Mandalas by Johannes Frischknecht

MANDALAS

JOHANNES FRISCHKNECHT

Born in 1956 in Fehraltorf, Switzerland, Johannes Frischknecht studied at the arts colleges in Zurich and Basel, while simultaneously engaging in studies of the Tibetan language and Buddhism at the Tibetan Institute in Rikon. Under the guidance of the Dalai Lama and further teachers, he immersed himself in the world of meditation and ritualistic practices. His main teacher was Lama Gangteng Tulku from Bhutan.

From the early 1990s, Johannes Frischknecht gained wide publicity through his mandala art. His unique style and self-developed technique lend his art a distinctive touch. His mandalas can be found on art cards, in calendars and books.

Since 1972, his works are exhibited in galleries and museums, in clinics and meditation centres. In workshops, which he conducts throughout Europe, he introduces participants to the mandala and inspires them to discover its healing effect.

Mandala Gallery CrossCulture

Johannes Frischknecht

M A NDA LA S From Spiritual to Behavioural Patterns

6

The Universe. Two intertwining triangles form a star, the symbol of Yeshe Tsogyal. The combination of fundamental geometric figures, such as triangle, square, circles, lines and crosses, as well as the basic colours black, red, blue and yellow, results in an endless variety of forms, patterns and colour shades – diversity in unity.

2001, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches. Tarot series, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Preface

Kyil'khor, or mandala, is not the property of any religion; yet many religions have seen aspects of what it means and have spoken of it, each in their own terms. Poets, musicians and painters all have insights into the effulgence and efflorescence of centre and periphery. Aside from religion and art, particle physicists have also caught glimpses of the empty centre and that which continually manifests from it. This is therefore the key to primal creativity, and the key to what we are as beings. To some, that primal creativity is known as 'God'. Whether we personalise it, as theists do, or see it as self-existent, as Buddhist atheists do, it is a fabulous mystery.

Johannes Frischknecht begins to unlock that mystery.

He has been a dear friend since the late 1970s. I know him well. I know his strength of character and his courage. I would say that he is the most courageous man I have ever known, and it has taken him great courage to be a painter in this field. His sincerity and honesty have never faltered, and what he expresses in this book is a reflection of these qualities. He is humanitarian and egalitarian and has, I believe, passed beyond autonomic responses based on fear and anger.

Fear and anger are the key ingredients of cowardice. Cowardice is anger attempting to pretend that it is not fearful. Cowardice seeks to disguise anger. Anger poses as righteous indignation, resentment and annoyance. Fear poses as sober consideration and a welter of explanations designed to hide the slime trails of avoidance.

Johannes Frischknecht is free of cowardice.

We all suffer from cowardice, however, even if only fractionally.

We all have to learn to recognise its loathsome countenance, because there are times when we have to act, despite knowing that the outcome is going to be hideous. Knowing that 'we're damned if we do and damned if we don't', can come as a relief. Cowardice is the illusion that avoidance is possible. Cowardice is the pretence that we have not engaged in avoidance. Cowardice is the idea that pain and death can be avoided. Many people live like that, but it is not worth being alive if you live like a coward. It is not just physical pain and death that cowards try to avoid; it is every kind of pain or death in the field of emotions.

Johannes Frischknecht is courageous. Courage is merely the acceptance that nothing is avoidable. Courage is not necessarily

7

Wholeness. 'The 'squaring of the circle' is one of the many archetypal motifs which form the basic patterns of our dreams and imaginal worlds – but it is distinguished by the fact that it is one of the most important in terms of functionality. As such it could be called the archetype of wholeness.' (from Mandalas, C. G. Jung) 1973, colour pencils, felt pens and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, collection Berti Aschmann heirs.

free of fear – but it is also not embarrassed by fear. It is sometimes intelligent to feel some degree of fear, because some situations are fearful. Courage is the simple acceptance of fear, as well as the determination not to be compromised by it. No one gets out of this alive. We can depart whimpering, or we can depart yelling with fierce glee – but depart we must.

Johannes is heroic because Vajrayana is not for the timid.

Vajrayana is not for fools either. There are chest-beating fools who imagine they are not timid, but only because they come equipped with physical assurance. Heroes and heroines can be physically weak and limited; it is not a question of being the archetypal athlete. Heroism is simply the will to move into the unknown, to move outside the realm of security. Johannes has moved into the unknown and captured images with the lens of integrity.

The images in this book are not Buddhist images in the traditional sense. That is not to say that these images are less true to the essence of Buddhism than the stereotypical 'paint-by-numbers' images that are 'iconographically correct', yet express nothing of the primal vividness of what is meant by yidam, the anthropomorphic visualised form of nonduality.

8

Many thangka paintings have moved with fashion in the use of colour and have let muted æsthetics override the use of pure colours. Such 'tasteful' representations are actually alien to the true meaning of Vajrayana, in which the subject of the painting is the play of pure light. When you look at the paintings in this book you will not see the yidams of Vajrayana Buddhism in a conventionall form. What you will see is the essential colour of Vajrayana, presented by a painter who has dedicated his life to exploring that colour. To paint in this way is an act of great bravery; thus, to me, Johannes has exemplified what it means to live as a compassionate warrior.

sNgags 'chang chos rGyam o rGyan rTogs lDan (Ngak'chang Rinpoche), the inconsequential eccentric yogi Written with mKha' 'gro bDe chen Tshe grub Rol pa'i Ye shes (Khandro Déchen), in his Sang-yum at Aro Taktsang – Penarth, Wales, Britain on the 4th of July 2009.

9

Introduction

Many years have passed since I published my first mandala book, together with Bruno Dรถrig. Though small in scope and size, it engenders positive reactions to this day and is much appreciated as a meditation book.

Since then, numerous other books on mandala painting have been published. It seems as if every esotericist has discovered this lucrative market niche. I recently came across one of these: a mandala colouring book for children at my own town's post office! This is both gratifying and unsettling. Mandala is a precious spiritual gem. If it is marketed without due knowledge and experience regarding its nature, dilution and superficiality are likely to result. As one of the pioneers who introduced mandala to Westerners, I feel uneasy about this vulgarisation, as well as about my role in helping to unleash a mandala hype. Perhaps it is a sign of our times that anything exotic and mysterious can be commercialised.

This publication is an attempt to reveal the deeper meaning of the mandala and widen the horizon of its symbolism. There are three causes that compel me to write it.

10

Firstly, at the age of six, mandala drawings and paintings have spontaneously gushed from within me – a creative process that has not ceased since. The healing art of painting mandalas has been my lifelong calling.

Secondly, at around the same time, I made the acquaintance of a 'Tibetan refugee child. I was born in 1956, when the Chinese had entered Tibet and had begun to destroy cultural sites in the east of the country. In 1956, the first Tibetans fled their country, and many of them found a second home in Switzerland. As a consequence of making friends with a Tibetan child, I began a traditional Tibetan education at the Tibet Institute in Rikon when I turned 16. The institute had been established, in the wake of the Tibetans' arrival in Switzerland, a few miles from my parents' home. There, I learned the Tibetan language and studied Buddhist art and culture, including the distinct form of mandala.

Thirdly, I started passing on my mandala experience two decades ago, and have since been conducting innumerable mandala painting workshops with participants from all walks of life and from all corners of the earth.

In this volume, I will go into greater detail than I previously dared, due mainly to the Dalai Lama's proclamation that 'it is appropriate at this time, to write about religious practices and symbols which were formerly strictly secret.' The reason for this is simple: confusing and misleading interpretation, that have been brought into circulation must be confronted and replaced by authentic and resourceful explanations of the genuine meaning of the mandala and its philosophy.

I encourage you, as reader, to make use of mandala as a source of inspiration for your personal growth. Should I succeed in motivating you to experience the mandala, or even inspire you to paint your own, I shall consider my task fulfilled.

Johannes Frischknecht Dakar, Senegal, and Fehraltorf, Switzerland – Summer 2007

11

IN T ER P R E T I NG M A N DAL AS

Chakrasamvara Mandala from Tibet, 18th century. My mandalas have been inspired by such traditional Thangkas. However, as a Western artist, I have always taken the liberty to create mandalas with my own language of forms and colours. Hence my art does not claim to continue a Tibetan tradition. I continually reinterpret the fundamental patterns of 'orderly chaos' according to the nature of my individual perception.

14

15

As Within, thus Without. Mandala with two interlinked triangles. This is described

by Chรถgyam Trungpa Rinpoche as 'the cosmic cervix' and is the symbol of Yeshe Tsogyal. The task is to harmonise female and male energies, in order not to endanger the survival of humanity and our planet.

2006, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

The Mystery of Mandala

This book gives me the opportunity to discuss the mandala from the perspective of a Western artist, and to delineate its traditional interpretation as defined within its cultural context. Martin Brauen and Alexander Berzin deserve mention as Western scholars who excelled at documenting the traditional aspects of mandala in their compelling book Mandala: Sacred Circle.

The term mandala derives from Sanskrit and can be translated as 'embedded centre'. I refrain from translating mandala as sac- red circle, like Martin Brauen does. My explanation has a different emphasis. Sacred circle is a fitting term because it encompasses many meanings of kyil'khor, but it only evokes a two-dimensional vision. 'Embedded centre' is multi-dimensional, and my explanation seeks to purvey the innermost essence of the mandala.

'Mandala' or Kyil'khor / dKyil 'khor in Tibetan, is a tantric term. Tantra consists of six levels: Kriya, Upa, Yoga, Maha, Anu,

16

and Ati. The first three levels are the outer tantras, the others are the inner tantras. These terms apply to different spheres of tantric practice associated with the four Kalpas, or 'great eras' and to the relationship between the four castes. Kriya Tantra corresponds with the Golden Age, Upa Tantra with the Second Age, Yoga Tantra with the Third Age and Anuyoga Tantra with the Kali Yuga, the present degenerated age, at the end of time. There are four corresponding frames of mind. Understanding the traditional meaning of the mandala requires diligent study not only of the fundamentals of Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism, but also of the vehicle of Tantra. The mandala's meaning grows in depth the further we progress in our studies, until we arrive at the notion of rigpa. Rigpa, nondual awareness, is a key term in the Tibetan language and contrasts with the notion of marigpa, which means 'absence of nondual awareness'.

17

18

Samsara. Attachment to self-definition leads to suffering: such is the first noble truth of the Buddha. All attachments and intentions, represented by arrows in this mandala, lead to an accumulation of karma; they nurture the fire of passion, and keep the wheel of reincarnation turning – the eternal circle of life, death and rebirth. The individual self, shown here as a star, holds the seed of the universal Self, and is not subjected to karma, but is 'imprisoned' in our body, represented by the peripheral square. Dsogchen Buddhism teaches liberation from this circle, the 'great accomplishment' in the transcendence of duality.

1986, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

I will attempt to explain mandala from the perspective of Dzogchen (rDzogs chen: the great completeness). Dzogchen is primordial wisdom, and, simultaneously, the most evolved viewpoint of Buddhism. It is the ultimate presentation of human awareness.

Dzogchen comes closest to a universal view of our human-ness and creative potential, because it opens our eyes to that which surpasses perspectives evolved by human cultures. From this viewpoint of nondual awareness we can refer to mandala as 'embedded centre'.

Of course, in Dzogchen the dual aspects of 'embedded centre' are to be seen as inseparable. The centre pervades the periphery and periphery pervades the centre. The centre becomes seamless with what surrounds it. This raises the question: What is the centre – and what surrounds it – if both have merged? This is the essence of Dzogchen. It transcends polarities and terminates the perennial dualistic dialogue.

19

Woman and Man – Yab and Yum. The male-female duality, in which the universal unity expresses itself, motivates our search for reunification. The creative power, in this case the star at the centre, manifests itself as sun rays in the form of a Yoni, the white eye and a Lingam.

1993, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection Anna Maria Gregorini.

From Spiritual to Behavioural Patterns

I have chosen this subheading because I am going to discuss a wide range of different aspects of the mandala. This leads us beyond traditional Asian perspectives to a general view of patterns perceivable in mandala paintings. This in turn leads to human behavioural patterns which correlate with inner awareness experiences which are expressed through external actions.

We refer, on the one hand, to the tangible, apparently objective world, and on the other, to an invisible world which resides in our awareness and is therefore apparently subjective. They are both evidently interconnected and completely interdependent.

In Western terms, this phenomenon may be referred to as 'the transition from inchoate perception to behavioural patterns'. This phrase is an attempt to find common ground with people who, for whatever reason, repudiate Asian religions or philosophies.

Perhaps they perceive them to be incompatible with the Western worldview. Conversely, many Asians may have no idea of the Western worldview. My intention is to build bridges, rather than create further divisions.

In many respects we all think in transcultural terms, even though we may not be aware of it. In the realm of religion, how-

20

ever, the power struggle is more pronounced than with respect to vegetables, fruits, spices, and other tangible phenomena. For centuries we have been accustomed to obtaining, by force if necessary, consumer goods from all corners of the world, without regard to the religion or culture of the suppliers. This ethnocentric attitude finds vivid expression in the current wars for oil.

Parents even today call kindergarten teachers to task for encouraging children to paint mandalas. Mandalas, they say, are Asian Buddhist symbols and therefore un-Christian, and therefore dangerous with respect to the children's 'yet unformed souls'. Let me reassure those parents that, when painting, we may replace the term mandala with 'wonder flower', 'Chartres Cathedral window', or similar alternatives. I have no desire to wage a war of words.

As we come to appreciate the effects of painting mandalas, we recognise the experience as universal – rather than rooted in a foreign culture. When teaching mandala painting courses, I do not act as a missionary, but as a human being addressing other human beings. I see myself as an intermediary and bridge builder. I try to connect cultures by seeking their common core. Mandala is an ideal tool for building such bridges.

21

22

The Path Within. True knowledge is gained solely on the path to the inner centre. Knowledge of the nature of mind is the goal; whoever achieves it, recognises the nature of mind as a spark of primal creativity. This 'primitive' painting, starting with my own footprint on the left, is one of the best known and most popular of my mandalas. It has been reproduced on post cards, posters, t-shirts and in many magazines and publications.

1975, acrylic on board, 200 x 120 cm / 78.7 x 47.2 inches, privately owned.

Reconnecting with One's Centre

For centuries people have explored and investigated what they have experienced from sources beyond themselves. They have tried to express such experiences in human terms in symbolic languages.

The monotheistic traditions call the great mystery Yahweh, God, or Allah; other traditions, such as Hinduism, refer to it as Brahma, and the Native Americans call it the Great Spirit. In Buddhism as it is most widely understood; it is called Shunyata, emptiness, the absolute, the origin, or spatial awareness. The general consensus, however, is that all these are restrictive terms for an essentially indescribable state.

Unfortunately, peoples and cultures have fought and killed each other in so-called Holy Wars for centuries, without understanding why they were sent into battle. According to the logic and spiritual understanding of the respective religions, such wars should have been declared nonsensical. War is the clearest evidence for being deranged in terms of the true message of love, compassion, or any other religious quality. By engaging in war the notion of God is dragged down to the level of dualistic derangement. God thus becomes projective self-interpretation which violates any sense of what is meant by God. It is saddening to notice that the monotheistic cultures often have little idea regarding the essence of the word 'God', even though they refer to God as a justification for their actions.

This prompts me to ask myself these questions: do we, as human

beings, fundamentally lack the intelligence to attain a deeper understanding of existence? Are we unable to think independently because thinking, especially critical thinking, has been prohibited for centuries? Our ancestors had to accept beliefs on pain of death.

Do these bequeathed patterns prevent us from personal experience of God? Perhaps it might dawn on us that the structure of thought is always dualistic and therefore double-edged. We can only comprehend 'small' in relation to something 'larger'. Thinking always entails a 'graven image'. The Ten Commandments are clear however, on how not to relate to God: 'Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image'. Yet, so as not to starve spiritually, we continue to eat of this forbidden apple, and thus remain banished from paradise. We become perennial original sinners.

What are we to do, entangled as we are in such contradictions?

Are we culpable because someone in the past has committed an 'original sin'? Must we now pay for a deed of which we have no knowledge? Or is it rather, that we continue to commit this mistake anew, from moment to moment? A modern interpretation of the law would certainly not condone having to atone forever for the mistakes of our ancestors.

We need to dig deeper if we wish to arrive at a conclusion. It might be that the solution to mankind's problems cannot be found in the past by identifying with prophets of history. Similarly, it

23

All in One. This complex painting is my attempt, as a young artist, to unify all religions and spiritual traditions into one harmonious image. Life and death, Above and Below, day and night, east and west should all find their place under the same rainbow and form a unity.

1974–78, acrylic on board, 120 x 80 cm / 47.2 x 31.5 inches, collection Erika Blöchlinger.

may be that mankind's problems cannot be solved in the future through aegis of a saviour. Maybe it can only be found in the eternal now, the point of decision. The same is true for existence itself. No one has ever lived in the past or in the future, because life is only experienced in the present. Life itself is the essence of here and now. If we do not live in the moment, we become zombies who try to live in a dead past or imaginary future.

Only when we explore spirituality ourselves will we realise that spiritual concepts only become intelligible through direct experience. For instance, few appetites would be satisfied with the scientific formula of the constituent ingredients of chocolate.

