Mandala and its meaning
The meaning of the word mandala in Sanskrit is circle. Mandala is a
spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the
universe. The circular designs symbolizes the idea that life is never
ending and everything is connected. The mandala also represents
spiritual journey within the individual viewer. So the first level is
understanding the unity in cosmos and secondly each individual must
find their own place within it. It is sometimes drawn as a circle
enclosing a square with a deity on each side that is mainly used to aid
in meditation and yoga. Mandalas have many uses apart from
meditation as the the designs are meant to remove irritating thoughts
and allow the creative mind to run free as well as relaxation. But
ultimately people create and look at mandalas to centre the body and
mind.
How to use the mandalas in meditation
The primary use for mandalas is as a form of meditation to gain
knowledge from within. The mandalas are symbolic images which when
meditated on can bring profound inner transformation. So the first step is
to select a mandala that strongly appeals to you. Then you focus on the
intention that you want to bring into your life and then take in the beautiful
design of the mandala by gently gazing at the design. If your mind starts to
think about daily stresses simply bring your focus back to the beauty of the
mandala. The beauty of the mandala should absorb all your attention by
being draw into the designs and colours. Gradually you will feel yourself
more relaxed and a feeling of lightness and intuitive thoughts may arise.
Allow yourself to float with it and if your thoughts starts to wander just relax
and refocus your attention back on the mandala. The first time you
meditate on mandala it is enough with 5 minutes and gradually build it up
to 15 minutes as you get more experience.
Drawing mandalas as a form of art therapy can reduce
anxiety, tension and overall stress. Drawing stimulates
creativity and is a way to release emotional blockages. For
those diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
drawing a personal mandala can also be a useful tool to
decrease the trauma symptoms.
How to draw mandalas
1.Draw a circle on a piece of paper using a compass or drawing around a
round object such as a small plate or a mug. Find the centre of the
mandala and draw a horizontal and vertical line through the center. You
can keep slicing the circle into pies depending on how many points you
want to add to the mandala.
2.Once you have divided the circle into 8 parts in this case (but you can
slice the circle into more parts for more detailed designs) you draw a
smaller center circle and more circles outside of it which does not
necessarily need to be circular. They can be straight lines joining together
with equal distance from the centre. You can add as many inner circles as
you like depending on the design you choose to draw. Within each
different layer or circle you can also add other shapes such as petals,
squares, hearts or whatever shape comes into your mind.
3.Continue drawing motifs in bigger and bigger circles as you work
towards the outside circle of the mandala. You can use different shapes
such as flowers, geometric shapes, spirals, smaller circles, triangles, birds
and so on. The shapes should be repeated though to keep it consistent as
you introduce new shapes and lines to each part of the mandala.
Introducing more lines and shapes within the mandala becomes more
important at the outer circles of the mandala as there is more space to fill.
Below to the left is a completed mandala where you can see it was divided
into 8 equal parts initially with an inner smaller circle. The design that grew
from the center on the left mandala was based on petals and line patterns
going through certain parts of the mandala. Notice on the right hand
mandala smaller circles have been used as main shapes for the design.
The circles and lines that you started off with can later be erased if you
choose to add different shapes - but they are useful as a guide when you
start drawing the mandala.
Coloring the mandala
Red - Strength, more energy and passion
Pink - Love, femininity and intuition
Orange - Creativity, self-awareness, intuition & transformation
Yellow - Wisdom, learning, laughter and happiness
Green - Physical healing , psychic ability, nature and caring
Blue - Emotional healing, inner peace and meditation
Purple - All things spiritual, for spiritual focus
Black - Deep thinking, mystery and individuality
Shapes in Mandalas
Point
A point is something very small and remote. This might be the reason why it eludes
our attention and why it may evoke darkness or nothingness. A tiny dot is its
graphic expression and the same tiny dot may also represent a point in the map, a
place where you want to get or a place where a journey starts. Thus it may become a
symbol of a direction, goal or start... A point represents God and unity in many
cultures, however for us it may also have these meaning: the midpoint, focus,
stabbing, pointing at something by his/her forefinger, centre, place, start, person,
moment or occasion. Further it may be perceived as stability, certainty, absorbing,
basis, existence, solidity, grounding, concentration, background, birth of something
new, heart and emission. It is a symbol of concentrated energy, beginning (a point
where you set out) but also your goal, the end of a thought and reference point. A
point may be something to refer through or something you may head towards, it is a
beginning of creation and birth but also it is a part of something big, "reflection of
myself“. A point may represent a person and his/her self, especially when it is in the
middle of a mandala. Points that are distant from the midpoint of the circle may be
symbols of people from your neighbourhood (family, relatives, friends and
acquaintances). But it may also be a symbol of a loneliness in pluratily.
Circle - A circle may emerge from connection of several points into an
entirety or from expansion of a single point. A circle symbolizes infinity,
unification, pace, cohesivennes, harmony, wholeness and arrangement of
the whole unit. A circle is classified as a soft shape. It may aslo be
considered a symbol of symmetry, eternity, perfection, community of
people (family, friends), safety and solidarity of a family, cooperation,
connection, synchronisation, comunality, motherhood, a hug and
warmth, excellenece and beauty. A circle indicates never finishing or
circular enegry, it is a shape of a wheel, the greatest human invention. Its
line boarders space, it closes, defines and demarcates the living space. On
the one hand it restricts on the other hand it provides a feeling of security,
sureness and protection which enables the never ending process. A circle
may be a symbol of a family, closed community, space that should not be
disturbed and has something in common, connected, infinite, light, aerial
and nice. It also defines the limits, the boarders that does not enable to see
what is inside for those who are outsides and vice versa. How many
circles do you have in your mandalas? What is inside them?
