Imagekind Gallery Mandalas

Samantabadhra "In the Beginning"

Samantabadhra in union with his consort Samantabadhri is possibly one of the most familiar images of Tibetan Tantric Buddhist art in the Western world. He is unmistakably deep blue in color, symbolizing the sky and emptiness of mind; she is white in color, symbolizing clarity of mind. Totally nude and without ornaments, they are free from all thought constructs and have the ability to perceive the empty nature of the mind directly. Another emanation of Adi Buddha, they represent the ever-present potential for Buddhahood that has always been and always will be.

"In the Beginning" depicts the simultaneous emergence in sacred union of divine masculine (compassionate method) and feminine (wisdom) principles from the void or nothingness. It is only in our manifest world of duality that we experience a separation. Our life's quest then becomes returning to that original state of oneness. The world's troubles would cease if each one of us could take responsibility for balancing our own inner masculine and feminine energies. It has nothing to do with sex or gender, and is why I am so devoted to telling about the symbolism of "yab yum".

A pair of dragonflies accompanies the deities on their emergence from the void. They symbolize going past self-created illusions that limit our growing and changing. Inhabitants of both water and air, they are fantastic fliers that can dart like light, change directions and even go backwards as the need arises. Dragonflies are powerful reminders that we are light and can reflect light in powerful ways if we choose to do so. "Let there be light" is the divine prompting to allow your own light to shine in a new vision.

Lalita's Garden Sri Yantra

This magnificent Sri Yantra is the culmination of over 13 years of Tantric mandala painting by the artist. Every year since 1995, I have created a work celebrating "Yab Yum" (literally father mother), the ancient Tibetan Tantric Buddhist symbol of enlightenment and the sacred union of our inner masculine and feminine principles.

In "Lalita's Garden", the divine is represented by the most powerful of all Tantric yantras believed to be over five thousand years old. The five triangles pointing down are the feminine; the four triangles pointing up are the masculine. They intersect in the center at "bindu" (the seed of the entire universe). In bindu, Shiva and Shakti remain diagrammatically in eternal sacred union.

My style is contemporary and beyond iconography or religion, but each mandala is done in a manner as devoted and painstaking as my cultural orientation will allow. For me, mandala painting is a deep meditation and has been a self-healing path traveled over a decade. Each image has been a milestone in my soul's evolution and, because of the mandala's unique powers, is both a blessing and a beautiful visual piece for all those who find inspiration in spiritual art.

Dombi and the Dakini

One of my more recent Tantric paintings, this lighthearted and lovely mandala was over seven months in the making. Each leaf and blossom was individually painted. Tibetan spiritual art is customarily mounted in silk brocade rather than framed, and I have included in the artwork an intricate border richly embellished with gold leaf, crystals, tiger-eye cabochons and dimensional paint. More a thangka than a geometric mandala, it is nonetheless square with four protective stylized "gates" around the inner temple where the deities reside. In meditatiion, one can enter the world of Dombi and the Dakini and partake of their bliss.

The artistic inspiration for "Dombi and the Dakini" comes from the renown jungle paintings of Henri Rousseau as well as traditional Tibetan Buddhist mystical art. Dombi Heruka and Hamsi, his yogini partner, were certainly colorful subjects often portrayed riding around naked on a wild Bengal tigress as they went collecting alms. Although his life was surrounded by legend, he was in fact once a king who lived in Kashmir and the Himalayan regions of India during the 10th Century. He eventually became a Mahasiddha, a very great Tantric Master, and the author of several important treatises.

Tantra Nagaraj

Mystical serpent beings inhabiting oceans, lakes and rivers, the Naga gods and goddesses in their various forms have played an important part in most religions and mythologies worldwide as well as in folklore and fairytales. They are known for their miraculous powers, vast esoteric knowledge and a capricious character that can change from helpful to malevolent seemingly on a whim. As keepers of the treasures of the water elements, they often appear with a magical gem in their hands or jewels in their crowns. Their head auras are often composed of radiant serpents.

Possession of this crystallized wisdom-power exposes the Nagas to many archetypal enemies, including Garuda (half man-half bird), who would like to steal this immense source of power. Naga versus Garuda (or snake versus archangel) is the essential force or polarity that creates the world of existence from vastly different perspectives in both East and West.