In terms of satisfaction, most people are keen on the personal visceral experience of chocolate. We want to eat it. We are likely to remain indifferent to the fact that we cannot explain the chemical formula either to ourselves or to others. Why then, are we content with a simplistic notion of 'God'? Is it impossible to have a direct experience of 'God'? How can we experience 'God' if we do not know what 'God' is? How can we experience 'God' if we cannot, and must not, conceive of 'God' either verbally or visually, if we lack the 'formulas' for this phenomenon? I would like to offer the idea that, perhaps, we could approach 'God' in the same way as we approach the sensory experience of 'chocolate': without scientific formulas.

Experiences happen when impressions reach the perceptual faculties through the senses. They occur in the primordial moment

24

between past and future, in other words, in the now. If we do not taste the experience of existence personally, what recognition will there be? Experience occurs individually. Neither an institution, nor 'God', nor Buddha, nor any other enlightened being can intercede in experiencing God. Neither Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus nor atheists can avoid experiencing the nature of existence: sorrow, loneliness, joy – there are many words for experience. However, what would these words represent if we did not endow them with the meaningfulness of personal experience? They would be hollow notions that we could not grasp. This would seem to have occurred with the notion of 'God'; in the absence of a personal experience, the meaning of 'God' is lost in arguments concerning the existence of 'God'.

Having eaten of the apple of the Garden of Eden means to have fallen away from the experience of the centre of being – without realising it. Having fallen away form the centre, we identify with duality in which centre and periphery are divided. In losing the eternal centre we are plunged into temporal existence and require the means of reconnection to our origin. This 'reconnection' is suggested by the etymological meaning of religion. The mandala points to this lost centre. It is an inspirational method, developed and bequeathed by spiritual masters, which enables us to quit the cycle of unsatisfactoriness for new shores.

25

T he spiritual warrior

28

Jihad. The battlefield of holy war is within ourselves. Buddha gained enlightenment after his last struggle with Māra, the ruler of all demons, under the Bodhi tree. It is this final fight that extinguishes karmic fire. Hence, recognition of non-duality, the state in which emptiness and form are inseparable. Letting-go of actions, feelings, inner images, and thoughts as reference points liberates beings from endlessly struggling with habituation.

1995, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

The Holy War

How can one recognise and experience 'true' spirituality?

How can we unmask the forces that co-opt spirituality and interpret it according to wilful, self-serving aims? I would like to demonstrate this with a topical term which has suffered the fate of misinterpretation: 'The Holy War'. I do not wish to identify this term with Islam in an exclusive and negative fashion. Other religions including Christianity and Buddhism have waged cruel wars in the name of religion – and continue to do so.

War almost always equals hate. An adversary is to be vanquished, humiliated, subdued, and exterminated. From a human perspective – a defensive, or even an aggressive war, may be justified in exceptional cases. From a spiritual viewpoint however, the only true enemy is ourselves. Selfishness and egomania are always the true reasons for physical wars. It is for this reason the great Islamic saint from Senegal, Cheikh Amadou Bamba,

proclaimed that he would never declare jihad or holy war on the French colonial masters. He would not do so because he had committed himself to a more dangerous war. It was a 'holier' war – in fact, the only true war. It was the war against his own selfishness, ignorance, intolerance and all mental and behavioural patterns shaped by egoism. According to him, all practitioners of any religion are called upon to wage this true jihad, be they Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists.

Native American Indians also called themselves warriors, but their understanding reflected their spiritual attitude and experience. Native American Indians practised many ceremonies, such as vision quests, peace pipe prayers, fasting, sweat lodge, and sun dance. All these served the purpose of spiritual cleansing in order to become a true warrior. This holistic spiritual approach fully explains their pride, dignity, and righteousness. Liar and

29

30

The Four Directions. Inspired by the American Indian culture. The arrows point from the four directions to the centre. We should not destroy ourselves with wars against each other, but overcome the inner obstacles to realisation. For the American Indians, invocation of the powers of the four directions before engaging in important actions was essential.

Like the mandala, the medicine wheel shows the four directions of the winds with two crossed diagonals in a circle.

2000, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

criminals never adopt the straight inner posture of a warrior and therefore their physical posture never reflects that stance.

For spiritual warriors, yogis, sufis, saints, or simply positive human beings, life is a preparation for death. Death is the ultimate test for all religious aspirants. When confronting death, yogis arrive at the supreme moment when they finally implement what they have practised during their lives.

At death, Dzogchen masters transform their physical bodies into rainbow bodies ('ja' lus). I have searched for a long time to find comparable examples in Christian culture – and found it in the death of Jesus. Jesus' body was laid to rest and his physical body disappeared from the sealed grave. Has anyone ever explained this occurrence from a Christian perspective? How many people have found it difficult to believe this miracle? The Buddhist view would appear to offer the most plausible and logical explanation

for the transformation of the human body into a rainbow body. In manifestation, the 'luminous body' of the 'resurrected' may appear anywhere simultaneously to the desperate and the aggrieved who, through prayer, appeal for help, as Jesus has been doing for 2000 years.

One does not have to be a saint in order to become one. Life offers countless opportunities to grow spiritually to every human being – especially at the moment of death. At that moment we have the opportunity to take the greatest test of our lives. At death every human being, every proud man or woman, has the chance of becoming a spiritual warrior. The Tibetan terms for spiritual warrior are pawo and pamo (dPa bo and dPa mo), hero or heroine. Without awareness of death, without incessantly looking death in the eye, life can become an anguished, perpetual repression of what is essential. Warriors accept death.

31

Cause and Effect. Like a stone thrown into water creates concentric ripples, each of our actions has its effects throughout the universe.

1996, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

They confront it, and in doing so, eliminate the cause of fear and tackle life courageously.

In saying that death is the climax and the final exam of training, I do not mean to suggest that trainees longingly await death. Quite the opposite – both death and life are practised in the now, the primordial now. Experience happens in the now, never in the past or future. At the moment of death however, subtle potentialities manifest. These potentialities are extremely difficult to actualise during life. This unique moment of physical death however, is of value only to yogis and yoginis who have been practising the secret path; to learn the methods applied one has to seek out a suitable teacher.

The famous Tibetan Lama and author ChĂśgyam Trungpa Rinpoche refers to the Bodhisattva as a spiritual warrior. We have to learn how to interpret this. What do the terms warriorship and

32

the Holy War really mean? What are valid methods of returning, at death or before, to one's centre? This return is a task. It is a challenge for which we cannot prepare ourselves in the past or in the future: only in the now. Our decisions have never been made previous to their instigation. They have never been made in advance. Our decisions have always exclusively been made in the now. Our providence is therefore always decided in the now.

We never live in the past or in the future but only in the now. We work, eat, drink, enjoy, and exist only in the now. Warriors are aware of this now because they do not fabricate duality. Living as a warrior is a rodeo ride. If, at any moment, one is not mindful and aware of the now, one is instantly thrown off. One plunges into temporal speculative derangement.

33

34

Meditation. In order to find our centre, we need to divert our attention from the need to manipulate outer phenomena to the inner world, and thus experience the healing effect of inner silence. The twelve-fold star represents the transition from our experience of time (twelve hours, twelve months) to the awareness of the moment, the 'here and now' in meditation.

2000, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

The Mystery of the Now

With respect to the mandala, I refer to the absolute empty centre of the now. This centre allows the effulgence of the five senses and all they perceive. They are like mirrors that reflect the nature of reality.

The mirrors of the senses, however, do not judge what is reflected on them. They remain impartially pure, uninfluenced by discursive impressions. Mirrors do not conceptualise or speculate. When we look into a mirror however, we either enjoy the reflection, attach to it, or reject it. We feel a need to add our own commentary to perceptions and emerging thoughts. In doing so, we cloud the actual reflection and the penumbra of our own projections occludes the surface of the mirror. If, however, we recognise the impartiality of the mirror, we attain the awareness with which it self-polishes.

This is the great mystery of existence and the now. If we experience the state of being in which awareness becomes apparent, this state is, quite simply, the nature of existence. This existential awareness is not limited by conceptuality. Descartes assumed conceptuality to be the delineating factor of existence when he said 'I think, therefore I am.' I do not mean to suggest, when I take issue with Descartes, that we can separate conceptuality from the nature of existence.

In the West we attribute an almost absolutist value to 'thinking'. We forget that thinking is not an end in itself, rather an instrument for accomplishing a purpose or serving intentions. Selfidentity develops in conjunction with thinking because it originates

35

Man is a Tree. This painting is the result of a one-year study on trees, during which I looked for parallels in humans. Our feet are the roots, the trunk is the spine, its branches are the arms.

The eye is the sun, the great nurturing power.

1976, acrylic on board, 100 x 70 cm / 39.4 x 27.6 inches, collection Sabine Schrรถder.

within a dualistic context in which 'the separation of this and that' is considered reality. Biblically speaking, this is the expulsion from paradise: the original state of non-separation. The fixed structural patterns of conceptuality are fundamentally dualistic and serve only to generate futile attempts to avoid suffering and attain salvation from a 'world of woeful cycles'.

It is commonly said that infants have no sense of 'I'. Since infants have to develop a sense of 'I', they initially have no notion of 'mine' and 'yours'. Then, suddenly, the moment arrives when this 'I' finds a concrete manifestation in daily life. Since this 'I' does not exist at birth and needs to be 'constructed' first, one may consider it a fabrication which we can disown if we so wish.

36

The Inner Fire 1989, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection Laurence Keller.

Absolute and Relative

Mandala as an Image of God

The term 'absolute' applies to that which exists in and of itself. It is that which has never been imagined or constructed. It is uncreated and indestructible. While constructed 'objects' can be divided into parts – the absolute is indivisible. Only when an object has been constructed is it granted a name, such as 'chair'. Before it is constructed, the components of the 'chair' have not yet been assembled. Following this argument, one can only call an object a 'chair' as long as it remains intact. As soon as the 'chair' falls apart, it can no longer be described as a 'chair'. Furthermore, we may hardly recognise that the components were previously part of the 'chair'. The moment the 'chair' disintegrates into its components, we can only call the components by their proper names, since they can only be called a 'chair' when united as composite of the components. The entire world of appearances follows the same principle. Our identities and physical forms, which we consider so concrete and tangible, as well as all we own, depend on ephemeral nomenclature and ultimately rest on emptiness.

All appearances are ephemeral, which is why we call them 'relative'. If they could not be destroyed, they would never have been assembled or never created. They would always have existed and would therefore be endless. They would then deserve the attribute absolute and would therefore not be dualised. They would be uncreated and indestructible.

Viewing the mandala from a Tantric perspective we need to look again at the term 'embedded centre'. Our natural awareness is the absolute centre, and the five senses are relative manifestations surrounding the centre. The entire Creation is contained within kyil'khor , and therefore, within everything which ever was, is, and will be. All things relative and the absolute are contingent upon each other.

The tantric mandala lends itself to comparison with the celestial Jerusalem in the revelation of John; Enthroned in the centre of the Holy City is God, or, in his place, his Son, the Lamb of God. Jerusalem was built as a square city with portals pointing in the four directions. In Tantra, the yidam (meditational deity) is enthroned in the centre of a mandala. Sometimes this yidam is depicted alone, sometimes in union with a mystical male or female partner. This yidam is none other than God, who, in Christian terms, remains invisible to us, and in whose image we were created.

Through tantric meditation we symbolically render God visible in mandala. With this tool we become aware of his invisible likeness and can employ it for spiritual practice.

38

39

Colours and Patterns

In tantra we refer to awareness as the empty circle, district, or palace.

There are numerous meanings on different levels, which we shall probe in greater detail. In music we refer to sounds and rhythms.

In painting we refer to colour, shape, and pattern. Rhythms and measures in music are the equivalent of shapes and patterns in art.

In both art forms we refer to colours, shades of colour, rhythms, shapes, compositions, and patterns. In music we establish familiar relationships with rhythms only when they manifest in recognisable patterns that do not change so swiftly that they elude us. If we beat drums without following a coherent beat, we will not recognise a 'rhythm pattern' and end up with a sensation of chaos.

If we move rapidly past objects in a landscape on a train, the objects will tend to be immediately deleted from consciousness, pushed aside without our being able to form attachments to them.

Only when we recall the objects is it possible to evaluate them.

Only when we attach ourselves to these objects, or reject them, do subsequent evaluations based on our culture and upbringing come into play. Then we believe in these evaluations, be they positive or

40

negative, because they represent the foci of self-identity and self image.

It is an interesting fact that our eyes are rested, refreshed, and rejuvenated much more readily when looking at orderly patterns than irregular, involuntary, chaotic random blobs. Why do people weave oriental rugs and adorn them with patterns? Why does nature design itself according to harmonic patterns, from snow crystals to particles of ash from a fire? In Christian terms one might say 'God built his entire creation on the basis of such patterns.'

In the world of sounds we hear compositions and acoustic patterns. If the sounds are chaotic, we quickly get tired. If, by contrast, sounds and patterns are arranged harmoniously, we relax.

Animals, as much as humans, react to harmonious music. Swiss farmers, who may have never gone to a classical concert, expose their cows to a constant stream of music by Mozart or Vivaldi; this calms and relaxes them, and they produce more milk.

Behavioural Patterns

Experiences we absorb during the course of our lives manifest themselves as 'behavioural patterns'. These are formed not only in the psyche, but on a physical, sensory level through recurring phenomena: cycles, rhythms, compositions. The entirety of nature consists of cycles, of patterns – in other words, of mandalas. All life is made up of recurring periods and processes, of heartbeats, regular breathing; all of these are rhythms, cadences, compositions within the dimension of time.

If we recognise life as a sequence of such rhythms, we can consciously control them, turn them into good habits, and, in turn, use them to expand our consciousness. People with regular rhythmic daily routines show greater awareness and often accomplish much more than those who merely drift and take each day as it comes. Sunrise and sunset, for instance, are moments that help to develop a natural daily rhythm. People are healthier if they follow such a rhythm and work, eat, and sleep in accordance with it. In architecture, too, astonishing results develop from harmonious measures and proportions. The Greeks and Romans,

as well as Christian cathedral builders, were adept at employing such principles. It is a known fact that we quickly feel ill at ease in poorly proportioned rooms, i.e. rooms that are too high, too low, too narrow, or too long.

If we interpret the mandala as a pattern, consciously relating it also to our behavioural patterns, we realise that it is intimately connected with awareness and the senses, as well as to self-image and everything that exists around us. In the final analysis, a mandala is an expression of the deepest secret of existence.

41

Dimensions of M andala

It Began with a Mandala. My first mandala, drawn spontaneously at the age of six.

1962, colour pencils on paper, 20 x 20 cm / 7.9 x 7.9 inches, collection of the artist.

Encounter with Tibet

At age six I painted round pictures: circles with patterns. I saw them as power circles, or protective circles, which I could fill with energies of colour, shape and pattern. In retrospect I think that I stored spiritual energies in this way and that they radiated from these painted pictures for a long time. These paintings of circles manifested themselves again and again during the early stages of my life, or during transitional periods when I needed strength, confidence, faith, hope, and concentration in order to take on new challenges.

In addition to this personal peculiarity another event – and an incisive one – stands out. At the age of sixteen I came into contact with Tibetan Lamas. I embarked on a journey of spiritual apprenticeship and learned the Tibetan language. This allowed me to gain familiarity with those Lamas in terms of the verbal patterns in their thinking. Without knowing the language and 'verbal patterns' of a culture, it is hard to connect with its rhythm.

I had a unique opportunity at this time. I was determined not to miss it under any circumstances. Between 1972 and 1987 many of the great Lamas visited the Tibet Institute in Rikon, Switzerland – only a few miles from my parents' home. There I came to know many Lamas on a personal basis, and these encounters had an extraordinary impact on my life. It was as if I had been granted

the privilege of meeting the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt and being accepted as a disciple.

Even as time, and with it, the naïvety of youth has passed, those events have lost nothing of their value. There were, and still are, only few Western people who, as adolescents, turned to the traditional path of learning taught by Tibetan Lamas. Only a few, in Eastern terms, were as 'karmically' privileged as I was, to have the opportunity to enter into contact with those Lamas at such an early age.

Those often aged Lamas were the highest ranking representatives of the last authentic advanced spiritual culture in the world. It was a culture threatened by extinction, but still entirely intact as a result of its geographic isolation. The Egyptians, the ancient Greeks, the ancient Chinese, the Mayans, the Incas, and the Aztecs: all these high cultures are irrevocably lost as living traditions. Their representatives can no longer bear witness to their knowledge and their wisdom. Fragments unearthed in the form of archæological findings or historic traditions offer a vast field for speculation by archæologists, ethnologists, and religious scholars but they do not have a voice. Not so with the presence of living Lamas from the 'roof of the world'.

45

The Knowledge Pyramid. Life energy expresses itself through Chakras. They harmonise the outer experiences with inner knowledge. This supports comprehension of complex interconnections between physical reality and mental processes, and between human and nature. All experiences culminate in the experience of Buddha nature.

1995, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection of the Clinic Pyramid at the Lake, Zurich.

The unique culture of Tibet however, suddenly faced a great challenge; that of contact with 'modern civilisation'. The Tibetan culture was exposed to the inexorable, irrevocable, process of change.

It could not continue to exist without undergoing transformation.

It was therefore predictable that the opportunity to study with these last living Lamas would be of limited duration. The second, third, and soon the fourth generations of Lamas no longer studied in Tibet. They studied in India and Nepal, and their representatives have become 'westernised'. This statement is not condescension.

Those Lamas who have learned English undoubtedly understand Westerners and their culture better, and that offers advantages for cultural exchange.

As I experienced them, those aged Lamas, now deceased, emanated an air of the ineffable. They were the last authentic representatives of a high spiritual culture. This is a culture now finally lost as it once was. It was completely different from our civilisation.

