By Chris Hobby

Mandala is the sanskrit word for 'magic' or 'sacred' circle, also interpreted as connection and community.   A Mandala is defined according to three principles of organisation : the central point, a radiation from this point and the circular outer border.  The central point symbolises the mysterious energy centre, the birth place of all existence in space and time. It also symbolises unity, totality and perfection. It is without dimension or place : the circle and the sphere are born of it. These are manifested forms from a central point. The central point becomes the beginning and end of all paths. 

The law of the centre is one of quietness and solitude and the law of the world, whilst that of the outside, is the law of kinetics and ordered chaos. he radiation from the central point grows in a centrifugal fashion until it reaches the outer border where it is reflected back towards its centre in a perpertual mixture of centrifugal and centripetal movements. The central point being a point of departure as well as also being the point of arrival for all movement.

The sacred circle, the real border with the exterior, is the protector of the precious contents within, especially the centre. It is also the symbol of infinity and the absolute. This is why  the Mandala has been considered throughout time and civilizations to be a divine symbol. The Mandala could be said to be the microcsm in the macrocosm and also the macrocosm in the microcosm. The one continuously moving and passing through the other in a symbolic representation of infinity, the centre of all that is, many and varied yet one.  At the same time, the Genesis and the Revelation, the Alpha and the Omega.

The centre of a Mandala represents  the heart of the universe made up of wisdom, of energy emanating from the void, of silence.  In this place can be found nfinity, union, divinity, the metaphysical and unseen.  Carl G. Jung  noted that when we draw mandalas from the center outward, we tend to process our personal issues or challenges du jour and often gain increased clarity and energy which we can apply to our lives. We are similarly informed simply by gazing at these designs.

Based on sacred geometry, a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It is a representation of wholeness, and can be said to be  a model for the organizational structure of life , a diagram, cosmic in essence, to remind us of our connection with the infinite world that extends beyond and within us.

All of creation can virtually be looked on as a cosmic mandala.  The planets, from a distance all perfect circles, all moving in perpetual spirals around the centre.  This reflects in life itself, from seashells with their perfect spirals to our very own double helix spiral DNA.

Mandalas are to be found in all cultures old and new.  Sand Mandalas, Yin Yang symbols,  medicine wheels, Church domes, mosques, all representations of the infinite circle.  The beauty of the Rose window in Bristol Cathedral is a famous mandala from the gothic period. It is also believed that on a metaphysical level a mandala is a musical sound and also that music itself produces unseen mandalas in the ethers.

Robert produces his music inspired by gazing at one of Chris' mandala designs and Chris creates by listening to the music his mandalas have inspired, each continuously begetting the other. They have created theirr own original and unique mandala designs and taken them a step further into animation, thereby showing the movement of the inner to the outer and the outer to the inner, and in the process created animations that when looped continuously take the viewer to a sacred and special place within themselves. 

These mandala designs are original and embody the very essence of creation inasmuch as they have been created from the very images of spiral shells which have been manipulated and remanipulated digitally into templates used to create these designs, so therefore carry the essence of the spiral.   As most televisions and computer monitors these days are liquid crystal displays. they also embody colour and crystal therapy when viewed on liquid crystal displays, along with the pure digital sounds they also encompass sound therapy in blissful lilting and inspring sounds.

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with endless movement and noise, these musical mandala animations have been specifically designed to take the viewer to a special place of solitude and peace.  We are now making these musical animated mandalas available, created in high definition images with original digital music soundtracks, on picture disc DVD's and also as high definition small files for downloading to video IPods or mp4 players, so you can have mobile musical mandalas available whenever and wherever you are when you need to be taken to a place of stillness and peace.

Robert and Chris' work is available on  DVD with high definition imagery and digitally mastered original music compositions by Robert and artwork and animation by Chris, features 8 animated musical mandalas, and has a playing time of 58 minutes, is available from March - £12.99  including postage and
packing. Preview some of the beautiful designs and peaceful tracks at  http://christopherjohnhobby.multiply.com