The Flower of Life is a symbolic representation of life and the interconnectedness of all things. It is associated with the Sacred Geometry school of thought, an ancient science that studies the spiritual significance of shapes and proportions and how they reflect the universe. The circles that make up the flower symbol can be arranged in an infinite number of ways, each creating a new and unique pattern. This reminds us that we are all capable of creating anything we can imagine and that our potential is limitless.
A group illustration from the annual Earth Love Festival in Duncannon, Pennsylvania.Left: Students work together to design a Flower of Life image with personal meaning. Right: Participants learned the basics of Sacred Geometry and designed their own flower to represent themselves.
Sacred Geometry
Overlapping circles that build infinitely outward to form a flower-like grid are used for more complex Sacred Geometry shapes such as Metatron’s Cube and Merkaba. These shapes symbolize creation and remind us of the unity of everything and that we’re all built from the same blueprint.
Change happens when people work together toward a common goal. We discover new ways of doing things in order to transform the world in a way we wish to see. When we use the Flower of Life as an analogy for this connection, we begin to see how what we do affects those seven generations out. This resonates with the Native American Seven Generations teaching, which describes that what we do affects those seven generations after us, as we are also affected by seven generations before, reinforcing the idea that we are all connected.
Illustrating Connectedness
Art can remind us of our connectedness in many ways. For example, it can show us the shared experiences of humanity, such as love, loss, and joy. It can also help us to see the world from different perspectives, which can lead to a greater understanding of others. Art can provide a sense of community and belonging, which can be especially important in times of isolation or stress.
Think of how a painting of a family can remind us of the importance of love and connection, or a sculpture of a person from another culture can help us to understand their experiences and perspectives. A song about loss can remind us that we are not alone in our grief, a poem about hope can give us strength in difficult times, and a dance performance can bring people together from all walks of life.
Art is a powerful tool that can be used to connect us with others and remind us of our shared humanity. When we remember we are all connected, we can start to see the world in a new way. We can see how our actions affect others, and how the actions of others affect us. We can also see how we are all part of something larger than ourselves, and how we can all contribute to the greater good.
Making a Group Mural
Introduce the Flower of Life as a sacred geometric shape recognized by many cultures around the world and discuss how it relates to the science of life.
Start a mural with a large, pre-drawn Flower of Life, then have participants select a sphere to design that will represent themselves. As participants complete their sphere, other participants will need to adjust their spheres because each design is connected. This can lead to conversations about going first, being hesitant, and being able to adapt.
Creating art together connects us, and we become the change we wish to see. As we create a community Flower of Life mural and fill in the spaces with our own unique marks and designs, we start to see how one person’s actions can change and impact another’s.
Raine Dawn Valentine is a Turtle Mountain Chippewa and Baltimore County, Maryland art educator. Raine.Dawn@gmail.com
Art teachers emphasize process-based, expressive arts experiences to help students develop mindfulness and present-moment awareness. Young students create observational paintings of peace while immersing themselves in nature; elementary students participate in a series of multisensory mark-making activities; middle-school students collaborate on a mural inspired by a symbol of interconnectedness; high-school students express gratitude through traditional and digital printmaking; and more.
