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in these anecdotal,
sometimes inspiring, sometimes personal meanderings of the Heart's opening in the every-day-ness of life...

Monday, April 1, 2013

Indra's Net of Jewels Mandala...


Why I am drawn to drawing mandalas, I don’t know.  I especially like the precision and symmetry of sacred geometry; how the language of symbols and patterns come together.  It’s a mystery, like the Cosmos itself… I have started working on black paper, and I think I like it. :)

As I was working with this mandala, a net-like image started to evolve.  It brought to mind Indra’s Net of Jewels.  Although I had heard the term before, I really didn’t know what it meant, so I had to look it up.  An article on Indra’s Net has a good explanation for those who aren’t familiar with it. 

Essentially it is a metaphorical symbol attributed to Buddhism and Hinduism/Advaita Vedanta about the interdependence and intereconnectedness of the infinite cosmic matrix of life itself.  Each jewel at an intersection point on the net reflects the essence of all the other jewels, reflecting the same basic nature, mirroring how we each intrinsically reflect and affect each other in a ripple effect in the cosmic network all the time.  

The symbol in the circle in the middle is a variation of the Sanskrit symbol for Aum (OM), which is the primordial sound of the Universe that emanates from an infinite cosmic vibration out of the Void, or Emptiness.  It is basically represents the Absolute, or “God”, or the originating Life Force – however we each call that inherent essence of Being…



~*~

“You must be ready to accept
the possibility that there is a limitless
range of awareness for which we now
have no words;
that awareness can expand beyond
range of your ego, your self,
your familiar identity,
beyond your notions of
space and time,
beyond the differences
which usually separate people
from each other and
from the world around them.”

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

~*~

“Ultimately there is light and love and intelligence
in this Universe.
And we are it.
We carry that within us.
It’s not just something ‘out there.’
It is within us
and this is what
we are trying to
re-connect with -
our original light,
love and intelligence,
which is who we are.

…remember…”

(A Tibetan Buddhist nun)



21 comments:

  1. This is so lovely, I think black is a perfect background. I like the idea of the jewels reflecting each other, reminds me of our connections on-line. When I was studying fine art I loved how we could all spark off of each other, someone's idea. Some people with oversized egos would get a bit precious about this..... Yes Aum the originating life-force we are all one and the same, we cannot boast anything of our own originality, we can reflect what we are, what we have been given! x

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    1. Thanks Sue... Yes to all you say - so true. In essence we are all the same... Only that little ego tries to separate us out. :) Seems creative work helps us move beyond the ego, to the essence of just Being...

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  2. Lovely mandala! What did you draw it with? You should really look at Indian Rangoli's if you havent already. Some of them are so intricate and astoundingly symmetric.

    Love,
    Aarathi

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    1. Thank you Aarathi :) I started with a compass, which created the flower design, then erased some of the middle of that and used a circle stencil to make the center circle, and a an AUM symbol stencil in the middle of that, and then part of another stencil that ended up being the net. I was originally going to make more flower petals with it, but the net just seemed to evolve. And I noticed I have some snags in the net after I posted it. Oh well :) I got the stencils from Judith Cornell's Mandala Healing Kit. She says that the use of stencils to draw helps get the ego-mind out of the way. :) I will look up Indian Rangolis. Thanks. Christine

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    2. Hey Christine!

      So glad you love rangolis! I dont do them but I most everyone I know, knows a certain way of doing it or the other. Its so beautiful and intricate and such a mental activity too! :-)

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  3. The black paper is splendid for your rich designs, Christine! Gems, jewels, essence... We all have so much to shine. :o) ((HUGS))

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  4. Love the black paper and this mandala is so simple yet so lovely. (I dont mean simple to make). thanks for the quotes too.

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    1. Thanks Suki :) It was actually surprisingly simple to make :) Eventually I hope to do more intricate designs, but for now will keep it simple.

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  5. Oooooo...the black paper really makes the mandala pop! Thanks for the link, too.

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    1. :) I know! Really pops! Especially in the photo. Maybe had something to do with the flash too. Thanks!

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  6. Beautiful. I really love this one - all the delicious color and though the outer leaves are symetrical - the center is simply balanced and nuanced. Working on different color backgrounds is stimulating. It can change the whole landscape, literally and figuratively. Love the spirited words with it. Inspiring energy :)

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    1. Thank you Andrea! It feels more like "my style" - I think :)? The background does change the whole energy of it. More experimentation is in order!

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  7. Altogether beautiful. The mandala, the information about Indra's Net of Jewels, and the quotations you so thoughtfully provided. A real gift to your visitors, thank you.

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    1. And thank you, Lynne, for visiting and commenting :) Love the angel sculpture on your post!

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  8. Beautiful! The black paper makes it all the more radiant!

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  9. What a deeply beautiful post...on so,so many levels...:)

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    1. Thank you Margaret! I appreciate your coming by!

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