Occupy Santa Cruz Peace Mandala
I wanted to contribute to the Occupy Movement, even though I could not camp out with them. Rosalie and I went to the Occupy site next to the County Building and started this mandala. She continued to evolve over the next few days. Several of the Occupiers joined us, gathering stones from the river and helping arrange the objects. The Park Rangers came by and we thought we'd be ousted, but they expressed polite interest and left us alone.
Weeks later, I came back from a trip and the mandala was still there, though some treasures had been liberated and others added during that time. As I began to dismantle her, a number of Occupiers came by to express their thanks, and to say how much they enjoyed having the mandala on the site. "This has been our altar," one said. They were sad to see her go.