The
word "Mandala" comes from Sanskrit, a classical
Indian language, meaning circle. The circle
appears in
all aspects of every day life. The pattern of the circle
illustrates wholeness, organization,
and harmony. It has
functioned as a useful tool throughout history. Our prehistoric
ancestors built
giant stone circles and megaliths as time
keeping devices, observatories, and ceremonial places.
Mandalas, or circle designs, manifest themselves in nature such as in flowers,
fruits, snowflakes,
clouds, stars, planets, solar systems, raindrops,
water ripples, spider webs, seashells, and tornados,
just to mention
a few. Manmade mandalas such as labyrinths, stained-glass rose windows
in
cathedrals, kaleidescope designs, domes, firework displays, and
pyramids define space and
shape with purpose. They decorate our lives
and expand the horizon of our minds.
Carl G. Jung brought the mandala and it's psychological significance to the
Western world.
He believed that we all have the urge to fulfill our
own unique pattern, to live out our potential,
to experience wholeness.
Creating a mandala reflects our inner self by the use of color and
symbolism. Focusing on a mandala produces physiological changes in
heartbeat and respiration
releasing the body's natural healing processes.
Meditating on the circle takes one away from
what is outside of the
circle and naturally draws one's attention to the center, awakening
a
sense of harmony. Awareness of Mandalas may have the potential
of changing how we see
ourselves, our planet, and perhaps our own
life purpose.
Please see the Gallery for Examples of different
Mandalas.
Acknowledgments- Mandala Journey to the Center, by Bailey
Cunningham, and Coloring Mandalas
Exploring,
constructing and drawing mandalas is also intuitive art. In
the same way the intuitive
artist works, the mandala artist
focuses on Divine Wisdom and is considered to have a spiritual
experience. This self empowerment discipline practice—is
said to weave the soul to a state of
wholeness and connect
oneself to the living mosaic of the universe.
