What are Mandalas?
“A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Asian cultures. It can be understood in two different ways: externally as a visual representation of the universe or internally as a guide for several practices that take place in many Asian traditions, including meditation.
In their most basic form, mandalas are circles contained within a square and arranged into sections that are all organized around a single, central point. They’re typically produced on paper or cloth, drawn on a surface with threads, fashioned in bronze, or built-in stone. While extraordinary as a standalone work of art, mandalas hold symbolic and meditative meaning beyond their vibrant appearance.” (Invaluable)
Types of Mandalas
“There are various types of mandalas found in different cultures and used for a multitude of purposes, both artistically and spiritually. Below are three main types of mandalas and how they are used.
Teaching Mandala
Teaching mandalas are symbolic, and each shape, line, and color represent a different aspect of a philosophical or religious system. The student creates his or her own mandala based on principles of design and construction, projecting a visual symbolization of everything they have learned. Teaching mandalas serve as colorful, mental maps for their creators.Healing Mandala
Healing mandalas are more intuitive than teaching mandalas, and they are made for the purpose of meditation. Healing mandalas are intended to deliver wisdom, evoke feelings of calm, and channel focus and concentration.Sand Mandala
Buddhist monks and Navajo cultures have long used sand mandalas as a traditional, religious element. These intricate designs use a variety of symbols made from colored sand that represent the impermanence of human life.” (Invaluable)
Symbolism of Mandalas
“Within their intricate circular patterns, you can find common symbols throughout mandalas. Traditionally, they include the presence of Buddha’s mind in an abstract form, most represented as a wheel, tree, flower, or jewel. The center is a dot, which is a symbol considered free of dimensions. It is interpreted as the starting point, the beginning of contemplation, and devotion to the divine. From there, the dot is surrounded by lines and geometrical patterns that symbolize the universe, encompassed by the outer circle which represents the cyclical nature of life. Some common symbols within the mandala include:
Bell
Triangle
Lotus flower
Sun (Invaluable)
How Mandalas Are Used
“Mandalas are used for a variety of religious traditions, meditation, and modern contexts. The traditional Tibetan mandala, found in Buddhism, depicts the enlightened state of Buddha through sand art. Patterns are formed on the ground using metal and a small tube to create the exact texture and organization of the grains. Creating this can take weeks, and shortly after it’s complete, it is destroyed to align with the Buddhist belief that nothing is permanent.
A spiritual symbol in Asian art, mandalas have since become a popular, meditative element for a variety of different cultures. In Hindu and Buddhist cultures in particular, mandalas serve as a representation of the universe and a guide on the path to enlightenment. We’ve since seen the geometric design appear in yoga studios, dream catchers, healing circles, and other meditative practices. The habit of creating and collecting mandalas is a transformative practice that is intended to restore inner peace and wisdom within.
Mandalas have also been found in dream catchers to protect the individual sleeping. A popular item in Western cultures, you can easily identify the shape and patterns of a mandala within most dream catchers.
As it relates to modern context, mandalas are used in a variety of ways. In yoga, mandalas represent the same ancient ideals; signifying a sacred space to shut away external influences. Often, mandalas are positioned around the studio and sometimes even drawn during meditation periods. Similarly, mandala art is used in healing circles, a practice that derives from Native Americans. The circles are often associated with the restoration of the body, mind, and heart.” (Invaluable)
The Sacred Healing of Mandalas
“Carl Jung described a mandala as a “representation of the unconscious self”. He spent years creating mandala paintings and sketches that he felt depicted representations of his inner self. His book, simply called the “Red Book'' is a compilation of these expressions, offering us a glimpse into the unification of opposites within his own existence. It is within the unconscious that the soul and spirit reside.” (THBMZ)
"The Mandala for Healing Process involves meditation, centering, and the expression of an image. It opens with acknowledging that God is the source of all Light, all Love, and all Energy. Integral to this is the recognition that God resides within us.
After a period of centering, a time of silent prayer offers participants the opportunity to reflect on an image that symbolizes their prayer and intention. Each of them can share their intention and their Mandala within the group. The purpose of this sharing is to provide further clarity to the member who shared. The Mandalas – and their Light, Energy, and Love are then figuratively dissolved, and that Light, Energy, and Love are sent to wherever in the world needs them.
The connection between this and sacred art is that both come out of a deep meditative experience. Both focus on the Energy, Light, and Love of the individual’s relationship with the Divine and the entire creation. The healing process is realized in the making of the Mandala. What is of most tremendous significance in this process is not the finished work of art, but rather the connection between God and the participant during the prayers.” (MCOG)
The Role of Mandalas
“Mandalas have been associated with wholeness and spirituality in many cultures throughout history.
Mandalas represent wholeness through the circles that are usually found within the design. These circles are complete shapes with no defining beginning or end. For many people, this completeness evokes a sense of center. The additional design elements and shapes that radiate outward from that core are often thought to be symbolic of the shapes and patterns found in nature and the sciences. Because the shapes are universal, they are often perceived as representing humanity and our relationship with the larger universe.” (CVT)
“Mandalas can be seen all around us but are not just people-centric. They are larger than life. Mandalas represent life as we know it, but they also represent a larger ecosystem and universe that exceeds our consciousness.
The “circle with a center” pattern is the basic structure of creation that is reflected from the micro to the macro in the world as we know it. It is a pattern found in nature and is seen in biology, geology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy.
On our planet, living things are made of cells and each cell has a nucleus – all display circles with centers. The crystals that form ice, rocks, and mountains are made of atoms. Each atom is a mandala.
Within the Milky Way galaxy is our solar system and within our solar system, is Earth. Each is a mandala that is part of a larger mandala.
Flowers, the rings found in tree trunks and the spiraling outward and inward of a snail’s shell all reflect the primal mandala pattern. Wherever a center is found radiating outward and inward, there is wholeness – a mandala.” (ATB)
“Traditionally, mandalas are used to transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones. Mandalas help us shift our awareness, connect the internal with the external, and take us to a deeper place within. They are used for healing illness, clearing spiritual blocks, and focusing our devotional practices.
Creating a mandala can be both simple and profound – calming, relaxing, and centering your mind and body. It can lead to pivotal healing experiences. Your mandala can bring intuitive insights into spiritual truths, connect you to your heart, and bring out your true loving self. There is no right or wrong way to create a mandala. The process is fascinating and heart opening. The supportive, uplifting, and serene environment will awaken and heighten your creative expression.” (MFCH)
Healing Process at Mind and Body Fitness Connections
Art can help you create a better quality of life!
Everyone’s life experiences are different! We express our emotional, spiritual, and life energy in various ways. Through the healing process of mandalas or other art forms, it can bring peace of mind to someone, or it can help fix the internal and external challenges that someone might have.
At Mind and Body Fitness Connections, we can discuss what is needed to get you on the path of healing, creating a program suited to match your current level of health and creativity!
Our Wellness Coach will help you discover how to improve your quality of health and happiness by developing a program suited to meet your unique needs.
To tap into your creative spirit click on the links about classes and events or for more information about 1-on-1 programs visit our program details page or email Gwyn gywn@zenzoneokc.com.