I loved and esteemed the Lamas who cultivated a way of being that was so entirely uninfluenced by our culture. Young Tibetans nowadays no longer hold any secrets. They think as western people do, and they are simply my friends.

46

Even though my father seemed concerned at the time that his only son did not aspire to a 'standard professional career', I never regretted seizing the opportunity for study that presented itself so early in my life. I would not want to suggest that my parents did not offer sympathy and tolerance for my outlandish studies – they did. They were simply concerned about my future livelihood.

It was little short of a miracle that I was free to follow this path for so many years. It was a singular path of learning for me, to be present at the forefront of a significant transcultural symbiosis. As a Tibetan translator, I was even able to make a small contribution to establishing this wonderful spiritual culture with the rank it deservedly enjoys today. This book has a similar significance to me. It provides a new impulse, one that enables me to add to the expanding process of East-West cultural translation and reformulation.

47

Rosette, inspired by the glass windows of cathedrals, a Western form of mandala.

1971, felt pens on paper, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

The Dilemma of Exchanging Experiences

For human beings, especially youths, becoming acquainted with another culture in addition to one's own is a significant step toward understanding ourselves and acquiring an expanded view of the world. From such a perspective, it becomes impossible to interpret the world from the perspective of a confined cultural garden. Thinking for ourselves, accumulating experiences, and thereby being able to make comparisons, makes us less susceptible to mass media manipulation.

The mass media take every opportunity to shape opinion of the public. After shaping opinions, the mass media then re-present it as general opinion. Our survival on this planet depends on selfreliant individuals, on people who compare, think critically, and participate in decision making. Personal experience is the basis of such self-responsibility. Having had the opportunity as a youth to experience the culture of Tibet directly, enabled me to see my own culture in perspective by comparing it to an entirely different

48

culture. This experience left me with powerful impressions, and no amount of mass media conditioning can deprive me of them.

These impressions were so much more incisive than the daily media hype, that I cannot sufficiently stress their importance. This would especially be the case for young people, in terms of gaining an expanded understanding of the world.

Have you ever tried to explain the taste of chocolate to someone who has never tasted it? The example may illustrate the success I will achieve in trying to explain my experiences through the medium of words. I feel that words do not reflect what I am trying to express.

Many people sense the limitation of language – especially artists.

It is possible sometimes to be stunned by the realisation that we can speak of experiences which cannot be expressed in words. If you have tried chocolate yourself, you can remember the taste.

But attempting to convey the taste of chocolate to someone who has never tasted it, is an impossible undertaking. Even for those

49

Flower. Primordial patterns of mandala can be found throughout nature. With this painting, created in India, I intended to capture the beauty of flowers. Each blossom expresses form, fragrance, rhythm, and colour in a unique manner.

1999, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection of the artist.

who have had the experience of tasting chocolate, merely recalling the experience is not enough, we need to repeat the experience. A similar case can be made for our need for physical and spiritual love. The same is true of food, rest, and activity.

Whenever we endeavour to understand existence, or believe we are nearing the nature, or essence of being, the inapprehensibility of it eludes our control. We try to move closer, but in wanting to 'get a hold' of something we find ourselves powerless. Experiencing this powerlessness, we must question whether there is something fundamentally wrong with our approach. What is it we want to get? What is it we want to avoid? Our body continually makes demands for food and drink. We can feel trapped in a body which continually makes demands. We are fearful of suffering and fearful of death, usually because it involves suffering, and are thus prompted to be active in the prevention of suffering. In a way this

50

is necessary. This activity leads, however, to entanglement with dependencies we are unwilling to shed – and we eventually lose the will to do so.

The secret, therefore, lies not only in doing, but in letting go.

If we think and brood too much we merely run in circles with our problems and become increasingly neurotic. Consider a polluted glass of water. If we constantly agitate the glass, we will stir the impurities until the water becomes opaque. We will have lost our clarity. Only when we stop agitating the water can the impurities settle on the bottom of the glass. Only then will the initial clarity and pure nature of the water reappear. In concrete terms, this means letting go of projections in order to regain a clear, natural view of existence. Different cultures use different methods and behavioural patterns for this purpose. It is fundamentally primitive when people assault each other with bigotry, and in so doing, destroy their most

51

52

Mandala Architecture. This pattern reminds me of the famous rock church at Lalibela, in Ethiopia. Architecture, as the expression of an inner structure and conviction, creates harmonious living spaces.

1994, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

valuable cultural assets. The feuding cultures often call their highest good, their 'God', by different names. Without ever seriously investigating, they assume that their enemy's differently named 'God' does not represent the same thing. Does conceptuality play such a dominant role that anything which cannot be interpreted according to set formulae must be defined as being in error? Are we human beings so ignorant and intolerant that we consider our own language to be the only one, and hence the only true mode of communication? If this were the case, we would surely refuse ever to learn languages other than our mother tongue. Cultures are multi-dimensional and cannot be limited by concepts couched in their respective languages.

This stubborn incomprehension prevails almost everywhere in the world. The general public acquiesces to the seduction of conditioning without questioning, adopting the views suggested by the mass media. This phenomenon is described in the language

of the modern mass culture as 'opinion making'. Given this omnipresent, unexamined, consumer-attitude, self-reliance and comparative critical thinking must be viewed as extra-ordinarily important. One could make a comparison with physical and spiritual nourishment. Physical malnourishment leads to fatigue, scurvy, and other disorders. Spiritual malnourishment leads to societal degeneration. When people are manipulated, ill effects manifest, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, crime and aggression.

53

Democracy – a Deceitful Ploy?

The West is proud of having created democracy. Most people would consider it obvious that democracy is not a society of slaves kept in ignorance. In a democracy, freedom of thought must be guaranteed. The mass media must not be owned by a few individuals. Multinational corporations should not determine the politics of entire countries or continents, or employ bribery to buy anything and anyone.

The reality of the world appears in stark contrast to democracy.

In most countries, people with little money and few assets have no say in decision making. For the sake of appearances they may be allowed to vote, but this offers them no real advantage, because it does little to change their situation. Theoretically, being able to live with dignity is a human right, but how can those who have to live with dignity fend for themselves? This harrowing situation is something I have witnessed during many years of travel and living in less developed countries.

The fact that 'the world's policeman', the United States, does not uphold international agreements, undermines the credibility of important international institutions, allowing for the 'law of the jungle' to prevail. 'Preventive wars' are waged in the face of the entire world community's repudiation. Prisoners are treated inhumanely.

54

Worldwide environmental issues are ignored and discredited. The production of landmines continues to be promoted. The United Nations is an empty promise and a waste of resources. There were high hopes for the United Nations – but it has been reduced to a background character on the world stage. Most nations accept the imbalance in armaments. US governmental laissez-faire unilateralism launches new 'preventive' wars, which serve only to consolidate its own power. I consider this to be a gigantic failure of our democratic societies. Let us hope the European Union, the sleeping giant, will soon put an end to this. I am not saying this because I am a European, but because the world needs an opposing power that confronts the recklessness of the 'world's policeman'.

Unfortunately, democracies permit some people to enrich themselves to the point where they are able to seize power and threaten democracy with their wealth. This reduces democracy to an obsolete absurdity, in which it functions as nothing more than a deceitful ploy. On recognising this point we should be honest enough to denounce the power of money, and call this degenerated form of government by its true name: a kleptocracy, the dictatorship of money. How is it possible in a democracy for ninety percent of material assets to be in the hands of five percent of the

Religion and Democracy

population? This is a stark reality even in orderly Switzerland. The famous African musician Alpha Blondy called this 'the democracy of the powerful'. This corrupt principle—in various forms, has been practised throughout history: open dictatorship, absolutist monarchy, Stalinist communism, Taliban integralism, the Holy Roman Empire, the mafia, transnational corporations, Opus Dei and innumerable others could be listed. These power-seekers, old and new, operate according to the same principle. First they appear useful and socially acceptable. They then build trust—to gain a majority under the cloak of democracy, only to consolidate their own material base of wealth and power.

When people take to crime they often disguise their appearance: change clothes, shave off facial hair, grow beards, or dye their hair.

In business and politics they simply change their names. They sink a corporation into anonymity, rename it and found a rescue company. They even officially declare bankruptcy and start the same ploy anew in a different location at the expense of creditors.

Even in a 'mature democracy' it is simple to use familiarity with power structures to do as one pleases, just as it was in less 'civilised' periods.

If people are not cognisant of the workings of power, they cannot defend themselves against abuse. Before the bible was translated into German by Luther and Zwingli and widely distributed, the Catholic Church had sole power over God's word. Hardly anyone other than the clerics was able to read the bible in its official Latin version. As soon as the public at large were able to hear and read God's word in their own languages, a new era commenced. People started interpreting this crucial document themselves – because it had been brought forth from within their culture. Whoever seizes the monopoly of interpretation seeks to eliminate competition, in order to seize power as if they had the franchise on 'the only truth'.

This paralyses the free-market of spiritual values.

55

56

Yoni and Lingam. Another interpretation of the principle of female and male polarity, which permeates and dominates our every-day lives.

1990, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection Anna Maria Gregorini.

Democracy is a feigned freedom that is persistently brilliantly marketed, with all its inherent mechanisms of representation and suffrage. The people in power, however, merely use this as a cloak, and continue, with great success, to do as they please. The average citizens remain unaware of the patterns and structures of our corrupt democratic framework. They remain enslaved by their own ignorance. They become pawns for clever manipulators, who manipulate, exploit, administer, or send them into battle as willing soldiers. No one who seeks clarity and self-reliance can evade this fact.

Western culture is riddled with structures and behavioural patterns which are diametrically opposed to the mature pursuit of freedom and self-reliant thinking. These 'spiritual dinosaurs' remain successful in employing numerous means to fend off their extinction. They demand the antithesis of the behaviour that should exist in a democracy in terms of responsibility and independent thinking. I tend to consider the churches to number among the 'spiritual dinosaurs' when they appear irreconcilably opposed to democracy.

These religious institutions insist on theocratic omnipotence and on the monopoly on God's word. The masses then, have to

acknowledge this power without being consulted. They have no voice and are not allowed to think for themselves. When contemplating this phenomenon with a critical, analytical eye, one can see the same contradiction in religion as one sees in politics.

The fact that religion has become 'institutional spirituality' is evident. The institutionalised omnipotence of the Church is at war with the fundamental principles of democracy.

A prime example of this contradiction can be seen in the secret organisation Opus Dei, a reform movement of the 'Holy Roman Empire'. It is being supported and fostered by the world's highest representatives. It appears to be common within Opus Dei that the members of the inner circle flagellate and chastise themselves. Such methods are used in the attempt to bring forth 'holy warriors' who are capable of great feats. One can assume they are prepared to kill in the name of God, as this has been shamelessly practised over the course of two millennia.

How can one encourage people to acquire the capacity for critical thinking and self-reliance in political decision-making whilst dealing with them in a dictatorial fashion in terms of religion? This is disturbing. It is a sad, contradictory, schizophrenic situation and it has tragic consequences. It is therefore of great

57

African Reverberations. Inspired by my long sojourn in Senegal and the vicinity of the slave island GorĂŠe, off the coast of Dakar. This mandala expresses the liberation from the chains of imprisonment, as well as liberation from the enslaved mind.

1990, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

importance to unmask the all-powerful organisations that manipulate us. It is important to demonstrate clearly to the general public that, in many respects, they have no real freedom.

I do not regard religion as an instrument of subjugation which keeps people in a state of ignorance. People who practise a religion do not have to become moral cowards. If Jesus Christ visited the 'temple of Christianity' today, he would have to drive out legions of organisations that differ little from the mafia. When a religion starts to degenerate into a secret organisation like the mafia, it becomes obvious that power is its highest principle – and that one can neither expect nor encounter true spiritual value. It would be more appropriate, in the mediÌval sense, to designate these power structures as diabolical. When people are manipulated and prevented from making their own decisions, they lose their freedom and become slaves.

How is it still possible in this millennium, that a few elderly catholic celibate men can thwart family planning on the basis of 'divine omnipotence'? How can they thus determine the fate of billions of people without making them slaves of faith, kept in dependence? Any reasonable person would hardly elect a eunuch as family minister! This example alone shows how dangerous it is

58

to delegate self-reliance. If people, over the course of millennia, are trained to rely on blind faith rather than acting self-reliantly, mental patterns are formed that could be psychologically termed as infantile.

Further ill effects of spiritual dependence are the development of behavioural patterns which are detrimental to people's partners, children, society, workplace, animals, and nature. It is highly problematic to demand contradictory patterns of behaviour of people, as internal discord and unpredictable reactions are the inevitable consequence. These degenerative patterns lead to exploitation and destruction of our planet, and need to be unmasked. If not, increased confusion will bring people into the grip of dark forces.

59

60

The Sun. Mandala from the Tarot series.

2002, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Spiritual Emancipation

If we want to change this desolate situation, we have to stop pretending, both to ourselves and to others. No one should persist in telling lies, to themselves, others, or society. Spirituality and religion must be subject to unconditional, critical examination.

Religions that incite antagonism to nature, truth, and humanity, are dangerous and lead to fundamentalism and extremism.

History offers many examples for this. The world has hardly witnessed a more horrifically intolerant period than the Spanish Inquisition. Any self-professed believer who wanted to blackmail a neighbour for sexual or financial gain could raise the accusation of witchcraft. Many used this means to eliminate others. The chance of the accused successfully proving their innocence was minimal.

They were executed or burned at the stake with the blessing of the Church. That system of abuse of the 'omnipotence of God' remains the greatest disgrace in the history of the 'Holy Roman Empire of the Church'. It was a system that could not have been more diabolical. It was a system which violated all the values of the New Testament: love, compassion, mercy, and justice.

Thousands of people were condemned, tortured, and burned at the stake, on the mere suspicion of thinking in deviation of the teachings of the Church. The period of the Inquisition was much more intolerant than even the extremist Taliban regime. It

was worse than Nazi Germany, especially as that horrible phase of history lasted for centuries. Fellow believers struck terror in people's hearts. They killed people in the cruellest manner, to the point where they may well have been traumatised by their own sense of guilt. Events in the recent past have corroborated my opinion that it could happen again. It certainly would not take much: a coalition of the mass media, the weapons industry and uncompromising hardliners manipulating public opinion. This could easily send people into the hell of 'Holy War' in the name of God. Europeans representatives of Western culture almost consider themselves the masters of creation, but before feeling so proud, they should contemplate the roots of our civilisation and the mechanisms according to which it functions. If we do not understand the factors which reach back deep into mediĂŚval times and determine our thinking up to this day, no real change will occur. Everything is present in our world: radical left-wing governments, radical right-wing governments, religious and antireligious dictatorships.

Seeing these variants of suppression should remind us never to relinquish power to elitist groups. The dinosaurs need to be where they belong: in museums, where they can remind us of the horrors of the past.

61

The Liberation of the Enslaved Mind

We all know that two plus two always equals four. Whether white or black, Asian or American, we make use of mathematics and the result remains the same. On that level, it is irrelevant to which race or religion we belong. As long as we apply the universal laws of mathematics, we all arrive at the same conclusion. Do we realise in the process that a large part of our mathematical knowledge, including the numbers themselves, was adopted from Arab culture?

Admittedly, Arab culture inherited a great deal of knowledge from Greece. Greece in turn, inherited knowledge from Egypt and India. Be that as it may, we apply the laws of mathematics on a daily basis without racist bigotry. If that is possible, then why, on the psychological and spiritual level, are we unable to recognise other universal laws? With qualities such as integrity, compassion, love, conscientiousness, and patience we arrive at the same result anywhere, regardless of whether we follow a religion or not. These are universal qualities that can be practised by anyone of any religion. It is the practical application and the experience which results, that is decisive – not the theory. In spiritual terms many people lack pragmatism; this may be because spirituality seems too abstract, too theoretical, or insufficiently concrete. By contrast,

62

the absence of the aforementioned spiritual qualities proves highly concrete. Becoming conscious is the operative word, because when we become conscious we can recognise the truth. Only by recognising the truth can we find the solution to a problem and enter into action.

God never assigned the earth, air, water, and the sun – creation – to the representatives of a particular religion, a race, or a multinational corporation. The possessive claims to creation have all been codified by people. Possessions are always acquired in an egocentric manner, often without concern for others. When raw materials are at issue, world powers ensure that small nations understand who has the upper hand. In order to avoid being seen as blatant, they cloak their machinations with the rights of anonymous international corporations. These sources of money will then enable the children of the upper class of a 'bought country' to study at the best universities. The rulers of countries rich in natural resources are being muzzled with such financial devices.

Can we change our religion today without being excommunicated or even killed? Do religions foster the free formation of opinion? Do they not rather attempt, in any way possible, to tether

followers as much as possible in order to keep them dependent?

Do these clubs not use any means to try to have their members pledge perennial fealty? Worldwide, I do not see great freedom of faith. It is therefore not surprising that cultural exchange and understanding among nations is being preached, whilst on the other hand, ecumenical services are being prohibited by highest sanction.

Breaking out of such contradictory systems is associated with dangers, and only a few open-minded, self-confident and selfreliant people manage to do so. Even in childhood, perfidious defensive mechanisms are instilled in us. An indoctrinated person deprived of the freedom of choice is subjugated by most religions, and a bad-conscience results.

