Explanation of Mandala
In the outer circle, I used the
symbol signifying a ‘down-up’ or ‘up-down’. This representation is an answer to
the question- how does the concept of self evolve in the life span of an
individual? I am part of a dual ‘up-down’ or ‘down-up’ movement. In the process
of an ‘up-down’ movement, everything is a given – the gift of life, the
situation I am born into, my upbringing, historical circumstances, health,
parents, name, friends, etc. This is the revelatory aspect of life itself.
Everything points to something. Special emphasis is given to the downward
movement in the sense of the ultimate Self (God) coming down as a man. This
means that I understand myself in the larger story of God becoming a man (Jesus).
Everything stands revealed in Jesus. This has a theological underpinning in the
context of revealed religion, especially Christianity. God becomes human to
make me into the image of himself. As opposed to the concept of
self-realization propounded by Carl Jung, I realize myself in God. It is
divinization. What is involved here is the ‘making sense of the given’. This
making sense of what is given is the process of ‘down-up’. Moving upward is
taking into consideration all that is revealed, the beliefs that I share
with the community or tradition I belong to, and the personalization of it
comes through a personal search. When nature is sustained by grace, there
is a fulfillment and a constant drive towards ‘that which fully satisfies’ (God).
The second circle is the ‘eye’
representing the senses. The senses are the windows to the knowledge of the self.
The physical senses help the ‘inner eye’ to perceive the depth of realities.
The world around us can affect us either positively or negatively. I cannot
really realize myself as I am exposed to numerous obstacles – addictions,
violence, corruption, ignorance, betrayals, greed, power struggles, and
numerous other growth stunting influences. The heroes move ahead with a new
narrative to the crippling experiences of life although they cannot change or undo
what happened. What brings to my mind is the story of Joseph in the Old
Testament. He was sold into Egypt by his own brothers (betrayal of trust), in
Egypt, the wife of Potiphar tried to seduce him (sexual temptations), the
goodness and the good sense in him raised him to a high position. He narrated
his life from a divine perspective. Understanding life experiences from a
divine perspective helps one not to become bitter but helps him/her live
his/her life better.
The third circle is the ‘yin and
Yang’ symbol. This represents the most common experience of human reality – the
good and the evil, light, and darkness, optimism and pessimism, order and chaos.
Our personality too has this dual nature
characterized by the tendency to do good and to do evil. The evil always lurks
behind us. I believe that everyone has an Achilles heel or what the
Greek literature calls, ‘hubris.’ I call it as a limitation in every man/
woman. Carl Jung would call it shadow. Man cannot contain the evil in
himself. The mass genocide, the final solution of the Nazis, the violence
perpetrated by the fanatical groups or the untold wreckages left by wrong
ideologies are historical manifestations of the power of the evil in man. Man,
by nature is not accustomed to chaos and prefers order to chaos. A human being
by nature is good, but his orientation to the good can get corrupted through
negative experiences and events. Hence, containing the evil within or the
corrupting tendencies is an important function of every human being. Everything
cannot be understood with mathematical precision. And so there needs to be
leaning on to what gives ultimate meaning to human existence. I cannot save
myself. I need divine assistance. A final resignation to what is divinely
willed and reconciliation with self, God, the world form part of the inner core
of the self-fulfillment.
The innermost circle is
represented by a ‘directional cross’ surrounded by signs of ‘love’ and ‘drop of
blood’. The directional cross implies
that our suffering has a meaning. It can be understood only from the vantage
point of love. Every human being is loved into existence. However, freedom
in us can choose against divine love. What is necessitated is a shedding of
blood in love. Sacrifice is an essential element of human striving or
divinization. This is also represented in proverbial wisdom – “No pain, no
gain.” The center of the directional cross is the symbol ‘IHS’ for the name
Jesus. For me, the realization of self is possible only through the revealed
name of Jesus. He is not an archetypical figure but a real person in history.
He has won the victory over evil through his suffering. He is victorious and he
rules everything. Surrender to the divine will is a way to attain salvation.
Imageries or interpretative categories are only determinants to arrive at a
concrete person, i.e., Jesus. ‘IHS’ is also a eucharistic symbol, which tells
us of the necessity of ‘remembrance.’ Memory of life events, the processing of
the same play a major role in integration and healing. Healing of negative
emotions and memories, acceptance of what cannot be changed are processes
involved in wholeness.
