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The Art of Adorment: Yogic Bridal Jewelry

Jun. 24, 2010

Sonja Picard, Yogini, Artist and Jewelry Designer

When we meet at a little Japanese tea house in Vancouver, I recognize Canadian artist, sculptor, designer and Yogini Sonja Picard by her striking auburn hair.  It’s an apt complement to her infectious smile and vivacity, yet belies the layer of serenity that lies just beneath.  Having enjoyed an active career as an artist and sculptor, Sonja began a study of yogic philosophy in 1996, and was inspired to create and design pieces of jewelry as an homage to this knowledge.  In 2000, she launched her eponymous jewelry line, the Sonja Picard Collection (SPC) that now has over 350 pieces crafted in silver, gold, gemstones and Canadian diamonds and celebrates the yogic and tantric traditions of adornment.

Today, Sonja puts her sculptural background to use as she first hand-carves each original piece in wax, adding a unique, sculptural organic and tactile quality to her jewelry.  As Sonja launches the newest addition to her work, the SPC Bridal Collection, Yogue chats with her about Yoga, creativity, the eco aspects of her design process and of course bridal inspired yogic jewelry.   Also, read on to get a special offer on SPC jewelry just for Yogue Readers.

Sonja Picard, Yogini, Artist and Jewelry Designer
Sonja Picard, Yogini, Artist and Jewelry Designer

Yogue: Tell us a little bit about this new collection.  Your vision for it…
SP.  The bridal line was created by several insights: First – there were not any bridal collections within the market that had any ‘divine’ meaning or inscriptions, mantra’s on or inside the ring, unless you commissioned an artist/ jewelry designer to specifically make you a ring.  A wedding/commitment ring is such a sacred step between two people, along with the rings being a symbol and meaning of their commitment to one another. I felt there was very little being created to reflect that sentiment. Most people are left to choose from the traditional rings within the market place, not to mention that men’s rings were very, very plain and understated. Secondly, the inspiration came from people using our Lord and Goddess stack ring series for wedding rings and I thought ‘hey it’s time to create a full line of commitment rings using mantras’ such as Ganesha Sharanam a mantra chanted to bless new beginnings.  We also utilize Canadian ethically mined, beautiful diamonds. All the rings are created in yellow, rose, white or green 14K gold. Most of our line has brides and even the groom using several rings to create a unique expression of their relationship together. Like stacking an eternity band with ganesha sharanam and then another stack that says love is inconceivably, simultaneously one and different – a translation from the Vedic mantra Achintya Bhedaabheda tattva.  You can throw in a tiny eternity band with Om inscribed inside… Men and women also love Om mani padme hum – may the jewel of your love shine in your heart.  You can match that with an eternity band for the bride.

Ganesha Sharanam ring, top, Om Mani Padme Om ring, bottom
Ganesha Sharanam ring, top, Om Mani Padme Om ring, bottom

Y. What inspires your Jewelry design process?
I am really inspired by the ancient knowledge and philosophy of yoga – the beautiful meanings, symbols, mantra’s and their sound vibrations is a kaleidoscope of ideas and inspiration that will never be fulfilled for me in ‘this lifetime’!  When I first encountered the philosophy of yoga through my guru Jeffrey Armstrong 14 years ago I started to incorporate a morning sadana using the mantras’ which sets a beautiful intention for the day – then I thought how can I remember these mantra’s?   Jewelry!!! … I could have a reminder of its beauty, meaning and intention with and on me all day – like a positive affirmation.  I also love and am inspired by the ancient traditions of Indian adornment and its various meanings of shringar – there are 16 points of adornment for women…. how can you not be inspired to dress up for your loved one – its a great opportunity to express your ‘shakti’ !

Double lotus heart keys by SPC
Double lotus heart keys by SPC

Y.  What is your Yoga practice and how does it affect/ impact your work?
SP. My yoga practice is all ‘bhakti’ a morning sadhana and chanting – yes some times i do asana yoga – If it’s a day when I am carving and creating a piece in the studio I will do my sadhana (chanting) internally while I create the piece – so my yoga practice can take me all day.  My inspiration primarily comes directly from attending weekly satsang with my teacher and allowing the knowledge to ‘download’ and as time time goes by, an idea or vision will come to mind and then I sketch it out – that’s where the start of a piece is created.  As a sculptor for many years, my process for creating these pieces is by carving a piece of wax – this tactile process for me is the invoking of the human element versus a machine creating the piece – which for me I find rigid and lacking movement. I am also inspired by my surroundings or travel – for me being aware of the nuances of shapes, color, nature, is daily yoga practice.  Recently I was in India for the first time everywhere I went there were puja’s for the Goddess Kali … well, this Fall there will be several pieces honouring this goddess of transformation.

