Jewish Mandala

Here is my latest mandala. This was done as a donation for the local Jewish Community Center in Ann Arbor.  I kept thoughts of peace in mind while working on this painting. 

I recently became aware of the Charter for Compassion. 

This idea comes from Karen Armstrong who eloquently articulates noble aspirations for peace and harmony on our planet:

"...The Charter for Compassion is a document that transcends religious, ideological, and national difference. Supported by leading thinkers from many traditions, the Charter calls on us all to activate the Golden Rule around the world"...

Here is an excerpt:

"The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect..."

Cherokee Quote

I came across this quote today and thought it was worth sharing...


One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego".

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"   The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed".