Sacred Mandalas: Mandala Messages for Aligning with Inner, Nature, and Universal Wisdom have a vibration that anchors, activates specific qualities, and represents something about ourselves, the natural world, and the energy with the Great Mandala at a particular time.

This year each monthly mandala supports Choosing Love’s Presence, our intention for 2026.

The January mandala archetype is Wholeness.

Welcome to the season of Co-Creating Spaciousness:

How are you finding the start to this brand New Year? I hope that the New Year is opening you to a renewed tenderness towards yourself and the world.

I’m hearing about all kinds of experiences from people—some people are excited & feeling replenished; others are telling me they are feeling frazzled and unsure about the year ahead; while some people are tired and overwhelmed after an intense holiday season. 

How are you feeling?

For me I am feeling pretty relaxed half way through January, and in part that's because I have learned to take great care of myself particularly at this time of year.

I’m taking this opportunity to share a bit about the energy January carries and this month’s Oracle Reading for the Collective and how this energy supports a sense of emotional steadiness, clarity, and resilience.

This month marks a new chapter for you, me, and for Co-Creative Mandalas. Moving forward, our monthly Oracle Card Readings for the Collective will be drawn from our new Sacred Mandalas: Mandala Messages for Aligning with Inner, Nature, and Universal Wisdom channeled 48 oracle card deck and guidebook. There are moments in my life when a project chooses me. Sacred Mandalas was definitely one of those projects. It took a lifetime, and two years, of quietly co-creating something that feels both ancient and completely new.  

This project was born from deep listening, shared intention, and a desire to bring us back to the essence of who we truly are. I’m excited to share the wisdom this card deck illuminates within as we explore Choosing Love’s Presence in 2026.

But first, a bit about new beginnings in a new year(or any time).

There’s something magical about fresh starts, isn’t there?

But sometimes all the New Year energy can feel like a bit...much!

IF you’re feeling like everything’s coming at you all at once—and it’s all clamoring for your attention (ambitious goals, heartfelt intentions, long, packed-to-the-rim to do lists, the collective concerns about what’s happening in the world), we have some good news that can shift your perspective.

Along with the impulse to “do it all”, January carries a quiet sense of beginning — a gentle opportunity, an opening into what is ready to unfold.

In numerology, 2026 reduces to a 1 year (2 + 0 + 2 + 6 = 10, and 1 + 0 = 1). One years are about alignment, they are about making choices that support your most expansive self. They invite you to return to yourself and to remember your Wholeness — your connection to Love’s Presence.

Wholeness asks you to look honestly at the deepest truth of who you are. As you move forward into this new year and this new cycle, I invite you to sit with these questions:

What deepest truth am I ready to remember about myself, the world, and the Universe?

Where am I being invited to choose Love’s Presence?

To embody Wholeness is to remember that you are connected to your most expansive self, to nature, and to the Universe—at one with the energy of Love’s Presence that holds you. Being Aligned with Wisdom reminds you that Love’s Presence isn’t something you need to search for; it’s something that moves through you and as you.

There’s a line in A Course in Miracles that says it’s not our task to seek for love. Our task is simply to seek and remove all the barriers that stand against it. So when we create space in our hearts and our minds, we arrive at Love’s Presence. Love’s Presence isn’t “out there” and it’s not going to be here soon. It’s already here. We just have to prepare ourselves to experience that truth within this present moment.

My hope for this year of Choosing Love’s Presence is that we experience more peace — within first, and then it naturally flow to everyone and everything around us. If you long for a more peaceful world, the invitation begins close to home: in your thoughts, your choices, and the way you treat yourself and others.

The work you do on the inside always has an effect on the outside. When you cultivate peace within yourself, that peace quietly reaches your relationships and the spaces you move through. When you act with care, forgiveness, and compassion, you become a living example of what is possible for the world.

The turning of the calendar doesn’t magically change our lives, but it does offer a helpful vantage point. The new year gives us permission to ask the most basic self-compassion question: What do I need? And, then do it. In other words, is there anything you want to do differently, to let go of, or to cultivate so that you remember your Wholeness and embody Love’s Presence?

