ORIGINAL, MOUSE-DRAWN MINI MANDALAS by CAROLINE HOFSTEDE
(mouse-over each to find the wisdom hidden within)
(mouse-over each to find the wisdom hidden within)
Acts of Kindness
The best portion of a good man's life are his little, nameless, unremembered acts of
kindness and love.
—William Wordsworth
kindness and love.
—William Wordsworth
Affirmation
My creativity leads me to
truth and love.
—Caroline Hofstede
truth and love.
—Caroline Hofstede
Balance
Periods of wholesome laziness,
after days of energetic effort,
will wonderfully tone up
the mind and body.
—Greenville Kleiser
after days of energetic effort,
will wonderfully tone up
the mind and body.
—Greenville Kleiser
Butterfly Lady
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
—Maya Angelou
—Maya Angelou
Change
When the winds of change blow,
some people build walls and
others build windmills.
—Chinese proverb
some people build walls and
others build windmills.
—Chinese proverb
Compassion
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy,
practice compassion.
—Dalai Lama
If you want to be happy,
practice compassion.
—Dalai Lama
Creation
Giving birth and being born
brings us into the essence of creation, where the human spirit is courageous and bold and the body,
a miracle of wisdom.
—Harriette Hartigan
brings us into the essence of creation, where the human spirit is courageous and bold and the body,
a miracle of wisdom.
—Harriette Hartigan
Cultivation
No thought,
no reflection, no analysis,
no cultivation, no intention;
Let it settle itself.
—The six precepts of Tilpa
no reflection, no analysis,
no cultivation, no intention;
Let it settle itself.
—The six precepts of Tilpa
Dreams
Dreams express
what your soul is telling you.
—Eleni Gabre-Madhin
what your soul is telling you.
—Eleni Gabre-Madhin
Dreamcatcher
Sleep, baby sleep,
whispers spirit of the woods
as big sister weaves a dream net
on a little willow hoop.
—Audrey Osofsky
whispers spirit of the woods
as big sister weaves a dream net
on a little willow hoop.
—Audrey Osofsky
Easter
Easter is meant to be a symbol of
hope, renewal, and new life.
—Janine di Giovanni
hope, renewal, and new life.
—Janine di Giovanni
Emergence
Everyone has inside of him
a piece of good news.
The good news is that you
don't know how great you can be!
—Anne Frank
a piece of good news.
The good news is that you
don't know how great you can be!
—Anne Frank
Endless Inspiration
Change your thoughts, and you change your world.
—Norman Vincent Peale
—Norman Vincent Peale
Endless Love
Whatever our souls are made of,
his and mine are the same.
—Emily Brontë
his and mine are the same.
—Emily Brontë
Enterprise
Start small and start immediately.
—Cal Newport
—Cal Newport
Expectations
A master can tell you what he expects of you.
A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations.
—Patricia Neal
A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations.
—Patricia Neal
Family
Family is not an important thing.
It's everything.
—Michael J. Fox
It's everything.
—Michael J. Fox
Flower of Light
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot
live without love.
—Max Muller
live without love.
—Max Muller
Friendship
Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words.
—George Eliot
—George Eliot
Ganesha
Oh god with a curved trunk,
the large body whose aura is like a light of many suns, please make my entire work obstacle-free, forever.
—Vakratunda Ganesh Mantra
the large body whose aura is like a light of many suns, please make my entire work obstacle-free, forever.
—Vakratunda Ganesh Mantra
Gratitude
Gratitude is
the memory of the heart.
—Jean-Baptiste Massieu
the memory of the heart.
—Jean-Baptiste Massieu
Grief
The grief that does not speak,
whispers in the overwrought heart
and bids it to break.
—William Shakespeare
whispers in the overwrought heart
and bids it to break.
—William Shakespeare
Guardian Angel
All God's angels come to us disguised.
—James Russell Lowell
—James Russell Lowell
Happiness
Be. Realize that true happiness
lies within you.
—Og Mandino
lies within you.
—Og Mandino
Harmony in Friendship
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
—Marcel Proust
—Marcel Proust
Healing Flower
The soul always knows
what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.
—Caroline Myss
what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.
—Caroline Myss
Healing Tree
. . . the leaves of the tree
are for the healing of the nations.
—Revelation 22:1-5
are for the healing of the nations.
—Revelation 22:1-5
Horse & Bird
One reason why birds and horses
are not unhappy is because
they are not trying to impress
other birds and horses.
—Dale Carnegie
are not unhappy is because
they are not trying to impress
other birds and horses.
—Dale Carnegie
Imagine
Imagination is the highest kite
one can fly.
—Lauren Bacall
one can fly.
—Lauren Bacall
Inner Child
The secret of genius is to carry
the spirit of the child into old age,
which mean never losing
your enthusiasm
—Aldous Huxley
the spirit of the child into old age,
which mean never losing
your enthusiasm
—Aldous Huxley
Journey
The journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step.
—Lao Tzu
begins with one step.
—Lao Tzu
Kindness
Be kind whenever possible.
It is always possible.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
It is always possible.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Liberation
And the day came when the risk
it took to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the
risk it took to blossom.
—Anaïs Nin
it took to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the
risk it took to blossom.
—Anaïs Nin
Loneliness
What a lovely surprise to discover
how unlonely being alone can be.
—Ellen Burstyn
how unlonely being alone can be.
