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Mandala of the day


Bearly

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I really like mandalas. They are found in divergent cultures throughout the world. They can be so beautiful and evoke a meditative process, so they can be enjoyed from many perspectives. My avatar is a example of a mandala. I learned yesterday that some religious rituals are based around mandalas, they embody spiritual concepts. The srichakras are an example of such. So I would like for people to post a mandala that they like and indicate the culture that it comes from if you know it.

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I like it!^

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  • 2 weeks later...

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What does "mandala" mean, anyhoo? I love'em ta bits but I like a little history behind what I see.

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What does "mandala" mean, anyhoo? I love'em ta bits but I like a little history behind what I see.

Sure. I did a quick search and here is what I found.

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/mandala/

from the above link:

Perhaps the most admired and discussed symbol of Buddhist religion and art is the mandala, a word which, like guru and yoga, has become part of the English language. Its popularity is underscored by the use of the word mandala as a synonym for sacred space in scholarship world over, and by its presence in English-language dictionaries and encyclopedias. Both broadly define mandalas as geometric designs intended to symbolize the universe, and reference is made to their use in Buddhist and Hindu practices.

The mandala idea originated long ago before the idea of history itself. In the earliest level of India or even Indo-European religion, in the Rig Veda and its associated literature, mandala is the term for a chapter, a collection of mantras or verse hymns chanted in Vedic ceremonies, perhaps coming from the sense of round, as in a round of songs. The universe was believed to originate from these hymns, whose sacred sounds contained the genetic patterns of beings and things, so there is already a clear sense of mandala as world-model.

The word mandala itself is derived from the root manda, which means essence, to which the suffix la, meaning container, has been added. Thus, one obvious connotation of mandala is that it is a container of essence. As an image, a mandala may symbolize both the mind and the body of the Buddha. In esoteric Buddhism the principle in the mandala is the presence of the Buddha in it, but images of deities are not necessary. They may be presented either as a wheel, a tree, or a jewel, or in any other symbolic manifestation.

The mandala is an artistic design that devotees of meditation use for centering, focusing, and contemplation. Its almost interactive symbolism represents the precious relationship of one’s soul to the universe — from its introspective center whose numerous, colorful symbols radiate out in all directions, as if to infinity.

Each object within the mandala has significance as either a guiding principle or an aspect of wisdom. Many ancient religions treated mandalas as sacred objects and they are used today as a part of alternative therapy.

The Tibetan word for "mandala," dkyil-‘khor, literally means "that which encircles a center." A "center," here is a meaning, and "that which encircles it" is a round symbol or representation of the meaning. In other words, a mandala is a round symbol or representation, although not all mandalas are round.

Thanks for your interest :)

I just wish that I could post them larger so that they could be appreciated better.

And check out this link, it shows mandalas from cultures all over the world, too bad they are in black and white.

http://www.geschichteinchronologie.ch/ps/O...ion.html#celtic

Edited by Bearly
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I draw mandalas from time to time recently... while I'm listening to the lecture, or at home... I heard that Gustav Jung used to draw them every morning to see his today's emotional condition, or something like that. I'm trying to believe that drawing calms me down. But I'm not sure yet...

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I draw mandalas from time to time recently... while I'm listening to the lecture, or at home... I heard that Gustav Jung used to draw them every morning to see his today's emotional condition, or something like that. I'm trying to believe that drawing calms me down. But I'm not sure yet...

I would not surprise me if it did. Most art forms are fun because they take a person's mind off of their problems. The mandala's are meant to be meditative, so they should calm you down.

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