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Mandalas
Mandalas are powerful visual tools that can be used for meditation and to evoke healing on many levels. Contemplating a mandala in meditation can bring you into a state of deep relaxation. They are believed to originate from Tibet. Tibetan monks created them using sand sometimes made of semi precious stones. They represent the universe - the macrocosm and the microcosm - and the sand was said to represent the transitory nature of life. The Sanskrit word mandala is often translated as 'circle' or 'mystic circle' and less commonly as a "Center of the Universe in which a fully awakened being abides". The root 'manda' means essence and 'la' means container.
When contemplating a mandala, one method is to commence by gazing at the centre point which is called the "bindu". The centre of Buddhist or Hindu mandalas often have the image of a deity in the centre. Sometimes a tree or a wheel or other symbolic image is depicted at the centre. Mandalas represent the structure of life itself. Representations of the mandala can be found in architecture as well as in the natural world, such as the sun, the moon, rings on tree trunks, or spirals on snail shells. The psychotherapist, Carl Jung used mandalas as a transformative tool both for his clients and for his own personal development. He saw mandalas as a gateway to one's inner being or as a means of communicating with the unconscious mind.
Working with MandalasWorking with mandalas can bring the two sides of your brain into alignment and balance inducing a deep experience of wholeness.Meditation with mandalas can help support your emotional healing, increase your level of intuition and enhance your spiritual awareness. There are several methods in which mandalas can be used to bring about a sense of wholeness and peace. 1) Contemplating a mandala 2) Colouring mandalas 3) Drawing Mandalas
Meditation Exercise1) Choose a mandala that you would like to work with. Pick one that resonates with you on an instinctual level, that you may be drawn to because of the design or the patterns or shapes. 2) Take some time to get yourself comfortable and to relax. 3) Notice the rhythm of your breathing. If possible, gently slow down the rhythm of your breath. 4) Focus your gaze on the center of your mandala. 5) Notice the patterns, colours and shapes of the whole mandala. If you are working with a photograph or painting, you may still see patterns change, move or pulsate. 6) Feel positive energy from the mandala flowing into you. If you require emotional healing, intend that the energy flows into your heart area. If there is a physical symptom, intend that the energy flows to the part of your body that requires healing energy. 7) After a few minutes, close your eyes. You may still see your mandala through your closed eyes. 8) With your eyes remaining closed, continue to observe the patterns glow and fade in your mind's eye.
Below are some resources which may help you to design, colour or draw your own mandala.
You can find a selection of mandala photographs at Flower Mandalas Project Blog
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