Mandalas are not just drawings, and I will show why.
In the following essay I reported some information about the art of mandalas and
explain the psychological used Carl Jung gave them.
I decided to talk about this topic because many
people have once seen a mandala but don´t understand their meaning and uses.
Mandala means circle in Sanskrit. Beyond its
definition as a word, from the spiritual point of view, a mandala is an
energetic center of balance and purification that helps transforming the
environment and the mind. It is also defined as an ideographic system container
of a sacred space.
Mandalas are used since ancient times. They
originated in India and spread in Eastern cultures, Indigenous American and
Aboriginal Australia. In Western culture, it was Carl G. Jung, who used them in
therapies with the goal of seeking individuality in humans. Jung used to
interpret his dreams by drawing a mandala daily. Through this activity he discovered
the relationship they had with his center and from there, he developed a theory
about the structure of the human psyche.
According to Carl Jung, mandalas represent the
totality of the mind, encompassing both the conscious and the unconscious. He
stated that the archetype of these drawings is firmly anchored in the
collective subconscious.
Mandalas are also defined as a cosmological
diagram that can be used for meditation. It consists of a series of concentric
geometric shapes arranged in different visual levels. The more basic forms used
are: circles, triangles, squares and rectangles.
These figures can be created in two or three
dimensional shape. For example, in India there are many temples with the form
of mandalas. The designs are varied, but have similar characteristics: a cross
cardinal points contained in circles and arranged with certain symmetry.
According to psychology, mandalas represent the
human being. Interacting with them will help heal the mental and spiritual
fragmentation, express your creativity and reconnect with your essential self.
It is like starting a journey into your essence; you'll open doors hitherto
unknown and calls forth your inner wisdom.
The work of meditation with mandalas may
consist of observation or drawing thereof. In the first case, just sit in a
comfortable place, achieve a rhythmic, deep breathing, and dispose you
to observe a mandala of your choice. It can lead to a state of relaxation and
feel more alert to events that happen around you. The observation process can
last between three and five minutes.
In the second case, you can draw mandalas or
color them. It is recommended that if you are new with these images, begin by coloring.
To do this, choose a model that inspires you, select instruments (colors,
markers, watercolors, for example), and then consider setting up in a quiet
place. You can put music on if you want and begin your work. There are various
techniques. Everything depends on your mood and the reason why you are painting
the mandala. If you feel you need help to externalize your emotions, so color
the mandala from the inside to the outside; if instead, you want to find your
center, paint it the other way around.
This exercise can be done by everyone,
regardless of age or religion. It is a simple practice that will result in
personal benefits and the achievement of internal balance.
To conclude, I would like to share a personal
experience with mandalas.
When I first heard about them, I thought they were
simply drawings. I painted some because I contemplated their beauty.
However, once I found out that mandalas were
used as a medical support with people who had psychological problems, and I
discovered the wonders of this art.
Not long ago, my grandmother had a stroke, and
a friend told her to paint mandalas when she felt stress. Now, is the best
therapy she has to express herself. Although
I tried to explain the meaning of each type of mandala to her, she forgets it
easily because of the illness she once had. I hope you do remember it, when I
share it with you next week! XOXO
A gossip girl
*Sri Mariamman Temple*
*"Piedra del sol" Maya´s Mandalas*
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