The flow state is a way of surrendering and trusting the benevolent forces of Life. It’s surprising that we don’t spend more time here, as it’s an amazing, creative place to be—magical and peaceful, yet brimming with potential. Flow is a state that’s readily accessible through any activity that captures your effortless focus, such as meditation, dancing, painting, or even taking a shower!
                                                                               Colette Baron-Reid
                                                           The Dream Weaver's Oracle card:
                                                           If the River Flows This Way

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 Aligning with Wisdom,
within mind, body, and spirit,
with the natural rhythms in nature,
and  with the Great Mandala.

The mandala archetype for this month is Flow.

It's been fun, illuminating, and surprising to explore Flow and all the ways it supports
aligning with wisdom:
Your wisdom--mind, body, and spirit--by listening to your inner guidance and finding joy, peace, and wonder.
How is your wisdom calling you
to embrace Flow?

This Co-Creative Mandala from a photograph of Japanese anemone (symbolizes transition) is associated with the solar plexus, heart, and crown chakras. It invites us to discover Divine order in the chaos. This is the time for Aligning with Wisdom...the natural, effortless, joyful, inter-connectedness of all things. Remember, you don't have to work so hard. This mandala invites us to find extraordinary meaning and purpose in our ordinary, everyday experiences. Slow down and allow your heart and mind to take in all of your life’s wonders by letting those simple moments fill you with joy, peace, and awe. Let your inner squirrel out to play!

Happy August!

What a time to be alive! Sometimes scary, unsettling, destabilizing--yes; meant to shake us up and reorganize us from the inside out, as any great spiritual transformation does.

August has been quite an interesting month energetically, astrologically, and seasonally-with the shift in seasonal energy, post-full moon, lion’s gate, mercury going direct and all of the other crazy things the planets are doing.

Individually and collectively, we’ve been saying for decades that we’re living in a time of great evolutionary shift–what we often call the "breakdown for the breakthrough". We are definitely in the midst of that shift.

There are times when it’s hard to see the forest for the trees, and others when it’s painstakingly obvious that change is the only constant in our lives. For many, this is one of those times. I know it is for me. I'm not big lover of change, even when the change is my idea.

Last week’s new moon brought me a moment of clarity I didn’t know I needed.

For quite some time I've been pulling  Co-Creative Mandalas oracle cards as part of my daily routine of asking "What do I need to know today?",  which is designed to help me Align with Wisdom,  tune into my soul driven purpose, and synchronize with the rhythms of nature as the season begins to shift.
 
And as I sat with the card I pulled, the Heart Chakra, it reminded me that love flows to, through, and as me.  I suddenly felt something inside me soften.

Because what I realized is:

There’s a fear I’ve been carrying – a fear that things might not work out, a fear that maybe I’m not enough, a fear that I'm all alone, a fear that I can't trust my inner guidance.
 
But what the card showed me was I don’t have to hold this anymore.
 
I can step out of the endless loop of fear thinking. I can release the grip on trying to control things – trying to figure it all out, trying to force the path forward, trying to do it all on my own.

I can let go of the pressure to create the perfect plan or have everything figured out.

I can choose trust.

I can allow room for surprises, unexpected opportunities, and new experiences. I can stay grounded — not to bypass the my suffering or the suffering of the world, but to meet it with clarity, presence, and power.
 
That shift has been a main theme for me this year and a huge part of my own summer growth: the shift from trying to control everything … to learning how to trust, learning how to go with the Flow and make peace...with my fears.

By allowing things to unfold I realize my journey doesn't require force.

It asks for faith.

That’s the invitation of this time of year — and my  deep soul work of this season:

To listen closely for what’s being revealed from within, from the Universe, and from nature.

This is the time to receive the clarity that’s ready to shine through, to   trust that everything is unfolding in its own wild, wise timing.

Maybe because, here in Colorado, we've had stretches of hot weather and the garden is still abundant while at the same time it's slowing down, I’ve found myself in a place of also slowing down and taking in the spaciousness and stillness of this time.  Overall, the energy has been calling me to be even more present. It's been reminding me how important Flow is.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the positive psychologist credited with having popularized the concept of Flow, offered a definition for the mental state of being ‘in Flow’ in his interview with Wired magazine.

…being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved...

I've also noticed that anchoring into the truth that presence and the stillness of Flow are safe and okay… I’ve discovered a deeper level of connection than ever before.  This is really the only place I want to be– right here. Flow is a state of joy, creativity and total involvement. Our problems disappear, and there’s a feeling of transcendence.

This connection feels very purposeful. It’s focused but not rushed. It’s exciting and very grounded.

When we finally feel safe enough to pause, to breathe, to receive - that’s when our soul-driven purpose comes alive.

That's when we align with our inner wisdom, the wisdom of nature, and Divine wisdom.

Every spiritual tradition has its own way of naming the sacred space of Flow…

The Buddhists call it emptiness, or the void.

Depth psychologists speak of the essential Self.

The Taoists know it as the flow in the natural world, or the Way.

