Aurora 2012 by Christian Mülhauser

“Last week I was again in Norway for shooting northern lights. This time I was very lucky, there was a lot of activity on the sky especially on the 24 January. The scenes are from Ravnastua, Skoganvarre and Lakselv. The first two days I had a lot of trouble with frozen Cameras. It was -25°C (-13°F) and after 1-2 hours of shooting the lens was frozen.”

more @ Aurora 2012 from Christian Mülhauser on Vimeo.

Photographer Terje Sorgjerd Films Amazing Northern Lights Show

“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” Galileo Galilei

Amazing films by the wonderful Norwegian landscape photographer Terje Sorgjerd, who is a passionate landscape and video photographer since 2006.

The Aurora

“I spent a week capturing one of the biggest aurora borealis shows in recent years. Shot in and around Kirkenes and Pas National Park bordering Russia, at 70 degree north and 30 degrees east. Temperatures around -25 Celsius. Good fun. Music is Gladiator…”

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

The Mountain

“This was filmed between 4th and 11th April 2011. I had the pleasure of visiting El Teide. Spain´s highest mountain @(3715m) is one of the best places in the world to photograph the stars and is also the location of Teide Observatories.”

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

 

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Press/licensing/projects contact: terjes @ gmail.com

Chicago Blizzard 2011 Photos

Some photos of our house and street 2 days after digging out… (click on the images for full photos)

Thunder Snow

Contemporary Mandalas: Mirrors of Peace

The origins of the mandalas can be found in Jainism, Tantrism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Lamaism. The word “Mandala” comes from Sanskrit, the sacred language of the Indian Brahmans. “Mandala” means “Circle” or more precisely, “Sacred Circle” or “Magic”. In Tibetan it is Kyl-Khor – Kyl means “Center” and Khor means “Circle”.

The Mandalas represent the ideal world. It is a geometric form with a center -the concentration ; and a periphery -the organization. Each traditional Mandala, of oriental origin has a Mantra – sacred Hindu or Buddhist formula as its content. The Mantra is the soul of the Mandala. A Mandala is defined according to three principles of organization : the central point, a radiation from this point and the circular outer border.

The central point symbolizes the mysterious energy center, the birth place of all existence in space and time. It also symbolizes unity, totality and perfection. It is without dimension or place : the circle and the sphere are born of it. These are manifested forms from a central point. The central point appears as the beginning and end of all possible paths. The law of the center is one of silence and the law of the world, that of the periphery, is one of movement.

The radiation from the central point grows in a centrifugal fashion until it reaches the outer border where it is reflected back towards its center in a perpetual mixture of centrifugal and centripetal movements. The central point is the point of departure as well as the point of arrival for all movement signifying unity in diversity or diversity in unity.

The circle, the real border with the exterior, is the protector of the sacred contents, especially the center. It is also the symbol of infinity and the absolute. It is for this reason that the Mandala has been considered throughout time and various civilizations to be a divine symbol. The Mandalas present a model of the macro and microcosm : the center and the rotation, unity and diversity (clusters within the galaxies, solar system, body cells, molecules and atoms). It is a visualization of the universe.

The center of a Mandala represents the center of the universe. It is the heart of the universe made up of wisdom, of energy emerging from emptiness, of silence. In this silence, lives unity, the divine, the invisible, the metaphysical.

The periphery represents the creation of the world. It also represents the diversity of organization of the universe, born of its center.

If we think of the macrocosm, we discover solar systems. In the center we find the star, the sun and, orbiting around it, the planets, their satellites and their moons organized around them. If we take the galaxies : they have their centers there, where the stars are the most dense and where the light is brightest. Their peripheries are the immense arms of the galaxies or spirals which, in their turn, have their own rotation around their own centers. If we look even more deeply into the universe, we discover the clusters of the galaxies, which, in their turn, move around a center. The big bang itself reminds us of the schema of the Mandalas.

If we consider the microcosm, we discover the world of crystals, of cells and atoms which demonstrate the same schema as a Mandala. The nuclei are the centers and the structured peripheries are their circles. Each atom represents a mandala and even the nucleus of an atom is made up of quarks which have their own organization around a center, reminding one of a Mandala. “In the macrocosm as in the microcosm”, “above as below” says a very old spiritual law from the hermetic philosophy of the ancient Egyptians.

Thus the Mandala is a “Cosmogram” which represents the essential schema of the entire universe. The design of a Mandala acts on the psyche : its center unifies and its periphery stabilizes. For a human being it is a “Psychocosmogram”. It attracts the eye to this center -towards unity, towards the divine ; it pulls us towards our own center. The human brain is able to memorize symmetrical forms very rapidly and to transmit them equally rapidly to the psyche.

The psyche is made up of emotions and mental processes. The Mandala acts on the psyche in so far as it reunites and unifies through its principle of immobility, the center ; and it harmonizes through its symmetrical parts, in the periphery.

According to Dr Carl Gustav JUNG, the Mandala is an “archetype”. JUNG, psychiatrist and student of FREUD associated the Mandala with the mirror of the Self.

He used the Mandala as a tool to better understand the psyche of his patients by having them color and design Mandalas. The psyche is symbolized in the drawing.

There is obviously a connection between the symmetrical design of the Mandala and the human psyche. The symmetrical design is a reproduction of our psyche in miniature, on paper. This can vary according to the day and the mood of the person. The Mandala contains and structures the archetypal energies of the unconscious in a way that the conscious mind can assimilate.

