“Great art is a doorway to the divine. The paintings in this celestial gallery draw from the ancient wisdom of Buddhist and Hindu traditions that, for centuries, have expressed some of humankind’s deepest spiritual insights. At the same time, these aumptions images totally transcend their place of origin. As archetypal expressions of liberated vision, the paintings ultimately mirror our innermost
potential: the possibility of total spiritual freedom, or enlightenment…
In the mediation practices of Ta***ic Buddhism, practitioners invoke mandalas within their own consciousness, the painted forms serving as supports from an inner process of mental and spiritual transformation. I Have often used such mandalas in my own meditations, in which I encounter the realm of divine beings and summon these energies into my daily life. The mandalas and the visionary realms that they invoke are invitations into a world bounded only by the limits of our imagination. Art, in this context- both its creation and its contemplation- is a vehicle for discovering our full potential, the divinity within us. As you gaze upon the paintings in Celestial Gallery, put behind you the concerns of your everyday life: schedules, appointments, dreams, and aspirations. Ina darkened room, allow your gaze to move gently from the periphery to the center of the mandala, to the inner sanctum, and ultimately to the bindu, the point in the absolute center that represents the Infinite. Adopt a non-focused, non-concentrated attention that spontaneously invites you into the mandala’s inner sanctum, and then finally, through the sanctum sanctorum, into the infinite void. Medidate on these paintings and a new world will open up for you. At first, you will encounter an inner realm previously hidden from sight. Ultimately, you will be able to experience this same miraculous world in your everyday life. Close your eyes and let the images continue to dwell within your mind. Discover that the celestial gallery has neither walls nor covers: it extends into the farthest reaches of the mind and universe. We are the artists of our own destiny, and the paintings presented here are only way markers on a journey without beginning or end. As the artist merges with his art, so too does the one who contemplates it deeply. Recognize at the core of your being the light of pure consciousness, which is pure potentiality, pure creativity. Manifesting within oneself the myriad forms of Celestial Gallery, one gradually recognizes that infinite worlds come and go within the vast expanse of our being.” – Deepak Chopra