Psychologically, Naga energy can be associated with libido, Kundalini or life force. The whole process of enlightenment is determined by how wisely one handles his or her own Naga energy. The practice of Tantric Kriya Yoga is devoted to the safe awakening and use of Kundalini for higher consciousness. In Tantric Buddhism quite beyond any folkloristic beliefs, there are privileged esoteric levels for the advanced Tantrician. It is stated that the historical Buddha Shakyamuni took rebirth in the Naga realm just before his last incarnation on earth, and while sitting under the Bodhi Tree in India was magically protected by a Naga.

Buddha's Dream (Vajrasattva and Consort)

One of my more recent Tantric paintings, this lovely and peaceful mandala has emerged in a manner quite different from any of my previous work. New techniques include glazes, dimensional paint and an open style not usually found in traditional Tibetan Buddhist art. More a thangka than a geometric mandala, it is nonetheless square with four stylized "gates" around the inner temple where the deities reside.

Mandala painting, for me, is to enter a process whereby human talent and skill are surrendered to the inherent wisdom of the mandala and what is to be revealed on canvas. The task of the artist is to bring forth a perfect universe (or microcosm) which can be entered in meditation and serve as a doorway to one's own inner wisdom. It's not about real people or the world we know so well.

The artistic inspiration for "Buddha's Dream" comes from a Japanese sliding screen at the head of my bed and a small bronze statue of Vajrasattva and his consort Vajratopa that sits on my night table. They represent the Buddha as cosmic consciousness prior to division and manifestation in the physical world and are also a powerful image for purifying mind and body.

Samvara Supreme Bliss

The Symbolism of Tibetan Tantric Buddhist Art

The father mother symbolism ("yab yum") is not an example of erotic art but is considered by the devout to be a manifestation of the Buddha's highest spiritual essence. It is concrete evidence presented in a most striking and graphic manner of the existence of enlightenment, denoting the highest stage of yoga in which there is no polarity, no discrimination and the truth is indivisible. There in meditation in the presence of this artistic revelation, one can discover infinite bliss and ultimate self-realization.

The feminine symbol (mother) represents transcendent wisdom, the direct awareness of reality as experienced and taught by the Buddha. The masculine (father) represents compassion for all beings which is the natural expression of such wisdom. Their sacred union is believed to generate waves of bliss and harmony, turning the world into a mandala and showering a rain of nectar that satisfies the spiritual hunger in the hearts of humankind.

Today, statues and paintings of "yab yums" are sought by collectors and boldly displayed in museums, while traditionally in Tibet they were created and meant to be seen by only the initiated. The arcane rituals associated with their display were also not for public consumption. Modern depth psychology has recognized that this imagery represents the deepest archetypes of the unconscious, integrating powerful instinctual energies of life into a consciously sublimated and exalted state. As a result, we are fascinated by this beautiful art form, wanting to possess it whether we are Tantric Buddhists or not!

Eyes of the Goddess

"Eyes of the Goddess" honors the all-seeing, all-knowing compassion of the Divine Mother. It also celebrates the opening of the "Third Eye" or Ajna ("ag-nyah") Chakra. In the Buddhist tradition, the peacock's "100-eyed tail" represents compassionate watchfulness. For the practitioner of Tantric Kriya Yoga, when the energy is flowing freely up the spine to the sixth chakra, there is a feeling of having arrived at a mountaintop after a long climb. The air is clear and crisp with an expanded sense of space and freedom. One understands things directly without logic or reason and, better still, can see through those illusions the preclude attaining the heart's desire.

OM is the mantra of Ajna Chakra and the winged globe is its yantra or symbol, an emblem of the imagination that can fly anywhere beyond the limits of time and space. The guardians of the inner place include the winged globe and 24 jeweled lotus flowers, each adorned with a sparkling crystal, again depicting the sacred union of masculine and feminine principles and the possibility of enlightenment in a lifetime.

Pandala (Panda Mandala)

"Pandala" is a celebration of passionate enlightenment, the sacred joining of spirituality and sexuality, which is a seemingly irreconcilable conflict plaguing many of us on the path to higher consciousness. In Tantra (often defined as a loom or weaving together), it is possible to bring together such polarities when we recognize that ultimately there is no duality, only oneness. "Pandala" is a perfect universe that we can enter in meditation, where the guardian pandas (amazing creatures of fascination and passion) provide a protected space in which to begin inner healing. In loving service to the deities is a magnificent green dragon, which in the Orient represents the positive aspects of primal energy and the powerful union of matter and spirit.

