Victim survivors of family violence on Kaurna country in South Austrlia have been working with mandala’s and affirmations as a way of connecting to their own inner peace and releasing trauma.
Artist and life coach Carol Omar facilitates Art of Change, an art based and life coaching program for Aboriginal women in Domestic Violence refuges and healing circles.
Carol’s focus is to empower women to celebrate their survival and inner strength and for women to learn and relearn about their individuality and wisdom as women.
Carol says some women she has worked with have used their own inner wisdom to design mandala’s with an affirmation that is personal to their own story.
I first met Carol at the opening of Earth Song Healing Centre on Kaurna country around ten years ago. It wasn’t long after that I started my own healing journey from the emotional impacts that family violence has had on me.
Carol published the Big Girls Little Colouring Book in 2012 and I bought a copy. The colouring book gave me a chance to sit quietly with myself for the first time in my life and be at peace with myself. From here I made some important steps in my self discovery and healing.
After speaking with Carol for this interview I dusted off my colouring pencils and continued the magical journey and went back to continuing mandala's I hadn't finished.
Carol's insight into designing the mandala's and affirmations is a true testimony to years of developing her practice as an artist and life coach.
Carol shares how she has connected to the mandala's as a way of transformative meditation and inner journey work.
The next part of the journey for Art of Change is to secure funding to design a digital format of an Aboriginal women’s specific life coaching program in consultation with the Nunga women she works with in the community. The program will be available for women who are in isolation or who can’t get out and about.
Carol has recently donated the Big Girls Little Colouring Book to four Domestic Violence refuges and services in Adelaide including on site shelters, out reach houses and emergency motel accommodation .
Carol Omer says she cannot express her appreciation enough because at this time women who are already vulnerable and under great pressure are in a different kind of safety lock down.
Women now have the added stress of not being able to have the same kind of contact with their key workers and support staff as they would have if we were not in the climate of COVID-19 .
If you would like to support Carol to take this project to more women accessing support for family and domestic violence please go to the funding page below.
If you would like a copy of the Big Girls Little Colouring Book go to the Art of Change & Domestic Violence Resources with Carol Omer on facebook and send her a message.
Kirstyn Lindsay-Standing Strong Together 3KND.
Here is "Mandala Magic" Inspiring stories from behind the walls domestic violence shelters.