The neighbourhood where I live in Toronto boasts a thriving Tibetan community. I've seen the Glorious Endless Knot symbol in restaurant windows, on textiles, in clothing shops, etc., and finally got around to researching its meaning. The following is what I discovered:
"The Glorious Endless Knot (Sanskrit “Shrivatsa”; Tibetan “Dpal be’u”) is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. It reminds us that all things are powerfully interconnected and of the Buddha’s limitless wisdom and compassion. All things are intertwined in a system so complex that we must just trust that all actions have consequences. However, the Knot also seems to remind us our actions and their consequences do not look like “A then B then C”. They follow a twisting path that inevitably comes back to us."
Besides the reminder about the inter-connectivity between actions and consequences, which is good to keep in mind at any time, it's also a neat looking symbol. I though it would make an interesting stained glass design.
This Tri Panel lamp is done with two different glass varieties, both of which have been discontinued by their manufacturers. I have had my eye on the turquoise/taupe/brown glass for some time, waiting for some inspiration. When I found out that it wasn't being made anymore, I miraculously became inspired.
What is really interesting about this piece is how much the colours change, depending on whether the lamp is illuminated or not. Again, I've used an LED cabinet light embedded in the wooden base as a light source, to reduce power consumption and prevent the lamp from becoming hot. The colour combination and the opaqueness of the glass gives off a warm glow, suitable for mood lighting.
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