Padma Mandala – The Path of Illumination
From the Still Heart of the Lotus
Size: 24 x 24 inches (Circle)
Medium: Different kinds of glass - shimmer and plain – on acrylic substrate.
iNSPIRATION
The inspiration for making the Padma Mandala – The Path of Illumination arose from a quiet moment during my travels through a village in Goa. I came upon a vast waterbody shimmering with thousands of pink lotus blooms — each standing tall, serene, and untouched by the muddy waters that held them. In that vision of still grace, I saw the living embodiment of the Eightfold Path of Yoga — to dwell in the world yet remain unsoiled by it, to find clarity amid life’s ever-shifting tides. The lotus seemed to whisper that purity and illumination do not come from withdrawal, but from presence — from standing rooted and radiant, no matter the darkness of the waters.
Just as each lotus petal unfolds toward the sun, Padma Mandala unfolds as a meditation on balance, mindfulness, and awakening. Through a rhythmic geometry and luminous hues, I sought to capture that essence of inner flowering — where serenity and awareness rise together, untouched yet deeply connected to the world — lifting the spirit above the turbulence of daily life, toward clarity and grace.
In essence I have tried to weave life’s spiritual philosophy into geometry with a quiet precision. The eight-petalled lotus, radiant and symmetrical, is symbolic of the Eightfold Path of Yoga. — Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
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eXPRESSION
The mandala is a metaphor for balance — where discipline and surrender coexist in perfect accord. Each petal of the lotus unfolds in rhythmic harmony around a radiant core. The subtle interplay of colour and light mirrors the inner journey of yoga — from the outer act of awareness to the inner flowering of realization. Gradations of red, coral, and gold, echo the rhythm of awakening and the warmth of devotion. The soft greens and pearlescent whites that encircle the lotus create a sense of serenity and expansion, suggesting purity, equanimity, and the still clarity of awareness, moving through stillness. Golden reflections shimmer at the centre, symbolizing the still core where understanding blossoms into wisdom - the moment when all striving dissolves into inner light.
Padma Mandala stands as both a prayer and a path, a reminder that awakening is not a destination, but a constant flowering — the eternal unfolding of the lotus within. It is a visual ascent from discipline to grace, from effort to enlightenment.