Dévötíoñ

Mandalas are Buddhist devotional images often deemed a diagram or symbol of an ideal universe. Mandalas come in many forms. Often they are painted on scrolls and taken with travelers over long distances across the Eurasian continent. Learn more about Buddhism through understanding one of its more iconic artworks.

A mandala is a symbol of the universe in its ideal form, and its creation signifies the transformation of a universe of suffering into one of joy. It can also be used as an aid to meditation, helping the meditator to envision how to achieve the perfect self.

Mandalas were created in the service of one of the world's great religions, Buddhism. They were produced in Tibet, India, Nepal, China, Japan, Bhutan, and Indonesia and date from the 4th century to present. Now they are created throughout the world, including New York City.

A special sand mandala painting is a gift to New York City from the Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery as a tolken of healing and goodwill following the terrorist act against the city on September 11, 2001. The construction of the mandala begins with a ceremony in which the monks consecrate the site and call forth forces of goodness through chants, meditation, and music. Then, over the course of ten days, the monks will pour millions of grains of colored sand from traditional metal funnels (chak-purs), purifying and healing the space and its inhabitants in the process. Shortly after its completion the monks will dismantle the mandala to symbolize the impermanence of all that exists and disperse the sand in order to share its blessing.

 

Màndàlà

 

Artist : khusi chandra

 

 For those who have not heard about mandala art, the term comes from the Sanskrit word for circle and refers to a sense of wholeness. The strokes begin from the centre of the canvas which become the focal point; from there geometrical patterns radiate out in circles hiding layers of meanings. The resulting masterpiece is a symbol, a prayer, meditation, introspection, healing and a blessing — all in one — whichever way one looks at it,” says Prarthana. “Simply gazing at the circular symphony of shapes and patterns evokes a feeling of calm and contentment representing the connection between our inner world and outer reality,” she adds.

Mandala art form is said to hold significance in religion as well. . For instance, the mandalas as seen in Buddhism and Hinduism, represent the eight fold path of spirituality.

       

         

Exploring designs with pens is fascinating and my favourites are Brusto fine liners and micron pens,” says Prarthana, adding that there are no specific pens for creating mandala art. We can use different pens with different sizes of nibs in different colours, depending on the artist’s creative thought process. The best thing about designing mandalas, is the freedom to choose the colours, shapes and themes while sticking to the basic circular pattern. When done with precision, the end product almost looks like it has been printed. The mandala you draw is yours, nobody can replicate it. And that is what makes the art form so unique. Many people and cultures have vouched for the mandala’s intrinsic meaning. Buddhists, Tibetans, and Hindus have all derived meaning from the mandala and its captivating beauty. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung has called it “a representation of the unconscious self.” The mandala is widely recognized as a meaningful reflection of its creator.  Mandala art therapy & healing can be a great source of reflection on one’s soul. Mandalas can be seen all around us, but are not just people-centric. They are larger than life. Mandalas represent life as we know it, but they also represent a larger ecosystem and universe that exceeds our consciousness. The circle with a center pattern is the basic structure of creation that is reflected from the micro to the macro in the world as we know it. It is a pattern found in nature and is seen in biology, geology, chemistry, physics and astronomy. Flowers, the rings found in tree trunks and the spiraling outward and inward of a snail’s shell all reflect the primal mandala pattern. Wherever a center is found radiating outward and inward, there is wholeness–a mandala. Within the Milky Way galaxy is our solar system and within our solar system, is Earth. Each is a mandala that is part of a larger mandala. The very nature of creating a mandala is therapeutic and symbolic. The shapes and colors you create in your mandala art therapy will reflect your inner self at the time of creation. Your instinct and feeling should inspire and guide you through the process of creation. As with most art therapy, it’s not about the final product…it’s about the journey. When you reach your destination, you will have a representation of something meaningful and personal…a snapshot of you for a brief moment in time expressed through your mandala.

Létß paiñt chéss

 

Chess game is well known all over the world. It is a game of mind. It is played on a board called chess board. On that small stick like players are there we have to use our brain to win the game in this two opposite players are there one players has white players other has black players. The game starts with white players. Both players has to play with mind to win. In this game if the king of the players dies the game is over. Players have to save their king from the opposite player to win the game. This game is so interesting. If we play we will come to know how interesting the game it or if we just look the game we will feel the game boring. It is an olympic game. 