Spiral
A circle is a beginning of a spiral. A spiral is an energy in movement, rise and
fall, a graceful unwinding of a positive flowing energy, infinity, unreality,
superterrestriality, energetic potetial, goodness, mystery, game, joy and fun,
flow, repeating, energy, eternity, unknown, harmoty, expansion, evolution,
opennes, unlimitedness, information, running away from unpleasant situation,
spinning, journey, cosiness, hope and love. A spiral is not only connected to
spiritual growth and heading towards the God and unity but also with decline,
loss of energy similar to a black hole. A spiral may symbolize receiving
information, passing energy or way of a soul, a soul itself, whirlpool, tunnel to
light (even an channel) and even giant circle. It may also symbolize a change.
Even DNA procuring continuation of life is coiled into a spiral. It is a shape
that does not have an end. However, attention must be paid to its orientation!
Its energy may change very quickly into a negative. If a spiral twists clockwise
it symbolises freedom, openness, overcoming obstacles and flowing. Spirals
twisting anticlockwise wind someting that has been created down. For this
reason the spiral may be connected with danger, falsehood or even prodigality.
Then a couple of spirals may symbolize giving and receiving, rising and falling
etc.
Square
Round shapes are often associated with female and divine energy. The
earthly and masculine energy of lines, energy of rationality and sensibility
is considered their antipole. A square provides well established boundary
lines and enables symmetrical layout likewise a circle defines areas,
provides the feeling of security but its sharp edges and corners represents
also delimitation, definition, basis, something regular and classified,
warning (do not go beyond this line, look out, my teritory, my privacy)
and prohibition, even closeness. However, the square also means a space
with four starting points. Whereas a circle defines a space for a soul, a
square helps you to define your personal space (e. g. a house). Owing to
determination of the four cardinal points and four elements it
determinates our world. It is a symbol of solidity and stability, task,
house, sureness, table, „slotted boxes and caskets“, playful symetry,
justice, action and the hands of two people put together. There are four
corners in any square and these corners may be perceived strickt or even
disturbers of energy and symbol of fight, especially when combined with
rounded edges but they may also be perceived as four points of view
connected in the middle in a compromise.
Triangle
A triangle, a pointed shape, also consists of lines; it is a guidepost and a
symbol of a deep perception and rising up the height. A triangle is often
connected with a warning, danger, divisibility, cruelty, coldness,
rationality, sharp heads, with something pointed, prickly, something that
disturbs and penetrates and what is unpleasant a bit. However, triangles
are also associated with protection, holy trinity, superior power,
universality, uplifting, orientation, infinity, top, connection, flow of energy
and divine energy (God's Eye = belief and hope). A triangle is, in 3D view,
a shape of pyramids and for this reason it might associate a base, rising up
from the base to the peak, development, fighting, geometry, values and
success (or at least a half of success). A triangle is a symbol of trinity
(heaven, hell, earth; father, son and Holy Spirit), power and dynamic,
insight to the future, it may sing marginalization of your inner world.
However, an equilateral triangle may became even a harmony and
balance. A triangle is symbolizing a good layout, ranked priorities, rise,
achieving your goals as well as power, belief, possibility to change a part
when something remains the same.
Dot: everything is one, symbol of the Unmanifested
Circle: wholeness, integrity, unity
Horizontal line: divides up from down, the earth and the sky. Maternal
energy.
Vertical line: connection between worlds, energy. Divides right and left.
Cross: two lines meet and form a centre. Recognition.
Triangle with the vertex pointed upwards: aspiration, energies pointing
upwards, in the direction of the spiritual sphere
Triangle with vertex pointed downwards: aspirations towards the
earthly, material sphere
Hexagon, created from the above-mentioned triangles: unity spiritual
and material aspirations
Square: our existence in the material world
Circle and square together: implementation of the spirit in
the material
Octagon: harmony in human existence
Pentagon: human being brought to perfection
Heptagon: spiritual way
Circle divided to twelve parts: cycle of nature, wholeness
Swastika: Sun, energy, movement of the Universe
Spiral: cyclic movement of nature, dynamics. The two
directions of the spiral symbolises the constructive and the
destructive aspects.
• Wheel with eight spokes: The circular nature of a wheel works as an
artistic representation of a perfect universe. The eight spokes represent
the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, a summary of practices that lead to
liberation and rebirth.
• Bell: Bells represent an openness and emptying of the mind to allow the
entrance of wisdom and clarity.
• Triangle: When facing upward, triangles represent action and energy, and
when facing downward, they represent creativity and the pursuit of
knowledge.
• Lotus flower: A sacred symbol in Buddhism, the symmetry of a lotus
depicts balance. As a lotus reaches up from underwater into the light, so
too does a human reaching for spiritual awakening and enlightenment.
• Sun: A popular basis for modern mandala patterns, suns tend to represent
the universe, often carrying meanings related to life and energy.
Types of Mandalas
1.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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Video clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHede5XDFN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtrgKfNCIo4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kQO2FjgCxM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAqbn1PMv34
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