Making Mandalas With The Elderly: The Ennis Court Project

[AquariusHope]

... I think this is great,

[Irineosgirl123]

Hello, I would like to know how this has been working out. How have you used Mandala in other avenues. I am interested in moving to Mexico and opening up a Mandala therapy workshop along with a workshop for other things. I would love to have information on how I could use this in varied ways and how I can obtain information as to how to become a Mandala instructor. Thank you for your time. ~ Gigi

[kevinphilipmiller]

More insights from the inspiring mind of Charles L. Gilchrist...

[creativecompanion]

beautiful....

[kevinphilipmiller]

THANK YOU Charles! This is critically important work you are doing! I have posted this on Facebook and Twitter!

[davibe528]

"The practice of art as a spiritual discipline" ; the same goes for music. I have been making mandalas for years just because I enjoy it, but it does seem to have an affect

on my consciousness. I love your work; keep it up!

[lauratobicarcano]

Thanks to your video I have been using this activity with elderly people in a nursing home and rehad center. It has been wonderfull to see how freely they create. It is an activity I go back to with the patients every time, and always new images appear. Thank you.

[jewelindisky]

THANK YOU !!!!!! this is soBeauty fulllllllll <3 Oneness <3

[neroli528]

Beautiful! Thank you.

[domaincollective]

Thank you for sharing this video! It inspired me on so many levels.

[supersonic060]

great vid, i wanna paint too now:P

[followyourbliss101]

bless you for doing such work.  wise, compassionate...

[Taors]

We should all be willing to do something like this in our communities. Thank you for an inspiring video.

[coteton111]

I like the paint in 8:22 8:34 wow

mindblowing

[j0hnsc4r]

2:30 . . . im pretty sure thats just a scary clown lol

[TheSearchForTheLight]

The power of trinity.

You can't do enough for the old and disabled who are left alone to die. Should be an inspiration to us all.

[jantheempress]

wonderful idea :)

[age078]

Me encantaria y agradeceria si alguien pudiera traducirlo o ponerle sub-titulos en español, es muy bueno este video, gracias por compartirlo. Age078

[Lost8Wizard]

非常好! 保佑所有与爱和和平

Very nice! Bless all with love and peace!

[jesslily]

Reallly enjoyed this video- thanks! I am an artist and art therapist and work with mandalas personally and with the residents of a skilled nursing facility. What you have shared here is such a beautiful example of the healing power of art and especially how that applies to elders! Bravo and thank you :-)

[asayogal]

Charles, You are an awesome and inspiring being! Thank You for sharing your insight and wisdom!

[theguitarsummit]

Hi Charles, This is great. Thanks, Steve

[ppaisley]

Love the video. I have been coloring, creating etc, mandalas for some time and would like to use it in my work as a mental health worker. One of the things I love about the mandala making is that there is no right or wrong, so individual who do not feel like they are artisitic or creative can still create beautiful mandalas.

[meditations1]

Great video

[anamarie8]

COOL

[ednshell]

Wow! Those are beautiful! Thank you for sharing this video!

[LPF767]

Charles, Bless you darling, bless you always!

[OrbitalSponge]

Inspiring!

:-)

[greenmossgirl]

very cool

[chrisu336]

Wow this is really cool! This video really makes me want to volunteer at a retirement home. I really appreciate how they brought spirituality into this by talking about Sacred Geometry and the soul in relation to what they are doing. This gives me much more peace about getting older. Thanks so much for this video.

[intuitiveart]

I love it. I am about to start working with elderly in Colorado. I will use this.

[CGimaging]

Dear intuitiveart,

Thanks. Yes, try these ideas, they work!

Note:  My next SG Workshop will be held at "The StarHouse" in Boulder, Colorado on July 19, 2008.

More details on my website.

Hope to see you there!

[intuitiveart]

Thanks!!! I will check it out and hopefully can attend - sent an email to them - hey your email address on your site bounces back.

Joanna

[dioncat]

sweeeet!!!!!!

[transmission696]

Thank You

[zizizzi]

This is so beautiful... Thank you!

[bdgoraj]

wow...what im blown away by is the color quality. its so easy to mud up watercolors. they work vibrantly uninhibited. youre a credit to society charles, janice too. keep up the sacred work!

[ShaktiLila]

Human Heart-Mind Understands... Loves... Transcends... Creates...

[Antspirit25]

My Drum Circle performs at a local nursing home. We bring along extra instruments so that we can all participate. We all have lots of laughs, and we get really loud. I am going to see if I can start an art project there. Thanks for sharing this vid.

