Mandalas are geometric patterns that exist in nature and have been used for thousands of years for everything from adorning sacred places to decorating living spaces. Some Tibetan Buddhist monks train for years in the art of making sand mandalas. Once they have mastered this art, they have been known to spend days constructing intricate sand mandalas only to brush them all away in minutes when they are done in order to demonstrate the impermanence of life. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, believed in the power and spirituality of mandalas and used them regularly in his personal life and in his therapeutic practice. In cymatics, the study of how sound waves can be made visible, we see how vibrations create mandalas out of small particles right before our very eyes.
What is it about these geometric designs that make them so compelling and perfect for mindful practice? First, there is the place where each mandala starts, the center or midpoint. Finding one’s midpoint is the key to feeling grounded, safe, and secure. Then, much like in life, there’s the repetitious pattern that can be calming and soothing for the anxious mind. There is also the idea of the beauty of imperfection. From a distance, the mandala looks perfect, but often when we look more closely, we see the imperfections, especially if the mandala has been hand drawn or constructed. This idea of “perfection in imperfection” is like life too. Every life is perfect no matter the “mistakes” one has made. In this way, the mandala reminds us of the Buddhist belief that everyone is perfect in the present moment, just as they are. So for these reasons and more, creating and meditating with mandalas can enhance one’s inner journey.
So what are some ways you can incorporate mandalas into your mindful practice? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Make a nature mandala with items you can find on almost any walk where some nature exists. Gather leaves, rocks, twigs, shells, and pine cones. When you get home lay the items out on a table or plate and arrange them in a circular pattern starting with one piece in the middle and working your way outward. You will be surprised at how simple and beautiful this practice can be. As an added bonus, immersing yourself in and appreciating nature is meditative in and of itself.
Draw your own mandala with simple items you likely have around your home - paper, markers, colored pencils, a compass and a protractor. There are lots of videos on the internet that show how easy and mesmerizing making a mandala can be. In the end, you will have a beautiful piece that will be an outward representation of your inner spiritual journey. You can even make one with a loved one where you can take turns adding to the circular patterns to create a final piece that represents your connection to each other.
If you’d rather just color a mandala, there are many coloring books available in stores and on the internet as well as free coloring pages you can simply download and print.
See how many mandalas you can find that already exist all around you - think spiderwebs, snowflakes, and seashells, to name only a few - and reflect on the expansiveness and wonder of the universe.
Hope you will give mandalas a try and experience what Carl Jung did so many years ago when he said, “I saw that everything, all paths I had been following, all steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point — namely, to the mid-point. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the centre, to individuation. I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self I had attained what was for me the ultimate.”
Cathy Reilly MA, MSW, LSW Monarch Wellness Center monarchwellnesscenternj.com Mindfully Made LLC https://mindfullymade3.wixsite.com/my-site-3
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