Men's "Ganesha Sharanam" rings
Men’s “Ganesha Sharanam” rings

Y. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from your Yoga
SP. Lessons from yoga? – that’s a big question – it literally has changed my entire life without question. To summarize it shortly it guides me in a thought process of ‘discernment’ constantly in reference to Ahimsa – non-injury to the planet, relationships, etc… and that karma is at play constantly and we have free will to use wisely with our discernment.

Devi Mani Ring by SPC.
Devi Mani Ring by SPC.

Y – How do Yoga + creativity connect in your experience? Any insights?
S.P.  The process of creativity is unexplainable – I feel as an artist a little possessed at times… I am so compelled to stop the world in its tracks and draw a piece that is speaking so loudly to me.  Right now I am creating a body of work for the Fall and a lot of pieces are being created at the same time with tons of pieces of paper everywhere – they float in the back of my head until their completion and then I can’t even think straight at times and need to go to my drawings and work out the idea immediately. I’m always aware of this force.  I play with, it’s powerful – it is a relationship that is familiar yet foreign – like a crazy lover – it’s a grand experience and still to this day surprises me sweetly. I feel very blessed to create and express myself as a woman.

Small and large eternity rings, Goddess stack ring by SPC
Small and large eternity rings, Goddess stack ring by SPC

Y. Where can we find Sonja Picard?
S.P.  Please visit our website (www.sonjapicard.com) to see all the locations available nearest to you – My studio is located in Ladner and we are happy to take appointments for consults, bridal or to  come see the entire collection of 400 pieces. We sell online and ship anywhere on this beautiful planet!

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Lastly, exclusive to Yogue readers, shop online at sonjapicard.com and receive a 20% discount until July 8, 2010.
Your discount code:  yogue108. Prices for the bridal collection begin from $450 and up. 

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Category: People, Blog Tags: 14 karat, adornment, bhakti yoga, bridal, bridal jewelry, canadian, canadian diamonds, chanting, eco-chic, eco-conscious, ganesh sharanam, gold, jeffrey armstrong, jewelry, local, mantra, precious stones, pure metals, shringar, silver, sonja picard, sonja picard collection, yoga, yogic jewelry, yogue

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sima says

    June 28, 2010 at 2:44 am

    LOVE this! Her bobbles are heavily featured in the “LOVE & MARRIAGE” section of my Vision Board!

    Reply
  2. Paris says

    December 20, 2010 at 8:58 am

    Such a unique style! Very pretty!

    Reply

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ABOUT YOGUE  Hi, I'm Insiya. Journey with me as we live slow, scatter beauty and tread lightly on the planet.

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insiyafinn

Yesterday was so life affirming and heart filling! Yesterday was so life affirming and heart filling!!! 

We got out on a hike in sooke and I’m so proud of my mama for traversing some steep climbs and even more steep and rocky downhill paths. I felt energized and so happy to be outside in a forest that smelled cool and fresh and pine-resin-y… @theblissologist and lion even got into the icy cold glacial streams and then we picked up grandma @carolefinnartist and enjoyed some delicious pizza on the deck @stokedpizzeria near sombrio…

My family kept cautioning me to not push myself - but honestly and truly I think I was just high on feeling alive and being amidst the waterfalls and green of what has turned into a very hot spring (climate change is real friends…)…

Yesterday was such an affirmation of how much we all need to be outside to reconnect within to what really matters…

Thanks ananda lion for making me a mama 12 years ago and thanks to my mom @sararasiwala for your love always… also it made me so happy that eoin got to see his mama too! Life is short. Keep those you love close and fill it with beauty and kindness.

Ps. I did wear a dress hiking (just because) and I am very tired today but was it worth it? YES ❤️

#yogue #mothersday #family #familymatters #healing #healinsiya #healcancer #cancerthriver
Photo sprinkles… Stepping out into spring. L- Photo sprinkles… 

Stepping out into spring.

L-R: A Saturday picnic w @yogalink + Carole + dingo the bali dog and my mom. Thanks for the chai @sararasiwala 😁 and the pic @theblissologist ✨
Blossoms on the hill.
Blossoms inside :)
Homemade spinach and mushroom quiche.. so good 💫
Pakoras by mom… aka delish chickpea fritters 
Daisies :)
And
Apricot nectar and strawberries yesterday… 
/ shadows and sunshine :) 
Heart shaped flowers…

Feeling all this golden light and springtime goodness. :) 

🌺💕☀️

#healingjourney #wholefoods #growth #changes #shift #insiyafinn #healinsiya #healcancer
So I decided to share this picture here because fi So I decided to share this picture here because firstly today was so special. I got to see a dear dear friend who I haven’t seen since before the pandemic and we got to finally connect a few steps away from home. Yes this is currently Victoria (or it was this morning when the sun was bright and warm)…

And yet this morning was hard won. Yesterday after weeks of things going relatively well I had what is called a partical blockage with my ileostomy. I think it was caused by my not chewing my lunch as slowly as I normally do…(I will blame this on both being v hungry and that my dear mom’s cooking is dangerously delicious) 😁 when my girlfriend came to see me yesterday, I had low energy and a strange cramping sensation in the stomach and lower rib area. This progressively got worse and worse until my body with all its wisdom tried to push my lunch out of me. In other words I threw up. Consistently and continuously.

