Inspiration to begin the Cambria Peace Pie Mandala Project came by way of Lucia Capacchione’s Visioning® method (Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the LIfe of Your Dreams), and friends Carol Chalifoux, who began a “Peace Art Book” project in December of 2004, and Tobey Crockett who hosted an edible Peace Pie party in 2005. The work of these women, along with a deep knowing that artistic creative expression of peace could be highly effective and rewarding, gave me the idea to invite others to join me in a collaborative peace project. Thus, nine women friends and I began our project in September of 2005.

My vision was for each woman to work with pie shaped pieces of paper to create collages of their individual interpretation of peace. We used imagery and words from magazines as the primary medium. Journal writing was incorporated, focusing on the five senses of Peace: What does Peace look like? What does Peace feel like? How does Peace smell? How does Peace taste? What is the sound of Peace? For our group, the theme of Peace and the Divine Feminine deepened and expanded the experience. After all pie pieces were completed, I put the [peaces] together to create two unified Peace Mandalas. A corresponding book of writings by each participant accompanies each mandala.

The experience of a group of women all creating a visual interpretation of peace was profound. Even more profound was putting the [peaces] together! Comments from a couple of participants were: “At first glance I felt these were done by one person. Then I recognized my own piece of the pie,” and “It looks so great I am really amazed. I didn't even recognize it as ours at first - I thought it was some extra wonderful one you made on your own, but then I saw something of mine and I am surprised at how it looks all together.”

I was ecstatic to hear these comments as it was my intention that the finished mandalas have the FEEL of being ONE. It affirmed my hopes that although we each have a valuable, yet individual interpretation on Peace, when put together they become unified into a WHOLE, almost indistinguishable from the individual pieces. And the strength of this WHOLE is tremendous!

Peace on Earth begins in one’s own heart. Until we are at peace within, there will not be peace without. This Peace Project brings the focus of peace to the individual heart, the place we must start if we truly desire Peace for ALL. Then, by joining the pieces together, a visual example is given of how the inner work of individuals creates unity and strength.

I hope that you are inspired by this creation and by the peace each woman in this project shared with you.

Peace & Blessings,

Jennifer Star

Participants at the PPMP IWPC