Last day in Kathmandu

It was fantastic journey

An experience for life

A life experience

Buddhist mandalas

Mandalas are works of sacred art in Tantric (Tibetan) Buddhism. The word "mandala" comes from a Sanskrit word that generally means "circle," and mandalas are indeed primarily recognizable by their concentric circles and other geometric figures. Mandalas are far more than geometical figures, however. For Tantric Buddhists, they are rich with symbolism and sacred meaning. In fact, the etymology of the word "mandala" suggests not just a circle but a "container of essence."


Overview


Simply stated, a mandala is a sacred geometric figure that represents the universe. When completed, a mandala becomes a sacred area that serves as a receptable for deities and a collection point of universal forces. By mentally entering a mandala and proceeding to its center, a person is symbolically guided through the cosmos to the essence of reality. By constructing a mandala, a monk ritually participates in the Buddha's teachings.



In Tibetan Buddhism, contemplation of sacred images is central to religious ritual, and a mandala is one of the most important of these sacred images. A Tibetan mandala is usually made with careful placement of colored sand, and accordingly is known in Tibetan as dul-tson-kyil-khor, or "mandala of colored powders." In China, Japan and Tibet, mandalas can also be made in bronze or stone three-dimensional figures. In recent years, a variety of mandalas have been created using computer graphics, although these are usually created by non-Buddhists and are not considered sacred.

Constructing a Mandala

The process of constructing a mandala is a sacred ritual. It is a meditative, painstaking process that can take days or even weeks to complete.



Before a monk may participate in the construction of a mandala, he must undergo a lengthy period of artistic and philosophical study. In the Namgyal monastery, the personal monastery of Dalai Lama, this period lasts three years.



Traditionally, four monks work together on a single mandala. The mandala is divided into quadrants with one monk assigned to each. Midway through the process, each monk receives an assistant who helps fill in the colors while the primary monk continues to work on detailed outlines.
 Mandalas are constructed from the center outward, beginning with a dot in the center. With the placement of the center dot, the mandala is consecrated to a partcular deity. This deity will usually be depicted in an image over the center dot, although some mandalas are purely geometric.


Lines are then drawn through the center dot to the four corners, creating triangular geometric patterns. These lines are then used to construct a square "palace" with four gates. The monks usually keep to their own quadrant at this point.

From the inner square, the monks move outward to a series of concentric circles. Here the monks work in tandem, moving all around the mandala. They wait until each section is entirely completed before moving outward together. This ensures that balance is always maintained.

Although some mandalas are painted and serve as an enduring object of contemplation, the traditional Tibetan sand mandala, when completed, is deliberately destroyed. The sand is poured into a nearby stream or river to distribute the positive energies it contains. This ritual reminds those who painstakingly constructed the mandala of the central Buddhist teaching of the impermanence of all things.

 Mandala Symbolism


In Buddhism, mandalas are rich with symbolism that evokes various aspects of Buddhist teaching and tradition. This is part of what makes the creation of a mandala a sacred act, for as they work, the monks are imparting the Buddha's teachings.
Outside the square temple are several concentric circles. The outermost circle is usually decorated with stylized scrollwork resembling a ring of fire. This ring of fire symbolizes the process of transformation humans must undergo before being able to enter the sacred territory within. It both bars the unitiated and symbolizes the burning of ignorance.
The next circle inward is a ring of thunderbolt or diamond scepters, which stands for indestructability and illumination. This is followed by a circle of eight graveyards, representing the eight aspects of human consciousness that bind a person to the cycle of rebirth. Finally, the innermost ring is made of lotus leaves, signifying religious rebirth.


The square structure in the middle of a mandala is a palace for the resident deities and a temple containing the essence of the Buddha. The square temple's four elaborate gates symbolize a variety of ideas, including:

•   The four boundless thoughts: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathy and equanimity


•   The four directions: south, north, east and west


Within the square palace or temple are images of deities, which are usually the Five Dyani Buddhas (the Great Buddhas of Wisdom). The iconography of these deities is rich in symbolism in itself. Each of the Dyani Buddhas represents a direction (center, south, north, east and west), cosmic element (like form and consciousness), earthly element (ether, air, water, earth and fire), and a particular type of wisdom. Each Buddha is empowered to overcome a particular evil, such as ignorance, envy or hatred. The Five Dyani Buddhas are generally identical in appearance, but are each represented iconographically with a particular color, mudra (hand gesture), and animal. See the article on the Five Dyani Buddhas for more information.


