
Himalayan maiden (left) at the village well, from our spring expedition to Nepal. Morgan (right), our bright summer elf at Inspired Planet, now at school in Scotland (Hogwarts!). Both girls are 14.
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Your Source
for
Giant Beans
Ritual Gongs Spirit Houses
Meditation Bowls Buddhas
Dance and Dream Masks
Silver and Gold Jewelry
Silk Clothing Monster Bells
Saint Paintings
Exotic Home Furnishings
Photographs
Power Amulets
Peacock Feathers
and
Other
Absolute
Necessities
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Welcome to the Inspired Planet community.
Every culture has something to offer:
Art, Tools, Wisdom etc...
"Healing, ritual and community---the goods that the indigenous world
can offer to the West are the very things that the modern world is
struggling with. Ritual in the indigenous world is aimed at
producing healing, and the loss of such healing in the modern world
might be responsible for the loss of community that we see. The
problems experienced in the West, from the pain of isolation to the
stress of hyperactivity, are brought on by the loss of community."
- Malidoma Patrice Somé , The Healing Wisdom of Africa
"What's necessary is for us to understand that really, at the root of things is community. At the deepest level, that's the center of things. We come out of community. So how then can we organize our economics so that it's based on community, not accumulation? And how can we organize our religion to teach us about community? And when I say 'community,' I mean the whole earth community. That's the ultimate sacred domain-the earth community."
-Brian Swimme, mathematical cosmologist. The Universe is a Green Dragon.
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A great letter about creating a new meaningful experience with old Tibetan ritual tools from our collection:
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Dear Inspired Planet,
This last holiday season, the members of my wife's
Aikido dojo and I purchased an an antique Tibetan singing bowl
from inspiredplanet.com. Thank you for your help in finding a perfect gift.
Here's what happened:
Christmas Day. A fresh blanket of snow; deer
at the feeder and birds at theirs. The bowl arrived safely, in time for
me to purchase wrapping cloth of appropriate colors.
Leslie was pleased and impressed, even awed. The
tone is beautiful. She is planning ways
to include it in the ceremony which opens the dojo
for the new year.
The dojo practices at a local university. A portable shomen, a shrine at the front of the room, was
built by one of the members. The bowl sits on a cushion,
between a flower arrangement and a
portrait of Aikido's founder. The setting is simple and
sparse, yet complete.
Creating a New Tradition:
The bowl was introduced to the dojo during 'kagami biraki'
ceremonies marking the start of the new year. I'm told they
didn't ring the bell the traditional 110 times(!) --- instead,
a new tradition was begun: each student was given the
chance to come forward, ring the bell, and if they wished,
demonstrate something they had learned in the previous
year.
It will be appreciated by many, on its new path
forward through the centuries.
Thank you again for your help and patience in enriching the
life of the dojo.
--Dwight- Potsdam, NY
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Inspired Planet is an On-Line collection and
gallery in Lenox Massachusetts
of artifacts, images and stories from classical, tribal and
emerging cultures in Asia, Africa and America. Explore these features:
Travel, Books, Jewelry, Photography, Slide Presentations, Paintings,
Sacred Arts, Antiques and Stylish Home Furnishings ---
for the Heart, Mind and Spirit.
We've recently returned to the Berkshires from fantastic trips to Egypt,
Ethiopia, Thailand, Burma, India, Nepal, Tibet and most recently Mexico
collecting artifacts, paintings, jewelry, sacred images and decorative objects.
There are already items for sale in the
store and more coming. Stay tuned to the website as we add pictures, stories and
new artifacts.
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Be Inspired. Keep Informed.
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Inspired Planet -
in the News and Arts:
Tomb Raider Movie Follows in Our Footsteps
We got a thrill seeing the fantastic ruins of Angkor Thom in the current blockbuster,
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which Inspired Planet features in a photography exhibition and
lecture, Angkor-The Throne of Heaven. The film evokes old mythologies with a new kind
of heroine, the gorgeous, Angelina Jolie, who has the brains, the body and the conscience
to save the world. Despite the excessive budget and hype we found the story surprisingly
satisfying. Behind the marvelous computer-generated action, are stage-sets rich with art,
archeology and natural landscapes. Like Inspired Planet, everything depends upon synchronizing
with the cosmos, collecting artifacts with meaning, and seeing the way it all fits together.
Link to Photography and Photolectures.
TV's Fraser Collects African Art
We
spotted a stunning Marka-Bambara mask in Fraser's posh Seattle apartment. It's
displayed prominently in front of the million-dollar city view. You can find
the fierce artifact on a pedestal next to the grand piano and the antique telescope.
Inspired Planet acquired just such a mask during our expedition to Mali,
Sub-Saharan Africa. If you look around the psychiatrist's plush contemporary
pad, you'll see Fraser has quite a passion for ethnographic sculpture
reminiscent of Freud's own collection in Vienna and Inspired Planet's gallery.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Composer
Creates Experimental Orchestral Theatre
The ethereal sound "which came out of nowhere" in Tan Dun"s multi-media
musical performance at Tanglewood was created by Singing Bowls
borrowed from the collection of Inspired Planet. The controversial composition, "Red Forecast", featured exotic Eastern sounds and
surrealistic voice playing with symphony instruments. The orchestra was
staged dramatically under a film montage.
For the full story click
into
Artifacts.
What was that great music you heard at Inspired Planet?
Afro Celt Sound System--World music sensation! The group "compliments the Celtic harp with the African kora, an African
harp-lute, and the bodhran, or Irish frame drum, with the tama, an African talking drum." The cross-cultural sounds mix into a spicey curry with
catchy techno beats... <<More>>
Inspired Planet goes to the Movies
We were dazzled by the collection of art treasures in Sean Connery's luxurious lair in the suspense-thriller 'Entrapment'. This time 007 plays a world-class thief and Catherine Zeta-Jones his brilliant and stunningly beautiful protégé.
Keep your eyes peeled during the sequences in his distinctive Scottish castle and you will see a rare bust of the ancient Cambodian God, Hari Hara. We have just such a piece in the collection at Inspired Planet. Check out the picture and story. Click to
Hari Hara in Artifacts.
Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pharaohs
We were surprised to see the original of this unusual style in the current
show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is an exquisite little sphinx just 4 inches long carved from dark grey schist stone from
the 16th Dynasty, that is 2255-2246 BCE. The statue is identified as The Sphinx of Merenre I offering to Re of
Heliopolis. It is the earliest known example of a sphinx with lamps in its paws.