—Ellen Burstyn
Look Within
All the wonders you seek
are within yourself.
—Thomas Browne
are within yourself.
—Thomas Browne
Love
Romantic love is the source
of the most intense delights
that life has to offer.
—Bertrand Russell
of the most intense delights
that life has to offer.
—Bertrand Russell
Love Bond
We are, each of us,
angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly
by embracing one another.
—Lucian de Crescenzo
angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly
by embracing one another.
—Lucian de Crescenzo
Luck
It’s hard to detect good luck.
It looks so much like something you’ve earned.
—Frank A. Clark
It looks so much like something you’ve earned.
—Frank A. Clark
Marble
Man cannot remake himself
without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.
—Alexis Carrel
without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.
—Alexis Carrel
Meaningful Moments
Life is not measured by the
number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that
take our breath away.
—Vicki Corona
number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that
take our breath away.
—Vicki Corona
Messenger
Those who keep
speaking about the sun
while walking under a cloudy sky
are messengers of hope.
—Henri Nouwen
speaking about the sun
while walking under a cloudy sky
are messengers of hope.
—Henri Nouwen
Miracles
The most wonderful thing
about miracles is that
they sometimes happen.
—G. K. Chesterson
about miracles is that
they sometimes happen.
—G. K. Chesterson
New Beginning
The beginning is always today.
—Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
—Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Painful
There are wounds
that never show on the body
that are deeper and more hurtful
than anything that bleeds.
—Laurell K. Hamilton
that never show on the body
that are deeper and more hurtful
than anything that bleeds.
—Laurell K. Hamilton
Passion for Freedom
When I discover who I am,
I'll be free.
—Ralph Ellison
I'll be free.
—Ralph Ellison
Patience
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are
your greatest treasures.
—Lao Tzu
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are
your greatest treasures.
—Lao Tzu
Peace
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.
—Dalai Lama
—Dalai Lama
Peaceful Thoughts
Nurture your soul
with positive thoughts and
internal happiness will blossom
before your eyes.
—Melanie Koulouris
with positive thoughts and
internal happiness will blossom
before your eyes.
—Melanie Koulouris
Pisces
We Pisceans know how to swim without water.
—Munia Khan
—Munia Khan
Protection
Leap, and the net will appear.
—John Burroughs
—John Burroughs
Puzzle
If you are curious,
you'll find the puzzles around you.
If you are determined,
you will solve them.
—Erno Rubik
you'll find the puzzles around you.
If you are determined,
you will solve them.
—Erno Rubik
Rainbows
Today’s teardrops
are tomorrow’s rainbows.
—Ricky Nelson
are tomorrow’s rainbows.
—Ricky Nelson
Reflections
The world you see outside of you
will always be a reflection
of what you have inside of you.
—Cory Booker
will always be a reflection
of what you have inside of you.
—Cory Booker
Remember
There are memories that
time does not erase.
—Cassandra Clare
time does not erase.
—Cassandra Clare
Sea Dance
Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free.
—Christy Ann Martine
—Christy Ann Martine
Silence
When the wisdom speaks,
be silent.
Do not waste your candle
when the sun is there.
—Mehmet Murat Ildan
be silent.
Do not waste your candle
when the sun is there.
—Mehmet Murat Ildan
Simplicity
Few desires, happy life.
—Moroccan proverb
—Moroccan proverb
Snow Angel
The snow is crisp.
The stars are bright.
I spread my arms and I take flight.
—Christy Ann Martine
The stars are bright.
I spread my arms and I take flight.
—Christy Ann Martine
Source
Everything is full and pure
at its source and precisely there,
not outside.
—Meister Eckhart
at its source and precisely there,
not outside.
—Meister Eckhart
Spiritual
Happiness is spiritual,
born of truth and love.
—Mary Baker Eddy
born of truth and love.
—Mary Baker Eddy
Spring
Spring has returned.
The Earth is like a child
that knows poems.
—Rainer Maria Rilke
The Earth is like a child
that knows poems.
—Rainer Maria Rilke
Summer
O, Sunlight!
The most precious gold
to be found on Earth.
—Roman Payne
The most precious gold
to be found on Earth.
—Roman Payne
Sunflower
Bring me the sunflower
crazed with the love of light.
—Eugenio Montale
crazed with the love of light.
—Eugenio Montale
Time
There is no grief
which time does not
lessen and soften.
—Cicero
which time does not
lessen and soften.
—Cicero
Travel
Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart.
—Confucius
go with all your heart.
—Confucius
Treasures
The greatest treasures
are those invisible to the eye
but found by the heart.
—Judy Garland
are those invisible to the eye
but found by the heart.
—Judy Garland
Walking Together
If you want to walk fast,
walk alone.
But If you want to walk far,
walk together.
—Ratan Tata
walk alone.
But If you want to walk far,
walk together.
—Ratan Tata
Water
If there is magic on this planet,
it is contained in water.
—Loren Eiseley
it is contained in water.
—Loren Eiseley
Window of Life
A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a
caring, sharing person inside.
—Denis Waitley
caring, sharing person inside.
—Denis Waitley
Winter
Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.
—Victor Hugo
—Victor Hugo
Wishing Upon a Star
Sometimes while gazing at the night's sky, I imagine stars looking down making wishes on the brightest of us.
—Richelle E. Goodrich
—Richelle E. Goodrich
Music is “Watermark” by Enya, 1988.