The same is true for racism. Until a few decades ago, South Africa practised a horrible form of apartheid. The USA also had civil rights issues of a serious nature. Nowadays, one of the two countries presents itself as a paragon of democracy. A political memory and the shame resulting from it does not appear to be a strong suit. It should also be remembered that apartheid always justifies its discriminatory machinations with references to the

bible. Apartheid makes a particularly strong mark with this type of repression: the crime of setting people against each other. During mediĂŚval times it was common to issue 'bulls' of excommunication and to offer bounties. Today, anyone who opposes the claims to power by multinationals or the world's policeman is quickly labelled an enemy of democracy. It is therefore important to see through the patterns of such rhetoric. Typically, as children we are reared in the religion of our parents. We are not given a chance to compare and choose. Parents, adults, tradition, and external circumstances are our determining factors. The human spirit however, as much as God, cannot be defined in a one-dimensional manner.

Humankind has not yet been able to make the big leap forward, because corrupt strategies torpedo human progress and prevent it by any means possible. The human spirit however, is free, infinite, and inapprehensible. No one can permanently lock it in the prison of duality and rigid conceptuality.

63

Clarity. Authentic knowledge is acquired through empowerment by the masters and through personal experience.

1989, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, privately owned.

Authentic Intercultural Communication

In the past two decades, I have introduced thousands of people to mandala painting, in Switzerland, Germany, and France. They are people I admire for having taken the initiative to delve into the subject, and they have become representatives of a particular kind of awareness. There are also those who are given to mindless copying, because it is currently in vogue to paint mandalas. There are always those who will jump on the bandwagon if they see a chance to make money.

In Tantra, it is unthinkable to express oneself verbally or in writing without having been introduced to a specific teaching by an authentic master. Unauthorised publication can do great harm.

To Tibetans, such a course of action is entirely incomprehensible and a sign of irresponsibility. Hitherto I did not want to disclose the authentic knowledge of mandala, but such incidents increasingly strengthen my resolve to reveal it.

I am of the opinion that too many explanations regarding the practice of painting 'Western mandalas' could cause new obstacles to the detriment of spontaneity and individual expression. On the other hand, I would be remiss in intentionally staying silent on the topic, because I have experience and have studied for decades with the highest-ranking representatives of Vajrayana. When

66

ignoramuses spread and market pitiful misinterpretations, I feel compelled to confront them with corrections. The Dalai Lama himself believes that spiritual wisdom should be presented in clear and precise terms so as to prevent or minimise misinterpretations.

The interpretation of a spiritual culture should be in the hands of those who grew up in that culture, or at least, those who have practised and lived within it for decades. I have therefore arrived at the conclusion that it is better that I am open about what I know than to allow free rein to fraudulent esoteric fantasies.

For this reason I also feel it incumbent upon me to confront the worldwide phenomenon of fantasy esotericism, especially as the current wave of fantasy esotericism would seem to answer a need in the West. It is a natural reaction to the prevailing atmosphere of materialism and could be considered a fruit of the hippie movement. Unfortunately esoteric knowledge is not immune to abuse, as it is an excellent way to make money quickly and easily.

Current coinage puts it thus: 'Found a new religion and become a millionaire.' Not everyone calling themselves 'gurus' are deserving of the appellation. It is for that reason that Native American pupils were always exhorted to assess their teacher critically and extensively. Only on that basis can one build a relationship of trust

that serves pupils and their development. We should therefore remind ourselves that 'all that glitters is not gold'.

In Asia and many traditional cultures, disciples had to pass many tests before being allowed to become holders of knowledge.

Such a path of learning could last for decades and only be concluded at the end of a person's life. Having seriously embarked on that path, one never leaves it. This is as it is with the truth; once it is actually recognised, it is integrated into one's behaviour. Pupils who become one with truth never dispense of it, simply because there is no alternative. For all those who have recognised truth, be they Christian, Buddhist, or a follower of any religion, truth remains truth.

The same is not true of the spiritual fads and trends in which many partake, merely to avoid being seen as ignorant. In the West, fantasy esotericists often make use of this 'quest for truth' by participating in a weekend course and enthroning themselves as gurus the next weekend. The best example thereof is a lady who attended one of my mandala painting courses. During the seminar she merely asked questions, without deigning to engage in painting.

Surprised at her behaviour, I started asking questions myself.

Over the course of the two days I gradually elicited her reason for

attending. She had already advertised a mandala painting course herself – and wanted to conduct it on the following weekend. She had never painted a mandala herself. Naturally she was a little apprehensive of teaching a subject about which she knew nothing about and therefore had no experience. In preparation for her own course, therefore she sought to absorb my experiences vicariously in order to re-present it as her own. This is a prime example of fantasy esotericism and the exact opposite of what I learned from Lamas with whom I studied.

There are many variants of this fantasy esotericism. There are people, for example, who employ theoretical esoteric justifications to manipulate their spouses, children, and the impressionable, and cause great spiritual harm in the process. Such fantasy esotericists often terrorise the people with whom they live. I can not sufficiently stress the importance of people acquiring their own spiritual experience. Spiritual experience cannot be adopted, bought, or consumed. It takes decades to share these experiences with others in an appropriate manner and then only after they have developed solid inner values.

67

They Eye of Wisdom 1994, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

68

69

Autobiographical N otes I

72

Tree of Life. All life is contained in the 'world's egg' and unfolds according to predefined laws or primordial patterns. A few basic principles allow for an infinite variety of life forms, each one unique in its design.

'And if I knew it was my very last day on earth, I would still plant a tree!' (Martin Luther) 1974, acrylic on board, 120 x 80 cm / 47.2 x 31.5 inches, collection Sabine SchrĂśder.

My Childhood

Why do people paint mandalas? What is the meaning of mandalas?

Why did I start painting mandalas as a six year old child? I repeatedly pose these questions to myself. I try to analyse the causes in my own life. If you ask yourself such questions, perhaps in preparation of a mandala painting course, it is important that you consider the subject in depth and reflect on your life as a whole. The reason for this is that the whole of one's life is related to the meaning inherent in painting mandalas. It is crucial to understand the mandala in its entirety, as a mirror of life, as a structural principle beneath our patterns of behaviour, linked with our natural creativity.

I was born on the 22nd April 1956, in ZĂźrich, Switzerland.

I grew up in the country, in Fehraltorf, not far from the city. My father's name was Ernst Frischknecht and he was in charge of the post office in Fehraltdorf. He was descended from a family which, over several generations, was wedded to civil service. My grandfather on my mother's side was a mechanical engineer. My father always wanted to become a librarian, but during the years following the war it was difficult to realise that aim as he needed to be in a position to support a family. Because of this, he followed in the footsteps of his father and took over the post office from him. I always felt that my father had not chosen the right profession and that he remained unhappy about his choice. His deep frustration was noticeable to us as his children, and that provided a strong ambition to always follow my deepest inclinations.

My mother chose a profession in line with her talents and she enjoyed her training to become a handicraft teacher at the handicraft school for women in St. Gallen. She acquired all manner of manual skills, such as embroidery, crochet, and weaving. Seeing her use all these skills was a great inspiration. Despite household duties and raising her children, she remained creative in many fields. In doing so she also fostered my talent for drawing. She was always delighted to see her children being creative. These were extremely beneficial external circumstances in my early life – but there were also inner forces at work within me that urged my creative expression.

My parents had three children. The first, born in 1946, died in a tragic car accident in front of our house. This incident left my mother traumatised and explains her over-protectiveness toward myself and my siblings. My sister Li, the second child, was born in 1949. She was a sensitive child, artistically gifted, and imbued with a consummate feel for colour and shape. She took up training as a fashion designer and, in doing so, provided me with the stimulation to become an artist.

I was the third child, and I was seven years younger than my sister. I have a clear memory of many events in my childhood and even recognise prenatal images. One such image was: 'a bright glowing-ness / blackness in front of me / behind me personages who seemed inseparable from me / they seemed to be my clan or spiritual family / I knew that my time had come / I only needed

73

the courage to move into the darkness before me / I am about to move / I feel assurance that I will never be separated from my 'real family' / I will re-encounter those familiar beings / received assurance – I jump with confidence into the blackness in front of me / I leap into the dark unknown / I am born as a baby into a completely unknown environment.'

In Jungian psychology and similarly in Tibetan Buddhism one is said to be particularly drawn to one of the parents, depending on one's gender. A being becomes a girl through feeling drawn to her father. A being becomes a boy through feeling drawn to his mother.

Despite sensing a natural intimacy with my mother, I experienced my environment as strange. The circumstances of my family and the atmosphere in which we lived were strange, and I often felt like a stranger. My search for my 'real family' began then. I often had dreams which pointed to that search. Once I dreamt of my prenatal parents. They were people of dark skin colour. They had long black hair. They radiated wildness, with a pride and dignity that corresponded with my innermost nature. It was the exact opposite of the virtuous civic mediocrity that characterised my father. His behaviour as a civil servant, respected in his village, was dutiful but domesticated and conformist. Back in the day, following the priest, doctor, and teacher, the postmaster held an important position. He represented the connection of the village with the world.

74

I have retained memories of my earliest childhood, such as my christening. I remember a vacation in Arosa, when I was locked in a room so that I would not run into a dangerous street and be run over, as had happened to my older brother. Being locked up had a formative effect as it awakened a boundless love of freedom.

It also awakened my determination never to let anyone confine or dominate me. During my childhood my conviction that I had been someone at an earlier time in history was of great significance to me. I told my sister and my mother stories about my previous life. I spoke of it as 'what I did when I was still young'. I took those stories seriously as a child – and was therefore surprised when people dismissed my accounts as the result of a vivid imagination.

This led to my feeling misunderstood and estranged from my family.

As soon as I first encountered images created by Native Americans, they seemed familiar to me. It was particularly important to fight injustice and to expiate the crimes committed by the white race against the Native American tribes. I wanted to support suppressed people in their cultural fight for freedom, and I identified increasingly with them. This led to my studying their history in great detail. When I later read Uncle Tom's Cabin I extended my inner promise to all other races – and decided to resist all injustice against 'native peoples' as soon as I came of age.

When I first encountered Tibetans at age six – I was reminded of Native Americans. In 1962 and 1963 the first Tibetan refugees arrived in Switzerland. A friend of my mother's and her husband adopted a refugee child, a girl named Nyinda Drölma. On the day of her arrival in Switzerland, Nyinda Drölma visited our home, and I immediately felt a deep kinship with her. She seemed to have an un-subdued-ness that was lacking in Swiss children. The spirit of Swiss children appeared to have been broken – both through education and the environment. This was not the case with Nyinda, she sparkled with directness, spontaneity, and wildness. She had cultural intactness. When I was sixteen Nyinda Drölma and her adopted sister Yeshe Drölma took me along to a Tibetan gathering at the monastic Tibet Institute in Rikon, and thus was created my lasting bond with that culture.

At that time the choice of my prospective profession was at issue and Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin provided the impulse that clarified where kindred spirits were to be found in 'white' society. Only artists corresponded to my vision of what it meant to be human. The artist alone embodied the integrity of natural existence. Artists had a certain jester's licence. Living within a free zone of creativity, they had the opportunity – found nowhere else in my culture – to convey an inner message, a vision.

I read books such as Great Saints by Walter Nigg. Those saints were

as captivating as the artists. It seemed to me that these spiritually inspired visionaries had been alive only during medieval times. At the time, my mother was reading Born in Tibet, the life story of the Tibetan Lama Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Since I spent time with Nyinda Drölma, my mother gave me that book to read – and it struck me like a bombshell. I was convinced that, with Tibet, I had found a deeply fascinating culture that was in harmony with my inner world. I had memories of my previous lives after all, that were in line with the Tibetan reincarnation theory, and this newly found culture was at my doorstep. It was a mere two-hour walk from my village. Even today it seems amazing that the first Tibetan institute outside Asia was built just a few miles away from Fehraltorf. Was this merely an accident or was it yet another highly unusual coincidence?

75

Connections. When, as a school child, I first held a fountain pen in hand, we were allowed to create free drawings and I spontaneously discovered these 'connections'. This was a second breakthrough with mandala design in my childhood.

1964, ink on paper, 21 x 15 cm / 8.3 x 5.9 inches, collection of the artist.

Tibetan and other Trainings

Yeshe and Nyinda, the two Tibetan girls who adopted me as their Swiss brother, took me to the Rikon monastery and introduced me to the abbot Urgyen Tseten Rinpoche. I felt a deep spontaneous empathy with him. A few months later Yeshe and Nyinda took me to the Tibetan youth gathering in Männedorf on the lake of Zürich.

It was there, in April 1972, that I met other Lamas, and one of them took interest in me. He befriended me and promised to pay me a visit as soon as he was able. A few weeks later the scholarly Tibetan arrived at our parents' house. My paintings astonished him and he told me that they represented kyil'khors. He told me that my interest in them could be traced back to an earlier life in Tibet. This Lama, Geshe Jampa Lodrö, became my main teacher for the next fifteen years. From him and other Lamas, I learned the Tibetan language. I also learned of their culture, customs, ways of thinking, and modes of behaviour. Above all, they introduced me to Tibetan Buddhism.

Soon thereafter, the Dalai Lama visited Switzerland for the first time. Geshe Jampa Lodrö was charged with building the altar for the event and conducting the ceremonies. A few years later, on the second visit of the Dalai Lama, Geshe Jampa Lodrö again made the preparations for the empowerment which was to be given by the Dalai Lama. This occasion took place in the premises of the Feller factory in Horgen. I had the privilege of assisting Geshe Jampa Lodrö and was thus able to experience the presence of the Dalai Lama at close quarters. That was my first authentic Tantric empowerment: the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, whose human manifestation is seen to be the Dalai Lama. Through this empowerment he became one of my most important teachers.

Every time I matured enough to climb another step in my studies, it was the Dalai Lama who initiated the process. This was the case with empowerment into the Kriya Tantra of Avalokiteshvara, and with the Avalokiteshvara ritual of Kalachakra, which the Dalai

77

Indian Shield. This is the last drawing in a series on shields, which I began at the age of ten. This was a third breakthrough in my mandala art. At the same time I created a large series of figurines carved in wood, inspired by American Indian and African images.

In 1972, at the age of 16, I was determined to migrate to Senegal.

I wrote to the Senegalese minister of culture, requesting him to accept me as a scholar of wood carving in his country.

1971, colour pencils on paper, 20 x 20 cm / 7.9 x 7.9 inches, collection of the artist.

Pema Dorje Rinpoche and his wife Sangyum Kunsang Chözom-la. He is one of the few yogis still teaching the Nyingmapa philosophy and the Tantric tradition of Kökarchanglö-De.

Lama conducted in 1981 in Madison, Wisconsin. A few years later, in London, I was given introduction to Dzogchen, from the Tsig Sum Nedek of Patrül Rinpoche, again by the Dalai Lama.

At that time the Dalai Lama sounded a warning which caused me to distance myself from Geshe Jampa Lodrö and sever ties with other teachers. Almost all of them practised the protector Dorje Shugden, which the Dalai Lama had declared non-Buddhist and prohibited. The Dalai Lama himself practised this protector during his youth, but later he discovered that he was the source of harm and in contradiction with the protectors of Tibet who had been oath-bound by Padmasambhava, the Second Buddha.

At this point Gangteng Tulku arrived from Bhutan and miraculously entered my life. He became my most important Lama. He revealed to me a much deeper level of Dharma practice; that of direct experience. This extends far beyond the intellectual on which many Lamas of the Gélug school pride themselves. Pride is known to be a great obstacle on the Dharma path. At the time

78

Gangteng Tulku was a young Lama, just one year older than me.

He was likeable and had a great sense of humour. I was happy to accept him as a friend, but he seemed too young to be a Lama, as I had studied with many old Lamas trained in Tibet. Over the course of the first few days of our encounter, I sensed that this young man was no ordinary scholar. He was not a theoretician, but gave his teachings in a relaxed and easy-going style. I realised he spoke directly from experience. He did not have to read from texts, or constantly refer to them. His high-ranking name and position were of no importance to me, since I knew many great Lamas from my time of study in Rikon.

What impressed me was his accomplishment as a yogi. Unlike the monks I had met, he spoke naturally of sexuality, especially in terms of Tantra, a field of undisputed significance in Tibetan Buddhism. I was equally impressed that such an eminent Lama remained modest and unaffected. He did not exhibit haughtiness even to the slightest extent. It dawned on me that, despite my initial

79

80

Moon Energy. The dark blue and silver colours are cooling and calming.

East and West, North and South meet in the symbol of the cross.

2005, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection of the artist.

wariness concerning his age, I had finally found my true Lama and became his first disciple in Europe. I have remained his disciple to this day – albeit an eccentric one. I sometimes find it difficult to follow his instructions in daily life and, therefore, unpredictable, painful experiences, have often imparted the necessary insights.

My encounter with Gangteng Tulku made it ever more important for me to practise Dharma. I refused merely to believe, without questioning. I accepted the challenge of only giving assent to that which I had tested critically through personal experience. 'Once bitten twice shy'; my experiences with Christian theologians had had their impact. When, as a candidate for confirmation, I had asked critical questions, our village priest had banned me from his class rather than addressing my questions. His idea of Bible study amounted to insipid, anĂŚmic indoctrination, rather than the realistic communication of spiritual values. Such incidents, however, prompted the motivation to probe the meaning of the mandala as deeply as I could. Since we can only grasp essential

meaning through practise, books are not enough, specially books based on second-hand knowledge. Only living communication from authentic masters has validity.