Typically the old way of starting the New Year is with thinking we need to make resolutions and then rush forward with “new year, new you” enthusiasm or have everything figured out about what we hope the New Year will bring. 

Viewed from a kinder, gentler, and more compassionate place, we can see January as more like a buffer—a space between what has been and what is still forming. A time to slow down just enough to listen and to notice what’s quietly asking to come forward.

I believe that is the energy we’re moving in right now. There's no need to push or force clarity, compassion, or love. Instead it's about creating spaciousness.

That spaciousness is a gentle and compassionate way to make progress. So, even if you’re typically used to pushing and pushing uphill in order to get what you want and reach your goals, that doesn’t have to be the case this month or this year.

That’s where we are now. We’re being called to hold this New Year container with steadiness and allow our journey toward Choosing Love’s Presence to unfold in its own rhythm.

And within that energy, the field of possibilities and potential is open. And there’s a very different quality that comes when we allow, rather than force, something to move from intention into embodiment.

This may be the time you’re ready to bring your gifts to the world. You may decide you want to do something more aligned with your spiritual mission in this lifetime. It's never too late to step into your soul-guided purpose. Your timing is perfect because now, you’re choosing when you step in and move forward.

Follow your intuition and it will lead you to the truth, no racing required.

We invite you to use this month’s Sacred Mandalas Oracle Reading for the collective to help you move gently through this transition from the old to the new, release what’s completing, and listen more deeply to what’s ready to emerge.

Sacred Mandalas can be your companion through this powerful season of co-creating spaciousness. We invite you to find ways to flourish!

This month’s oracle card reading focuses on self-reflection, deep listening, and allowing,  as we experience the transition from what was into what is unfolding.

The reading doesn't predict your future. It can illuminate your deepest truths and shift your perspective.

When I sit down to do these readings, I ask the Universe to show me/us where there is Wholeness in our life and to reveal a map that helps us navigate our lives with hope, clarity, and intention as we choose Love’s Presence and move toward living our soul-guided purpose.

When I draw the oracle cards and I sit with them and intentionally see the colors, the essence, and absorb the mandala meaning, something shifts within. Everything settles. The noise in my head becomes quiet, followed by clarity. I can see truths I may have been too overwhelmed to notice before.

I've noticed that at this time of year, this spaciousness that the Sacred Mandalas illuminates becomes even more powerful.

This card reading supports Choosing Love’s Presence, receiving guidance as you grow into your next chapter, and discovering new ways to bring the magic, mystery and power of Wholeness into your life.

Come back to this reading whenever you’re feeling stuck, seeking clarity, or when you're ready to Choose Love’s Presence--within, in nature, and with the Universe.

Before I drew the cards, I asked:

What do we/you/I need to know about how Wholeness supports Choosing Love’s Presence in January?

The first card, the Focus Card, is selected from the Chakra Suite—Inner Wisdom—and reveals what we are called to cultivate and expand.

This Sacred Mandala is from a photograph of a dahlia. Its Essence, what it symbolizes, is Optimism. It is the solar plexus chakra.

Mandala Message:
Everyone has moments of doubt and insecurity. That's okay. The more you love and accept all parts of yourself, the more confidence you'll have. This is the time to focus your energy on taking charge of your life with determination and courage. Whatever you pursue you have the personal power and resilience to stand strong in the face of adversity. Remember that you can always make a new choice. You have the ability to transform any obstacle when you listen to your intuitive guidance. You decide if you will allow magic into your life.

Sacred Wisdom Journaling Prompts:
1. When do I feel the most confident?
2. What’s holding me back from living with confidence and ease?
3. Why is having an open and balanced solar plexus chakra important to me? 

Affirmations:
I am aligned with my soul-guided purpose. I wholeheartedly believe in myself. I am enough, just as I am.

The 2nd card supports the Focus Card, the allies and helpers who guide use and is selected from the Archangel Suite—Universal Wisdom—cards. 