In the center of the mandala is an image of the chief deity, who is placed over the center dot described above. Because it has no dimensions, the center dot represents the seed or center of the universe.

Types of Mandalas


Tibetan Mandalas come in a variety of forms, but most are variations on the basic themes outlined above. Broadly speaking, there are two basic types of mandalas:
•    Garbha-dhatu (Sanskrit: “womb world”; Japanese: taizo-kai), in which the movement is from the one to the many
•    Vajra-dhatu (Sanskrit: “diamond world”; Japanese kongo-kai), from the many into one

Sophie's Recovery Process

Broad Peak Summit Pictures

Sophie climbed Broad Peak, 12th highest peak in the world located in Pakistan

After summiting Lhotse, 4th highest peak in the world located in Nepal, and Cho Oyu, 6th highest peak in the world located in Tibet, Sophie found the mental and physical strength to climb and summit Broad Peak on July 25th 2011, at her 4th Broad Peak' Summit attempt in one month.

• Read more ... (cick here)
• Daily Video Journal
• Pictures 

Sophie hopes that her outstanding effort will inspire people to do,

and to send an empowering message that Everything Is Possible! 

Don't give up, believe in yourself!

Annapurna Trek Itinerary

Annapurna Trek Itinerary

DAY #1

• Drive from Pokhara to Phedi
• Phedi to Pothana: The trail climbs through Dhampus from where you will start to get a splendid view of the Annapurma range, and then gradually ascends a forested trail paved with stones. There is a short steep climb to Pothana at 1,890m 
• Pothana - Landruk: The trail climbs through forest to a clearing on top of the hill at 2010m, where there are views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. From there make a steep decent, through forests alive with birds, ferns and orchids into a huge side canyon of the Modi Khola. From here it's an easy walk, past fields, a school before the trail drops a bit to the flagstone streets of Landruk, a Gurung village at 1,565m.

DAY #2

• Landruk to New Bridge: The narrow trail to the sanctuary turns north up the Modi Khola valley passing alongside rice terraces then through forests and a short walk up the river bed leads to New Bridge (1,340m).
• New Bridge to Chommrong: A stiff climb leads to Jhinudanda (1,780m) and from the trial continues to climb steep uphill along a treeless ridge to Taulung at 2180m. A short distance from Taulung, the trail rounds a bend and enters the upper part of Chhommrong at 2,170m.
• Chommrong - Bamboo: Leaving Chommrong, the trail descends on a stone staircase and crosses the Chommrong Khola. Climbing high above the Modi Khoa on it's west bank, the trail passes through the tiny settlement of Tilche in forests of bamboo, rhododendron and oak. The trail continues in rhododendron forests, climbing to Khuldigar at 2,540m. It is then a short distance on a muddy trail to Bamboo at 2,335m.
• Bamboo to Dovan: The trail climbs steeply through stands of bamboo, then through rhododendron forest up the side of the canyon, occasionally dropping slightly to cross tributary streams. Trail cleared up shotly before Dovan at 2,505m 

DAY #3

• Dovan to Deurali: Trail ascending continuously to Hinko. The trail crosses a ravine and a major avalanche track just beyond Hinku, then climbs through large boulders. About half an hour beyond Hinku is Deurali at 3,200m.