"Pandala" is also pan Asian in artistic motif. The eight-petaled lotus, which was seen more often as this art form migrated from India eastward, represents the points of the compass and the integration of all directions. Each petal is adorned with an authentic Japanese family crest signifying the power of bamboo.

Vajra Moon

"Vajra Moon" is a mandala of fullness, completion and integration that was inspired by the full moon high in the Himalayan night sky. Its colors come from the lovely handmade silver jewelry by native artisans featuring blue lapis, burning coral, mountain turquoise and mystical moonstones believed to protect travelers on their journey. The Tibetan word "vajra" means diamond or thunderbolt and is associated with highest Tantric Buddhist practice.

This mandala also celebrates the timeless moments after the "big bang" when yang has turned to yin and before the cycle begins once more. Sixteen cabochon moonstones guard the inner lotus palace of the deities, and the Tibetan symbol for OM is seen at the four points of the compass.

Not shown here, the original painting is set in a stunning silver frame. An exacting and challenging study in shades of silver, "Vajra Moon" is indeed a tribute to the Divine Feminine!

Tantric Bliss

"Tantric Bliss" portrays the feelings of happiness, joy and ecstasy the practice of Tantric Kriya Yoga brings to everyday experience. Meditation on a mandala replaces the habitually dulled way we see the world with radiant colors, sacred geometry, beautiful forms and divine images, at once lifting our spirits.

Indigo blue denotes all-encompassing wisdom and detachment from the mundane, and is a striking contrast to the bright gold of the guardian cobras that are symbolic of awakened consciousness. The deities residing in the lotus palace are well grounded in a luxuriant garden depicting a New Eden in which masculine (method) and feminine (wisdom) principles are balanced and living together in perfect harmony.

Hearts on Fire

"Hearts on Fire" represents the opening of our heart center and the bliss of unconditional love. When the heart is open, ego boundaries disappear, as do feelings of separateness and longing. One wants to be of service and make a difference in the world. Sadly, most of us have learned early in life to protect our hearts in order to survive in an unloving world, and opening the heart would be very painful if an inner healing had not yet occurred. A guardian ring of tigers provides a protective and supportive space where this healing can begin to take place.

A wise Tantric master once said, "To find the Pearl of Enlightenment, you must first enter the Sea of Passion." A symbolic pearl rests at the bottom of the sea in this mandala.

Heart Space

"Heart Space" represents new beginnings and springtime, a haven for the weary traveler on life's journey. A motif frequently seen in Tantric art, the lotus symbolizes beauty and purity growing out of the mud. In this tradition, even the most base emotions can be transformed into higher consciousness through dedicated Tantric Kriya Yoga practice. The posture (asana) of the deities signifies communication, trust and deepening sensitivity which are beneficial qualities in any relationship.

Outside the temple gates, benevolent serpents in a field of blue forget-me-nots keep watchful vigil over the jeweled lotus palace, their gold and silver colors another symbol of harmonizing our inner masculine and feminine principles. The four concentric circles about the center point (bindu) depict expanding levels of awareness as the mind journeys toward the center of the mandala, with over 200 sparkling little crystals to light the way.

Balancing Masculine and Feminine

"Balancing Masculine and Feminine" is a mandala honoring the opening of the second chakra whose element is water. Swadisthana is the home of our sexuality and unconscious emotional memories that can raise such havoc in a relationship when this energy center is blocked. In this mandala, guardian dolphin frolic in the sea around a garden of spectacular lotus blossoms that are symbolic of beauty and purity growing out of the mud. From a Tantric point of view, even the most base emotions can be transformed into higher consciousness through dedicated yoga practice.

If you are still looking for the love of your life, there may be hope in the words of a wise Tantric master who once said, "To find your soul mate first go within," meaning we do not have to search the world over to find our beloved. In this tradition, when we have learned to balance and harmonize our inner divine masculine (method) and feminine (wisdom) principles, then true love will inevitably follow in the outer.

Sailor of the Soul

"Sailor of the Soul," although not explicitly Tantric, is symbolic of masculine mind’s longing for union with its creative feminine soul. Fearlessly, the logical mind has charted a course into the mysterious east, the realm of the soul, embarking on a life-transforming journey. The guardian albatross soaring in groups of three, the number of the creator, and an inner ring of energetic dolphins provide stamina and support for this arduous undertaking.

The sailor’s reward at the end of the voyage is to emerge under a glorious night sky filled with a galaxy of crystal stars appropriately set in constellations signifying a balance of masculine and feminine principles. This mandala is a favorite with both men and women.