   

Chess is not only all about mates and board it is such a game which teaches us life lesson in a broad sense some of them are below which excites me more toward chess:

1. In chess, every move has a purpose. Life obviously cannot be lived with this much unceasing calculation, nor should we want to live it that way, but there are times when we must align our actions with a predetermined strategy, instead of bumbling through it.

2. Play for the advantage. If you already have it, maintain it. If you don’t have it, seize it.

3. Everyone’s playing. Sometimes it’s a friendly, often it is more serious. The problem is that not everyone knows they’re playing – even after they have made a move.

4. Seize the initiative. If you wait around for someone else to make a decision for you, they will… and you probably won’t like how it turns out.

5. Learn to spot patterns. There are often clearly defined lines of success that work well. Learn to see these when they repeat, and take advantage of them.

6. Don’t get stuck on the formula. A little bit of creativity and lateral thinking can often take you to new heights.

7. Ignore what your opponent is trying to do at your own peril. We often get so absorbed in our own games and machinations that we ignore what is going on around us. Be aware of threats and alert to opportunities.

8. Simplify.

      

9. If you only play patzers, you never really improve – take on a few tough challenges, and even if you lose, try to learn something new.

10. Cut your losses. Sometimes you are going to lose material. Try to minimize your losses and move on.

11. Play the board, not the player. Don’t target your responses at people, target what they say and do. There is a difference.

12. Sometimes you get stuck in a position known in chess as zugzwang: where whichever move you make is a bad one. This is just the way it goes sometimes, in chess and in life.

13. There is nothing more satisfying than a discovered attack: Pretending to do one thing while attacking somewhere else. Learn to play and live less obviously and on more levels. This makes you less predictable and more interesting.

14. Be prepared to sacrifice material for position. Sometimes even the greatest material sacrifice can result in a winning position later on.

15. If you spend all of your time chasing lowly pawns, you may be on the receiving end of an opponent who cares less about small victories and more about winning the war.

16. A threat is best met with a move that improves your own position. Don’t get trapped into mindlessly trading moves and material in anger. Sometimes the solution is more gentle and cerebral.

17. You don’t have to be a devious swindler to win… you just have to be better.

18. We all blunder from time to time. This does not mean we should give up and run away. Often when you’re sure there is no way out after a bad mistake, you will be given a lifeline.

19. When someone makes a move that you cannot understand, don’t read more into it than you need to. Sometimes people just make silly moves – that’s all there is to it.

20. Have a Plan B. And a Plan C. If none of those work, you’re probably doomed.

21. Play for the middle. Don’t hold back too much, and don’t push through too early. Your opportunity will come.

22. How you start a game determines how you will finish it. Play wisely.

23. If an opening appears, seize it immediately.

24. Don’t get pinned down. Where something more cherished cannot be brought into play because it is stuck behind something trivial, make every effort to get it into the game – as soon as possible.

25. In the endgame, attack the King by focussing your attention on his escape squares: When you are in the final stretch, and about to win, anticipate what could go wrong and plan accordingly.

26. Be flexible. It seldom goes the way you planned – adjust and continue.

27. If you are feeling boxed-in, free things up.

28. Where possible, trade inferior material and positions for better ones.

29. The little guys on your side matter. Look after them.

30. Accumulate small advantages.

31. There are no foregone conclusions in life or in chess.

32. Ignore meaningless threats. Anticipate and deal with dangerous ones swiftly.

33. Never rest on your laurels. Keep thinking, looking for new opportunities and trying to generate new ideas.

34. Don’t be overly impressed with lofty words or titles. The only thing worse than being overly diffident towards those who outrank you is being dismissive of those inferior to you.

35. Keep calm and move slowly.

36. Replace wishful thinking with action.

37. If you lose, do so graciously and try to learn at least one important lesson.

38. Sometimes a draw is as good as a win. But a draw is always better than a loss.

39. Keep your options open and always have an escape route.

40. Surprise and impress people with unconventional moves. But not with dumb ones. Creativity always has a purpose – doing something wild and crazy just for the sake of it may be fun at the time, but ultimately has no value. Break the rules – but only if it serves a good purpose.