DAY #4

• Deurali - Machhapuchhre Base Camp
Above Deurali, the valley widens and becomes less steep and you can see the gates to the sanctuary. As the trail continues into the sanctuary, it crosses two wide avalanche tracks on a narrow trail that huddles up against the cliffs. The trail then descends to meet the Modi Khola and follows the river to Bagar at 3300meters. From there cross a moraine and a stream and finally reaches Machhapuchre Base Camp at 3,700m.
• Machhapuchre Base Camp (MBC) up to Singu Chuli Base Camp (cave camp) - sleep at MAC: From Machhapuchre base camp cross the rubble - strewn snout of the South Annapurna Glacier and follow the Modi Khola on its true right bank until it is joined by a tributary stream from the West Annapurna Glacier. Follow this north - west over moraines and grassy meadows to a rock overhang before the snout of the West Annapurna Glacier

DAY #5

• Machhapucharee Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp: It's an about two hour climb to Annapurna base camp (ABC) 4,130m. Once at ABC, I will do an acclimatization hike up to 4800m, to back down and sleep at ABC

DAY #6

• Annapurna Base Camp up to Tharpu Chuli Camp: Acclimatization hike to Tharpu Chuli Camp at 5,230m. Sleep at Annapurna Base Camp to consolidate a good acclimatization. (after being sick , I want to take it easy and rebuild my acclimatization if needed)

DAY #7

• Annapurna Base Camp to Chomrong

DAY #8

• Chomrong to Naya Pul: On the way down  will d a detour to Poon, stunning view point.

 DAY #9

• Naya Pul drive to Pokhara

Pokhara Buddhist Monastery, a masterpiece

I visit today a Buddhist Monastery. It is a masterpiece. The paintings are splendid, with an impressive level of details. The paintings are telling the buddha story. You walk in the monastery reading the wall painting as you would read a book. It is a must !

More of Sophie's Actities & Pictures  in Pokhara

• Sarangkot View Point (link)
• Rowing on Phewa Tal Lake (link)
• The World Peace Pagoda (link)
• ...
• all of them ...  (link)

Sarangkot View Point

Annapurna Range View from Sarangkot

It is the highest viewpoint easily accesable from Pokhara. Two hours walk up the staircase, or get most of the way up by local bus or Taxi.

Sarangkot has great views in all four directions, Pokhara below, The Annapurna Range including its highest peaks, Rolling Hills off to the sunset and a rural lanscape out along the ridge road.

more picture of Pokhara

http://followtheclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/Pokhara

Rowboat on the Phewa Tal lake

Phewa Tal Lake in Pokhara ... it is breathtaking

Spreading majestically westwards from Pokhara, Phewa Tal is the second-largest lake in Nepal. On calm days, the mountains of the Annapurna Range are perfectly reflected in the mirrored surface of the tal. Away from the shore, the water is clean and deep and the dense forest along the south side of the lake provides shelter for brilliant white egrets.

Rowboating for the pleasure of everyone ;)

The readers ...

Homemade Swimming Floats or "brassards de natation"

more Pokhara pictures (link)

http://followtheclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/Pokhara

World Peace Pagoda - Pokhara, Nepal

World Peace Pagoda

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Learn more

World Peace Pagoda by Wikipedia

A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most (though not all) have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order. Fujii was greatly inspired by his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 and decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas as shrines to World peace.

The first Peace Pagodas were built as a symbol of peace in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bombs took the lives of over 150,000 people, almost all of whom were civilian, at the end of World War II. By 2000, eighty Peace Pagodas had been built around the world in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

The Peace Pagoda was awarded the Courage of Conscience award June 5, 1998 in Sherborn, MA



World Peace Pagoda - Pokhara, Nepal
Balanced on a narrow ridge high above Phewa Tal, the brilliant-white World Peace Pagoda in Pokhara is a massive Buddhist stupa which was constructed by Buddhist monks from the Japanese Nipponzan Myōhōji organisation. Besides being an impressive sight in itself, the shrine is a vantage point which offers spectacular views of the Annapurna range and Pokhara city.

more pictures of Pokhara (link) :

http://followtheclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/Pokhara

Devi's Falls in Pokhara

 

Devi's Falls in Pokhara

Devi's Falls marks the point where the Pardi Khola stream vanishes underground. When the stream is at full bore, the sound of the water plunging over the falls is deafening.


According to locals, the name is a corruption of David's Falls, a reference to a Swiss visitor who tumbled into the sinkhole and drowned

more pictures of Pokhara (link) : http://followtheclimb.blogspot.com/search/label/Pokhara