In drawing a Mandala, we create our own sacred space, a safe place, a center where we can concentrate our energies. According to JUNG, when the Self manages to express itself through the drawing, the unconscious responds by imposing a reverential attitude towards life. When we look at a Mandala, it centers us, it harmonizes us and gives us an internal peace and silence. It stabilizes us and stimulates new ideas within us which are capable of leading us to constructive goals. For all these reasons the Mandala has been used since the beginning of time as a visual tool for Meditation.

When one meditates in front of a Mandala, one has in front of him the representation of the world and his own being ; the idea is to bring together one’s own center and that of the universe. Meditation on a Mandala gives silence, peace and harmony and brings inner stability. It allows us to look into our own world ; it guides us to the source of light within us. Meditation is the path to self knowledge – it guides us to our true identity – our divine self – that self which shines in the depths of our souls.

One meditates on a Mandala by visualizing its three dimensions – like a temple. This is why the sacred circle is often placed within a square. The square symbolizes the walls of a temple with four openings or doors which indicate, at the same time, the four cardinal points and the four heavenly directions. In India, in Tibet and throughout Asia, the major temples as well as the pagodas have been built according to the architectural principles of the Mandala.

Sacred texts lay down that each temple must be a representation of the universe. Even in the Occident, our architects have used the Mandala as a model of the creation of the world ; transcendence in the center and diverse creation in the circle. Among many possible examples, let us just consider the wonder of the rose windows and labyrinth gardens of the cathedrals.

Just as the Mandala is found in the architecture of India, Tibet and throughout Asia, so too its trace can be found in various art forms such as mosaics, engravings, sculptures, pottery, weaving, astrology, calendars, paintings on fabric, canvas, paper and also in sand paintings.

Mandalas are universal and omnipresent. Imagine just for a moment a Tibetan Mandala, think of the wealth of color and remarkable beauty, the complexity of symbolic forms.

According to the Tibetan monks, the art of the Mandala is a very powerful art, different from ordinary paintings. Making a Mandala requires many qualities : a memorization of the sacred texts, the ability to trace very precise measurements and finally the ability to draw and paint.

When a Mandala is being made it is accompanied by prayers for peace ; when it is dismantled, according to Tibetan monk tradition, it is also accompanied by prayers for peace during a special ceremony.

Buddhist Mandalas often depict numerous characters of divine nature, the main divinity being located at the center of the Mandala.

In the plant world, we often find links to the Mandala, whether it be in the form of the blossom or in the wonder of a flower, a section of a branch of a tree, of a root, of a trunk or even of a piece of fruit – all these demonstrate the structure of a Mandala.

In the animal world, these links also exist : in a bird’s nest or in a spider’s web. In fact, it is possible to link many forms of expression to the Mandala : the ripples on the surface of water, tornadoes, whirlpools, the iris of the eye, the chakras, crystals, horoscopes, kaleidoscopes, all sorts of wheels, discs, the preparation of food, in the sciences, associated diagrams … the list is endless!

Mandalas by our gifted friend and Parisian Artist Marlis Ladurée

Marlis Ladurée’s enchanting mandalas are works of great spiritual impact– living visions of thought and energy in motion. They are blissful, captivating, and soothing all at once.

Experience original mandalas reminiscent of ancient spiritual art, order a print or commission your own unique personal mandala for meditation, spiritual focus and inner peace.

Visit her gallery of entrancingly beautiful and hypnotically intricate mandalas in an amazing variety of color and form. The website in French or English,  but her exquisite mandalas require no translation!





“These Mandalas that I have painted for you are passed on from the cosmic dimension and wish to touch your heart. They will give your mind powerful energy, brilliant light and peaceful love.”

In This Moment

Spray of Ocean and gentleness of breeze
Caressed my Heart as they whispered this Calling
And upon the wings of my deepest Desire
I soared to the edge of unfamiliar terrain
Now nothing that was, to remain the same

I rejoice in the Gifts of You and the Universe
For all that has been and for all that will be
For Miracles and for Joy, for Peace and for Love
For newly found realizations
For Decisions without hesitations

Now I’m standing on my feet
Trying to focus these thoughts for the future
And I’m waving to the sun
Like a first breath, just begun

There are seeds to plant and fields to grow
There are songs to write to fill this night
There is truth to seek that touches few
Though what touched me most was touching You

See me here, this moment, Present
And know how closely I hold You dear
In Sincerity and Wisdom to share this Life
With Faith and Hope to keep Hearts near

Recycled Glass Tree Globes

Beauty, elegance and heartfelt sentiment are at the root of artist Stephen Kitras’ latest collection of glass globes. Hand blown of 100% recycled glass, this series features Kitras’ signature ability to create a delicate interior trunk within the globe. Vibrant splashes of color add the finishing touch on these one-of-a-kind home accents. Handmade in Canada. Sold individually.

Tree of Family (far left)

Like the roots of a tree, family nourishes and encourages us to grow to limitless possibilities. The Tree of Family reminds us that no matter how far we branch out as individuals, our family is always there for support, for encouragement, and above all for love.

Tree of Peace (middle left)

The beauty and tranquility of nature in essence captures the meaning of peace. Like a tree growing in harmony with the forest that surrounds it, peace brings with it a message of tolerance, acceptance and compassion.

Tree of Joy (middle right)

Delight in vibrant mix of life’s simple pleasures. Like a tree bursting into life after a long winter, spread the joy you feel today with those around you. The Tree of Joy reminds us that performing small acts of kindness can help make the world a more joyful place.

Tree of Love (far right)

There is no greater gift in the world than the gift love. Like a tree, love grows stronger and more beautiful with time. The Tree of Love represents the countless blessings the love brings into our lives.

Learn more