In Tibetan culture there are many factors that are difficult to comprehend for Westerners. In the West, too much reliance is placed on the intellect. In Asia, it is simply a tool for achieving relative objectives. If the intellect is not used for good purposes, it will turn against us. Dharma makes it consistently clear that only a constructively applied intellect is useful. We are quick to pride ourselves of our learning, but it is that learning, which so often pulls us away from true wisdom. If intellect and borrowed knowledge are used irresponsibly and selfishly, the result is even worse; it jeopardises our existence. I think that current events in the world demonstrate this quite forcefully.

81

Artist between Two Worlds

While pursuing my traditional studies, I continued painting mandalas as a Western artist. I considered them my personal path of discovery. My mandalas have never been reproductions of traditional Tibetan examples, but they are inspired by the essence of what the mandala means. It could be said that this contradicts the path of a modern artist. I would claim the contrary, however ; that as an artistic creator, I am driven to be a trailblazer of things to come. I see myself as a medium for the zeitgeist, in terms of disseminating a message of timeless archetypal values. My mission is to bring back the message that people have lost through work stresses and the manipulation of mass media.

My journey as an artist is not easy. Asians see me as a modern Western artist, whilst Westerners consider my mandalas to be Asian art. Consequently, I realised early on that I had no place in the modern art world; I had to chart my path all by myself. I found no lead to follow, no protagonist to emulate. All I was left with was a 'leap into the void'.

82

Traditional mandalas have revealed a world which I would not wish to lose. They point the way to the direct understanding of being. Without discerning a path to the recognition of authentic being, we grope in the dark. Some may consider this an absolutist discriminatory statement, but to discuss experiences with people who have not had them is futile. It is the same with riding a horse.

I may read any number of books on the subject, but without smelling the perspiring horse, sitting in the saddle and galloping through the wind, the actual experience of riding will elude me.

Books convey information, but not direct experience.

I researched several cultures in a truehearted devout fashion, and feel it must be acknowledged, that all enlightened beings, regardless of culture or religion, recognise the same reality. I have, however, arrived at the conclusion that the nine stages of Buddhism represent the path that is most suitable for me. I see it as yielding the most impartial, logical, and transparent explanation of reality.

In saying this, I am by no means advocating Buddhism for others.

The artist in 1983 in India, which became his second home.

Any person with the chance to search and choose freely, without educational coercion or manipulation, is bound to experience a different dimension of being. I therefore wish all people would have this chance.

It is a tenet of Buddhism that blind faith is a sign of gross foolishness. Only logical deliberation and personal verification enable people to determine what is true and what is false.

Without this knowledge and experience of Dharma I would never have attempted to conduct mandala painting courses. It seems inconceivable to me for anyone to talk, with a good conscience, concerning subjects of which they have only theoretical knowledge.

Without the relevant practise and profound exploration, one cannot speak of mandala. The concept of mandala has been increasingly absorbed by Western culture and its interpretations have expanded, but it would be regrettable if the essence was lost in the process. The preservation of the original and deepest meaning mandala is only possible through practising Dharma.

83

84

The Rainbow. This painting represents 'The Fool' in my Tarot series. Like the rainbow, the fool remains a mystery in the way he enjoys his artistic freedom. The state of highest realisation in Tibetan Buddhism is the rainbow body, which allows the ability to manifest simultaneously in many locations.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

My Path to Becoming an Artist

After three decades, my traditional training with Lamas appeared to have been concluded. That is not to say that I had studied exhaustively, but that I had reached a point where I had to become what I had been taught, and what I had practised. Tantric Buddhism is an infinite ocean of knowledge which one can never fathom in its entirety – but now the task was incumbent upon me to implement my training. I must test what I have learnt in daily life in order to attain actualisation of the teachings. My Lama is very understanding of my hectic Western life and lack of time.

When it comes to transference of knowledge, he always addresses the most vital points, guiding his students toward the essence. He holds highly instructive retreats in his home in Bhutan, where he

empowers students in the secret teachings of the sixth Tantra stage.

He even encourages some of his students to introduce interested individuals in the West to the preparatory exercises which lead toward Tantra. It is my desire to pass on those precious insights, presenting them in a way that will suit our own culture. Painting mandalas is one of the ways I have chosen to proceed.

Following my divorce, I found myself unemployed between 1985 and 1988. As an artist without a standard professional diploma, I fell between the cracks of the Swiss system. With art not assuring me a living I could have become a poorly paid unskilled worker, and if so, what was to become of my vision, my actual task in life? Even though I had been working on my artistic career for

85

86

Harmony 2007, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, privately owned.

many years, independence seemed out of reach in the foreseeable future. In this hopeless situation my second wife encouraged me to study in Paris in order to become an Ingénieur Culturel. Thanks to a repayable loan, our whole family moved to Paris. This culture shock was exactly what I needed. Barely able to speak French, I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to provide English commentary on the untouched Tibetica collection at the Musée de l'Homme. This 'internship in English' offered me the time to familiarise myself with French and write my diploma thesis on past and modern museum culture. Claude Mollard, the director of the Institut de Management Culturel at the time, handed me the diploma, which carried the distinction 'mention très bien'. In France, this diploma is a nationally recognised degree.

Back in Switzerland, I remained unemployed, despite 250 job applications. No one was prepared to hire a Ingénieur Culturel with a French diploma. Endowed with a new sense of selfconfidence after my studies, however, what option did I have other than independence? It often seems that people have to experience the direst circumstances before they will take the plunge – but often they can be rewarded by finding themselves able to swim.

I found myself left with no choice other than doing what I had wanted to do, and what I should have been doing all along. I began conducting mandala painting courses, organising exhibitions, printing art cards, guiding tours of the East, creating ethnic jewellery, printing a mandala calendar, and then publishing my first mandala book.

87

The Night. In the mandala Tarot series, this painting represents the 'high priestess'.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Painting Mandalas

Of course, my first mandala drawings cannot be considered mandalas in the true sense of the word. What spurs a child to come up with ritualistic circular drawings? I have posed myself that question many times. I have tried to re-enact the state I was in at the time. An innate being seems to exist whithin and seems to express itself in the repetition of colours and shapes. Only when rhythms repeat themselves can we find, reflect, and recognise ourselves anew. Only then can the comfort of harmony and the healing effect be established. Rhythms tend to give us a sense of timelessness. They help us transcend the tiresome, intellectualising state of dualistic mind. Engaging effortlessly and playfully with colours and shapes has a healing effect. Each colour and shape has its own unique vibration and impact upon us. Typically, our natural human vision gravitates towards structures, shapes and shades of colour which resonate with our needs and contribute to our healing.

Since our experiences and needs are in a process of constant change, we have an ever shifting preference for new colours and shapes and their infinitely variable combinations. It is the same with relationships. Even if we spend our whole life with the same partners, we can experience each moment of being together as new and different. The creation of a new painting is not unlike making love. In a moment of exhilaration we experience

88

boundlessnes– we suspend our self-limitation. This involves nondual experience, a sensation which resembles the 'death experience' whilst simultaneously engendering the feeling of bliss. In the animal world, male spiders risk their life for that moment of bliss.

Following copulation, the female spiders kill and devour them, thereby gaining the strength required for producing offspring.

Much as in love, we can pour our entire being into mandala painting. Through such identification we tap the source of our creativity and become inspired to devise ever new forms of expression. The experience of undividedness, in terms of love or art––allows us to rise above dualism. Even though we often anxiously cling to dualism, we long to transcend it. When painting mandalas in the spirit of free creativity, we lose sense of time and gain glimpses beyond the limits of the self-identification. We can immerse ourselves, for the duration of painting, in the limitless ocean of creativity.

Mandala painting is employed by numerous teachers at European schools for the purpose of counteracting students' absent-mindedness and poor concentration. The curative effect of this method is astonishing. In addition, the process leads to a lasting visual result: a mandala painting. This in turn provides inspiration to experience further experiences of timelessness. This is a symbolic experience, and one which is particularly significant in our current

89

Winter Day. I paint mandalas at any time of day or night and in any season. Each point in time has its specific effect on my mood and on and the artwork.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

spiritually impoverished society. When the possibility of genuine spiritual experience is missing, young people often take to drugs and alcohol as substitutes.

To speak of the mind-expanding power of drugs is demonstrably misguided. While mandala clears the path to a spacious experience of being, drugs form a filter that obscures access to one's essential nature. Real art that has an authentic connection with the nondual state is never linked to the artificial influence of addictive drugs.

When painting mandalas we enter an uncontrived, relaxed state which allows our naturalness to reveal itself. For this we do not need artificial aids to stimulate consciousness. Theoretical instructions, prescriptions, rules and requirements are also largely unnecessary. What is important is our own direct experience. This enables us to find our way back to the original force which drives creativity to reconnect. The term 'religion' derives from the Latin religare, which means 'connection' – connection to the living experience of being. This connection cannot be artificially forced so, in Christian terms, we have no choice but to surrender to the 'grace of God'.

In my courses I challenge participants to enter into their own experiences. I remind them of the risks they took as infants, when they raised themselves onto their legs and took their first steps, and the gratification they experienced when they managed to do so.

90

We can experience this gratification anew each time we are prepared to let go, experiment, or leave behind expectations and fears. 'Religio' in its original sense is akin to an empirical science.

It steers practitioners away from dependencies. It trains them to be independent, and self-reliant – just as responsible parents train their children to live their own life in freedom.

Buddha does not equate with the Christian notion of God. Buddha means 'awakened'. From a Buddhist point of view our daily life is a state of dreaming. This creates the dualistic illusion that we live in a world shaped by individual self-image. By removing illusory boundaries between ourselves and others, between internal self-concept and the phenomenal world, we awaken. The removal of inner and outer boundaries is a liberation and healing. This liberation releases us from the chains of the past, from hopes, fears and from regarding the future. This allows us to live in the now.

Even though religions provide many hints as to how we may 'become whole', these hints cannot replace leaping into the void of existence. We must take that step ourselves. No institution, drug, or fashionable teaching serves as a substitute. The act of liberation removes the boundaries that religions have established for the purpose of societal control. Authentic religious experience transcends such boundaries even though it may find linguistic and artistic expression in given cultural forms.

91

Mandala and tradition

94

Homage. As a sixteen year old I saw traditional Tibetan mandalas for the first time in an art book – and was inspired to draw a new series of images. Shortly thereafter, I began to study at the Tibet Institute in Rikon, close to my home town.

1972, colour pencils and felt pens on paper, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection of the artist.

The Cultural Environment

We can only understand the meaning of the traditional mandala if we understand the background and philosophical world view of the culture from which the term originated. We therefore have to turn our attention to India and Buddhism.

For millennia, India has been known as the cradle of various cultures and as a source of spiritual knowledge. Countless peoples settled on this subcontinent adding to India's cultural richness: the largely Negroid Dravidians, the Aryans, Mongolians and the Persian-Arabic peoples. History shows that high cultures came to flourish at the junctions of trade routes, where different peoples met and mixed socially. This occurred due to the mutual stimulation and inspiration which gave rise to new developments and cultural formulations.

By contrast, the greatest number of unwieldy unproductive socially miscreant cultures can be found where people have been xenophobic and restricted themselves to ethnic inbreeding. Isolation and insularity give little opportunity for creative advancement, inevitably leading to stagnation and decline. Where people cannot question themselves or challenge themselves, culture comes to a standstill, and a standstill is the beginning of degeneration.

Mentally and physically we need to be able to choose from a variety of options. Otherwise we lose our creative potential.

Multiculturalism embodies the connection between all peoples and represents the possibility of a human race that is less smallminded and more fitted to move into the future.

95

Kali. The visit of the Kali exhibition at the Museum of Cultures in Zurich had left a strong impression on me, but I felt that a genuine Kali mandala was missing. I painted this one and was able to contribute it for the exhibition.

1993, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection Erika MĂźller.

Buddha's Realisation

Ancient India spawned many belief systems. Over the course of the centuries, these often stagnated and degenerated, or their original significance was lost as a result of power struggles and other vested interests. Change was required.

Siddhartha, son of a notable king in North India, grew up under the best possible circumstances of his time. He soon discovered that his own range of options was not within reach of the general populace. At the same time, he realised that material factors are not the sole determinant of a person's development. He understood that the most important issue was for all human beings, regardless of social circumstances, to recognise their spiritual essence. In Buddhism this is called Dharma. Dharma, which means 'as it is', describes the nature of phenomena, how we can recognise that nature and put it to positive use.

This Buddha's realisation marks the beginning of a scientific approach and objective observation of phenomenology. An independent, unconstrained, and unbiased mind is the sole precondition for bringing oneself into harmony with and making use of natural laws.

Prince Siddhartha was deeply touched when realising the transience of human life and the phenomenal world. He gained this insight on a surreptitious absence from the palace in which he mingled with his people incognito. He first encountered, in sequence: a leper, a frail old man a funeral procession and, finally, a yogi who had renounced worldly life. Those four encounters disturbed the prince to a degree which predicated an understanding; a human being cannot find ultimate happiness through attempting to establish reference points within the sphere of ephemeral manifestations.

96

He concluded that true happiness was only to be found beyond attempts to referentially appropriate dreamlike phenomena. He therefore left the palace of his father and, as an itinerant monk, embarked on a quest for the essence of reality. Throughout, he maintained an independent, critical, scientific mind. He studied a great variety of methods and possibilities for spiritual development and came to the conclusion that, in the end, all reference points (drugs, asceticism, self-chastisement, or fasting) were false paths.

He realised that it was actually a person's mind that was either discontented or happy and, thus, decided to plumb the nature of the human mind.

After many years of immersion he unlocked the secret; he 'awoke' from the slumber of self-projected dualistic illusion. He recognised the vicious cycle of human behavioural patterns – attraction, aversion, and indifference – that play themselves out in arrogance, aggression, obsession, paranoia, and oblivion. In Buddhist terms, these are the 84,000 delusional behavioural modes of body, speech, and mind. He recognised what Christian saints perceive as 'God'. Even though in the monotheistic religions 'God' is personified and referred to using a verbally polarising term, it is said that one cannot and should not create an image of 'him'. Buddha now awakened, remained completely silent for a long period of time. How could he clothe the ineffable in words? That could only cause consternation and harm. He would become entangled in endless verbal explanations, which could be continually refuted on the basis of dualism. He would also run the risk that people might declare him insane.

97

98

Inner Silence. Even emptiness can be said to have 'nascent structure' since it contains the seed of all manifestation. Diving into complete inner silence is, simultaneously, experiencing the total potential of creation.

1994, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, privately owned.

Silence is Golden

When Buddha was asked whether he believed in a 'God', he remained silent. He remained in a state of 'not creating an image'.

Had he answered the question with 'yes' or 'no' – he would have 'created an image of God'. Thus, he chose to refrain from creating an image. With his silence Buddha made it clear that the salient point was to have direct inner experience, rather than take refuge in intellectual speculation.

Many saints and enlightened individuals have been declared insane. Francis of Assisi broke with all societal norms. He left his family, renounced his wealth, and entered into dialogue with the animals he encountered in nature. People considered him insane.

The Church realising the serious threat this radical saint represented to the ecclesiastical institution tried to return the 'god-crazy lunatic' to the fold by recognising his order of pauperism. Today, Western society, in an ostensibly pragmatic manner, appears to integrate all new social and religious movements, whether they are advanced by hippies, rappers, or spiritual groups. Soon after such movements germinate, however, a perverse mechanism develops in which any radical demands and unusual forms of expression are vehemently rejected and combated. The followers of such movements are then stigmatised and isolated.

In spite of this, and partially due to negative attention from the media, much of the resistance eventually dissipates. The values

and practices which are observed and introduced by such renewal movements thereby percolate into general social awareness. Initial resistance notwithstanding, potential threats are reversed and neutralised, thus depriving those movements of their provocative, unsettling, explosive power. They are trivialised and ingested by the system, which allows them to be successfully marketed and commercialised.

Much as Francis of Assisi, Buddha Shakyamuni attracted attention – through his fearlessness, charisma and unconventional behaviour. He soon had a following of disciples who wanted to learn from him. In his great compassion, he listened to the pleas of his disciples and eventually broke his silence and explained the first 'turning of the wheel of teachings'. This teaching was called the four noble truths: the truth of the experience of unsatisfactoriness, the truth of the origin of the experience of unsatisfactoriness, the truth of the cessation of the experience of unsatisfactoriness and the truth of the way leading to the cessation of the experience of unsatisfactoriness. This first 'turning of the wheel of teachings' was intended for normal people with self-orientated perspectives and attitudes to life. In a nutshell, this teaching proclaims: to each their own liberation!

99

Africa 2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Beyond Individual Liberation

The second 'turning of the wheel of teachings' appeals to altruism and encourages people to look beyond individual happiness. As with people seeking individual liberation, altruists endeavour to overcome self obsession, but they do so whilst keeping sight of the ultimate welfare of everyone else. This spiritual altruism is known as the path of the Bodhisattva. It is holistic, comprehensive, and encompasses all living beings. In this new millennium such a mindset is more urgently needed than ever. Only this point of view can save our planet. Threatening global problems, such as ecological disaster, political crises and overpopulation, cannot be tackled by self-oriented attitudes, because world problems were directly caused thereby.

The third 'turning of the wheel of teachings' is based on the first two turnings, but extends far beyond them. It introduces disciples to secret yogic methods which are employed to practice the non-dual Tantric view of existence. Mind and body, all senses,

100

all appearances reflected in mind are 'yoked' – by Tantra. This is the meaning of the term Yoga.