Meanwhile life at home continued on. My son arrived home after a canoeing weekend. I needed back rubs w tiger balm or whatever would help in the moment; and tried to help organize dinner. And my friend later that evening shared how she felt the privilege of being here to help and to witness the rough stuff. Which just felt so dear and real and loving.

And this is why I want to share this story today. It feels scary to put all of this out into the world but I have been thinking that when we hide the hard things behind walls of fear or worry about what others will think, I think we curtail our capacity to be loving, compassionate humans. After all at our core we want the same things. To live and love well. I feel like I share a lot here but I have found it hard to write about the really gnarly moments. There have been so many. What I will say I am so thankful for however is that because I have experienced so much with the ileostomy, I knew I had to ride the waves of pain out until they stopped. And they did and I finally slept last night and stayed out of emerg at the hospital.

And awoke to a new day. And a new opportunity to make the most of this precious moment.

Thanks for being here!

#healcancer #healinsiya #viclife #oakbay #friendship
It’s three weeks post my big surgery. The last f It’s three weeks post my big surgery. The last fortnight has been a wave of highs and lows. It felt like every time I felt a little better something new would happen again that I needed to understand and navigate. 

Meanwhile my inner mind has been a whirling w so so much. I have so many thoughts and so many ideas every day. And having to still be quite still has forced me to pay attention to them. 

The word that keeps coming up is reclamation - reclaiming who I am and how I want to live my life moving forward… life seems a little less like I’m on the edge of a precipice - except in the middle of the night - but things still feel urgent - like I will run out of time before I get to do all the things I would like to. And I have been trying to stay true and listen to the emotions that come up as I continue to navigate the journey beyond - which as yet is a big unknown! 

Today was an easy day to reclaim how much living in harmony with our seasons means to me. How much I love being outside. This afternoon mom and I went for a glorious walk in the sunshine and then lion, our pup and I had some weeding fun in the garden. 

A friend asked me how I am feeling earlier today. I guess the answer today is so happy and grateful to be here and to live in such a beautiful place to call home close to the ocean and sea lions and the meadows and flowers and forests. I am cherishing these little moments. They feel big these days.

Thanks for being here. Xo 

#healing #gratitude #gardening #healinsiya #healcancer #coloncancercanada

📷 @sararasiwala 💖
Today is a reminder for myself and possibly you as Today is a reminder for myself and possibly you as well to not get discouraged… 

Recovery takes time.

there are moments of feeling on top of the world and there are others where I feel flat and tired. 

There is my mind trying to propel me forward beyond the constraints of my body; and my body then signaling with a sharp outcry - you cannot do X, please rest. 

There is life with all its chaos and wants and needs coming at you, because you don’t live in a bubble, the ones you are in relationship with also have needs… 

And so you remind yourself that all you can do is keep showing up now, in this moment, in the best way possible… don’t do more, it’s not necessary- especially right now…

Be gentle today. Happy Sunday.

🙏🏼❤️✨

#journal #healing #recovery #cancer #healcancer #healinsiya #slowlife #yogalife #mentalhealth
Home again. Short - very short and slow - walks do Home again.
Short - very short and slow - walks down our street.
Strawberries at breakfast.
So many Hugs from my son.
Back rubs from my husband
My mom’s continuous kindnesses that keep the day humming.
Friends saying hello and bringing food and tinctures.
And flowers that I cut from our wild garden tonight which is coming alive with all sorts of surprises.

I had tulips in my hospital room the entire 11 days and I can tell you how much they inspired me. As their petals opened up slowly I grew stronger and more able every day after surgery. I saw the colors shining against the dull hues of the room when I awoke each morning and in the sunshine they glistened.

Flowers have healing powers say researchers, apparently patients who can see trees and flowers from their hospital windows vs those who cannot, take less pain medication and have shorter hospital stays… and yes they both relax and uplift us. 

I’ve always loved flowers. Only now I understand why.

Happy weekend!
#grateful #flowers #healingpowerofflowers #healcancer #healinsiya #natureheals #holisticwellness
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