‘A Sacred Heart Awakens in a Pure Land’ Mixed Media, 2018.

Dana McCool In collaboration with Sunjye & Justin Gillis

This installation is currently on display at the Elkdonis Arts Collective Retreat Center.

This work of art is an expression of what it means to be human. It is the response to a long period of seeking personal expansion within the truth of being. As an invocational image of presence, this is an entity of collaborative origin among a circle of three spiritual friends. Serving as craftsperson, philosopher, assistant and model, we are practitioners with lived experience from within the Buddhist faith. As a trans-personal, intra-psychic collaboration that explores archetypes of higher being and spirit presences, this is a vision of healing cosmic forces outside of time, and thus a visionary endeavor. Many items within this work are “found” art objects which are considered to be gifts from Spirit during the unfolding of this gateway, resulting in a truly reflexive manifestation process. The shared space of presence and attention experienced here comprises an invocation. Please take note of the use of colour harmony and contrast in this environment of vision: as a religious and shamanic gesture, it is key to a Tantric praxis of being in harmony with the elements and forces of nature. Thangka painting is an enlightened activity, the result of which invites the viewers to enter into the calm pure lands where higher being resides. Moreover, this mindfulness engenders every aspect of Buddhist art. The tradition represented here is a genuine effort of personal centering facilitated through the investment in an ideal compassionate being — therefore, a movement of our collective human visualization.

Four elemental protectors oversee a sacred world, featuring one who embraces the mirror-like wisdom of an expanse of water. Enthroned upon a lotus of awakening, our sacred being sits beneath a clear-minded blue sky and cosmos, enjoying the golden rays of the solar absolute and its sublime lunar reflection. In one eternal mudra-gesture of expansive clarity, the Earth Goddess becomes the witness of our lightening-bolt transformation. Before us, the ritual bell and dorje represent the skillful means of compassion and wisdom in our pursuit of the enlightened mindstream. A visualization of the astral body — composed of blissful vibrational light, as in traditional Thangka painting — transcends the politics of place and time in order to bring us beyond the threshold of ego. The Sacred heart draws syncretic parallels to western spiritual leaders in tune with the opening of the Heart-Dharma. The Medicine wheel turns with omnidirectional potency, as the view of the awakened state reveals a luminous essence of unified presence. In a display of dynamic living symbols, we present here a portal into the Vajrayana path, in reverence of ancient Tibetan magic.

The Medicine Buddha is one of many renowned universal archetypes representative of divine healing. What is healing? Healing is to become whole, to enlighten one’s whole self in union with the heart of being and the nature of the universe. In the pursuit of profound holism and a more numinous politics of experience, consumer paradigms of ‘mental health’ identities are here dissolved in the light of a higher devotion to an ultimate nature.

Accessing Buddhism as universal and transcendent, we take Refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. As a performative extension of this work into the unseen planes of experience, we have arranged to participate in an Akshobya empowerment — occurring real-time during this graduate exhibition. We dedicate this practice to the highest benefit of all beings, seen and unseen.

More information on Karma Sonam Dargye Ling's services & schedule can be found through the temple. (Tibetan Buddhist Temple)