41. Appraise your position honestly. If it is bad, do something about it – if it is good, make it even better.

42. Don’t get swept up by distractions.

43. Narrow down your choices. And then decide. Take your time, but settle on one plan of action… and then do it!

44. Sometimes you have to sacrifice in order to achieve a break-through.

45. Always consider the whole board when deciding on a move: decisions made with too narrow a focus are often bad.

46. Connect your pieces cleverly. Collaboration and cooperation are the keys to success.

47. Look beyond the obvious.

48. Enjoy yourself.

49. Deep and meaningful is always better than superficially pretty.

50. If all else fails… fake it.

Flàmé aßh àrt

  The ideas of flame ash art came in my mind while i was lightning my house during diwali from candle and diya. I have been always passionate towards black and white colour combination paintings hence seeing those black flame charcoal dust i decided to use it in my painting .

Inventing person:

For the past 16 years, artist Steven Spazuk has been honing the craft of painting with fire. The “fire artist” uses the resulting soot from flames to produce haunting, delicate work. By trailing his tools over the remnants of a flame, he almost sculpts his subjects on the canvas in a technique called fumage.

It's most likely how pre-historic man created cave paintings. I tried to captured the public's imagination, as i finds the perfect balance between unique execution and memorable, finished product. 

“Fire consumes, warms, and illuminates,” .“but can also bring pain and death; thus, its symbolic meaning varies wildly, depending upon the context of its use. I mostly use it to talk about life's fragility. Exploring this fragility is the very essence of my work as a artist.”

Here i start my first painting of a girls side look face i love this position of face as it deeply show the curve of faces and presents in an adorable manner .

The hairs are made from all my garden flowers and leaves. Showing how girls hairs are in many religion hair of women is treated as asset and are always covered and kept protected they are not allowed to show it yo mens , lets change our thoughts with time and let womens also to live there life free like this painting lady let there hair fly in aur and let them fell the inner happiness and satisfaction of independence.

Second painting has been drawn by inspiration by mowgli,the best childhood story of mine and many more. It is a beautiful and heart warming story of a feral child mowgli , raised in a jungle by a mother wolf who brings him up as her own cub.

The most important life lesson in Jungle Book is to not be a coward. We need to face our fears, gain confidence, and triumph over it. This is shown beautifully when Mowgli faces the Tiger - Shere Khan and saves his friend Baloo. story also tells us how to lead a simple and happy life.

Hence this painting show how person can win the hearts of animal too with kindness and care . And lead the king of jungle the lion behind him .

Màá Múmmà

 First of all, Mother is a word which fills everyone with emotions. A Mother is certainly the most important human being in everyone’s life. Mother’s Love for her child certainly cannot be compared with anything. Her level of forgiveness is unmatchable. A Mother is capable of forgiving any wrongdoing. Mother is the most important woman in everyone’s life. A mother sacrifices her happiness for her child. No one else can care for their kids the way a Mother does.  A Mother is great and does not need anyone like me explaining that. This essay on Mother is a small attempt to discover the greatness of a mother.

Mothers are highly responsible women. They certainly play a very important role in the upbringing of a child. Most noteworthy, Mothers play a huge role in determining a child’s attitude. Whether a child will be good or evil in the future depends upon the Mother. The moral values taught by Mother probably play a huge role. Individuals often remember their Mother’s values until old age. Hence, the Mother is responsible for the well-being of society. The future of society in a large way is the result of a Mother’s teaching.

 Mother is a word which fills everyone with emotions. A Mother is certainly the most important human being in everyone’s life. Mother’s Love for her child certainly cannot be compared with anything. Her level of forgiveness is unmatchable. A Mother is capable of forgiving any wrongdoing. Mother is the most important woman in everyone’s life. A mother sacrifices her happiness for her child. No one else can care for their kids the way a Mother does.  A Mother is great and does not need anyone like me explaining that.

Mothers share a deep connection with their children. This connection certainly cannot be matched by anyone else. Even fathers fail to establish that type of understanding. The origins of this connection happen from infancy. Most noteworthy, a Mother can understand her infant child without communication. This certainly develops a strong emotional connection between a mother and child. This bond seems to carry into adult life. A Mother, it seems like, can always tell when we are feeling hungry.

Mothers also are the emotional backbone of the family. They support everyone’s feeling in a family. Family members can certainly tell their emotions to Mothers without worry. An individual can share almost any secret with Mother. This is because Mothers have a huge level of trust with their family. Furthermore, Mothers have an extremely forgiving nature. Hence, even wrongdoing can be shared with a Mother.