It is only from this level onward that the term mandala is used in Buddhism. Fundamentally, mandala has a Tantric meaning, and in order to understand it, we have to take a closer look at the three teaching systems of Buddhism. They are called the three 'vehicles' or the 'three turnings of the wheel of teachings'. The main difference between these three paths is often explained by referring to their underlying mindset, their defining motivation: individual liberation, liberation of all living beings and the secret practices that accelerate spiritual growth. After mastering the first 'vehicle' one attains a new type of awareness and depends on new means for further spiritual development. Each stage is therefore associated with appropriate methods and tools and these methods cannot be transferred to other stages in a meaningful way.

101

The Vehicle of Tantra

The first vehicle, called Small Vehicle or Hinayana, has the purpose of liberating the practitioner from suffering through the realisation of the lack of solid, permanent, separate, continuous, and definitive identity. This state, usually known as 'non-self' or anatman, is technically called shunyata, or emptiness. This vehicle affords two methods: Sravakayana, the reflection upon and analysis of words heard, and Pratyekayana, autodidactic self-analysis. The subjects of analysis are the four noble truths and 'the twelve dependent links of origination'. The methods or practices made available are vipassana meditation and shamata, a method of concentration.

The second or Great Vehicle is called Mahayana or Bodhisattvayana. The word 'great' is used because the motivation is allencompassing and transcends individual happiness. Mahayana is suitable for practitioners who understand that all living beings through countless re-births – from time immemorial – have been our mothers. A continuous interrelation between us and them has existed since the dawn of creation. Rather than being isolated entities, we and all other beings are all connected. It is therefore the goal of Mahayana practitioners not only to become individually liberated Arhats, but to attain enlightenment for all beings through realising Buddhahood as a Bodhisattva.

The third or Diamond Vehicle refers to the secret teachings of Vajrayana or Tantrayana. This vehicle is founded on the same

102

all-encompassing motivation as Mahayana but employs certain methods which lead far beyond the Mahayana system. It is the path of yoga. Yoga derives from the word yug, which can be translated as 'to yoke'. A yogi learns 'to yoke' all manifestations, in other words, everything expressed in spirit, language, or through the body. One awakens all dormant forces within and brings them to bear for the welfare of all beings without compromise.

In this context, yoga is not to be equated with the popular physical exercises of Hatha yoga; in Tantra, the term has a much more comprehensive meaning. The word in Tibetan is nal jor (rNal 'byor) which means 'remaining in the natural state'. The natural state of all beings is the non-dual state and yoga, as spoken of in Tantra, enables us to enter into this state.

Yoga should not be misinterpreted as suggesting a retreat from the practicalities of everyday life. From the Tantric perspective, enlightenment cannot be attained through meditation alone.

Tantra stresses that the meditative state is to be maintained whilst being engaged in daily activities. With the practice of yoga one begins to integrate the non-dual state with daily life, a process which encompasses our entire being and 'yokes' all its aspects of our being.

Practice Makes Perfect

Yogic practitioners maintain full awareness during all states and activities, when sleeping, waking, brushing teeth, showering, getting dressed, eating, drinking, walking, working, making love, talking, being silent, falling asleep, and, especially, when dying. Even the most trivial activity has meaning and, if performed with awareness – serves the purpose of liberation. The Christian admonition 'pray and work!' probably also suggests a deeper meaning relating to the integration of spiritual practice with daily activities. Muslim Sufis are of the opinion that it is insufficient to perform five prayers a day, as prescribed by the Koran. Instead, one's entire life should to be turned into prayer.

Having embarked on this path of continuous awareness we discover that timelessness and temporality coexist. They are indivisible. We do not have to isolate ourselves from the flow of everyday life in order to experience timelessness. Time is the dimension in which we perform concrete activities and gather experiences. We can use yoga to root this manifest level in unmanifested timelessness and to thereby achieve the absolute.

Thanks to this singular practice, every act, even life's most trivial moments, become endowed with meaning. We place ourselves at the hub of time and have at our disposal alchemistical formulĂŚ which transmute everything into gold. The word Tantra itself alludes to the phenomenon of timelessness within temporality.

Tantra is a term derived from weaving and means 'uninterrupted connectivity'. It refers to the non-dual nature of form and emptiness, in which the warp of form exists on the empty weft of the loom of non-duality. This could be said to correspond to the meaning of the Latin word religare.

Tantra teaches us to realise that the hidden power of the human body, energy, and mind far surpasses the power of a nuclear power plant, and that we do not have to depend on external support to harness that power. Tantra maintains that we have the chance to realise our essential nature during the course of our lives. The singular opportunity of being born as a human must therefore be seized.

103

104

Kali II. In contrast to the first Kali painting (page 97), the refined energy of this goddess shines through in this artwork. Kali, or TrĂśma Nakmo, is a wrathful aspect of nondual realisation.

1993, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

The Tantric Experience

The Tantric system differentiates between six vehicles: the three outer vehicles, Kriya Tantra, Upa Tantra and Yoga Tantra, and the three inner vehicles, Maha yoga, Anu yoga and Ati yoga. The subject of the first three methods is the yoga of the deities – or awarenessbeings. The first three vehicles are subsumed within the preparatory stage or Kye-rim, which consists mainly of identifying oneself with a deity during meditation in order to become undifferentiated from the deity. The three inner vehicles constitute the consummate stage or Dzog-rim. The identification exercises form the basis of breathing exercises which vitalise the spatial-winds (inner breath, prana, or rLung) that circulate in the body. These exercises cleanse the spatial-channels (nadis or rTsa) weaving through the body.

Further exercises activate the energetic subatomic structure of being (bindu or thig le). The activation of inner perception enables us to intuitively recognise mandala as the mirror of our being, beyond both sensory perception and intellectual comprehension.

Performing these exercises reveals an inner world. This may receive mention in most spiritual traditions, but accessing that inner world is not taught in a systematic manner. Unfortunately for

most people therefore, this dimension of life remains a sealed book.

Exact methods for cultivating, implementing, and actualising this inner world have either fallen into oblivion, or have never been developed in other parts of the world.

That is part of the frustration of many people of faith. The scriptures mention miracles and visions, but these manifestations seem an unintelligible, inaccessible part of the history. Westerners who study Tantra appreciate its orderliness and clarity. Tantra provides a key to understanding oneself – and to gaining a deeper understanding of one's own culture. It also facilitates interpretation of many phenomena which previously seemed inexplicable.

The practice of Tantra leads to realistic self-assessment. As far as spiritual experiences are concerned, most of us are likely to remain beginners. Modesty is perfectly appropriate in view of the immeasurable wealth of knowledge and insight to be found in the Tantric world, but Tantra also enables us to understand that focusing on actions rather than theory can take us beyond our ordinary limitations.

105

One Life – Four Worlds. In ancient Tibet it was common for Lamas to be remembered in four biographies. External: dealing with linear time and addressed to ordinary religious understanding; inner: describing the realised dimension of emotions and events; secret: dealing with the mystical aspect of intimate issues and addressed to a small circle of disciples; most secret: explaining the visionary experience of Lamas and their innermost personal teachings, addressed to a few selected disciples. The twentyone squares represent the twentyone female protectors, the Taras.

1999, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

Experience and Faith

In my mandala painting courses I often challenge participants by quoting Jesus: 'Be like children!' To be creative we need to open up to experimentation with experience that cannot be imparted by books. Often the more knowledge we accumulate, the less we realise how little we actually know. As artists, we are fools who can become wise enough to know we are ignoramuses and, therefore, open to everything. If we consciously cultivate openness and curiosity, we can find our way back to the natural non-judgmental attitude of a child.

This by no means excludes the more scientific attitude towards learning. In the West, the integration of science and faith has been lost, fostering a conflict between science and religion. In Buddhism, that conflict is absent. The revelation of reality is seen to be complementary on all levels, and this leads to a holistic view of creation. The cultural difference of Buddhism, in this respect, is not a reflection of a different set of facts but a reflection of a different motivation and attitude with regard to acquiring knowledge. As long as science is not dedicated to the liberation of all beings, the motivation of Mahayana, then knowledge can be dangerous. Tax revenues are spent on training scientists who use information to the detriment of the people, as in the development of devastating weaponry or technologies that damage the environment.

Through critical, comparative study of the various religions we can determine their respective ethical value. A particular religion, faith, or concept of God can promote developments that either harm or foster life and it is the actions of its adherents that often reveal which.

In ancient India, religions and belief systems were subject to comparative examination. Their respective structures and patterns

106

enabled scholars to draw conclusions regarding the likely actions of believers. Close scrutiny was paid to the consequences of religion, with respect to self-reliance and social aptitude, health, pedagogic skills and sensitivity, partnership and family, creativity and political awareness, and every other area of life. Public debates were held which observed rules of logic, and the losers were obliged to join the religion of the winner. In that exceptional historic environment the choice of a religion was therefore determined by reason.

Where that debate did not take place, the issue typically was decided by the sword. The disclosure of reasoned discourses pertaining to religion are not in the interest of the profiteering hierarchies. Behavioural patterns which prevent the loss of power are therefore preserved and modern society employs marketing methods as a means to that end. Our rulers do not shrink from drastic measures like as terrorism, torture, and war in order to protect their interests.

The Dalai Lama made a pragmatic case: if proof were to be presented that Buddhism rests on logical fallacies, he would be the first one to relinquish his acceptance of Buddhism. Falsehoods are to be exposed and replaced with honest findings, in an ongoing process. An open-minded attitude such as this would prevent all wars waged in the name of religion – and would preclude the stigmatisation and oppression of dissidents. A religion guided by reason is incompatible with witch hunts. A religion guided by reason relies on exchanging and comparing experiences, in the search for commonality and on critical enquiry following the rules of logic. What we seem to lack is an encompassing ethic. We lack an understanding whose cornerstones are reason, logic, critical self-examination, universal responsibility and tolerance.

107

Structures and principles

110

Structures. All paths lead to the same goal: nondual realisation.

1994, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, collection of the artist.

We Need Structures

Humans have a primeval need of structure. The process seems to unfold as follows: once we awaken from our unconscious state and attain greater awareness, we recognise the structures underlying the phenomenal world. This is a function of our physical and psychological sense of balance. I was once stricken by malaria and every bout of fever caused me a loss of balance. I was sucked into a vortex and lost consciousness against all effort of will. During that tormenting process I tried to resist fainting. I attempted to cling to concrete structures and awakening from that unconsciousness was almost as unpleasant as the fainting that preceded it.

Infants go through a similar process. At first, they lie flat – but then they discover the ability to sit upright and stand. Then they venture their first steps. That is how infants develop their sense of balance. Maintaining physical and inner balance is a major task in life. When bodily fluids are in balance, we are healthy. Our whole life is a process of finding and sustaining balance.

The example of infants illustrates the significance of horizontal and vertical planes and the cross is the symbol of these two axes.

Their intersection is the navel the nirmanachakra, our centre of balance. This navel, our centre, is the empty point at which we sense our balance. Family structures, societal codes of conduct, spiritual practices, and health-related structures: all help us to stay in balance. When nature or health is out of balance, chaos and disease follow.

People build homes to protect themselves from harsh weather.

They create living spaces containing structures with which they

feel comfortable. By building a home people respond to a primeval need to create structures for protection and comfort. It is the same with animals in their building of nests. An inspiring living space is immensely important for both physical and inner balance.

Mandalas are celestial palaces which correspond to the essential nature of human beings and therefore answer the genuine need for a 'sacred place'. They are manifestations of a primeval human need.

As soon as people have sufficient resources their foremost desire is often to build a home. This tendency is part of human nature and it is therefore employed in Tantra as a method of attaining non-dual awareness. Mandalas, however, do not simply represent a celestial palace, but also the world of perception, the entire phenomenal universe. Mandalas are not just the small space of our family palace, but the palace of the entire universe which houses everyone.

Tantric rituals, such as offerings, help human beings to maintain balance, health, and well-being. Tantric offerings include water, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food, music, and various kinds of nectar (possessed of a healing and life-prolonging effect).

Such external manifestations correlate with our inner needs, in a mutually dependent relationship. Through working for a living we provide ourselves with tangible objects and external structures whilst working on awareness of inner intangible foci and essential structures.

111

The Light Principle. There is nothing faster, lighter, and brighter than light In its spectrum, it carries the full range of colour. Gold is the purest metal, best reflecting the light of the sun.

2002, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

Principles as Signposts

Similar to my experience of malarial fever in which I tried to grasp at reality, people grasp at straws during times of insecurity. Even though all structures are temporary by nature, we still experience a need of them as bracing forces. Life is a perennial balancing act between the absolute and relative nature of structures. Children who grow up without solid family structures can be harmed for life. People who are cast adrift from their structural normalcy may, for instance, drown in alcohol. Creating structures that impart rhythm to one's life is exceptionally important. People need art, music, poetry, literature, dance, social contact, entertainment, and plain good fun, but they also need spirituality. All these things are an inspiration for the spirit. They are essential to emotional and physical balance.

Our primeval need for structures corresponds with principles we can discover and apply to ourselves. Principles are modes of behaviour which relate to corresponding reactions. Every feature

112

of our existence, our character traits included, is generated and shaped according to principles. Tidiness, punctuality, honesty, truthfulness, and fairness are qualities which are developed on the basis of principles. Without principles people can find themselves completely adrift in life and negligent of themselves and their commitments to others.

An antidote to neglect is taking our well-being into our own hands. We are left with no other option once we have outgrown infancy. Principles form structures in our consciousness, and structures are necessary for any society intent on avoiding degeneration. Mothers impart certain modes of behaviour to their children, such as structures for becoming self-reliant. Mandalas are structures which illustrate how every aspect of the phenomenal universe can interrelate as part of a whole, in which outer and inner principles correspond.

113

The Quality Principle

Consumer products distinguish themselves according to varying levels of quality. There are shoes, for instance, of widely differing quality. Some cheap shoes are made of plastic and produced by machines. Some very expensive shoes are made of leather and crafted by hand. The former are often disposable products that do not last very long. But even solid, hand-made shoes can wear out quickly if poorly treated. We can give plastic shoes the same care we lavish on expensive shoes, or we can treat both like disposable products.

Rather than buying ten pairs of plastic shoes, we could decide to buy one pair of the highest quality. We could then care for them and treat them in a manner consistent with their quality.

The quality principle comes into effect with the appreciation we give a product and the manner in which we treat it. It is not just the product which should define our appreciation but our attitude toward people, other living beings and all phenomena. Ultimately the quality principle does not concern the attributes of a product, it concerns the attitude with which we approach it. External quality is nonetheless important, because people who are appreciative of quality will exhibit a different way of working. They will develop a different attitude in comparison to a society built on disposable dross.

A consumerist society is not conducive to the quality principle. This has caused our society to become bereft of numerous other values, including the manner in which we treat people.

114

The quality principle leads human beings to aspire to the best in themselves, their loved ones, and humanity in general. The quality principle is not merely wanting to possess the best, but demanding the best of ourselves. It is proving with our behaviour that we, and all beings, are worthy of the best. Doing justice to the inner and outer quality principle is a matter of continual practice.

When we awaken this quality of awareness, a holistic process of change begins. By following the quality principle, we can embark on a path of development in the material world which will ultimately lead to spiritual respect for ourselves and others. Attaining this awareness can begin anywhere, at any moment, with any given perception. Attaining awareness is the philosophers' stone, or the elixir of the alchemists. It prompts us to integrate everything into the path of development.

The quality principle is our best advantage. Being able to choose the best among many possibilities makes real progress possible. Poor quality can be avoided if better quality is consciously recognised and chosen. Choosing the best often means more energy, work, and money has to be invested, but, having chosen the best, the result will more beautiful, durable, reliable, and safe. It will also be better for one's health. Quality products often have the disadvantage of expense, but taking the long view, it is always better to choose quality.

This principle however, is not just limited to material goods; it can

be applied to one's entire life. It can be applied to food, education, living spaces, nature, work, politics and, ultimately, to one's process of attaining awareness.

The Energy Principle The energy principle concerns strength, time, life span, and, in particular, our perception. The tenet is to achieve the most with the least expenditure of time and effort. Without knowing how to apply the energy principle, it is not possible to obtain the best result.

The Principle of Verbalisation As stressed earlier, it is exceptionally important to know what we want. That requires corresponding awareness. If we are not fully aware of what we want, no one can help us. In previous times mariners had to look to, and concentrate on, the stars for orientation. Otherwise mariners had no chance of crossing oceans. Only when we know what we want can we develop the concentration and determination needed to move toward the goals

we have set. In order to know what we want we need to grapple with our life and examine it.

All people, consciously or unconsciously, strive to avoid suffering and to attain happiness. For the most part however, the ways in which this goal can be achieved remain hidden from our sight. Our choices remain largely unconscious. Researching, thinking, and philosophising are attempts to raise the primitive desire for personal comfort to the level of awareness. Through such research we discover the basic functioning patterns of matter, nature and the mind. The law of perception and response affords great clarity in this process. It enables us to understand our intentions and what we are able to achieve. We must acknowledge our spiritual goals and make them real.

We may initially perceive our spiritual goals as mere dreams but if we do not believe in our spiritual goals, or recognise them as such, we will remain incapable of realising anything. Who is supposed to realise our spiritual aspirations if we do not? Our spiritual aspirations can mature into visions and, ultimately, realisation. Humanity's greatest accomplishments started out as the dreams of children, which matured through hope into visions.

These were then brought into existence through intelligence, conviction, and effort. Without vision there is no dimension of development, no prospect of improvement in the future and,

115

Here and Now. The external multiple star contains the past: memory, the seeds of karma.

It also contains the future, the unfolding of karma, the ramifications of habitual perception and response in the past, present, and future. I created this painting in India, and it is inspired by the typical Indian colour palette.

