The First Retreat at the New Studio!
All ready….
On a beautiful Saturday last month, a group of fabulous women gathered in my sunny new studio for a day of creativity, mindfulness, and community.
That sentence makes me so happy.
I usually teach dot mandala in two-hour sessions, so offering a full-day retreat felt both exciting and luxurious. There was time to settle in, slow down, teach new techniques, and have a full immersion in dotting.
And I loved the constellation of women who came together around the table. There were past students from different community education classes, a student from a private group I had taught, and a couple of women who were completely new to the art form. Somehow, this mix of women who already knew one another and those meeting for the first time created just the right energy.
It was a good vibe.
The Background Stuff
In preparation for the retreat, I sourced and prepared large natural stones for each participant. I created guidelines and a step-by-step pattern designed to support students as they developed their skills and experienced that wonderful feeling of mastery that comes from learning something new.
I am especially grateful for my training as a master’s-level art therapist, yoga teacher, and practitioner of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. All three inform the way I practice and teach dot mandala, and they remind me that the process is just as important as the finished piece. Here’s my mantra for creating: Show up, be mindful, and don’t attach to the outcome.
The first dot doesn't need to be perfect. Neither does the tenth. Or the hundredth.
When we approach the creative process with curiosity instead of judgment, there’s an organic shift. We become more willing to experiment, notice what we're doing, and relax into the creative process.
It’s also way less stressful.
The Community of Creating Together
The vibe was focused! And happy!
There is something special about painting dot mandala in a group. As we dotted, stories emerged. Conversations were open-hearted and supportive. Sitting together around one table created a natural setting for relaxed conversation, laughter, and connection throughout the day.
One of my favorite things as a dot mandala teacher is watching students share their successes with one another. Someone finally “gets” a technique and leans over to show someone else. The knowledge and encouragement move around the table as naturally as the paint.
And that is one of the things I’ve come to love as my teaching style has developed over time: sometimes the teacher is not the only person doing the teaching.
A Nourishing Pause
GF/Vegan Lunch: fresh rolls with peanut or sweet chili sauces, mango salad, edamame, with mint limeade. Dessert was raspberry sorbet with chocolate almond GF cookies
Of course, no retreat is complete without a good lunch! We took a break from our stones and gathered in the backyard for a nourishing vegetarian meal. I even hired my teenager to be our server for the day! It was such a simple pleasure to step away from the studio and dine al fresco in the garden before returning to our stones.
More Than Painting Dots
Looking around the studio that afternoon, I was struck by how much more was happening than creating dot mandalas on stones. Everyone had arrived carrying the energy of their own busy lives. For a few hours, we created a little pocket of space where there was nowhere else to be and nothing else to accomplish.
Just slow down.
Be present.
One dot (or swoop) at a time.
There is a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from giving yourself permission to be fully immersed in a creative process. The outside world doesn't disappear, exactly, but for a while it becomes quieter. And in that quiet, there is room for connection…with ourselves, with one another, and with the simple pleasure of making something with our hands.
Et Voila! Dot Mandala Garden Stones!
So proud of my students!
By the end of the day, everyone had made significant progress on their dot mandala stones. Everyone went home with a little pot of liquid varnish and instructions for finishing their stones at home, so they could be truly garden-ready. I am so grateful for this beautiful day and for the fabulous women who filled my new studio with creativity and community. I can’t wait to start planning the next dot mandala retreat!
Who’s ready for a retreat in November?
