Week 3 - Mandalas ~ a bit of history

This week we talked about mandalas. "Mandala" is a Sanskrit word meaning simply "circle". Traditionally, it’s a spiritual and ritual symbol commonly used in Indian religions to represent the Universe. But mandalas are cross-cultural. They’ve also been used in Tibetan meditations, the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals, Aztec stone calendars and Navaho sand paintings. 

There are also many beautiful examples of natural “mandalas” in the world around us: flower heads, sliced vegetables, tree rings, snowflakes, seashells, cacti and seed pods, for example. 

Carl Jung and his patients, drew small circular drawings and he adopted the word “mandala” for these, noting that these “small circular drawings ... seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is: the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well, is harmonious.”

The mandala has also become a widely-used art therapy tool, for its usefulness in promoting calmness, allowing focus, creativity, relaxation and mindfulness.

On the surface, drawing a mandala can be a simple relaxation exercise. There’s something very soothing about its repetition while you’re drawing it. It gives you a chance to calm down, breathe deeply and unplug from whatever chatter is going on in your head from your day. It's surprising how even a few simple lines can eventually turn into a complex beautiful design almost without trying.

On the handout below I’ve included four examples of mandalas I’ve drawn to show you some options for drawing. You can also make mandalas by cutting out and arranging rings of shapes from magazines if you find drawing too much to take on.