Mothers are precious gifts from God. Without mothers, life would certainly be dark and gloomy. Therefore, it is our duty to help and support our Mothers. One important way to do that is to help in chores. Individuals must try to do more household work. This would certainly reduce the burden of Mothers. Hence, this will also improve her health.

Another way of supporting Mothers is to speak words of affirmation.

Most noteworthy, a Mother’s heart is made of gold. A few words of acknowledgment would fill her heart with happiness. There are probably several ways of doing so. One way is to praise the meal cooked by her. Above all, such acknowledgment should come on a regular basis.

A Mother is a gem in everyone’s life. She is the ultimate source of happiness for a child. Her contributions are certainly too great to imagine. Above all, her love is pure and innocent. To find a Mother who does not love is probably an impossible task.

Vìgnhàrtà

  

                                                Artist : shri priya 

On the day of Diwali, it is a custom to worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha together. It is well-known that Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth, fortune, luxury and prosperity (both material and spiritual) while Lord Ganesha is revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the ‘Deva’ of intellect and wisdom. People worship these two deities together to welcome wealth along with intelligence. Since no celebration is deemed complete without invoking Lord Ganesha, Diwali is no exception either. Ganesha is considered as the remover of all obstacles. Hence, He is worshipped first to get rid of all the obstacles that hinder our growth. Along with that, worshipping the forms of Goddess Mahalakshmi is the most crucial part of Diwali. It is said that on the night of Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi visits each house and blesses everyone with great wealth. But the question remains as to why Lakshmi and Ganesha are worshipped together and there is an interesting story behind the worship of Lakshmi and Ganesha on Diwali.

Artist : Manjari

A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Asian regions. It can be understood in two different ways: externally as a visual representation of the universe and also internally as a guide for several practices that take place in many Asian traditions, including meditation. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the belief is that by entering the mandala and proceeding towards its center, you are guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering into one of joy and happiness.

Hinduism and Buddhism are are the only two religion in which you will see the culture of mandala art . Its said that the mandala art work is related to the universe power which is concentrated towards it center. If u have ever notice the Mandala artwork starts from center and spreads away as u go just like the universe .

SO LETS GET STARTED :

 I STARTED WITH DRAWING OUT LINE WITH PENCIL 
Make sure you dint use much hard pencil at it might affect the paper and to dark will not let you erase it later on.

STEP 1 DRAW OUTLINE WITH PENCIL 

STEP 2 WORK ON AREA WISE 
No need to rush on the work you should go slowly and steady .

Praýer Bèaďs

 

Hindu and Buddhist Traditions

In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, mandalas are an object of meditation to aid in one’s spiritual development. The imagery depicts the universe and the symbols represent one’s spiritual journey, the cycles of birth-life-death, and the interconnectedness of all living things. The Hindu tradition focuses on the realization of the self as one with the divine. Whereas in the Buddhist tradition, the emphasis is on the potential for enlightenment (Buddha-nature) and the pictures within the mandalas illustrate the obstacles that one has to overcome in order to cultivate compassion and wisdom. Drawing mandalas in this tradition follows strict rules.


Mandalas are found across all cultures.

Here are some examples:

• Celtic spirals and knot work

• Christianity – rose windows, rosary, hal

• Chinese Yin and Yang symbol

• Hindu Yantra

• Labyrinths

• Native American – medicine wheel, dream

        catchers, Native American shield

• Navajo Sand Paintings

• Tibetan Sand Mandalas

Calendars follow cycles of time. i.e., Gregorian, Astrological and Mayan calendars.


Mandalas in Nature

Snowflakes, flowers, and shells like the nautilus pictured above are all examples of where mandalas show up in nature. The cyclical patterns of the moon and seasons are also seen as mandalas.

Benefits of Creating Mandalas

Creating mandalas:

• Relaxes the body and mind

• Cultivates the feeling of happiness, inner peace, and general well-being

• Eases stress, anxiety, worry, overwhelm, fear, and depression

• Activates creativity and improves focus

• Enhances self-esteem and self-acceptance

• Fosters a sense of connectedness with one’s self and others

• Improves sleep

• It’s fun!

Let's enjoy ....

Màndàlà the Thèràpy

 

  

Drawing mandalas is fun. When you are trying to create something new relax and think echo of your soul and the surroundings.