No matter the name, this is our sacred purpose and our true nature. We all carry this sacred space inside us, but too often we forget that it’s always available to us, waiting to be accessed.

Do you remember when you were a kid and everything around you was a curiosity and delight to be explored? I'm discovering this is the attitude that allows the expansive energy of Flow. This means honoring, then letting go of the fear that comes from past ideas, beliefs, and stories I tell myself that have held me back from being open to Aligning with Wisdom and living my soul driven purpose.

Sometimes it's easier just to go back to the way things were, even if that fights with my sincere intention to change. Self-love, self-forgiveness, and radical self-acceptance are key. And remembering as Louise Hay often said, " Life loves you".

I believe we're being called to live as if today is the first day, from a “both/and” and heart-centered perspective. This is where Flow and the true magic of our co-creative partnership with nature and the Universe is revealed.

Feelings of inner peace, joy, and well-being are associated with Flow. In many indigenous cultures, humor, laughter and love are considered medicines for the heart that Flow invites us to express. 

I recently completed an online course in which I learned about late cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien's  (1940-2014) Four Rivers of Life: The Rivers of Inspiration, Challenge, Surprise, and Love. 

According the Arrien, many traditional societies believe that these rivers sustain and support us. They remind us of Flow in our lives, support Aligning with Wisdom, and connect us to something bigger than we are. The magic happens when you let yourself Flow through each of the rivers, instead of trying to force the river, or avoid the obstacles, or swim up stream.

I think the lack of stimulation allows us to hear and experience a deeper river that's constant, still, vibrant,and real.
                                                                                     Angeles Arrien
                                                 Excerpted from The Second Half of Life:
                                                 Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom

Noticing Flow can be as easy as investing attention when it's happening, rather than taking Flow for granted.

For decades, many of us have noticed and journaled about what we're grateful for. So keeping a daily journal that tracks the moments of Flow that we're blessed to encounter and experience throughout the day may seem familiar. Mindfulness, spiritual practices, and  a daily ritual of tracking Flow can have such profound spiritual effect on our life,  help  restore our center, and invite us to remember what really matters.

These moments aren’t just pleasant little joys meant to enchant us (although that's important, too); they are spiritual medicine. They pull us away from the busy mind and its relentless chatter, the fear, the need to force. They land us back in the body where we can  reclaim our power to remember our Wholeness.
                                                                                 Cheryl Richardson
                                                                          From a Facebook Post

Perspective is everything. We have an opportunity to find peace and power in Flow by changing our minds, shifting our attention and intentions, and trusting ourselves, the Universe, and nature to guide us.

I believe many of us are being called to the power and magic of Flow. Because of this, in the midst of all that's happening, I trust the veil of fear and separation is lifting. Individually and collectively, we're piercing through it. I trust enough of us are awakening to this new consciousness, one that activates the gifts and capacities in each of us–an orientation towards remembering our Wholeness; an anchoring of inter-being and radical love; an Aligning with Wisdom.

We are the ones we've been waiting for...

Wishing you the joy of discovering many moments of Flow as the rest of the summer and the changing seasons unfold.

Blessings of love and light,

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 Aligning with Wisdom,
within ourselves,
with the natural rhythms in nature,
and  with the Great Mandala.

Welcome to August!

Can you feel the change in the seasonal energy? Even though the summer light is still bright, can you feel something deeper is starting to emerge?

This is your invitation to pause, reflect, and honor your journey toward aligning with wisdom so for this year.

August 1st was Lughnasadh (loo-nuh-suh), the sacred Celtic celebration of first harvest of the year, marks the midpoint between summer solstice and autumn equinox. It's the moment the Great Mandala begins to tip slowly toward the dark — even while we're still standing in the golden light of summer and as we  gather the fruits of all we’ve been nurturing — not just in our gardens, but in our lives and our souls.

Lughnasadh isn't a single moment — it’s a seasonal energy you can connect with not only on the 1st, but also all weekend, and in the days ahead.

It’s a time to pause.

To reflect.

 As summer begins to wind down, August invites you to ground, pause, reflect, and begin the process of gathering in the fruits of all the effort, tending, and intentional care you’ve given to your life during the high energy summer months.

This sacred seasonal holiday invites you to:

  >Celebrate the seeds you’ve planted
  >Trust the work you’ve done
  >And allow the harvest to ripen in its own time

Sometimes, particularly when I feel stuck, I feel the pressure to harvest. To be productive. To show my worthiness.

But what if, like mine,  your growth doesn’t look like a lush, golden field right now?

What if the harvest is quieter… smaller… more internal?

That’s the deeper truth I’m sitting with this week:

That Lughnasadh isn’t just about abundance and harvesting. It’s about honesty.

And it's about the courage to see with compassion what’s growing — and what isn’t.

And, to trust that growth doesn’t have to be forced. As Ram Dass said, "you can't tear the skin off a snake". Just like the snake molts at its own pace, spiritual growth happens when we allow it to unfold naturally.

Sometimes the most sacred work you can do is to step back, breathe, and let your life ripen on its own and surrender to divine timing.