1998, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection of the artist.

hence, no hope. When hopelessness characterises a society, rapid decadence is certain to follow. We thus depend on visions to obtain the best from ourselves.

The first step, toward manifesting the reality (after dreaming and wishful thinking), is verbalisation. What begins as a vague thought, needs to be expressed in words. Crafting something means being able to express and formulate thoughts and intentions.

This gives the initial form, as the etymological root of the word 'formulate' indicates. People who master language – and can articulate impressively, have an enormous advantage in life. They can turn their command of language into a profession: as speakers, orators, politicians, law practitioners or preachers. Those people are aware of the magic and power of their language and can use it skilfully as a means to achieve wonderful ends.

The Time Principle The time principle has two aspects. One aspect relates to the course of time as we experience it. The other relates to the fact that each moment defies temporality and therefore can never be captured.

Seen from the perspective of time, life is confined and limited. As a

116

consequence, many are intent on achieving the best possible result in the shortest amount of time. Time and temporality, however, are inseparable. They are two sides of the same coin.

Everything is subject to the time principle. This realisation can be frightening, because it can show us the futility of many of our actions. In this sense, it can lead to apathy and depression: 'what good is it to realise my dreams if everything is temporary? Towards what end am I clinging to what I've achieved?' The time principle however, teaches us how to let go and that is the beginning of a new freedom. After letting go we become relaxed and serene – free from the attachment that turns us into slaves of temporality.

There are numerous further principles that could be listed. They are but the application of the laws working inside and around us.

117

M andala and Art

120

The All Seeing Eye. The eye sees all phenomena without judgement. The judgment is not inherent in the organ, but in the dualistic need to create reference points which validate a fixed identity. In the mandala Tarot series this painting represents 'The Wheel'.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

What is Art?

Is painting mandalas art? Can an artist afford to paint mandalas?

Can a mandala painter be considered an artist? Who decides what art is? Who, or what insinuation, is able or authorised to decide who is an artist and who is not? Is mandala painting modern art or Asian handicraft? Does it even make sense for a European to be engaged in mandala painting?

I grappled with these questions for decades. Tibetan Lamas taught me that asking questions brings about clarity – not just for the questioner, but also for those who might respond to the questions. Questions can be curiosity-driven, ironic, reaffirming, revelatory, exposing, critically probing, or stimulatory. They call for answers. They raise further questions and, with good will and a kindly disposition, they promote the process of expanding awareness.

It is impossible to say where art begins and ends. The crucial point is the message. The message creates a bridge between art and the artist. We cannot look at art in isolation; we have to take the personality of the artist into account. What do artists intend to express or effectuate with their art? What is the motivation for their creative activity? What kind of people are they? Are they rare visionaries? Are they driven by talent or by some sense of mission?

Are they people who have found something special that they wish to convey to others through their individual choices in respect of shape, colour, sound, rhythm, speech, and writing? Many people have found something unique but it takes an artist to turn those ideas into a permanent undertaking that can be called a mission.

121

Transmission is a necessary step on the path of realisation. Transmission occurs through masters.

They have trodden the path ahead of us and, hence, can help us open doors to new dimensions.

Nothing can be discovered but that which already exists.

1987, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

Art as a Path of Initiation

Mandala starts with empowerment, an experience that triggers a change in one's life, a transformation from which there is no return. Receiving empowerment to enter the mandala enables us to realise that, from our essential nature, non-dual reality manifests, in which individuality and undividedness are concurrent.

Empowerment could be said to resemble coital orgasm during the union of lovers, an event in which two entities give rise to a 'new creation'. As unification is experienced, duality is suspended, and, for a moment, self-concept merges with timelessness. Birth, too, is an empowerment. With the arrival of a baby, we become mothers and fathers and there is no return. An irrevocable change has occurred.

122

I consider art to be an empowerment. My first sculptures were births. To take a piece of wood and carve it so that it becomes a human figure is a magical creative act. It is almost formidable.

When children draw their first stick figures, something truly special happens and this is why children's drawings radiate such complete honesty and magical directness.

Being alive means being ready to leap into the void at any given moment. Only with a leap into the void does artistic ovulation become possible. Falling into timelessness, through mid-air, we are sometimes able to reconnect with the wholeness of existence.

I experience art as a silent primeval yell that causes me to shudder with awe, giving rise to goose-bumps. Internally, I witness an

123

The Fire of Passion. In the Tarot series, this mandala represents 'The Devil'.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

extraordinary sensory display; colourful bubbles of emptiness, like air bubbles in water, surge toward the surface of perception and then dissolve into the moment. Art is orgiastic, both creatively and spiritually. Art is the experience of the senses which transcends the ordinary senses.

Through colours and shapes, art allows a perception of the world of the senses whilst simultaneously allowing their nondual reality to shimmer through. If we open ourselves up to the dimension of Art, it allows us to hear the non-dual roaring silence, the eternal stillness amidst thunderous sound.

Art concerns complete sincerity. Art is an existential venture which I experience anew each moment. Art is an extreme of

124

wholeness which does not allow for going halfway. For me there is no alternative to art; it is an inner compulsion which I refer to as a calling. It is about being or not being, about existentiality.

The Swiss national saint Nicholas von Flue left everything behind to follow God's voice. Being uncompromising in implementing an inner vision in one's life often amounts to a tightrope walk. A true empowerment had no escape clause and the consequences are incalculable. I number among those who have to assume the risk of nonconformity, even if it should mean being branded a madman.

125

126

Lightness 2000, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

The Hazards of Being an Artist

Sometimes, being an artist can drive a person to despair, so I understand the tragic fate of many artists. If artists send out impulses that have no effect and cause no reaction, they become frustrated. In such situations, self-doubt and economic hardship can push us to the edge of insanity. Artists who cannot bear such tensions become depressed and lose their freedom; they become welfare recipients or find their long wished-for benefactor in the form of disability benefits. It does not befit me or anyone else to judge such people. Perhaps such emergency solutions are society's way of dealing with artists who have struggled in vain to spread their message. Their vision of a free, self-determined, artist's life is vanishing.

I would like to caution those who think that being an artist is an easy way of withdrawing from the banality of work-a-day life. It does not make people part of the in-crowd merely because they decide to call themselves artists. Such absentees from ordinary

working life do not strike me as authentic artists and I tend to see them in the same light as fantasy esotericists. One cannot really learn to be an artist in order to escape. Either one is an artist, or one is not. The artist community is a secret clan. One recognises empowered clan members on an energetic level and can easily differentiate them from others. One can smell the perfume and sense the magnetic attraction of real art, just as one can recognise insipid lacklustre reproductions.

People with creative power find that it drives them to continually test and exceed their limits. This is coupled with a maturing personality, one based on self-reliance, rather than imitation. Only this approach will succeed on the artistic path, as it can be exceptionally demanding and thorny. All authentic artists, consciously or unconsciously, work toward healing themselves, toward healing others and toward healing the entire phenomenal universe.

127

The Art of Healing

During its creation, a traditional mandala functions as a means for its creator to become whole and to render others whole. The mandala represents the healing art in the truest sense of the term.

Those who think otherwise might like to ask themselves why art should not also be healing art. After all, artists are not unlike the saintly fools of the past; they are the shamans of our time.

Among Native Americans, mentally disturbed people are considered holy. Being confident in dealing with them, practicing patience, loving them, learning to understand them, or simply treating them with respect contributes to the self-healing process.

Among some Indian tribes one can also find clown artists, such as the Heyoka. The Heyoka provoke others by doing everything back-to-front or in reverse of what one would find in normal life.

In doing so, the Heyoka simply point to the flipside of reality.

They observe people's reactions: What are they going through? Are they made to feel insecure, confused, or inspired? In our culture the age-old carnival festival was the correlate of the Heyoka. We all need this kind of Heyoka experience and art has an obvious connection with the energy of the Heyoka. Art is a carnival and circus combined, a balancing act on a high wire.

In Tibetan Buddhism we know of mahasiddhas, togdens, and yogis who sometimes fell entirely outside the norm but were no less actualised because of their eccentricity. In fact, through their unconventional behaviour, they often succeeded in breaking strong

128

habitual patterns that had withstood all other interventions. They thus provoked many changes for the better. Drukpa Künlegs was a prime example of such a 'divine madman' – and his teachings were inspiring works of art which moved many generations of Tibetans.

Gendün Chö'phel, who lived in the 20th century, was another such actualised person. He painted the most beautiful pictures with utter dexterity whilst being drunk. He wrote a book on the art of love, uncovered the true history of Tibet and was a great scholar and master of logic.

In other cultures, too, it is medicine people or shamans who are in contact with the transcendental and conduct ceremonies that contribute to individual or societal healing processes. Artists, being modern shamans, have a task to fulfil for themselves, in terms of becoming whole, and for society, in terms of helping society to become whole.

From the perspective of Buddhism, all beings are spurred by the motivation to apply their activities to liberation. They strive to attain happiness through body, speech and mind. This motivation holds particular significance for artists. Artists who become aware of this fact transform their actions from the spaciousness of mind into energetic perception, and thence into physicality as works of art. They develop a positive attitude and discover the full extent of what can happen at any moment of life.

Societal Healing Processes

Smoking or consuming drugs and excessive alcohol leads to dependence. This not only damages our physical health but also throws perceptual energy and mind off balance. Art should provide society with wake-up calls rather than enslaving society to the inane dictates of crass consumerist culture appealing as it does to the lowest common denominator.

It seems to me that many people are beginning to realise the direction that the development of art should take in the future.

War, striving for power, egomania and the destruction of the environment all demonstrate that we do not make full use of our creative potential. Technical progress notwithstanding, we appear unable to control our fate in positive ways.

In this new millennium, humankind should tap its dormant forces in an ethical, environmentally protectionist way. Over millennia, people have oppressed each other, kept each other enslaved and illiterate. Terms such as equality, democracy, and liberty are relatively new in the history of mankind. It was only through revolutions, battles for freedom and slave rebellions that awareness of personal freedom has become manifest.

However, new pitfalls are hidden in those terms. Do we live in real democracies or merely in democracies of the power-lobbies?

People would rather fight each other than enjoy the opportunity for life-long learning, mutual nurturing and constructive effort.

Whenever cultures develop without stressing that which is

positive, jealousy, egomania, and decadence soon lay the ground for self-destruction. The cultivation of intellectual development, the arts, education and ethics have never been given the resources they deserve, due to the insistence that we need first to engage in a struggle for survival.

Art is meant to be educational, so it should foster liberation rather than enslavement. It is not surprising, therefore, that all manipulative dictatorships suppress free artistic expression. Art however is a hardy mushroom and it will crack even hard concrete.

Art, like the mushroom, will always push toward daylight, even under apparently hopeless conditions. For the same reason, even though dictatorships repress free verbal expression, words hold an explosive power. This is why dictators always try to control free speech. It must thus be said that the degree of freedom within a society can be deduced from the reigning attitude to art and verbal expression.

129

130

The Dream as self-contained state of consciousness is well expressed in this painting.

In the Tarot series, this mandala represents 'The High Priest'.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Mandala – Concept for the Future

I have often been asked whether the word 'mandala' has anything to do with Nelson Mandela. Especially in Africa, people are quick to respond: 'ah, Mandela! Your art must be political and something to do with Mandela's fight for liberation from apartheid...' I take that response as a compliment, even though it results from a confusion of terms.

Among others C.G. Jung, Richard Wilhelm, and Heinrich Zimmer, began to show Westerners how to approach Eastern philosophy. They gave it due acknowledgement and respect.

In political terms, one might say they were instrumental in diminishing Western apartheid against Eastern philosophy.

That development was also promoted by the philosophers and writers who convened on Monte VeritĂ , above Ascona, Switzerland, in the 1920s. Their meeting of minds led to the publication of the Eranos volumes. During the sixties Hermann Hesse's Siddharta became a bestseller among followers of the hippie movement, many of which embarked on pilgrimages to India. At the time, mysticism was in the air and a readiness for understanding was among people. A pioneering spirit engendered great hope for positive change across the world. Unfortunately, that euphoria soon vanished. During the course of the incipient economic crisis, the first neo-Nazis began making xenophobic speeches. Before long, the new youth-slogan was coined: no future!

I believe there is a future. The mandala and all it encompasses holds the promise of developing into a holistic discipline that helps us understand how everything is interconnected in mutual interaction. This holistic view comprises all of humankind. No individual and no nation has the capacity or right to take sole control of destiny. The fate of the world must not be decided by the few. We all share the right to decide on relevant issues. While often ignored, the world of animals, plants and minerals, which is crucial to our planet's equilibrium and survival, must be taken into serious consideration.

The school subject 'holistic world view' does not yet exist, but it ought to be seen as indispensable in the education of future world citizens. It appears however, that such a subject cannot be introduced as long as power and profit dominate our school systems.

There is a double-edged issue in our school systems. Modern victims of child-labour must undergo optimum schooling in order to ensure the superiority of a nation or race. On the other hand, they must be prevented at all cost from detecting the underlying operative patterns of a society. Evidently, only 'intelligent welleducated slaves' will ensure that the mighty will prevail. History, however, offers plentiful examples of the consequences of such a power strategy. The time has come for us to develop a holistic way of thinking and acting. This does not happen of its own accord;

131

The Temple Area. Each mandala is actually a two-dimensional representation of a threedimensional building or temple. In turn, the temple is symbolic of the human body.

It is also a mirror of the nature of reality.

2001, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 70 x 70 cm / 27.6 x 27.6 inches, privately owned.

it must be practised from an early age. A holistic world view will engender respect for humans, animals and nature. Native peoples have taught their children in this way for millennia. In our cultural sphere we have lost our connection with nature. We have become alienated from it. But for citizens of this world, a na誰ve 'back to nature' measure is no longer an option. Ecological destruction already has progressed too far. In looking back, we need to move forward. We need to save the planet and humankind. We need to save all the plant and animal species that have survived.

Mandala is a remedy against the spread of ignorance and the fragmentation of the organism of mankind into independent organisations and special interest groups. It is a matter of urgency that we find a way to thwart an apparently inexorable ecological catastrophe. In the future, the notion of the mandala, understood as the holistic integration of ourselves with the universe, will play a critical role for the survival of mankind. The mandala can, in addition, act as a bridge between East and West, North and South.

The universal symbolism of mandalas can foster multicultural awareness. The harmonious order of the mandala can help us find our inner order and align our behaviour with it. This is the future of the mandala: to become a universally understood concept that exemplifies the entirety of actualised awareness, in which everything is celebrated in all-encompassing inclusivity.

132

133

Autobiographical N otes I I

136

Serenity. We find inner peace when we disengage from the world of success and failure.

The motivation for art originates from this state of inner balance.

2002, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

Success and Setbacks

Thanks to my art cards, the publication of my first book, and my annual mandala calendar, my name recognition grew considerably during the early 1990s. My mandala painting courses further contributed to that and I was able to sell many of my original mandala paintings.

Unfortunately, there were some painful setbacks. They all resulted from recurring marital problems which, in 1997, destroyed everything I had built. At that point I saw no chance of surviving as a working artist in Switzerland. Since I was unwilling to become a welfare recipient in my own country, emigration was my only alternative, The idea of walking around cap-in-hand, chained to the state with no independence, was unbearable. I would have to hear the

authorities and unemployment officers asking: 'why don't you get a proper job!' I was unwilling to go down that road. I had not chosen to become an artist because I was too foolish to pursue graduate studies or embark on a lucrative career. As a welfare case I would have felt like a eunuch, physically, economically, and psychologically. I was determined to continue being creative as an artist and build a new family.

I thus acquired first-hand experience of what refugees endure when they are forced to leave their homeland and their loved ones. I had consciously foregone a number of things in my life because I wanted to become an artist, and I felt compelled to do so. I therefore refused to resign my mission, however difficult the situation may become.

137

138

The Essence of Africa. I created this mandala in Senegal, inspired by the colours and shapes of the 'black continent'.

1999, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

Retreat

From 1998 to 2005, I lived in Dakar, Senegal. During my very first year of living there, I made the acquaintance of my wife of today, Kinet Sarr. She became my partner in starting a new life and family.

In Dakar I was able to paint in peace again and re-launch my career. I did so with an eye to living in my home country again, but with dignity, honour, and dint of hard work. In this phase, I found it easy to identify with the tragic lot of many artists such as Van Gogh and Gaugin. They are famous now, but often had to suffer being told they were failures who should do something that made sense.

My situation opened my eyes to the fact that innumerable artists are regarded with utter incomprehension, and that they have been exposed to disparagement and insults. That seems to be a common fate for artists. The ignominy they experience is partly due to their own unusual decisions and partly as a result of societal pressure. Lack of common societal savoir faire often makes sensitive artists lose their footing – and causes them to become perpetually misunderstood outsiders. I was eager to avoid that trap and so I determined to come to terms with my disappointments.

It was my artistic work and my spiritual practice that helped me overcome that crisis.

In Dakar I had my own studio again after an extended period of being without one. I was at last able to concentrate on my work.

Two major orders for mandala paintings ensured my livelihood for a two-year period. In between, I flew to India, Nepal, and Tibet, guiding tours. I also conducted mandala painting courses in Europe.

In Spring 2004, CrossCulture and the Swiss embassy in Sri Lanka invited me to present my mandala paintings in a large exhibition and teach a course in the art of painting mandalas. Through interviews in newspapers and television, the predominantly Buddhist public was able to learn about an artistic and spiritual form of expression which is a synthesis of old and new. Since Theravada is the prevailing school of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, most people were unfamiliar with mandala, but mutual understanding was made easy through religious affinity.

