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KATHMANDU, AUGUST 09
Leonardo da Vinci's spectacular piece of art, the 'Vitruvian Man', is expanded inside an idyllic circle. A quadrangle, within it, as it were, conforms wholly and clearly to the nature of balance.
The Renaissance masterpiece also represents perfection that is free from gender bias – it balances male and female vitalities, a concept the great man believed was imperative to the evolution of each individual.
In addition, Leonardo's symbol of wholeness is attuned to 'Divine Symmetry', a universal symbol of wholeness, where all parts come together to form a whole, not just the sum of the parts.
The idea of the whole and holy originates from a common root, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This timeless wisdom of completeness is as critical to Eastern thought and understanding as William Shakespeare is to literature, or Linus Pauling to chemistry. Many of us understand the intensity of our wholeness – a vision that holds the sparkle of the celestial spirit within our being.
It just takes a mirror for us to look at ourselves, not in the face, but at the core of our being.
Our eye is not merely an eye – it is an eternal 'prompt' that tells, or informs, us that we are more than individuals, and also more than competent. It is rightly said that our eyes do not perceive what our psyche does not distinguish. In other words, our eyes are the doors and windows of our soul. They do not merely express what we think; they express the divine flame that is aglow within our soul.
This is what that instils in us our composite wholeness.
Mind-body researchers relate to wholeness in innumerable ways – for example, inner calm, a natural ability, or propensity of each and every tissue, or mitochondria, the 'powerhouses of our cells', that maintain our body's internal balance. This wholesome equilibrium is as innate to our being as it is to nature, or universe. Balance is, of course, not necessarily a 50/50 measurement.
This also suggests that not every aspect of anyone's life – from the 'average' to the most gifted – is balanced. For instance, you may have a dream job, but you may be unhappy with your package, which is anything but attractive. This 'spoke in the wheel' often has a cascading effect. It can throw you off-balance and affect your relationships at home, or elsewhere.
It highlights the 'rule of the divine thumb' too – that all of us go through periods of balance with brief intervals of imbalance.
Yet, the important thing is, whatever one's station, or situation, or howsoever extreme the circumstance, change is always a constant. Change alters everything – including change itself.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 10 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
