Spirit Maps: Follow the Exquisite Geometry of Art and Nature Back to Your Center

By Joanna Arettam

Spirit Maps brings together two simple and profound ideas to help us find our centers:
Art inspires and transforms us, calms us down in the midst of chaosChakra meditations focus our attention on the reservoirs of energy within and around us

Inspired by the labyrinths painted on the sidewalk outside her studio in lower Manhattan, Joanna Arettam decided to make a book of art and meditation using the colors of the chakras and the drawing power of mandalas as her guiding lights. She contacted hundreds of artists to choose the images for this book. They are presented here--five for each of the seven chakras--beginning with the Red Root Chakra. Red is for Instinct. It flows into orange, for Passion, yellow for Self-Esteem, green for Compassion (at the Heart Chakra), blue for Expression, violet for Wisdom, and purple for Spirituality. Arettam's lucid text introduces readers to mandalas and their power, to chakras, and to the transformative power of art. Seven brief chapters in all, with meditations for each chakra center.

Spirit Maps is a perfect gift for any time, any season, any reason.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Wheel
• Release date: Oct 15, 2001
• ISBN: 9781609250300

Joanna Arettam

Joanna Arettam is a painter and writer who writes widely on lifestyle, self-help, and spirituality matters. She was formerly an editor at Glamour magazine. She is the author of Dharma Beads.

Book preview

Art has the power to transport us. This book invites you to walk a path with your eyes and your heart to the quiet place inside where loose ends come together, chattering ceases, and a profound sense of serenity softens the boundaries between you and the rest of the universe.

—from the Introduction

Inspired by the spiral paths of huge labyrinths painted on the cement outside her Union Square Park studio, Arettam conceived Spirit Maps as a way to stop and find her own center in the midst of a bustling life. She chose to focus on the sustaining power of art and the energy vibrations of color.

Spirit Maps helps us follow the exquisite geometry of art and nature back to our centers. With more than 35 full-page, full-color reproductions of contemporary art, Spirit Maps is breathing lessons, a meditation session, and a visit to an art gallery all rolled into one. Each of these images is a mandala—a Sanskirt word meaning container of essences. Along with Arretam's insightful contemplations and meditations, they help lead us to the essence of our hearts and minds.

First published in 2001 by

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

P.O. Box 612

York Beach, ME 03910-0612

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright © 2001 Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication Data

Arettam, Joanna.

Spirit maps / Joanna Arettam.

        p.cm.

ISBN 1-59003-001-X (pbk : alk. paper)

      1. Chakras--Miscellanea. I. Title.

BF1442.C53 A74 2001

291.3'7--dc21

2001031833       

Typeset in ACaslon

Printed in Hong Kong, ROC, by C&C Offset Printing Co.

08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1992 (R1997).

Helix Nebula NGC 7293 (page ii)

David Malin, 1992

Three-color photo print

Window to the soul? This gaseous nebula, the same apparent size as the full moon, says astronomer David Malin, who captures the poetry of the universe through the giant lens of a telescope, looks like a great cosmic iris, but it is what's left after a star has exploded and burned.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The exquisite images in this book are the accomplishment of immensely talented artists and photographers. I selected these particular works as spirit maps because, in addition to the visual pleasure they bring as artworks in their own right, they touch a deeper place. Creativity, after all, is something akin to divine inspiration.

My sincere thanks go to Patsy Allen, Nancy Azara, Jim Baron, Priscilla Bianchi, Scott Camazine, Amy Cheng, Nancy Crow, Linda Daniels, Tom Dietrich, Barbara Ellmann, Adam Fuss, Cheryl Goldsleger, Gail Gregg, Harmony Hammond, David Headley, Nancy Clearwater Herman, Susanne Iles, Miriam Karp, Marjorie Kaye, Chris Kelly, Gloria Klein, Martin Kline, Benjamin Long, David Malin, Charlene Marsh, Joanne Mattera, Madeline Metz, Hank Morgan, Ellen Oppenheimer, Henry Leo Schoebel, Donna Sharrett, Camilla Smith, Richard Sudden, Lane Twitchell, Charmion von Weigand, Kay WalkingStick, Nelda Warkentin and Patrick Weisel for allowing their work to become an integral element of this book.

I'd also like to thank the directors and staff of the following galleries and photographic agencies for their gracious assistance: Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art, New York City; Rosenberg & Kaufman Fine Art, New York City; Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, New York City; Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta; Chiaroscuro Gallery, Santa Fe; Aperture Geographics, Gaithersburg, Maryland; The Image Finders, Cleveland; Rainbow, Santa Fe.

CONTENTS

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

THE JOURNEY

INSTINCT

PASSION

SELF-ESTEEM

COMPASSION

EXPRESSION

PERCEPTION

SPIRITUALITY

GLOSSARY

PHOTO CREDITS

Snowbows

Tom Dietrich/Aperture Geographics 1997

A mandala of light: For most rainbows, you need the sun to your back, says photographer Tom Dietrich. This one was truly unique. As the sun was coming up, a snow shower moved across the area. The sun shining through the snow crystals created ‘snowbows’, one of the most marvelous and captivating sights I have ever seen.

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

From my fifth-floor studio in lower Manhattan, I can look out over Union Square Park and see three immense circular labyrinths painted on the pavement. Much of the

Reviews for Spirit Maps

[biunicorn_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Spirit MapsFollow the Exquisite Geometry of Art and Nature Back to Your Centerby Joanna ArettamThis 88 page book is a real must for those in the healing arts, and also those who are looking for new ways to grow in spirit. I loved the 35 full cover mandala like graphics that accompanied each chapter on the different chakras. I learned about the vibrations, spiritual information and even meditations for each of the colored chakras. In the first chapter "Heaven and Earth", I grasped deep and powerful lessons I will take with me forever, and then I proceeded from there to learn and learn and learn. This enlightened treasure is really a spiritual guide to love, light and eternal happiness disguised as a simple picture book. Please don't let the simplicity and ease of this book fool ya, there is a lot here and I am still drinking it in. I would suggest this great celestial work to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Thanks, Joanna for making living in spirit so enjoyable.Love & Light,Riki Frahmann