The mandala is an ancient symbol representing the complexity of the universe.  This pendant from Exotic India Art captures in miniature the interplay of geometric forms that can make a larger size mandala a dazzling distillation of life itself.

In entries to come we'll explore such things as mandala construction, Jung's notion of mandala symbolism and the mandala's relation to modern math and science.  For now, I want to call your attention to a ritual that is definitely worth seeing when it takes place near you:  the creation and dismantling of a mandala made of sand. 

If you live in New York you're in luck:  this weekend (Feb. 3-4, 2006), in honor of the Lunar New Year, a Tibetan Buddhist monk will be dismantling a sand mandala he constructed at the Asian American Arts Centre.  Saturday will have time for viewing and meditation, along with a lecture.  On Sunday, the monk will destroy the mandala and then disperse the sand in the East River, with some of the sand set aside to give to those in attendance.

Yes, that's right.  Not only did Tibetan Buddhism anticipate the deepest insights of modern science--they also sang a version of "Dust in the Wind" hundreds of years before Kansas!