09.19.2019
I remember a time in high school, one of the few math classes I excelled in was geometry. I recall my teacher placing various shapes on a graph, then asking the class to flip those shapes across an axis in our minds, and draw them on the other side.
For some, this was quite the feat. I readily took on the task of drawing the shapes for everyone at my table–– only to be caught by my teacher and told to let them do their own work.
So, I learned very quickly that definition and shape had meaning in my life. This further expanded into my abilities as a dancer and artist. By the time I was 12, I could watch my dance teacher “mark” a combination in class with her hands, picture it in my head–– then do it.
The concept of lines always fascinated me, as I worked to perfect my skills as an artist. A couple of months ago, I was drawing a mandala. For those unfamiliar, a mandala is typically a Buddhist radial and symmetrical design that is drawn in sand, included with paint, then brushed away, and let go in a river. I choose to draw them with fine point black ink pens, and can spend up to 12 hours creating them.
While I was drawing this particular mandala, it hit me: I realized that what I was truly doing was connecting aspects of my inner being to understand Hashem via my artwork.
I’ll share a secret with you: I first began learning about Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism about a year ago. Before this time, I knew very little about my Judaism.
Kabbalah has taught me that there are sacred forms of universal patterns. This is known as the concept of Sacred Geometry. The most concise way of observing these patterns in Kabbalah is through the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is used in Judaism to understand Hashem and the manner in which he created the world.
Each of these connections in the Tree of Life are special. With all of them together, they depict the name of God. Furthermore, each connection aligns to specific energy within the human body.
I have begun to explore the way the tree of life has informed my artwork, by looking into it’s expansion in the form of the Flower of Life.
Following the symmetry of the Tree of Life, and expanding outward as I do with my mandalas–– the Flower of Life is born. It is said to mimic the structure of crystallized water. Considering water is what first gave life to this earth, you can see why these shapes are crucial to Judaism.
What lesson is there to be learned from my exploration of mandalas and Kabbalah?
Many people struggle in life without finding peace and discovering their true purpose, because they fail to see their personal connection to Hashem.
Discovering that my art has a deeper meaning has shifted my thinking to now relate to Hashem on a personal level. I want to encourage each of you to consider this: The Flower of Life is charged with the energy of creation–– which manifests in the way it is interwoven to show this geometry.
I want you to observe The Flower of Life for a moment: Think about the ways in which the magic energy of creation can not only connect us closer to Hashem, but additionally make us closer to others in the world.
The symmetry in The Flower of Life is the same symmetry many of us are seeking to find in our lives. We look for ways to ‘balance’ everything that we do.
I see this as a way to step back for a moment, and forget all of the tasks I’m trying to accomplish throughout the week. Instead, I can look at it and tell myself: ‘I AM whole, I AM balanced, and I AM complete in the eyes of HaShem.’
the flower of life:
the tree of life:
