A Universe of a Book by Alan Steinfeld
I love books!  With that I am always reminded of what the Dutch philosopher Erasmus said: “When I have money I buy books. If I have any thing left I buy food.”   I also love people who love books - such as publishing companies like Mandala Publishing.  They disprove the old adage, that you cannot judge a book by its cover.  This company continues to produce spectacular volumes that stretch the visual sense as to what is possible.  These are more than books; they are an emerging art form.  A note from the publisher says:  “In the traditions of the East, wisdom, truth and beauty go hand-in-hand. This is reflected in the great arts, music, yoga and philosophy of India. All of Mandala's works strive to make clear these basic principles.”   Some of the finest that Mandala has to offer is their Celestial Gallery Series by Romio Shrestha. Romio, a skilled artist and native of Nepal, has dedicated this second volume of the two-foot high tome to the Goddesses of the Celestial realms. To peruse it is like being pulled into a universe unto itself.

A few years back I fell into the universe of Romio’s first collection of modern Tibetan thangkas, with all their design, beauty and power.  The recent edition of feminine deities is just as impressive.  These pictures are not just pretty, but each – a divine meditation.  They are places to linger and contemplate the female form and all the spiritual gifts that she has to offer.  In a sense the book is real course in tantra, where the interaction of seeing and seen suggest the coming together of Shiva and Shakti to generate power.
 
This book is another confirmation of the return of the feminine.  On the opening page of the book is written: “It is time for the thousand goddess to manifest and end the suffering of Maya, the illusionary world.” I feel this is clearly the time for these impressive images of female deities from the Tibetan and Indian traditions to come forth.  We see the principles archetypes here from Green Taras for abundance, to Saraswati, the goddess of the arts and White Taras, “The Divine Mother”, protector and preserver; to Kali, wild and uncontrollable consort of Shiva, devotee of time and keeper of the shadows within ourselves.   As Deepak Chopra writes in the foreword “In its finest moments, art offers a mirror into the soul.”  In this sense these stunning works are the deepest aspects of our own beauty and purity of spirit.  These images hold the potential of archetypal forms that all women (and men) can manifest.  And sitting with them as reflection -a higher potential comes forth out of us.

Even though some people would say these pictures are mere imitations of older Tibetans images, they have a freshness that the others lack.  For those that claim more vibrational power in the relics, I find a greater emanation of energies here, especially in the spirals coming from the heart of the Radiant Taras. They remind me of Alex Grey’s compelling motifs of our vibrational energy bodies, which point us towards our own healing impulse.   Overall for me, it is simply a delight to own this book and get lost in the complexity and splendor of its forms.  It is a universe worth exploring and one that after you swim in it you will never fully leave.

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