Sketching and giving shape to the mandala can be a new experience in your life which can help to explore yourself and find the shapes, colors, and patterns to represent your current state of mind to your most deeply-desired wish for yourself, for a loved one, or for humanity.

You can design a mandala to symbolize a state of mind that you would like to achieve.

   

The best thing about creating your own mandala is that you have the freedom to choose whatever shapes, symbols, and colors that you feel express your sense of self and your view of reality.

Your mandala is the representation of your inner self so you have the freedom to create something unique and meaningful.

Mandalas can also be used as a healing tool for meditation. Meditation itself has been shown to reduce stress, combat depression, reduce pain, and lower blood pressure.

It may also boost the immune system and stimulate the release of melatonin, a hormone believed to slow cell aging and promote sleep. While it is unclear what impact visual mandalas may have, people may find that they are a useful tool for their meditative practice.

Mandalas are not just something to look at or meditate on. There are now mandala coloring books that can be useful to anyone . Coloring a mandala using pencil crayons, crayons, paint, or pastels combines the benefits of meditation and art therapy into a simple practice that can be done at any time and place. 

People who color mandalas often experience a deep sense of calm and well-being.

It's a simple tool that doesn't require any expertise, but it can be remarkably soothing and nourishing. Mandalas not only focus your attention but also allow you to express your creative side, which many of us neglect in our daily lives.

They can be particularly useful for:

Children:

 Coloring mandalas can help children deal with emotions and cope with illness. Instead of verbalizing their feelings, many children express themselves through color and art. Psychologist Barbara Sourkes, Ph.D., has used these "color-feeling wheels" for children with cancer and their siblings. She notes that it can be used with children as young as 3-years-old and that it's an exercise in which they don't fear giving away their feelings as a typical children's drawing might.

People with a terminal illness: 

The University of California at Irvine Cancer Center and the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center are just two cancer centers that have offered mandala workshops to cancer survivors.

People who want to quit smoking: 

For the same reason that many smokers take up knitting when they quit, coloring mandalas can keep your hands occupied and help relieve stress. You can bring your mandala book with you so you can pick it up for several minutes at a time whenever you feel the urge to smoke.

However, mandalas are not for everyone. Coloring a mandala involves repetitive movements and gripping. This can aggravate the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in the fingers. It can cause pain in people with carpal tunnel syndrome, lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), and other forms of repetitive strain injuries as well.

A Word From Verywell

The repetitive process of coloring the geometric shapes within a mandala can be beneficial to people of all ages. Try to avoid the notion that coloring is just for kids. Instead, use it as a constructive way to find some quiet time to soothe your thoughts from any stress and anxiety you may be feeling. The relief you find may just surprise you.

Içòñògŕaphý

 

Do you know what a mandala is?

The Tibetan monks make then out of dark sand laid out into big beautiful designs. And when they're done, after days or weeks of work, they wipe it all away.

Try to look at your experience as a mandala. Work hard to make something as meaningful and beautiful as you can. And when your done, pack it in and know it was all temporary. And start all over again.

The mandala appears as a series of concentric circles. Each mandala has its own resident deity housed in the square structure situated concentrically within these circles. Its perfect square shape indicates that the absolute space of wisdom is without aberration. This square structure has four elaborate gates. These four doors symbolize the bringing together of the four boundless thoughts namely - loving kindness, compassion, sympathy, and equanimity. Each of these gateways is adorned with bells, garlands and other decorative items. This square form defines the architecture of the mandala described as a four-sided palace or temple. A palace because it is the residence of the presiding deity of the mandala, a temple because it contains the essence of the Buddha.

The series of circles surrounding the central palace follow an intense symbolic structure. Beginning with the outer circles, one often finds a ring of fire, frequently depicted as a stylized scrollwork. This symbolizes the process of transformation which ordinary human beings have to undergo before entering the sacred territory within. This is followed by a ring of thunderbolt or diamond scepters (vajra), indicating the indestructibility and diamond like brilliance of the mandala's spiritual realms.

In the next concentric circle, particularly those mandalas which feature wrathful deities, one finds eight cremation grounds arranged in a wide band. These represent the eight aggregates of human consciousness which tie man to the phenomenal world and to the cycle of birth and rebirth.