Live in Peace

[CGimaging]

Dear Antspirit25

Great Ideas! Keep it up!

I am acutely aware of the spiritual power of drumming and very involved with drum circles. Drums are Mandalas and they can, with the right player or players, make Sacred Sound, meditative sounds which can move us at the deepest levels of our being.

[RainbowPainter]

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful video. I am a caregiver to my mother with Alzheimer's and I am an artist. Thank you for inspiring me. I am so touched, because I too am aware that Mother's soul is what I am reaching in her to let her know that she is very precious to us.

[chrisu336]

I agree totally that you are reaching her soul and you are reaching her in a way that is FAR more pure and of a true blessing, because we normally use our brains way too much to try and analyze and be skeptical of things and thus block off or manipulate spiritual truth from ever reaching us. You must be like an angel to your mother and where ever her real consciousness is right now, I'm sure she is totally aware of that.

[rster10]

I have used these techniques that I learned from Chuck with my mother, who has alzheimer's. I found them to be very effective. She really enjoyed herself and was more alert and relaxed after every session. Some of the images were amazing. This should be a tool for every therapist to know about.

[CGimaging]

Note from the artist:

Just in case you haven't found them, there are FREE Sacred Geometry Mandala Templates to be found on my SG website which you can download and print on any kind of paper you choose. You can then add color to them in numerous ways: watercolor, colored pencils, crayons, color markers, etc. Anyone can have fun with these Mandala Templates, and I have also successfully used these with Alzheimer's patients.

[chrisu336]

Where ever your mother's real conscious awareness (the soul) is right now, I'm sure she realizes she is extremely blessed to have you in her life.

[blacdarling19]

Dear Mr.Gilchrist,

I had tears running down my face also.

I care for my brother who has suffered partial brain damage.Last week he told me he is finally tired of looking at TV and wants to do something else. Thanks to your videos I have found his "something else". I am an artist who has shyed away from attempting Sacred Geometry art and now I am ready to give a go my Self.

[chrisu336]

You must be a real angel to your brother, and I am sure he is totally aware of that. I know you don't know me but I'll be sure to keep you all in my prayers.

[GnomieBear]

You are a kind and generous soul. I loved watching this. Thanks for sharing.

[passionfruit6995]

Thank You for this video, I am currently completing a graduate program in art therapy and this video has touched me. I will share it with my class. All the best. Anita

[mandarianne]

awesome! I was realy touched by this!

[sherysista]

Awesome video...my Mom has Alzheimers and one thing we found interesting...while she couldn't talk much, she was able for a long time to sing. I think this is a great idea and wish you many blessings with your endeavor.

[chrisu336]

I know you don't know me but I will be sure to pray for you and your mother. You must be a true blessing to her and I am sure wherever her consciousness (soul) is right now, she is totally aware of that.

[ArtChickTV]

Most people are confidential are unfeeling.

[clubsoda921]

This blew me away so I am going to feature this vid on my page Thank You

[robroydude]

YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MAN! Those were beautiful works but the most beautiful part of this video is the light you can feel glowing inside of these people who are also God's children as we are.

[pamrai01]

This is truly amazing, my husband has suffered from dementia for the past five years and over the past six weeks or so since creating Mandalas has improved considerably, I wish there was more interest in helping our elderly in the UK by showing them this my thanks for your impressive work and video

[LTBTB]

We are judged by how we raise our children and whether we truly respect our elderly. This poignant and touching video illuminates the fact that there are wonderful options to explore with Alzheimers patients and others who suffer on regimens of often toxic anti-psychotic drugs. Mr. Gilchrist's work is more proof that Sacred Geometry works in a myriad of ways...and helps improve the quality of life for us all. . .even in the most desperate of situations! GREAT JOB!

[perelandrachick]

The thing that strikes me most is the vision of our nation's wisdom, physiclly removed from the world in which they served, cut off from meaningful interaction with our families and isolated with their peers to be served by disconnected workers in an institution. I commend the artist for bringing back some dignity to these people by offering them the opportunity to 'make decisions' and enter into the present.

[equilie]

dear Charles,

 thank you. I have experience in this area and just love what you are doing, how you are with the elders and that you have shared this in this beautiful video. The atmosphere in teh art room is lovely. The whole video warms my heart. Sarah

[CGimaging]

Note from the artist: I just received an Email from Sandy in response to this video. Just had to pass it on. She says, "Charles, I have tears running down my cheeks .... and energy running up my spine .... Oh my .... what a beautiful, beautiful video. I am without words to fully express how very moving this video is. Thank you for the work you are doing with these precious elders."