What guidance are we/you/I ready to receive that supports expanding Confidence as we/you/I move forward toward Choosing Love’s Presence?

This Sacred Mandala brings guidance from Archangel Uriel and is from a photograph of a dahlia. Its Essence, what it symbolizes, is Resilience.

Mandala Message:
This is the moment to call your energy back home. Truth always reveals real connection. That’s the shift. If you’re feeling scattered or overwhelmed, know you haven’t done anything wrong. There's a part of you that’s been waiting your whole life to be chosen — by you! Stay connected to yourself. Now is the time to be honest—not harsh—with yourself. Drop the masks that keep you brilliance hidden. You are not broken. You were never in need of fixing. You don’t have to wait for life to be quiet before you speak your truth. Archangel Uriel offers loving support for being aligned with wisdom.

Sacred Wisdom Journaling Prompts:
1. Where in my life have I been waiting to speak my truth?
2. What does it mean to call my energy back home?
3. How does Archangel Uriel’s presence support me?

Affirmations:
My voice is a sacred expression of my inner wisdom. I speak my truth with confidence, clarity, and grace. Archangel Uriel guides me to stay aligned with wisdom.

The 3rd card supports our next steps toward moving forward toward Choosing Love’s Presence and is selected from the Seasons Suite—Nature Wisdom—cards. 

This Sacred Mandala  brings the energy of the Spring Season and is from a photograph of an Iris. Its Essence, what it symbolizes, is Adaptability.

Mandala Message:
When you are rigid and unyielding, you limit both inner and outer movement. This constriction keeps you trapped in old patterns, beliefs, and habits. For your well-being, just as your body needs to stretch, so do your heart and mind. Now is the time to dance with life and flow with its rhythm. Accept what is. Trust that peace, connection, and grace will come easily when you soften your mind, body, and spirit. Align with the Universe and say "yes" to life’s unfolding.

Sacred Wisdom Journaling Prompts:
1. Where do I need more flexibility in my life?
2. What does dancing with life feel like in my body?
3. How can I more fully say "yes" to life?

Affirmations:
I embrace the flow of life. I am aligned with the Universe. I say "yes" to life. 

As January and this year unfold, and you experience more spaciousness, remember your Wholeness — and remember by Choosing Love’s Presence you are contributing to a more loving and compassionate world.

Wishing you blessings, earthly and Divine, in January and throughout 2026,

If you fulfill the pattern that is peculiar to yourself, you have loved yourself, you have accumulated, you have abundance; you bestow virtue then because you have luster. You radiate; from your abundance something overflows.
                                                                                                     Carl Jung

Co-Creative Mandalas have a vibration that
anchors, activates specific qualities, and
represents something about ourselves,
the natural world, and the energy in the Universe
at a particular time. This year the mandalas support Choosing Love’s Presence within,
with the rhythms in nature,
and with the Great Mandala.

The mandala archetype for this month is Wholeness.

As this new cycle begins, many of us feel the pull to reaffirm and realign with what truly matters
and to step into life with more clarity and intention.   There is a place inside each of us where Love’s Presence, wisdom, and our soul-guided purpose rise naturally.

It's been fun, illuminating, and surprising to explore Wholeness and all the ways it supports
Choosing Love’s Presence.

Love’s Presence within mind, body, and spirit is seen, felt, and experienced by listening to
your inner guidance
and finding joy, peace, and wonder.

How is Wholeness calling you to embrace
Choosing Love’s Presence?

This Co-Creative Mandala--Wholeness—is from photographs of Peruvian lily (symbolizes love), blue spruce and snow (symbolizes spiritual foundations), and dahlia (symbolizes joy) and is associated with all the chakras. This mandala reminds us that we don’t need to strive for Wholeness. We are already whole and complete. When we change our mind about who we think we are, our life changes, our perspective shifts. With compassion and acceptance we welcome all parts of ourselves, those parts that we love, those parts that we don’t, those parts that we embrace, those parts that we reject. Through the lens of Wholeness you can see the deepest truth about yourself.

