The Art of Making a Kalachakra Mandala
I want to begin with something very important before I touch on the subject of the making of the kalachakra mandala. I want you to consider how you approach bedmaking duties. Off course bedmaking is a ritual which can result in obsessiveness so there must be an element of undoing with bedmaking. In the morning when you first get up you must make your bed correctly. It is very important that you make your bed. Always start at the bottom area and work your way up. Make sure that the fitted sheet is nice and tight with no areas agreggating in preference. Please be patient! Nice and tight. Make sure all creases are removed and squat your legs low and observe that there are no creases. Please be patient! Now put on the top sheet and spread it out gently tucking in the bottom edges first. Pay attention to anything which is hanging and tuck this in very gently. Now you are ready to place the blanket on top, once again you must be patient and allow the blanket to fall evenly in all four directions. The north the south and the east and the west corners and must be complemented. It must be then free of all aggregating creases so you must squat low again to satisfy yourself that all creases are removed. Now you that you are nearly finished make sure you fluff the pillows then lay them evenly on top and then examine your work.
What are the feelings which arose during the process of bed making? A successful bed making duty should create the same impact and feelings generated by newness . Imagine the feelings which arise when you lie in freshly made a Hotel bed on the first night. There has to be a feeling of newness as if it is the first time you have made a bed. But this feeling is not important. That feeling must be there each time you make this bed. Every single time, but that feeling is not important. Ultimately it is about just being a part of the bed making experience.What is important is if someone were to sit down and crease the bed that it is accepted with much appreciation. Can you do this everyday?
It takes many years of discipline to make a Kalachakra Mandala and the sand is very messy. Bed making by far is more rewarding in the long run. You will observe pleasure when it is accomplished the correct way also some appreciation when someone creases it. Bedmaking is a daily reminder of impermanence. The making and the unmaking is complimentary.
Namaste
