Breath of the Compassionate Series (Limited Edition Canvas Sets)

These pieces all incorporate an ancient & sacred pattern titled 'the breath of the compassionate'. The 'Breath of the Compassionate', or 'al-nafas al-rahman' in Arabic, is an eight-point star design, significant to many cultures and religions. It has medieval roots and can be found in many religious iconographies. It's in a lot of Islamic architecture, in which adjacent tiles alternately expand and contract into one another. This sense of visual inhalation and exhalation is based around the teachings of Ibn al'Arabi, who named this universal principle of creation, joining the elements of fire, air, water, and earth. In astronomy it represents the 4 corners of space (n,s,e,w) and time (2 solstices, 2 equinoxes).

The number 8 in the Bible represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation. In Islam, eight is the number of gates of heaven. Eight symbolizes "eternity and absolute perfection". The number eight also is the eternity symbol on its side ∞.

(Left to Right) : Inhalation, Mindfulness, Exhalation

Limited Edition Series (10 sets available in each size)

12x12 inches : $300 + shipping
20x20 inches : $500 + shipping

Prints are signed and numbered.