Āuŕeoļe Màndàlà

       

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 origin of the mandala is the center, a dot. It is a symbol apparently free of dimensions. It means a 'seed', 'sperm', 'drop', the salient starting point. It is the gathering center in which the outside energies are drawn, and in the act of drawing the forces, the devotee's own energies unfold and are also drawn. Thus it represents the outer and inner spaces. Its purpose is to remove the object-subject dichotomy. In the process, the mandala is consecrated to a deity.

In its creation, a line materializes out of a dot. Other lines are drawn until they intersect, creating triangular geometrical patterns. The circle drawn around stands for the dynamic consciousness of the initiated. The outlying square symbolizes the physical world bound in four directions, represented by the four gates; and the midmost or central area is the residence of the deity. Thus the center is visualized as the essence and the circumference as grasping, thus in its complete picture a mandala means grasping the essence.

Before a monk is permitted to work on constructing a mandala he must undergo a long period of technical artistic training and memorization, learning how to draw all the various symbols and studying related philosophical concepts. At the Namgyal monastery (the personal monastery of the Dalai lama), for example, this period is three years.

In the early stages of painting, the monks sit on the outer part of the unpainted mandala base, always facing the center. For larger sized Mandalas, when the mandala is about halfway completed, the monks then stand on the floor, bending forward to apply the colors.

Traditionally, the mandala is divided into four quadrants and one monk is assigned to each. At the point where the monks stand to apply the colors, an assistant joins each of the four. Working co-operatively, the assistants help by filling in areas of color while the primary four monks outline the other details.

The monks memorize each detail of the mandala as part of their monastery's training program. It is important to note that the mandala is explicitly based on the Scriptural texts. At the end of each work session, the monks dedicate any artistic or spiritual merit accumulated from this activity to the benefit of others. This practice prevails in the execution of all ritual arts.

There is good reason for the extreme degree of care and attention that the monks put into their work: they are actually imparting the Buddha's teachings. Since the mandala contains instructions by the Buddha for attaining enlightenment, the purity of their motivation and the perfection of their work allows viewers the maximum benefit.

Each detail in all four quadrants of the mandala faces the center, so that it is facing the resident deity of the mandala. Thus, from the perspective of both the monks and the viewers standing around the mandala, the details in the quadrant closest to the viewer appear upside down, while those in the most distant quadrant appear right side up.

Generally, each monk keeps to his quadrant while painting the square palace. When they are painting the concentric circles, they work in tandem, moving all around the mandala. They wait until an entire cyclic phase or layer is completed before moving outward together. This ensures that balance is maintained, and that no quadrant of the mandala grows faster than another.

The preparation of a mandala is an artistic endeavor, but at the same time it is an act of worship. In this form of worship concepts and form are created in which the deepest intuitions are crystallized and expressed as spiritual art. The design, which is usually meditated upon, is a continuum of spatial experiences, the essence of which precedes its existence, which means that the concept precedes the form.

Mandala

  

The mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction. In the Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Shintoism it is used as a map representing deities, or specially in the case of Shintoism, paradises, kami or actual shrines.

In New Age, the mandala is a diagram, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically; a time-microcosm of the universe, but it originally meant to represent wholeness and a model for the organizational structure of life itself, a cosmic diagram that shows the relation to the infinite and the world that extends beyond and within various minds & bodies...
The mandala can be shown to represent in visual form the core essence of the Vajrayana teachings. The mind is "a microcosm representing various divine powers at work in the universe."The mandala represents the nature of the Pure Land, Enlightened mind.

An example of this type of mandala is Vajrabhairava mandala a silk tapestry woven with gilded paper depicting lavish elements like crowns and jewelry, which gives a three-dimensional effect to the piece.

A mandala can also represent the entire universe, which is traditionally depicted with Mount Meru as the axis mundi in the center, surrounded by the continents.One example is the Cosmological Mandala with Mount Meru, a silk tapestry from the Yuan dynasty that serves as a diagram of the Tibetan cosmology, which was given to China from Nepal and Tibet.

In the mandala, the outer circle of fire usually symbolises wisdom. The ring of eight charnel grounds represents the Buddhist exhortation to be always mindful of death, and the impermanence with which samsara is suffused: "such locations were utilized in order to confront and to realize the transient nature of life".Described elsewhere: "within a flaming rainbow nimbus and encircled by a black ring of dorjes, the major outer ring depicts the eight great charnel grounds, to emphasize the dangerous nature of human life". Inside these rings lie the walls of the mandala palace itself, specifically a place populated by deities and Buddhas.