See this product in the Den of Osiris
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Another Satisfied Customer Dept.
"I bought a tiny amulet for marital
harmony and it saved my marriage.
We're not fighting anymore. Well,
you've got to fight a little, but we're
making up better...(laughter)... And
I owe it all to Inspired Planet."
-Katie in Washington, MA
We remembered the precious talisman
from Thailand, a small bronze man and
woman embracing, and were curious
how the amulet was actually used. She
gave it to her husband for Christmas
then they made a tradition--every New
Year's Eve the couple bakes a cake with
charms in it--a truly charming ritual
that puts the magic back in life.
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Young male Massai Warrior from Kenya, jubilant after impressing prospective girlfriends in traditional jumping contest. We loved the a cappella music provided by a line of smiling tribesmen, Mt. Kilamonjaro in the distance.
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Pema Singh Lama, venerable dhamé medicine man performs healings in a remote region of the Nepalese Himalayas. We had the grace to chant with this jolly mystic. After puja and meditation he prepared magic tonics.
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When you give or receive a gift from Inspired Planet you encourage creativity, embrace beauty, sustain wisdom and celebrate nature. You are delving into life mysteries and sparking with the spirit emerging from the heart of the world.
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Sumba King's Blanket This royal tapestry shows the king and the two royal princes as well as many animals and powerful symbols under the sacred rice barn and over the tree of heads. Cotton Ikat. $1650
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Green Tara Exquisite aged brass Buddhist goddess of wisdom and compassion. We collected this masterpiece from a family that has been making murtis for the last 700 years. $1250
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Peruvian Angel Painting (1) This is a fine example of a 17th century Spanish style oil painting by Inca Indians of Cusqueno school. The frame is carved cedar with copper leaf. $695
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Peruvian Angel Painting (2) This archangel in dandy costume makes a delightful complement to angel 1. It is the same quality but the carved cedar frame has no copper leaf. $495
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News
&
Information
of Classical, Indigenous & Emerging Cultures
A biblical oasis on the edge of the northern Sahara, from a recent expedition to Tunisia and Morocco.
We have returned from Bali, Java and Thailand with a Treasure Trove
of artifacts, amulets and antiques. Feel free to email us anytime: info@inspiredplanet.com
Shows & Presentations
| Florida | Naples |
| 2007 & 2009 | Key West |
| | Sarasota |
Caravan of the Beautiful
| California | Los Angeles April 2008 |
| Metageum | Malta November 2007 |
 
Amulets, artifacts, antiques-Florida Caravan Shows
Great Links to our natural allies
in evolving consciousness
Tibetan Treasure Boxes-Hand painted Snow Lion and Tiger motifs
With Double Dorge emblems on top, Himalayan pinewood-
30x17x17---$125.
45x22x20---$195.
Mauritanian Caravan Chest-Authentic old wooden vessels used on
Camel caravans across the Sahara Desert for gold and salt.
Original hardware.
$1850.,$1200., $650.
Amulets for Protection, Power and Healing

Buddha amulet, old silver and bronze, 1”x3/4”,$33.
Torso with internal organs Exvoto, silver-$ 45.
Eyes Ex-voto from Sicily, silver- $28.

Silver Rattlesnake-Navajo Indian design- pendant AND pin $50.
Candleholder made from antique teakwood silk shuttle, Thailand -$25.
Suitable for tealights, tablets in center basin (not included)

Rainbow Buddha Siamese ClayTablets connecting earth and heaven -$36, $45.
Huichol Paintings-Symbolic maps and stories made by Mexican shamans
To communicate with the gods and illuminate the ritual peyote pilgrimage
22” square, mounted on wood-$450.
Bell and Dorges sets rung in Tibetan ritual-small $25, large-$120.
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