The word “mandala” originates from sanskrit, meaning circle.
Do you ever doodle? When thinking of nothing but also everything at the same time, or when talking on the phone? What kind of patterns do you draw? It seems that a lot of people draw circular and rectangular patterns, filling them with other geometrical shapes. It’s not surprising, mandalas can enter one’s life easily. They are everywhere anyway.
Starting in nature: flowers, trees, fruits, day, night, stars in the planets themselves. Life is moving in circles. The cicrle symbolises perfection and unity.
Drawing is calming, metative and relaxing. One can choose from an endless selection of motives and themes. For example, my favourites are nature, animals, on occasion action heroes (Lara Croft only, actually) and, very rarely, portraits. I draw with graphite pencils, pastel colours or colour pencils.
A little history
Mandalas are spiritual and ritual symbols and represent wholeness and a model for the organisational structure of life, the universe. They originate from budism and hinduism as symbols, where every shape, line and colour represents an aspect of a philosophical or religious system. It is a colourful mind map summarising a religious experience.
A healing mandala is more simple and intuitive. Usually it’s created through meditation, they are used to help with focusing, they bring a sense of peace and healing.
Buddhist monks and Navajo Indians create sand mandalas, intricate images with many symbols made with coloured sand. In both cultures, the patterns represent the continuity of life.
Mandala is a cosmic diagram, presenting a connection with the world, which transcends body and mind. It intertwines the material and immaterial reality. The basic chape consists of 4 sides, a rectangle, inside which there is a circle, several layers of them, representing protection. They are used for improving focus (even in offices and workshops), they work as a spiritual guide, creating a sacred space, also stimulating medtation.
The circle expands and evolves from its center. A circle also represents time, which is understood in three ways:
- the past, which is always acompanying the present,
- consequently the past is in the present.
- The future is invisible and will reflect the present.
Mandala and its powers
- spiritual and meditative tool
- an ornament and a tool for creating a personal sacred space
- a bridge between worlds
- a presentation of the soul and its progress on the path to enlightment
- a symbol of universal consciousness
Usage
Numerous traditions use mandalas for different reasons and in different manners. There are several rituals, where executor metaphorically connects with the symbol in the core of the mandala by gradually moving form the outside in. Once they get to the center, this person connects to the central symbol and detects all the manifestations as a part of the whole.
Dou you draw? What are your favourite motives? How do feel when you draw? How do you feel when you look at your work when it’s done?
