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The Tantric Spiritual Art of Nadean O'Brien
JeweledLotus.com
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Articles
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Tantra and the Mandala 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.
Thangka of Vajrasattva and His Wisdom 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.
"Rainbow Tantra" 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.
The Sri Yantra HOW DO YOU 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!
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