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P. 56

The Mandala

            Left to right:    And rightly so, because the word Megemeria is   Collection. The Levy’s thought that if they could
                              Amharic for “In the beginning”.            sell  the  jewelry,  then  the  students  would  have
            Megemeria students
                              The  school  proved  to  be  a  great  success  and   continuous  employment.  It  was  this  idea  that                                                 "Each  person’s  life  is  like  a  mandala  –  a  vast,  limitless  circle.  We
            Mandala pendant,   without previous knowledge of design, students   led  to  the  formation  of  the  Megemeria  Social                                                    stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear
            925 sterling silver   began to create beautiful pieces of jewelry. The   Enterprise,  a  self-sustaining  business  run  by                                                and think forms the mandala of our life." (Pema Chodron)
            plated with 24k   style  of  their  work  reflected  their  rich  Ethiopian   Ethiopian graduates of the school. The rest is still                                         The word mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning ‘circle’ due to
            yellow gold.      culture,  and  before  long,  they  had  crafted  an   becoming history.                                                                                 its concentric structure. Traditionally found in both Buddhism and
                              entire  collection  of  jewelry;  The  Megemeria                                                                                                         Hinduism,  the  mandala  is  a  spiritual  symbol  that  represents  the
                                                                                                                                                                                       cosmos.
                                                                                                                                                                                       Mandalas have served mankind for centuries as a tool for spiritual
                                                                                                                                                                                       guidance by focusing the mind’s attention during meditation. The
                                                                                                                                                                                       mandala is always visually enticing so as to absorb the mind in such
                                                                                                                                                                                       a way that chattering thoughts cease, and a more philosophic or
                                                                                                                                                                                       spiritual  essence  envelopes  the  observer  which  in  turn  leads  to
                                                                                                                                                                                       higher consciousness or awareness.
                                                                                                                                                                                       The design of the mandala balances visual elements that symbolize
                                                                                                                                                                                       unity and harmony, so as you fall into the mandala you will begin to
                                                                                                                                                                                       relax. In Jungian psychology, the mandala is a symbol representing
                                                                                                                                                                                       the reunification of the self. It signifies the merger of the conscious
                                                                                                                                                                                       with  the  unconscious  mind  thus  creating  wholeness  and  inner
                                                                                                                                                                                       peace.
                                                                                                                                                                                       The  mandala  became  the  emblem  of  Megemeria  quite
                                                                                                                                                                                       spontaneously when one of Megemeria’s early students designed
                                                                                                                                                                                       and  crafted  a  stunning  mandala  pendant.  From  then  onwards
                                                                                                                                                                                       it  was  a  natural  progression  that  lead  to  the  adoption  of  this
       54                                                                                                                                                                              compelling design as the emblem and logo of Megemeria.  55
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