Karen Karn

I saw this in my Instagram feed this morning. minimalismfilm.com I don't know, either. I read somewhere that it's perfectly natural to want. As a species we are evolving, and part of evolution is to strive to achieve something more than that which lies within our immediate grasp. From the beaks of finches to fiscal ambitions, it's all about becoming better, adapting to achieve success. I understand that Joshua Becker and Ryan Nicodemus and the new minimalists are talking about mindless consumerism, the incessant desire to fill the God-shaped hole with something that bears no resemblance to God, material goods such as the latest iPhone, a new dining set or this season's handbag/haircut/shoes. I understand that The Minimalists , who I admire greatly, have been at the top of the corporate ladder, surrounded by all their material possessions and found the hole even more gaping. Aside from manic over consumerism, to want isn't always a mindless exercise. ...

My friend posted a link to a this image via 100Mandala.org's facebook page. I like those 30 day challenges and I love mandalas, so I signed up for the newsletter and started doodling. That was just a few days ago, but I'm already realising that I'd like to know more about mandalas. I went to Wikipedia  and came across this: Carl Jung's first mandala. Already a fan of Jung, I was surprised to find that he was responsible for bringing mandalas to the western world. Carl Jung refers to the mandala as “the psychological expression of the totality of the self.” I realise this is going to something splendid. I'm not going to get too involved in the deep spiritual and psychological aspects of drawing the sacred circle. I want to stay free and explore on my own terms. I know that I will explore more deeply later, but I have the whole year to get what I need to out of this project. For example, today, I just played around with PatternPie. ...