Kolam contemplations

Rice-flour Kolam - indoors

I recently moved into a new apartment and have been meaning to get back into the habit of making a Kolam ( south indian style rangoli/mandala/muggu ) at our doorstep every morning. Kolam is an art form from Southern India. It is practiced as a daily ritual, making intricate patterns of rice paste or powder on the threshold of the home, morning and evening. The kolams are usually made by women and girls of all ages and all sections of society, no special training required. Though the practice is dwindling, you will still see these pretty white patterns generously sprinkled all over the landscape.

To me, this is the perfect morning ritual, coaxing me to be intentional and mindful about how I start my day, gently reminding me to get in touch with the need for beauty and creative expression that is at the core of the human condition.

To begin my day by sweeping away the remains of yesterday, beginning afresh on a new canvas for this new day, sprinkling water to let the dust, and my mind, settle into a quenched calmness. To start making the kolam, and watch the pattern emerge in sweeping strokes of white as my head, hand and heart dance in harmony.

Rice flour and Brick paste Kolam - Threshold

Each morning, it is an opportunity for me to get in touch with my creative spirit, declaring it and inviting it, literally and figuratively, at the threshold of my domain and my day. Whether a hurried squiggle or an elaborate pattern, this simple act can ground me, center me and present a powerful portrayal of my mental and emotional state. What power there is in beginning each day like this!

And as I was exploring this as a personal practice, it also inspired the idea of how much more powerful our meetings at work could be if we could practice a similar ritual before we began. With a few moments dedicated to the simple act of drawing on a post-it, we create space for beauty and creativity, check-in with ourselves, get present and give our full focus to the topics at hand.