Holistic Articles
|
...there is knowledge
|
What is a Mandala?
- Jane Booth, BA, CSW, Wellness Facilitator
A Symbol of Wholeness
Mandala is the Sanskrit word for circle or wheel. In religious art, the mandala is used to symbolize wholeness - the circle of eternity. However, the pattern of a mandala - a circle with a center - reaches far beyond a two or three dimensional art form. The definition of a mandala can be found in science, religion and art.
Mandala in Nature and Art
The basic pattern of the circle with a center is found in nature and is seen in both physics and astronomy. On our planet, living things are made of cells and each cell has a nucleus - all circles with centers. The crystals that form ice, rocks and mountains are made of atoms and each atom is a mandala. Within the Milky Way galaxy is our solar system and within our solar system is Earth. Each is a mandal that is part of a larger mandala. Flowers, spider webs and the rings found in tree trunks all reflect the primal mandala pattern. The "circle with a center" pattern is the basic structure of creation that is reflected from the micro to the macro in the world as we know it.
Native Americans have created medicine wheels, shields and sand mandalas. Both Navajo Indians and Tibetan monks create sand mandalas in their spiritual practices to demonstrate the impermanence of life. The Aztec Calendar was both a time-keeping device and religious expression of ancient Aztecs. The Mayan Calendar, a circle with glyphs, predicts future events and cycles. In Asia, the Taoist "yin-yang" symbol represents opposition as well as the interdependence of heaven/earth, male/female energies. Tibetan mandalas are often very intricately painted illustrations of religious significance that are used for meditation. Labyrinths are a type of mandala found in many cultures and are used as a tool for centering.
Experiencing the Mandala
A mandala may be created to discover our inner truth and life purpose. Exploring the circle a person can tap into his or her own nature and connect with the deeper calm within. The simple act of drawing or writing within a circular boundary brings forth amazing and beautiful symbolic imagery the can be accessed by one and all.
Creating a group mandala is a unifying experience in which people can express themselves individually with a unified structure... Carl Jung said that a mandala symbolizes a safe refuge of inner reconciliation and wholeness.
Mandala - More than a Pretty Picture
Sacred Geometry Artist Francene Hart says "Representing the universe itself, a mandala is both the microcosm and macrocosm and we are all part of it's intricate design." Her Sacred Geometry Oracle cards are available at The Golden Light Centre for Well-Being Inc. for those who wish to explore the deeper meanings of Sacred Geometry and apply them to your daily life.
For further study join Jane Booth's Sacred Geometry workshops. Check the schedule for the next workshop.
Back to Articles
| 