In Senegal I was able to heal my emotional wounds of the past which resulted in over 200 mandala paintings. Since I had a good deal of leisure time, I was granted a chance to gain inner strength and work unhurriedly on this book for many months. I also started

139

The Cross. Crossing paths: the four directions meet at the centre, which becomes a point beyond time, in which past, present and future transform into eternity.

1995, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

writing my memoirs, a project which still has to mature over a number of years. Senegal was a balm for my being. Every day, on the beach, I was able to exercise and initiate numerous mandala paintings. After only a few years I received Senegalese citizenship.

I considered this a great honour and a step closer in my aspiration for 'world citizenship'.

No one fully knows Africa. It is a continent of immense cultural and linguistic richness. Africans themselves do not know it, as several hundred languages are spoken in the Congo alone.

Every language reflects innate patterns of thought and behaviour and we can only truly understand a people and their culture if we are able to converse in their language. It is saddening that humans let languages become extinct at the rate of one per day.

By living in Senegal, I became acquainted with the beautiful side of that country and its culture. I also gained insight into its people's mentality and their struggle for survival. What the Senegalese view as trying to gain an advantage through cleverness and adaptability, strikes a na誰ve Swiss like me as lies and deception.

Cheating each other seems natural to them and everyone is ready to be on guard against everyone else. The habit of double-dealing in

140

pursuit of a material advantage therefore raises no eyebrows. Dakar's newspapers report daily on such incidences. As a na誰ve Swiss I was wholly unprepared for that. Only compatriots who have lived in Africa for a long time can understand what I woke up to in Senegal.

Living in Senegal allowed for the practical implementation of many meditation exercises for which I had not had time in hectic Europe. These exercises were also a means to protect myself against black magic attacks that had been instigated by my previous wife, a Senegalese herself. In Africa, black magic is a common affair, and almost everyone's life is influenced by it. It affects the president as much as a domestic servant. While living in a modern environment shaped by Christianity and Islam, television and mass media, the Senegalese think and act according to deep-rooted concepts of magic. Such thought patterns and dimensions of thinking have become alien to Europeans. We typically ignore them and allow them no part in our intercultural exchanges in politics, commerce, education, religion, or friendship. White people therefore lack many talents that Africans have developed to great heights.

141

142

Light and Shadow. A mandala is comparable to a door, which opens towards two rooms – it represents the principle of polarity. Light and shadow necessitate each other, although they are made up of 'nothing'.

1989, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, collection of the artist.

Departure to New Shores

The diverse experiences of my life have introduced me to a wide range of human possibilities, the knowledge of which I would not have missed, despite the difficulties involved. I have experienced notable success and recognition as an artist, but also poverty and relationship crises. In the process, however, I have learned to see 'extremes' in relative terms and look for a 'middle path', in the Buddhist sense of the word.

My years in Senegal and my new family offered me the opportunity to retreat, regenerate and gain strength. The support of my wife Kinet was a positive change. She made me the gift of two wonderful daughters, AnaĂŻs and Isis.

After our return to Switzerland, my mother died. This marked the conclusion of a phase of life and a new beginning. Living in my parents' house, I am now able to realise my dream: a mandala gallery with a permanent exhibition, studio, meditation room, as well as living quarters. This allows me to concentrate fully on creating and promulgating my mandala art.

The publication of this art book is a first important step in this new phase. I hope you have enjoyed the insights I have given into my past and present artistic work. I hope you have enjoyed my trains of thought, all of which reflect my lifelong absorption with Tibetan Buddhism and mandala. I feel privileged having been able to share my journey into the unknown with you, as well as my fascination with mandala. I hope there will be future opportunities to do so in person.

143

invitation

The Medicine Wheel. Each mandala serves a purpose: to find the way back to the nature of Mind and to be healed. In the mandala, we recognise the whole universe as a medicine wheel, and all its phenomenons as medicine.

1988, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 100 x 100 cm / 39.4 x 39.4 inches, privately owned.

Healing Art for Everyone

I would be remiss if I did not use this opportunity to offer you ways of getting acquainted with my art in a more concrete fashion.

As mentioned before, my mandalas represent a form of healing art. Each mandala, however individual in design, is an expression of universal principles. Each induces and stimulates harmonies in the viewer. These principles have an integrative, healing power, which analytical psychologist C.G. Jung discovered and introduced into Western culture. Today, mandalas are often used in therapeutic processes, and the whole purpose of my work is to support individuals and society in returning to wholeness. You will find information on current projects and products on my website mandala-gallery.com.

146

147

Original Mandalas

Over the course of recent years I have painted over 300 mandalas, which may be viewed by appointment in the Mandala Gallery.

I create my paintings with coloured pencils and acrylic paint on cardboard. I developed this mixed media technique in order to create an effect of exceptional depth. The paintings shimmer in continually varying nuances of colour, depending on time of day, lighting and the perspective of the viewer. Over the course of time I have reduced the number of formats to three square sizes to suit differing needs and spaces: 50 x 50 cm (19.7 x 19.7 inches), 70 x 70 cm (27.6 x 27.6 inches), and 100 x 100 cm (39.4 x 39.4 inches). The paintings depicted in this book include both older and recent ones.

I also paint personalised mandalas on request. If you are looking for a spiritual expression of your personality, this is a most suitable option. The first step in the creation of your own mandala is a personal conversation. The process is similar to that

148

of an astrologer drafting a personal astrological chart. Based on what you tell me, I will draw upon my intuition to transform my impressions into a unique mandala painting.

By means of a great many exhibitions, I was fortunate enough to introduce a broad public to my paintings. Hundreds of mandalas are present in private homes, health centres, doctors' offices, therapy rooms, and meditation centres, where viewers can absorb their harmonious, healing radiance.

Should you be an exhibitor who relates to my art and my intention, I would be delighted by your invitation to assemble an exhibition. Since I have experienced a period of prolific creativity during the last few years, there are enough paintings on hand for several simultaneous exhibitions!

Mandala Painting Courses

Mandala Art Cards and Calendars

I have been conducting courses and workshops for two decades – introducing people to mandala painting and its powerful effects.

The personal experience of painting mandalas can foster the awareness building process. As a workshop participant you will experience your own limits, which expand in proportion to your willingness to let go of ingrained ideas. The course provides an opportunity to practice patience, humility and the joy of active creativity. In the process, you will find spontaneous expressions for the inner patterns that determine your life. Painting your own mandala is a singular experience. Abundant positive feedback from participants motivates me to continue with this activity.

If you are interested in organising a mandala course, I shall be glad to commit myself to leading it. There are no restrictions regarding place, length, or structure. The overriding objective is to kindle participants' inspiration and let them explore their individual mandala configurations.

Ever since the beginning of my artistic career it has been my intention to make my art accessible to a broad audience. I have done so by producing postcards and art cards, calendars, reproductions and this second book. Furthermore, I have continually expanded the scope of my work to include traditional mandalas, which have informed my art and point to its origination. This has resulted in a large selection of postcards and other printed material intended for those who cannot afford an original painting, or who wish to inspire their friends with mandala.

Many of these products are listed on my website mandalagallery.com; the complete selection can be viewed at the Mandala Gallery in Fehraltorf, Switzerland.

149

Power of the Earth. The warm and strong earth colours of Senegal have inspired me for this 'male-dominated' painting.

2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches. Tarot series, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Cultural and Spiritual Journeys

As a professionally trained and experienced tour guide, I have accompanied a great many people to the places of origin of Buddhism. I organised numerous spiritual journeys to India, Bhutan, Nepal, as well as to Native American tribes and Muslim healers in Senegal. I act as an intermediary arranging meetings with extraordinary people and facilitating rare experiences that can have an incisive and transformational impact on participants' lives.

I am also comfortable with people turning to me when they need a friend and confidant during the journey.

I usually organise these trips for small groups of five to ten participants. I plan trips in close cooperation with travellers, and I design them to their needs and interests. If you and your friends are interested in such an adventure, I shall be glad to present you with realistic suggestions.

150

151

A nne x

Wheel of Life 2003, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, Tarot series, collection Thomas Odermatt.

Biography

1956 Born on the 22nd of April in Zürich, Switzerland

Childhood and initial schooling in Fehraltorf

1972 Kunstgewerbeschule (Art and Design College) Zürich 1972 First encounter with Lamas and beginning of Buddhist and Tibetan studies 1972 Dalai Lama's first visit to Switzerland 1973 Dalai Lama's second visit to Switzerland; providing assistance and receiving Avalokiteshvara empowerment 1972 – 1976 Autodidactic training in sculpture 1976 Sculpture class, Kunstgewerbeschule (Art and Design College) Basel 1978 Studies at the Tibetan Library of Works and Archives in Dharmsala, India; several private audiences with the Dalai Lama; foundation courses in Tibetan medicine with the Dalai Lama's personal physician, Yeshe Dönden 1979 Marriage with a Tibetan; birth of first daughter 1979 Audience with the Dalai Lama in Switzerland; names first daughter Tenzin Kelsang 1981 Trip to the USA; Dalai Lama's first Kalachakra empowerment in the West; beginning of Tantra studies 1985 Kalachakra empowerment in Rikon, Switzerland

1986 Introduction to advanced Buddhism by the Dalai Lama on the occasion of the Tsig Sum Nedek teachings in London.

1987 – 1988 studies in Paris, Ingénieur Culturel degree 1987 First encounter with Lama Gangteng Tulku, henceforth principal teacher 1988 Establishing independence as an artist, course instructor for mandala painting workshops, and tour organiser for trips to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Native Americans, Sundance ceremonies at the Rosebud reservation, and heads of Islam in Senegal 1992 Marriage with a Senegalese woman and birth of third daughter, Jamina 1993 Establishment of a cultural centre in Dakar, Senegal 1995 First Dzogchen retreat in Bhutan; further retreats on the Schweibenalp in Switzerland; in the Black Forest, Germany; and in France 1997 Tragic divorce from third wife 1998 Emigration to Senegal; disengagement from cultural centre in Dakar 1998 Marriage with Kinet Sarr in Senegal 1999 Fourth daughter, Anaïs, is born 1999 – 2005 Retreat into painting; creation of over 200 mandalas

1985 Marriage with second wife

2005 Return to Switzerland, on the occasion of a visit by the Dalai Lama

1986 Second daughter, Noémie, is born

2006 Mother dies

1985 – 1987 Employment with travel agency specialising in trips to Tibet

2006 Fifth daughter, Isis, is born

1985 Conducting tour to Bodhgaya, India, for the Kalachakra empowerment held by the Dalai Lama

154

2007 Move into parents' home; refurbishing of the Mandala Gallery; rebuilding of artistic career 2008 Publising of Mandala monography in German

155

156

The Guardian 2002, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

Exhibitions and Publications

1972 Tantra-Galerie, Interlaken, Switzerland

1989 Galerie Arrigo, Zürich

1973 Junge Schweizer Künstler (Young Swiss Artists), Lausanne, Switzerland

1990 First Mandala book, Noah Publishers, Switzerland

1974 Zürcher Künstler-Ausstellung (Zürich Artists Exhibition), Zürich

1992 – 1997 Exhibitions at own Mandala-Galerie, Zürich

1975 Ausstellung der Bewerber für das Kunststipendium des Kantons Zürich (Exhibition of Applicants for the Art Grant of the Canton Zürich)

2000 Galérie Nationale d'Art, Dakar, Senegal

1992 Schloss Wartensee, Rorschacherberg, Switzerland 1994 2nd edition of the Mandala book

1982 Kaleidoskop, Pfäffikon, Switzerland

2003 Circle of Life, Mount Lavinia Hotel / Swiss Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka

1982 Exhibition at the headquarters of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt a.M., Germany

2003 CD Healing Mandala Meditation with the Sri Lankan musician Sri Kiriwatuduwe, CrossCulture

1983 Turmhaus, Kulturelle Vereinigung, Küsnacht, Switzerland

2007 to present, exhibitions at own Mandala-Galerie, Fehraltorf, Switzerland

1984 Ausstellung Zürcher Oberländer Künstler, Wetzikon, Switzerland 1984 Fehraltorfer Künstler, (Artists of Fehraltorf ), Fehraltorf, Switzerland; purchase of painting by local school 1984 Bircher-Benner Clinic, Zürich 1985 Esotera, Spirituelle Buchhandlung, Zürich

2008 Mandala Monography, retrospective art book, published

by Mandala Gallery and CrossCulture, German edition 2010 New online gallery www.mandalas.ws with paintings from all periods, and Mandala products 2011 50 years of Mandala painting!

1985 Opal, Spirituelle Buchhandlung, St. Gallen, Switzerland 1985 Tibet-Institut Rikon, meditative art for the Kalachakra empowerment by the Dalai Lama 1986 Galerie am Stauffacher, Zürich 1988 Institut Supérieur de Management Culturel, Paris, France

Numerous exhibitions at therapists' practices, hospitals, clinics, training and meditation centres, bookstores, and doctors' practices in Switzerland and neighbouring countries.

157

158

Flames of Light 2005, colour pencils and acrylic on board, 50 x 50 cm / 19.7 x 19.7 inches, privately owned.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks go to my wife, Fatou Kinet Frischknecht-Sarr. She protected me during my difficult years in Senegal. She represents all the fine qualities I prayed for in a holy cave in northern India, where I went on a pilgrimage with my beloved brother Amit Khanna. I dedicate all my artistic work to her, and to all mothers.

I would also like to thank my parents, who recognised my artistic inclinations and tolerated and fostered them. It was not always easy to be parenting an artist – and particularly one who identified with foreign cultures, rather than his own. Furthermore, I am deeply grateful to my sister Li, whose help was crucial during difficult years.

I wish to extend my special thanks to my spiritual masters, in particular to H.H. Dalai Lama and to H.E. Gangteng Tulku from Bhutan, H.E. Jigme Palden Chögyur Lingpa Rinpoche, H.H. Sakya Trinzin, Jetsün Küsho, her son Ludin Khen Rinpoche and my most generous Lama H.E. Ngakpa Pema Dorje Rinpoche, the emanation of Padampa Sangye, as well as his wife Sangyum Kunsang Chozom-la, but including all other actualised masters who have helped me become who I am today. My spiritual masters have not only provided me with insight into traditional Tibetan mandala, but exemplified that we are called upon, throughout our lives, to keep opening new doors. My thanks also go to the many human embodiments of angels who helped me survive when times

were desperate. They unfailingly gave me hope and support. I will always remain grateful to them, even though I cannot mention them all by name. They belong to my true family, which extends beyond time and space. They include my best friend Herbert Gestl, Erika Blöchlinger, and Desa, Anna-Maria Gergorini, Brigitte Barrier, Erika Previsic, Hartmut Vosdellen, Cornelius Wucher, my Indian father Laxman Sarin, and many others.

Many thanks go to the Ven. Ngakpa Chögyam Rinpoche for translating my book with his deep knowledge of Buddhism and understanding of mandala art.

Finally, I am ever so pleased to call all mandala enthusiasts my brothers and sisters. To this day, they have enabled me to live and work for my vision. Through exhibitions and purchases of my mandala paintings they have often ensured my survival. Their support has encouraged me to continue on my path – and to publish this book. May it provide a new impulse for many more people to gain insight into the nature of mandala. Only through personal experience can we discover the meaning of mandala and recognise the ubiquitous, manifest patterns in things; using them–– while simultaneously liberating ourselves from their hold––makes us masters in the art of living.

Johannes Frischknecht

159

Imprint

Š Mandala Gallery 2015 Š Illustrations and text, Mandala Gallery 2015 Artwork and text: Johannes Frischknecht Editor: Thomas Imboden Concept and design: Thomas Imboden Translation: Ngak'chang Rinpoche Proof reading: Tamara Imboden Photo page 10 and cover inside: Tim Barco Lithography: Da Vinci Image enhancement and layout: Nesa Gschwend

ISBN 978-3-033-05222-2 First edition in German 2008 Published by Mandala Gallery, in cooperation with CrossCulture

Editor CrossCulture Thomas Imboden Bahnstrasse 25 CH-5033 Buchs AG, Switzerland thomas@crossculture.ws www.crossculture.ws Publisher Mandala Gallery Johannes Frischknecht P. O. Box 21 CH-8320 Fehraltorf, Switzerland Phone +41 44 954 13 67 Mobile +41 78 809 94 84 johannes.frischknecht@mandala-gallery.com mandala-gallery.com

The Swiss artist Johannes Frischknecht has been captivated by mandalas since childhood, after having drawn his first at the age of six. Throughout his life, he has studied Tibetan language and culture, and discovered the origins, symbolism and ritual performances of mandalas. His personal experience through meditation and through the teachings he received from Tibetan Lamas have revealed the transformative power of this art form to him. 'Healing art' is the term best capturing his concept.

Frischknecht's mandala art is not an attempt to copy traditional Tibetan thangkas. On the contrary, as a free spirit he has taken the liberty to re-interpret the primordial patterns and laws that are at the foundation of mandala composition, and has expressed them in his unique style. His works have reached wide audiences through his art cards, calendars, posters and publications, and through his originals displayed in therapeutic centres and hospitals.

This monograph portrays the artist’s life and development in dialogue with fifty-seven carefully selected art reproductions from all creative phases. Johannes Frischknecht reveals his insights, motivation and intentions in his own words. Thus, he allows the reader a glimpse into a life dedicated to self-realisation through art and his pioneering efforts in the East-West dialogue.