Mandala Mondays -- Peacock Power
Quote de jour
"Psychologist Carl Jung believed that meditating on a cathedral rose window or a geometric mandala harmonized the energies of the individual self with the universal collective unconscious."
~LMW
In Buddhism, peacocks symbolize purity and are metaphors for bodhisattvas, those beings who gain spiritual enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Peacock feathers are used in purification ceremonies. Peacocks are able to eat poisonous plants with no ill effect. In fact, peacocks may eat poison in order to brighten the color of their feathers. Likewise, bodhisattvas are able to transform the poisons of ignorance and hatred into wisdom and compassion.
Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, says peacocks can be seen as symbols for those who practice Tonglen, a meditation practice of taking and giving with the breath. The practitioner visualizes breathing in acceptance the suffering of others and breathing out in loving kindness compassion and happiness for all beings. To learn more of the technique.
Peacock feathers are considered lucky or unlucky depending on your beliefs and superstitions. I think they are too beautiful to be negative. Their eyes are like mandalas; circular sacred designs of magical colors. Lately, peacock feathers have woven themselves into my life. They are clipped in my hair, hang from a bedside lamp, draped around an antique Buddha and adorn a vintage fedora. They remind me of the powers of transformation. They inspired these photos and in turn this mandala.
"Psychologist Carl Jung believed that meditating on a cathedral rose window or a geometric mandala harmonized the energies of the individual self with the universal collective unconscious."
~LMW
In Buddhism, peacocks symbolize purity and are metaphors for bodhisattvas, those beings who gain spiritual enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Peacock feathers are used in purification ceremonies. Peacocks are able to eat poisonous plants with no ill effect. In fact, peacocks may eat poison in order to brighten the color of their feathers. Likewise, bodhisattvas are able to transform the poisons of ignorance and hatred into wisdom and compassion.
Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, says peacocks can be seen as symbols for those who practice Tonglen, a meditation practice of taking and giving with the breath. The practitioner visualizes breathing in acceptance the suffering of others and breathing out in loving kindness compassion and happiness for all beings. To learn more of the technique.
Peacock feathers are considered lucky or unlucky depending on your beliefs and superstitions. I think they are too beautiful to be negative. Their eyes are like mandalas; circular sacred designs of magical colors. Lately, peacock feathers have woven themselves into my life. They are clipped in my hair, hang from a bedside lamp, draped around an antique Buddha and adorn a vintage fedora. They remind me of the powers of transformation. They inspired these photos and in turn this mandala.
Posted by Layla Morgan Wilde at 11/30/2009 11:05 AM 
Categories: Nature, Mandala, Photography, Art, Spirituality
Tags: peacock power Peacock mandala
Categories: Nature, Mandala, Photography, Art, Spirituality
Tags: peacock power Peacock mandala
Cute Layla!! Sorry I haven't been on Boomer Muse lately....I've been having a tough time. I adopted and brought indoors a kitten of one of my feral Mama's. I still don't know how I am going to help them all. I do love them and wish they could be fixed and happy and the kittens adopted out...some are just semi-feral at this point.
Take care...Deb
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Thanks for update. I'll be in touch.
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Beautiful mandala! So inspiring... Meditations, exactly like Tonglen, have been absolutely vital in me getting as far as I have in life, and I use a shorthand visualization very like this nearly every day at work. The Peacock is one of those Teachers that's been on my list for awhile. ~sigh~ Do you have trouble limiting and/or keeping up with all your chosen projects? I really am trying to focus on finishing my writing, and have been steadily picking away at it, even when I took on the making of that blanket. At this point, I'm trying to convince myself that it is ok to work on embroidery when I can't be writing... but I'm so leery of starting another major endeavor while I've still got this important task on my plate! Plus, I've been getting things in order with an eye towards going back to school for a library tech degree! Darn my Gemini nature
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Embrace the flow. Focus is not my middle name, but I've learned to follow my bliss no matter how it meanders
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Beautifully eye-opening.
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