day three: create - circle up

Have you ever seen a mandala? We recently stumbled upon a bright photo of a Buddhist monk crafting one, and it piqued our interest!

In certain circles, mandalas are symbolic diagrams created as a means of meditation. Some use colored sand or stone to craft intricate designs, others use found objects from the natural world, and still more craft them on paper with varying shades.

No matter the medium, the act of creating one can leave us feeling centered and energized. Finding a “flow” in crafting repeated designs can help calm our minds as we focus our hands.

Today, we invite you to venture outside (or within your junk drawer) and create a mandala with what you find. You can use paper clips, leaves, pencils--get creative with what you stumble upon!

Once you’re finished, snap a pic and share it with us using #valomaine. We’d love to see what you’ve discovered and created!

Looking for a bit of inspiration? Our friends at Freeport Conservation Trust have been crafting mandalas each day, using found materials. Catch a glimpse here.

If you come along and post a photo and tag @valomaine on Instagram or Facebook, we'll enter you in a raffle to win a prize--like a gift card from our friends at Rosemont Market & Bakery or a year-long subscription from the good folks at Taproot Magazine.

Ready to dive in?

Each evening of valo at home, we'll be sharing an email with the next day's spark of valo inspiration. Simply click here to share your email, and we'll make sure you're looped in! You can also forward this post to a friend and invite them to come along. The more the merrier.