Last December 2013, I met an inspiring Mandala artist named Oruha. She came to the Davao City, Philippines to conduct exhibit and charity live painting for the survivors of super typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) on 09 - 13 December. The exhibit was dubbed 'A Light in the Dark.' Born as Yuko Murakami, she grew up in Akashi, Japan and studied in Kobe University. Yoko and Kazu Matsuda brought her to the Philippines to hold what turned out to be her international debut.
Oruha's mandala creation process is a wonder. Using black paper, she spontaneously draws whatever it is that flows through her but this is after she asks for the person's intention. What I find really interesting is that her mandalas are really proportionate but when you ask her to draw a regular image, she does not know how to draw. Her journey with mandalas started two years ago when she went to a place for travel and found a mandala that struck her downright. "Since then, I knew that I am destined to draw mandalas," Oruha confessed. To date, Oruha's estimate of the mandalas that she had drawn has reached 2,500. "I have tried creating mandala with my right and left hands, with my feet, even with my mouth. I have explored creating it with the different parts of my body," she says.
During the exhibit, I also met Michael, Oruha's Filipino translator. When I had the chance to talk with him, he shared to me his experience with Oruha. "In my whole existence, this is the time when I feel the most spiritual. I noticed the coincidences and synchronistic events. I even notice how people sense Oruha's very warm energy," he told me. "Even now that I'm telling you this, I am having goosebumps!"
I remember how one time when my friend Ernie went to Oruha for his mandala. When Oruha finished drawing, he was amazed and he showed us his own doodles - a strong resemblance with Oruha's mandala for Ernie! Another notable instance was with my hubby Orvil, when he asked for his own mandala, Oruha produced a sand glass-like mandala - exactly the logo of SandGlass Media, hubby's media outfit. Amazing how our energies resonate with each other - and how Oruha picks it up!
This 2014, Oruha is planning to hold an exhibit again here in Davao City, Philippines. But before that, she is poised to hold exhibits in Milan, Italy and the U.S.A - and hopefully, Hawaii too! ^_~"/
Photos courtesy of:
Top photo - One of the mandalas drawn by Oruha - http://blog-imgs-60.fc2.com/c/r/y/crystalangel369/image.jpg
In-between paragraph photos: Oruha during the opening day of A Light in the Dark, (below)The Mandala of Hope - http://www.debbiegracebersabal.blogspot.com
Fourth photo - The team behind A Light in the Dark - by Yoko Matsuda
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