Ritual

inner circle. Symbolizing the 'eight aspects of disintegrated
consciousness', these are what bind the adept to the common run of
the world and they must be conquered during one's spiritual
pilgrimage. The four portals which open up in the middle of each
side of the mandala are usually flanked by awe-inspiring divinities,
obstructive forces in the unconscious which must be overcome
before realization is sought.
The next stage is usually represented by a girdle of lotus petals,
leaves or intertwining floral patterns, symbols of 'spiritual rebirth'.
Finally, in the centre, or the 'vimana', is the seat of the deity or the
cosmic zone, the last stage of spiritual integration.
Like all tantric activity, the process of drawing the mandala is an
exercise in contemplation, an act of meditation accomplished by
following definite aesthetic principles and strict visual formulae.
To evoke the universe of the mandala with its wide-ranging
symbology accurately, the artist has to practise visual formulation,
sometimes beginning from an early age. The image, like a mirror,
reflects the inner self which ultimately leads to enlightenment and
deliverance. In Tibet, the actualization of this awareness is known
A contemporary ground-plan of a
temple based on a mandala.
Gouache on paper.
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