Spirals In The Sky

Jet Trails

Hurricane

Clouds

Aurora

Barred Spiral Galaxy

Norway Spiral
A rocket spinning out of control

Natural Spirals

Spiral Aloe

The spiral pattern is found extensively in nature – encoded into plants, animals, humans, the earth and galaxies around us. Mathematics can explain the complex algorithms, sequences and equations that make up a spiral pattern, but it can’t explain the lure and fascination of the spiral to the human heart. Here are some beautiful examples of spirals from the natural world.

Orb Spider Web

Pinecone

Spiral Galaxy

Spiral Flower

Nautilus Chamber

Fern Frond

Fibonacci Spiral

Rose Spiral

Palm Leaf Spiral

Elephant's Trunk

Storm System

Water Spirals

Romanesco Spiral

Millipede Spiral

Spiraling Tendrils

Text source: Original Beauty

Hattie's Garden

This nifty mandala is by Susan Shie

I found it at: Turtle Moon

Some Cool Mandala Gardens

Here we have a variety of gardens designed in much the same way as a mandala.

 

Natural Harmony

I love this picture!

It's looks like a natural mandala - and provides a great example of cooperation and harmony, as does the image below:

I do not know who the respective photographers are - if you know - please tell me so I can provide credit and a link.

The Guardians of his Beauty

We are the guardians of His Beauty

We are the protector

Of the Sun.

There is only one reason

We have followed God into this world:

To encourage laughter, freedom, dance

And love.

Let a noble cry inside of you speak to me

Saying,

"Hafiz,

Don't just sit there on the moon tonight

Doing nothing -

Help unfurl my heart into the Friend's Mind,

Help, Old Man, to heal my wounded wings!"

We are the companions of His Beauty.

We are the guardians

Of Truth.

Every man, plant and creature in Existence,

Every woman, child, vein and note

Is a servant of our Beloved -

A harbinger of Joy,

The harbinger of Light.

- 60 Wild And Sweet Poems of Hafiz

Solar Halos

A solar halo looks like a giant mandala of light in the sky.

Wikipedia says: A halo (from Greek ἅλως; also known as a nimbus, icebow or gloriole) is an optical phenomenon produced by ice crystals creating colored or white arcs and spots in the sky. Many are near the sun or moon but others are elsewhere and even in the opposite part of the sky. They can also form around artificial lights in very cold weather when ice crystals called diamond dust are floating in the nearby air.

Here are more cool images collected from various sources:

Images courtesy of Way Cool Pictures, Black Holes and Astrostuff, web biz 2u, Geoff Cloake, Science Photo Library, and elsewhere around the web.

Some Unusual Floral Mandalas

Yellow Daisy,
Found at Flickr.

Orange Gerbera Daisy

Found at: Flickr.

IMG 1856b

Found at: Flickr.

Cone Flower

Found at Flickr.