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.

Fĺowerß attract Hùmañ

JAHAN PHOOL KHELTAI HAI ,CHALO WAHAN CHALTAI HAI!!

By: Mah e darakshan

The relationship between humans and flowers is special. Humans have always been strangely attracted to flowers even when they provide no physical sustenance and when resources are low. Humans have also put embodied and physical effort into growing flowers for their aesthetic qualities. Stone drawings of flowers were found in ancient Egyptian graves 120,000 years ago, were celebrated in festivals in Roman times, and, in China, were created in silk 2000 years ago .

As stated, this attraction is not on a survival level, as while flowers can provide some basic medicinal uses and serve as a sign of the fertility of the land, the main motivation for growing flowers seems to be aesthetic. However, this goes beyond perceptual levels, as flowers are a multi-sensory experience that includes smell, texture, and color (and an embodied experience, in that one has to actively search for flowers with his/her body, to tend them, and to bend over them to smell them). The experience is also relational in that flowers are dependent on man’s care; they have to be handled gently, watered, and nurtured . On all of these levels, the human interaction and the relationship with flowers seems to be an interesting example of embodied aesthetics. This perspective of the relationship between humans and flowers, and thus the incentive to grow them, is not well explored in the literature.


Indeed, embodied phenomenology assumes that our live bodies interacting with the environment are at the basis of our phenomenological experience of the world. Flowers are an apt example of being aware of the environment around us and of how we engage with the world through skilled interaction through our bodies—by using all of our senses. This happens through moving our bodies within space rather than only by contemplating the environment. Flowers, as described above, demand us to get close to smell them, to move towards them to find them in nature, to water them, to pick them, and to carry them in our hands. All of this embodied interaction makes them excellent examples and receptors for the experience of embodied aesthetics. Tending to and enjoying flowers thus enables us to interact in a skilled fashion with the environment and to engage with the world . This behavior clearly creates positive emotions, as there is no survival-level incentive to engage with flowers. An exploration of this basic relationship to flowers may help us to understand how embodied aesthetics ‘works’ to enhance positive emotions in an ancient and enduring context of growing flowers .


         

As stated, aesthetic and embodied experiences include within them overt perceptual processes, but also, additional components that will be outlined below. Firstly, from an evolutionary perspective, the flower as a species uses, among others, the strategy of activating humans to grow and to propagate it, just as it activates insects with pollen. The plant thus uses its aesthetic characteristics to attract humans. In turn, for humans, flowers may evoke positive emotions, because they can help predict food-growing possibilities and/or may be used as medicines. They essentially show where man can live healthily. In addition, colors of flowers may be helpful in finding ripe fruit against a green background. However, as stated above, when man grows ornamental flowers, this evolutionary motivation is lessened. People have always actively invested resources in growing ornamental flowers since ancient times.

Secondly, flowers have a strong visual component. Vision is a multimodal process that entails the activation, not only of the visual areas of the brain, but also of sensory-motor, viscera-motor, and affective cerebral circuits. On this level, flowers activate multiple parts of the brain creating a stimulating, perceptual experience. The repeated, compositional elements of flowers such as color, shape, and pattern that are repeated within the petal arrangement and within a group of similar flowers growing in proximity are helpful in providing the right amount of familiarity and innovation to calm but also to activate the brain. Thus, flowers help us to actively organize perceptual experience . This visual stimulation, together with the ease of recognition and the familiarity engendered by symmetry in flower shapes, may stimulate the brain and be associated with improved mood due to a feeling of being able to make sense of the world. This combined element of familiarity and surprise is a basic component of aesthetic experience that is able to move us emotionally, activating both sadness and happiness.

Thirdly, on a sensory level, this aesthetic perceptual pleasure in flowers goes beyond vision to include smell, movement, and sensory stimuli. Flowers evoke a multisensory experience, as shown in watching flowers sway in the wind and their use in perfume.

Fourthly, these sensory stimuli also stimulate autobiographical memory, creating a web of positive associations around flowers through former experiences with them or components of them . For example, color, smell, and shape connect to autobiographic memories and stimulate the recall and accessibility of long term memory . Autobiographical memory is important for this understanding of flowers, as flowers triggers a sensory aesthetic experience that connects to previous autobiographical memories of interactions with them. These cultural levels cut through the strong sensory association with previous positive experiences as learned associations of flowers. This may be the reason flowers are connected to positive social events, such as romance and celebrations within the context of specific cultural constructions of meanings .

