Offerings to the Spiritual Fire - An internal Holika Dahan

Kundalini Chakra Mandala
Water Color on Paper
Size 11"/16"

 The Kundalini Chakra Mandala is  intended to be a bird's eye view of the Chakras of our subtle energy body. I have chosen the rainbow color palette instead of the classical colors mentioned in the Tantra shastras for this painting, in order to illustrate the entire diaspora of human experiences that are governed by our subtle energy network.

Handmade clay chakra medallions

The making of this Kundalini Chakra Mandala is a practice of internal purification. Painting each chakra lotus I offer up the desires, attachments and delusions that arise at the level of each chakra into the spiritual fire. Much like Holika Dahan a festival  celebrated on the evening before Holi the festival of Colors.

Holika Dahan is a festival symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. On the eve of the festival of colors Holi, people gather in large communal groups to light huge bonfires and offer a prayer of gratitude as the fire burns away all impurities and negativity. A joyous occasion there is singing & dancing and people circumambulate the fire in an act of reverence and devotion praying for deliverance over evil and hardship.

Fire is the great purifier. It transforms as it burns.

There are two types of fire within each of us.

Jhatra Agni & Bhuta Agni.

Jhatra Agni is the Digestive fire which transforms food we consume into nourishment Bhuta Agni is the Elemental or Spiritual fire it burns away impurities like Vasanas- Material desires & Samskaras - Karmic Tendencies, that pose as obstacles to spiritual awakening. 

 Spiritual practices and austerities stoke Bhuta agni and are transmuted into Spiritual energy

 Offering the various desires & attachments arising at the level of each chakra in the form of an Aahuti into this Spiritual Fire is akin to an   Internal Holika Dahan . 

May the great purifier Agni burn away that which is not in your highest interest