“My Shapes of Shakti” is a visual representation of the symbols that embody my place in the universe. Shakti directly translates to power and energy in English. The entire Brahman is composed of energy and the same energy can be found within me. This mandala is a combination of symbols that visually allow me to recognize those energies and define my true self. Please note that I decorated the symbols in the various rings with traditional Indian designs to pay tribute to my Indian origin. I began with the most powerful symbol in the center, a bindi. This is the red dot that Hindus wear between their eyebrows. It represents an opening to the third eye which is the most powerful chakra within our bodies. I used the bindi as it is typically worn by Hindu women to recognize and harness the powerful energies within to unite with the universe. I used kumkum powder mixed with acrylic paint in order to achieve a bold, red hue and to symbolize my Indian culture in this 2-dimensional art-work. The second ring embodies an image of a fish. I included this image to represent the energies that define my physical body. Being born in the middle of March, my zodiac sign is Pisces. When I think of a lotus, I think of purity and how the petals of the beautiful flower are made of such a material that water and dirt simply glide right off. It is this purity that I remind myself to emulate with pure thoughts, pure actions, and pure karmas. Moreover, knowing my own nature, I could never intentionally hurt someone for the sake of hurting them. It is this purity of myself that I take pride in. I used a sun because ever since I began praying to Surya (the sun god), I feel a strong power that radiates from deep within that has granted me immense strength to face my inner demons. The leaves represent my contribution to the environment as a vegetarian, animal activist, and nature lover. The more time I spend in nature, around animals, and eating clean food, I feel more connected with myself and the universe. Finally, in order to represent my place in the cosmos, I used the ocean to represent the energies of the universe. A drop of water from the ocean is still part of the ocean but with the sea, it merges into one big mass. Similarly, I am insignificant compared to the universe, yet the entire universe can be found within me.