Happy 2026!
Thank you for being part of the Co-Creative Mandalas community. I’m grateful for you. I trust the New Year will bring more joy, peace, and abundance to you and to the collective.

Before the beginning of a new year, with my spiritual support allies, I reflect on the intention I envision for myself and the collective. The intention arises from a place of fullness, not from a place of lack. It's less about the goals, resolutions, and next steps... and more about the slowing down and grounding into the present moment. That’s when I take a breath. Feel into the upcoming year—not from my mind, but from your body.

This year my intention...and by extension—Co-Creative Mandalas...is Choosing Love’s Presence. Throughout the next 12 months, we’ll explore what Love’s Presence means, what it feels like, its qualities and vibration. We’ll offer inspiration and insights that activate the qualities of Love’s Presence. Our monthly blog and the Sacred Mandalas card reading for the collective are offered as ways to align with the vibration that supports Choosing Love’s Presence.

It may seem odd to you (I know it does to me) that I’m writing the New Year blog about what happened during the past holiday season, but I trust you’ll see how it’s message is perfect for the year ahead. So, please bear with me.

I had a different kind of Christmas this year. The annual—here’s-what-happened-during-the-past-year-update letter wasn’t stuffed in a card, signed, sealed and on it’s way by December 1st. There was no hustling right after Thanksgiving to make a wreath, decorate a tree, and to arrange greens to add beauty inside and outside the house, or to wrap presents. Instead, the usual timeline was pushed back more than once. I just didn’t have the bandwidth to repeat the same decades long traditions. Initially, that bothered me—a lot—and I worried that nothing would get done if I didn’t push myself. Which didn’t give a boost to my bandwidth or self-esteem.

Usually I have a well laid plan for making sure it would be the best Christmas EVER! The holidays are tricky. Memories of wonderful, and not so wonderful Christmases linger. There’s a little girl who still longs for the joy and anticipation of a merry and bright Christmas past, in the loving presence of her grandparents. And, she’s also determined that there won’t be a repeat of the less than happiest holidays.

The idea of not meeting my self-imposed deadlines wasn’t a pleasant thought at first. I don’t think we talk enough about how the holidays change with aging or with life happening. Roles change, friends and family move away, or pass away, unexpected, life changing events happen, leaving us to find a new holiday center. Even if I have the freedom to do what I want—which might be different and the same as traditions and rituals I grew up with, those traditions shift with the changes and challenges that shape every day reality.

The “Hallmark” moments, as seen on TV and in lovely cards, make it seem as though people effortlessly and joyfully glide through the weeks leading up to and including The Day, finding joy, sharing meals, laughter, and beautifully wrapped gifts. But at what cost? I suspect the truth is quite different for many of us. My usual, well-worn strategies for making sure we experienced perfect Hallmark holidays, without dealing with life happening, just didn’t fit anymore.

So, this year, I made it up as I went along.

Second, I appreciated myself for all that I had accomplished. Instead of a “to do” list, at the end of the day, I reflected on and wrote a “ta done” list as a way of celebrating myself and all that I accomplished in a single day. I was often amazed at just how much I’d done that day.

By Christmas Eve, the wreath was hung, the tree decorated, the gifts were wrapped, the popcorn and cranberries were strung and hung, lovely evergreen arrangements graced our home and front door, and a holiday letter and cards were well on the way to their destinations.

Now we’ve crossed that liminal space from the past into the New Year. If there’s anything that I carry forward with my new found Christmas joy it’s remembering to be kind to myself and to let of some things—like self-imposed timelines, rituals and traditions that I no long need to hold on to and don’t serve my most expansive self.

I’m feeling excited and hopeful about 2026. I’m focusing on all the ways I can be kinder to myself and others, and looking for opportunities to support others and myself on our journeys toward positive change both in our lives and in the world.

From my heart to yours...I wish you and those you love a happy, healthy, and abundant New Year.

Blessings of love,light,and joy,