Nice Little Article on Mandalas

[Guest guest]

Tantra & the Mandala:Paintings for Healing and Higher Consciousness

by: Nadean O'Brien

 

http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtMagazine/za_188.htm

 

The word "Tantra" refers to a series of esoteric Hindu books over

2,000 years old describing certain sexual rites, disciplines and

meditations in which sexual love is a sacrament. The Tibetan Tantric

tradition also includes magnificent meditative art, the beautiful

mandala and thangka paintings employed by its practitioners on the

path to enlightenment. The deities seen in ecstatic sexual embrace are

not real people, but symbolize the sacred union of our inner masculine

(method) and feminine (wisdom) principles, and the ensuing blissful

state of mind that allows us to function at our highest human potential.

 

The mandala is an ancient motif dating back 6,000 years and still

found in various forms in many cultures worldwide. A powerful image of

healing and wholeness, the mandala unites within the viewer the forces

of opposites, of darkness and light. A Tantric mandala is envisioned

as a palace appearing as crystallized light, or jewels, that rests on

a lotus rising out of the cosmic sea. The Tibetans call the mandala

the "Architecture of Enlightenment," a two-dimensional temple or a

blueprint for a perfect universe that can be entered in meditation.

 

How does a mandala work?

 

Carl Jung, psychologist, rediscovered the mandala not in a scholarly

context, but in the midst of deep personal crisis when he began

sketching mandalas during the First World War. He found that sacred

symbols emerged spontaneously in dreams and artwork to promote

wholeness and rebirth independent of religion. Eastern traditions had

depicted the realization of the higher Self in elaborate and highly

ritualized imagery. But, Jung actively demonstrated in that the

natural function of the Self is to promote higher consciousness by

integrating opposites (e.g., masculine vs. feminine). In a process

depicted by even a simple mandala, these polarities are held in

conscious, creative harmony by a center that unifies them.

 

How does one use a mandala?

 

A mandala is used intuitively; there is no right or wrong way. You can

begin just by looking and observing whatever form it takes. You can

gaze at the center and take in the rest with your peripheral vision,

feeling the energy flow between the mandala and your heart center. It

can be revisited with eyes closed. Some people prominently display

elaborate mandala paintings in their homes or place smaller mandalas

on personal altars. In Eastern religions, a spiritual teacher would

choose a particular mandala for your meditative practice.

 

While a mandala can be a magnificent work of art, it is not just a

decorative piece chosen to match your furnishing. It is about a

mystery that is revealed when you are ready to enter. Some people draw

or paint mandalas in the Jungian manner as a way of working through

stressful issues, or just for pleasure and relaxation. A personal

mandala, created by an artist or yourself for a special occasion,

makes a most welcome and unique offering from the heart. The

possibilities are endless!

 

About the mandala used as this month's cover image:

 

"Heart Space" represents new beginnings and springtime, a haven for

the weary traveler on life's journey. A motif frequently seen in

Tantric art, the lotus symbolizes beauty and purity growing out of the

mud. In this tradition, even the most base emotions can be transformed

into higher consciousness through dedicated Tantric Kriya Yoga

practice. The posture (asana) of the deities signifies communication,

trust and deepening sensitivity which are beneficial qualities in any

relationship.

 

Outside the temple gates, benevolent serpents in a field of blue

forget-me-nots keep watchful vigil over the jeweled lotus palace,

their gold and silver colors another symbol of harmonizing our inner

masculine and feminine principles. The four concentric circles about

the center point (bindu) depict expanding levels of awareness as the

mind journeys toward the center of the mandala, with over 200

sparkling little crystals to light the way.