Therapeutic Jigsaw Puzzles

The Mandala of Yamantaka Jigsaw Puzzle

Build a perfect world through the game of change

Each distinctive image with its own shape and colour in this mandala is a part of a tantric story about us and our world. It is revealed through symbols which show that, despite our problems, in our natural state we are perfect beings in the centre of a perfect world. Lack of this awareness, however, according to Buddhist philosophy, gives reality to our suffering. Thus the focus of the different levels of Buddhist teaching is aimed at developing this understanding in order to find happiness for oneself and others. Uniquely, Tantra encourages this insight in us through experiencing our goodness directly within our own emotions and energies. The methods it uses to penetrate this innate wisdom are the practices of mantric visualisation, recitation, harmonic chanting, breathing and meditation on the mandalas.

Mandala

The mandala is a three dimensional construction viewed from above. It is a conceptual portrayal of the entire cosmos practically presented as a celestial palace with many rooms surrounded by beautiful gardens ringed by protective walls.

At the centre is the dorje, a diamond sceptre symbolising the strength and indestructibility of true compassion. The outer ring comprises the charnel grounds, a fearsome collection of dead people and animals symbolising the impermanence of life.

Journey of Self Discovery

The jigsaw can be built as a pathway to happiness and satisfaction from the depths of our fear and suffering. As you are about to start the game, imagine that you are outside a dark mysterious place encircled by rings of fire and further surrounded by very frightening jungle scenes of tigers, snakes and dead bodies. This is a metaphor for our life experience of fear, uncertainty and dissatisfaction. Nothing lasts forever. This realisation leads you to accept that impermanence is a natural part of your life and you become less frightened by it. Now you are through the first hurdle.

The understanding you are beginning to develop then protects you because it is like a fire that burns away the fear of the unknown. This is represented by the second ring that is full of flaming fire as a symbol of knowledge.

You are now facing a protective ring of solid diamond hard rock that is a symbol of the fearlessness which comes when you actually accept your own mortality.

Peace by Piece

At this stage you are through the first three hurdles and you begin to see a beautiful building with four gates set in a five colour layered wall located at the centre of a stunning garden all of which is built on top of a thousand petalled lotus, the symbol of your own basic purity. Facing you are four main entrances topped with male and female deers holding the wheel of life. Looking up you see beautiful white clouds in the sky symbolising good fortune. Each side of the gates features the head of a crocodile with strings of precious jewels hanging from his mouth, a symbol of the Buddha's compassion for all living beings. On the green lawns in the grounds are auspicious royal treasures, symbols of prosperity.

Now enter by whichever gate you choose. White is east, red is west, yellow is south and green is north, the centre is blue. The wall of the building is five coloured in layers, symbols of the emotions of hatred, greed, desire, jealousy and ignorance transformed into love, equanimity, discernment, non- attachment and wisdom.

On top of the wall there is a roof with garlands of jewels and pendants hanging down over the sides symbolising the interconnectedness of everything. Standing inside the building you see five spectacular images in each direction and one in the centre. In the east is the wheel and in the south is the jewel, in the west is the lotus flower with the precious sword in the north. In the centre is the blue dorje or diamond sceptre, symbol of compassion, sitting on a lotus, symbol of innate purity. These five images are symbolic of the many different facets of the mind.

Completion

As you realize each directional image is a symbol of the various parts of your own emotional existence and you are led to the centre dorje, sudden understanding dawns that everything is a projection of your own self, and that you are the main player defining the outcome every time. The tantric way is to construct the mandala in reverse starting from the centre recognizing the self as a perfect pure being with the capacity to build a perfect world. By one's actions and behaviour, the world is created.

Auspicious Aztec Sunstone Jigsaw Puzzle

When pieced together, this jigsaw features a colourful representation of the Aztec sunstone, which symbolically depicts the four disasters that led to the destruction of each of those universes in Aztec cosmology. The Aztecs believe that they were living in the fifth and final universe, and would often perform human sacrifices to the sun god Tonatiuh, to prevent the fifth universe from becoming destroyed.

Through piecing together this puzzle, the user can draw energy and success from the powerful image that it creates.

Front	Back
Click box images to enlarge Note: Box dimensions measure 2.25 x 3.5 x 1.0" (6.0 x 9.0 x 2.7 cm)

Auspicious Buddha Jigsaw Puzzle

This puzzle depicts a Mandala of the popular sitting Buddha and the sacred lotus flower.

According to legend, everywhere Buddha walked, lotus flowers would bloom. It is for this reason that the Buddha is often depicted sitting on a giant lotus leaf or flower.

There are a total of 56 Buddhas in the puzzle picture, and a word associated with each one. To view each of the words, click the picture below illustrating the back of the box. 

Front	Back
Click box images to enlarge Note: Box dimensions measure 2.25 x 3.5 x 1.0" (6.0 x 9.0 x 2.7 cm)

Auspicious Ganesh Jigsaw Puzzle

Ganesh, also known as Ganesa is a well known Indian deiti in the Hindu religion. He is known as the Lord of Wisdom, the remover of obstacles in our lives. You will often find statues of Ganesh throughout India, easily identified by his elephant's head. His odd appearance reminds us that outer beauty is not connected to inner spiritual perfection.

Each part of the jigsaw picture conveys different spiritual meaning. For more detail on the different parts, click on the picture showing the back of the box below. 

Front	Back
Click box images to enlarge Note: Box dimensions measure 2.25 x 3.5 x 1.0" (6.0 x 9.0 x 2.7 cm)