When life starts to feel too frenetic, when you feel like you're pushing against the current rather than being in the Flow (Co-Creative Mandala archetype for August), how do you come back to center? What are the basic elements of self-care that keep you grounded, rested, and healthy?

Genuine self-care isn’t about putting yourself above others or pushing yourself when it's time for stillness; it’s about nourishing yourself so you're not always operating from a place of depletion and exhaustion. When we prioritize activities that help us rest, heal, and regulate, we expand our capacity to move through this season with intention and grace and be fully present in our own lives and the lives of those we love.

Resting in the peace and presence of the Divine, the world beyond the physical and brings a feeling of serenity and calm that we can carry with us.

As you pause and reflect, here are questions to ask yourself right now:

-Where am I still holding onto unrealistic expectations of myself?

-What growth am I not acknowledging because it feels too small to celebrate?

-Where do I need to trust divine timing — and let go of forcing the outcome?

-What am I proud of, even if no one else can see it?

Co-Creative Mandalas can be your companion through this powerful season of pausing and reflecting. We invite you to find ways to flourish! This month’s oracle card reading focuses on nourishing the body, mind, and spirit and restoring balance as the season shifts.

When I sit down to do these readings, I ask Spirit to show us where there is Flow and to reveal a map that helps us navigate our lives with hope, clarity, and intention as we align with wisdom.

This Co-Creative Mandalas Oracle three card reading for the collective taps  into the energy of the month so we can navigate the weeks ahead with grace and ease and to help us reconnect with our path, align with wisdom and our soul-driven purpose, and open up to the abundance and hope Spirit has waiting for us.

This card reading supports you to Align with Wisdom, receive guidance as you grow into your next chapter, and discover new ways to bring Flow into your life. Come back to this reading whenever you’re feeling stuck, seeking clarity, or when you're ready to Align with Wisdom--within, in nature, and with the Universe.

Include these self-care questions as part of the reading:

~How will I show gratitude for what’s ripening in my life?
~How will I give myself recognition for what I've weathered this year?
~How will I celebrate the harvest that’s already begun — even if it’s small, quiet, slow, or deeply internal?

Before I drew the cards, I asked:

What do we/you/I need to know about Aligning with Wisdom in August?

The first card, the Focus Card, reveals what you are called to cultivate and expand.

FULFILLMENT:
This mandala is from a photograph of blue pansy (symbolizes reflection) and is associated with the solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown chakras.

Mandala Message:
The fulfillment of what you envisioned in January is on its way. By listening to your inner guidance and paying attention to your vision you're co-creating the best possible outcomes for yourself and others.

Possible barriers to honor and clear:
Are you holding on to grief or loss? Do you doubt your intuition or your vision or the support that the Universe offers you? Do you think you have to do it all by yourself?

Affirmation:
I trust my inner and outer resources. I open my heart to receive. I'm happy, fulfilled, and connected.

The 2nd card supports the Focus Card.

What are we/you/I ready to receive that supports Aligning with Wisdom?

SACRAL CHAKRA:
This mandala from a photograph of marigold (symbolizes creativity) is also associated with the root and solar plexus chakras.

Mandala message:
Your energies of passion, self-care, and creativity are balanced and flowing freely. You're going with Flow, have the confidence to take risks, and the patience to explore new, creative ways to express your soul-driven purpose. You freely embrace the gifts that make your life worth living.

Possible barriers to honor and clear:
Does your energy feel blocked? Do you lack focus? Are you feeling stuck?  Are you afraid to take risks? Do you love and accept all parts of your mind, body, and spirit?

Affirmation:
I nurture myself and allow creativity to flow. I love life, my body, mind, and spirit. I welcome the experiences my journey offers.

The 3rd card supports our next steps.

What action step can we take that supports Aligning with Wisdom during Lughnasadh, throughout August and beyond?

WHOLENESS:
This mandala is from a photograph of purple verbena (symbolizes spiritual growth) and is associated with the solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown chakras.

Mandala Message:
This is the time for increased personal power and speaking your truth. You are tapping into your inner strengths, loving yourself, and listening to guidance. By acknowledging your inner resources and welcoming the support from the Universe you are co-creating the life you envision.

Possible barriers to honor and clear:
Do you see the truth of your power and presence? Are you giving away your power? Do you believe that someone or something is in control of your well-being? Are you doubting yourself because of past mistakes?

Affirmation:
I am whole and complete, powerful and strong I trust myself and I trust the Universe.

Allow the messages from this reading guide you back to a steadier rhythm, one that makes room for more clarity, calm, and choice in how you move through each day, and how you'll move through the season ahead.

Take your time—this reading is available for you to return to for support whenever you're ready to align with your wisdom, with the wisdom of nature, and divine wisdom.

During Lughnasadh,  and throughout the upcoming season, remember:

You don’t have to rush. Take your cues from nature: Growth takes time.

You don’t have to be finished. You are allowed to celebrate your becoming.

Be proud of how far you’ve come — even if it's a zig-zag path. The work you’re doing is always worthy of recognition.

With blessings of love and light,