What is a mandala? It is the ancient Sanskrit word for circle or disc. Simple enough.
But wait ... there's more!
A mandala is the perfect symbol, physically and spiritually, of equality and stability. It is equidistant from center to edge on every single point. Every point is equal to every other point, nothing takes precedence, nothing is favored, nothing is left out.
It is also in constant cyclic transformation. The spiral is a circle in time, a connection of concentric circles rising or sinking.
Swiss psychiatrist Carl G. Jung noted that a mandala is created when a spiritual idea or thought can't be adequately explained and must be sought, or when the psychological balance within a group is disturbed. In the first case, it expresses something new and unique, and in the second to restore order. Mandalas restore order in a transformed way, creating a spiral, with the pattern of the old order appearing in a new way on a higher level.
Movement yet stillness.
…Transformation.
In Nature we find the tiny sphere of an acorn, bearing within it the mighty oak. The trunk, branches, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds all come from its center. Everything is unified yet divergent at the same time.
…Transformation.
You may know of mandalas as a form of spiritual practice. In this way, they date to at least 2500 years ago, in Europe, the Middle East, and India. They are designed, or meditatively traced with the eyes, or walked along a path such as a labyrinth to create a ...
... Transformation.
Mandalas are everywhere - just look around.
Rose windows, flowers, volcano craters, the chemical benzine ring, a cat's paw, the moon, your lover's face and eyes...
A mandala can be danced, made from ground semi-precious stones, laid as a carpet of flowers, woven from fibers, dreamed, painted, composed in music or poems.
You may spontaneously be drawn to create your own mandala. Perhaps there was one in a dream, or you just felt compelled to create one.
Let's say you're going to draw or paint it.
Begin by sitting in a still place and breathing mindfully for a few breaths while focusing on the image in your mind.
Choose a color. Your unconscious will do the rest. As you create your mandala, don't plan a design. It may be altogether different from what you saw.
When your mandala feels complete, hang it on a wall and step back and take a look.
Grab your journal and immediately write your first impression. Whatever it may be.
Objectively describe what you see.
What feelings are evoked?
How does it relate to your original idea?
How did it develop?
What changed?
Do you feel a transformation?
Share your mandala in the comments -- I'd love to see!
And if you get in touch with me we can explore it in depth -- I'm sure we can uncover a lot!