks.
During the early 20th Century, Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung noticed that the making of mandala art in many cultures was used to assist healing. And in his book, Man and His Symbols (1968) he focused on how creating art in this way could “restore a previously existing order.”
The Structure
A mandala is a design which radiates outward from a central point surrounded by other repeating and symmetrical shapes, colours and design elements. This structure is what gives it a meditative effect as the repetition of the design slows the mind allowing thoughts to collect in a more ordered manner.
The benefits of Mandala Art
Creating Mandalas has actually been proven to have a lot of health and wellbeing benefits.
Here’s a list of some of them:
– Slow your mind
– Quiet your thoughts and emotions
– Help you feel calmer and more in control
– Vaise your mood and vibration
– Make meditation easier or be used as a mediation alternative
– Reduce stress and lower blood pressure
– Generate good health and well-being
– Allow you to ground and centre yourself
– Increase concentration and focus in other areas of your life
– Boost creativity
– Aid problem-solving abilities
– Connect with your spiritual guides and helpers
– Create a sense of creative achievement and enjoyment
– Overcome blocks and move away from bad habits
– Create balance and harmony between the body and mind
– Open the heart chakra
– Promote spiritual and personal development
So what does this mean for your business growth?
Let’s take a closer look at a couple of the benefits.
Slow the mind – I don’t know about you but being a business owner creates a hectic mind. There’s stuff flying around in there 24-7. If we stay in this state for too long, we start to show signs of stress or overwhelm. Slowing the mind has so many benefits when working in your business and essential if burnout is a risk factor for you.
Aid in problem solving abilities – If you want to grow you need a solution to no growth. If you’re going to build a big successful business, then you need a solution to staying still or just ‘ticking over’. These are not problems as such, but they require a good set of problem-solving skills. It’s well documented that mandala art can assist with boosting these skills.
Overcome blocks and move away from bad habits – Blocks and bad habits are regular visitors of the business owner. I know I’ve shifted a few in my time….and will continue to do so. Any sort of block is frustrating but connecting with your creative side can limit how long you remain blocked for.
Want to give Mandala art a go?
I’ve got the perfect way for you to get started. My FREE Summer Mandala Online Tutorial. Here I take you step by step to draw a summer themed mandala just like the one in the picture below.
To get instant free access just click the link above.
BIO
Sarah Cornforth is the owner of The Magickal Creatrix. Sarah began creating art as a form of personal and spiritual development, and now she produces and sells her original works. Her art is guided by her interest in the esoteric, occult and ancient origins and she prides herself on bringing a unique touch of magick to her work.
To find out more about Sarah:
Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themagickalcreatrix
Visit her website: http://www.themagickcalcreatrix.com
Check out her Etsy Emporium: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheMagickalCreatrix
And you can also find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_magickal_creatrix/
