Mandala (Sanskrit Maṇḍala, 'circle') is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian religions, representing the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point.Dreamstime - Mandala
Slide Share - Creating Mandala Using Color Geometry
Wikipedia - Mandala
Mandalas, What Are They?
The word Mandala (pronunciation mon- dah- lah) means "circle". A Mandala represents wholeness, a cosmic diagram reminding us of our relation to infinity, extending beyond and within our bodies and minds.
The mandala appears to us in all aspects of life, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and more obviously the circles of life encompassing friends, family and communities.
Mandalas are circular designs symbolizing the notion that life is never ending. Many mandalas have spiritual significance to an individual or group of individuals. The Hindus were one of the first people to use a mandala as a spiritual tool, but the mandalas most individuals are familiar with, are ones made by Buddhists.
Mandalas are used for meditation purposes allowing the individual meditating to become one with the universe. There are not many who are able to achieve this state of mind from just studying a mandala. The symbolism behind the creation of a mandala can have significant meaning for many individuals whether they are Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Pagan or of any other religious orientation.
Mandalas can be created by individuals to symbolize their journeys through life. Mandalas can also tell a story of where an individual has been. In some cases they will reveal the individual's path in life. Groups can create mandalas that will reveal what they should be doing in order to grow and develop as a group.
How to use a mandala
There are many uses for a mandala. The design of the mandala is supposed to be visually appealing so as to absorb the mind in such a way that irritating thoughts are unable to get through and a spiritual essence surrounds the individual observing the mandala, which in turn allows the individual a higher consciousness or awareness, almost as though being hypnotized. This allows the busy mind to take a break while the creative mind is allowed to run free.
Having said that, the mandala is primarily used as a form of meditation to gain knowledge from within.
Select a mandala that appeals to you. You should know the meaning of the mandala you have chosen or set your own meaning before using it for meditation.
Once the intention has been set, you can begin focussing on the mandala. Allow yourself to take in the lovely designs, allow your mind to wander. Just like watching a candle flame in candle therapy, if your mind starts to think about the usual mundane things, simply bring your focus and attention back to the beauty of the mandala. Let the mandala absorb all your attention, by falling into it and gazing into the colours, swim in its patterns. As you begin to fall into the mandala, you will experience a feeling of lightness and intuitive thoughts may arise. Relax, let thoughts and feelings come to you. Float with it. If you begin to feel panic, feel lost, uncomfortable or if you start thinking about those "mundane" things again, just relax and refocus your attention back to the mandala.
Everyone experiences different feelings. But if you have a relaxed demeanour whilst focussed on the mandala you have obviously achieved what was intended. You should come away with clarity of the intention you or the particular mandala set before the meditation.
Creating a mandala
The internet has a wealth of mandalas and their meanings. Many sites have mandalas ready for colouring as a free copy or download. It is always best to select colours intuitively. With the assistance of Spirit and Destiny magazine find below colours and their symbolic meanings to assist you making your mandala colour choice:
RED for strength, high energy and passion
PINK for love, intuition and the feminine
ORANGE for creativity, transformation, self-awareness and intuition
YELLOW for learning, wisdom, laughter and happiness
GREEN for physical healing, psychic ability, love of nature and caring
BLUE for emotional healding, inner peace and meditation
PURPLE for all things spiritual
WHITE for spiritual focus
BLACK for mystery, deep thinking and individuality
I suggest you visit June-Elleni's website. It is informative and very visual!
June-Elleni Laine (www.psychicartworks.com) writing for Spirit and Destiny shows how to create a manifestation mandala to bring your goals into reality.
Find below point by point instructions for this creation:
1. Have some coloured pastels or crayons ready. You might also want to play some relaxing music to set the tone.
2. Set your intention, such as becoming more psychic or having a loving relationship with your partner. Contemplate it for as long as is comfortable, considering how good you'll feel when it happens.
3. Once you're settled in mind and body, focus on the colours you feel are helpful for your purpose, and get them ready. (See above)
4. Focus on your intention as you begin to draw. It might help to repeat the words that express your intention as you do so.
5. Let the drawing flow as it connects you to the creative source, as though it has a life of its own. You may feel inspired to use certain shapes, words or symbols as the basis for your manifestation mandala, or just let it evolve.
6. Continue to draw, focusing only on your intention and how you'll feel as you ultimately achieve your goal. Stop drawing if you become distracted by other thoughts or you notice the energy falling away. Give yourself a moment and take a few deep, relaxing breaths. When the energy connection returns, continue drawing.
7. Mandalas should be allowed to emerge effortlessly, with enjoyment and creativity. Leave any judgement to one side and let your mandala develop, however long it takes.
8. Look at the mandala and feel its energy. It will be alive with the intention you made at the start. When you contemplate the drawing, you may notice elements you didn't see while creating it. This confirms you were in right-brain, intuitive activity - always a good sign. The meaning of these elements will come to you in time through contemplation, and offten in surprising ways.
9. Once you've created your mandala, put it somewhere you'll see it every day - on the wall, or as a screen saver on your phone, computer or laptop - so that it can work its powerful magic on your life.
