Tuesday morning. The little stitchers have been at it and already have works to show, in just a day.
Today’s a special day….we’re meeting Eleanor at her home, aptly named- Peace Cottage.
Admittedly, we spent a little longer getting to Peace Cottage….we got thoroughly lost getting there. (Thank God for GPS which finally helped us get there!!)
When we finally got to Eleanor’s home; feather’s a little ruffled; the peace and silence almost permeated through us….such calm as we walked through the rooms and corridors!
When it was time to begin, all of us sat on the floor and Eleanor shared with us what was the beginnings of Peace Cottage.
A couple of reflective moments, and a star card each later, Eleanor put together a plan of what we could do for the day.
And so it was decided that we would make Mandalas (Sanskrit: मण्डल Maṇḍala, ‘circle’), which is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point.
And in a moment, the white cloth was being cut for each of us.
Designs were being plotted….
…and an array of colours in the form of thread was put before us. What colour would the center of each of our universes be?
The more pressing question before that though, was how to find the center. And really, it proved to be quite simple. Sometimes, it takes folding to find the center.
And then, the designs began! Each of the kids (the adults too) started creating the center of their universe, in thread. And patterns emerged.
Ofcourse there were moments when the thread got stuck….or a pattern went a bit off course, ideas, got stuck…but with help, these were taken care.
Soon enough….there was work to show for….with quick thinking minds and nimble fingers….the white cloth had a center….and each one’s universe formed…with a little help from those around.
