Sanskrit for sacred circle, mandalas are an ancient art form dating back to Tibet over 2,500 years ago. The Tibetan Monks saw the mandala as more than a circle divided into an ornate design, they saw it as a representation of the Universe; a blend of different symbols and colors coming together, bonded by its center, to form in harmony.
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Look at the Christian’s usage of the labyrinth or marvel at the mandala healing ceremony performed by American Indians and you will find that the sacred circle has transcended its ancient roots. Many present-day religions and civilizations have come to view the mandala, with its gentle symmetry, as a symbol of the balance in nature, the unity within the world, and the harmony we all seek...
According to an online survey by the American Psychological Association, nearly three-quarters of Americans felt chronic stress in the form of headaches, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension and a lack of sleep. This can also contribute to high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, which are all serious, life-changing conditions.
One of the best ways proven to reduce stress is meditation. Meditation helps realign your mind and body. Stress is created when your mind and body are focused on two different things. If you're paying bills, but thinking about what to have for dinner, or that project at work, then you're going to be stressed.
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The first viewing of the construction of a Buddhist sand mandalacan often generate many reactions. but common to them all seems to be a sense that one is viewing something special, a paradoxical process combining the simplest of materials and some of the most intricate hand-crafted artwork one can imagine. Yet for all of its intrinsic beauty and harmony--and mandalas can assuredly be appreciated at this level alone---these works are also symbols of the highest aspirations of spiritual development for Buddhists seeking to escape the dualistic bonds of the (delusional) reality as normally experienced and to enter into the unity and harmony of the true, blissful spiritual realization also known as Enlightenment. According to Buddhist history, the purpose, meanings, and techniques involved in the spiritual art of sand mandala painting were taught in India by Shakyamuni.
In the Sixth Century B.C. Over the centuries, his teachings have been transmitted in an unbroken lineage from teacher to student: in the Eleventh century, the teachings traveled from India to Tibet. The Tibetan word for mandala is kilkhorl, which means roughly, "centre of the circle with exteriors walls and surrounding environment."
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When I have a dilemma or when feeling a need to get in touch with myself I create a mandala. I created my first mandala as a project for the dream work class in 1989 and have been making them ever since. Some days I choose to listen to music while creating mandalas and other times I prefer the silence and sounds of birds or wind outside my window. In the process of creating a mandala I find that a meditative state naturally occurs.
From an early age, I learned that people seem to like your art when it resembles or represents life. I have been juggling this phenomenon for years. When I began creating mandalas it gave me the freedom to create whatever came forth and not have to please anyone. It seems so genuine.
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Mandalas for Addiction Therapy
Therapy through mandala coloring is a three-stage process that includes discerning the inner dialogue, suspending the inner dialogue and managing the inner dialogue. It works on the principle that color is action oriented and does not require any inner dialogue. Mandala coloring helps women who are in recovery learn the art of suspending and managing their inner dialogue. This in turn progressively pulls them into the recovery zone where they can ask questions and learn who they are and who they want to become, which is the essence of the recovery process.
| MANDALA ARTICLES & OTHER LINKS |
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The Mandala: Comprehensive article about the meaning and history of mandalas
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