     

Fifthly, from this, flowers as embodied aesthetics become socially embedded. They enhance pleasant stimulation of the brain that is then connected to positive social experiences. This can be a central incentive of humans to culture flowers . In one study, positive emotions were maintained for three days after receiving flowers and made people likely to smile and create more social contact when given flowers . Flowers are thus connected to a positive, emotional environment for optimal psychological—and from this, physical—health. We tend flowers as we tend loved ones. The aesthetic experience becomes socially embedded and relational. People become happier when given a large bunch of flowers by a loved one as opposed to when given money. The embodied sensory level of flowers seems to be connected to the positive element of relationship, from romantic and sexual, as well as to general positive, social interactions . From this, we can surmise that the aesthetic experience of flowers leads to the embodied and socially embedded experience of feeling connected positively to the world.

Finally, on the level of the connection between embodied aesthetics and resilience, resilience can be enhanced through focusing on positive thoughts and emotions. This may be a hint as to the real motivation behind cultivating flowers—to create a positive experience of the world. Indeed, art therapy and nature therapy utilize visual elements such as mandalas and positive images from nature to create a ‘safe place’ to regulate emotions. These embodied aesthetic experiences have healing qualities in themselves in that they re-connect to positive, social experiences through stimulating the mind, senses, and body to interact positively with others. We saw that aesthetic experiences enable the regulation of physiological and emotional over- and under-excitation of the organism. This is expressed in theories of creative processes such as art-making or observing, enabling a mind-set of ‘flow’ and deep concentration, as well as regulated communication with others. Art-making and observing has been defined as an integrative activity that integrates left and right brain functions, and, as such, creates new neurological pathways between emotional and cognitive areas of the brain, enabling flexibility of thought, as opposed to the rigid, repetitive, or fragmented thinking when under stress or after trauma . These ideas are transferred to nature in nature therapy and horticulture therapy, both utilizing the outside to create this embodied positive interaction with the environment through immersion in the outside and in growing plants. However, the literature on these areas tends to focus more on the psychosocial and relational corrective value of these activities when undertaken in a therapeutic environment, rather than focusing on the inherent characteristics of embodied aesthetics as a socially embedded phenomenon .

Înfïniťe sțars = ùnìveřsè

The stars are great globes of hot, glowing gas just like our sun. They contain a great deal of hydrogen and helium gases. They shine by changing hydrogen into helium in the vast nuclear furnaces of their central core.

Astronomers have discovered that the stars contain most of the other elements found on the earth. They have identified more than sixty of the elements like air, water, fire etc. found on the earth. The elements are not in the same proportion as they are on the earth. They vary from star to star. The stars contain lighter elements like hydrogen, helium, iron and calcium in a large proportion.

Astronomers use an instrument called spectroscope to split the starlight into a broad band of colours. Sometimes there are a number of dark lines in the band. The position, the number and the size of the lines, give a lot of information about a star’s atmosphere including its gaseous chemical content, its density and temperature.

The Universe is everything we can touch, feel, sense, measure or detect. It includes living things, planets, stars, galaxies, dust clouds, light, and even time. Before the birth of the Universe, time, space and matter did not exist.

The Universe contains billions of galaxies, each containing millions or billions of stars. The space between the stars and galaxies is largely empty. However, even places far from stars and planets contain scattered particles of dust or a few hydrogen atoms per cubic centimeter. Space is also filled with radiation (e.g. light and heat), magnetic fields and high energy particles (e.g. cosmic rays).

The Universe is incredibly huge. It would take a modern jet fighter more than a million years to reach the nearest star to the Sun. Travelling at the speed of light (300,000 km per second), it would take 100,000 years to cross our Milky Way galaxy alone.

No one knows the exact size of the Universe, because we cannot see the edge – if there is one. All we do know is that the visible Universe is at least 93 billion light years across. (A light year is the distance light travels in one year – about 9 trillion km.)

The Universe has not always been the same size. Scientists believe it began in a Big Bang, which took place nearly 14 billion years ago. Since then, the Universe has been expanding outward at very high speed. So the area of space we now see is billions of times bigger than it was when the Universe was very young. The galaxies are also moving further apart as the space between them expands.