Week 4: Yoga, Mind, Zen

Coloring Mandalas....For Balance, Harmony, and Spiritual Well-Being

Although the word Mandala is used in an almost generic way today to describe circular designs, the word itself comes to us from the ancient Hindu language of Sanskrit. Its meaning, literally, is “container of sacred essence”. As you study Mandalas more and more, you will come to realize the truth of this definition! It is particularly apt when you consider the sacred architecture of the stupa (temple).

When you think of Mother Nature, graceful, rounded forms come to mind.  She is, of course, the origin or mother to Mandalas.  Curves, arcs, coils, circles, and spirals are expressed as buds, tendrils, seeds, bubbles, flowers, nests and so much more.   From the cycles of the days and seasons to the physical details of plants and animals, from the microcosm of a cell to the macrocosm of the solar system, it is all variations on a single circular theme, beautiful in all its variety.

The mandala represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.

Many people and cultures have vouched for the mandala’s intrinsic meaning. Buddhists, Tibetans, and Hindus have all derived meaning from the mandala and its captivating beauty. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung has called it “a representation of the unconscious self.” The mandala is widely recognized as a meaningful reflection of its creator. Mandala creation can be a great source of reflection on one’s soul.

Coloring mandalas can provide a soothing balance for hectic lifestyles and help you develop your ability to access a calm state of mind more easily, whenever you choose.

Should you choose to create your Mandala:

1. Take a few moments to meditate and relax. Notice the images that appear in your mind. This is a form of visual imagery.

2. Take your mandala circle and using a chosen media (markers, paint, crayons, etc.) begin to doodle spontaneously. Let the image take on a life of it’s own. Fill in the entire circle.

3. Your mandala might be filled with the images you have seen in your meditation, or it can be filled with shapes and colors.

4. When you have finished the mandala you will have a holistic representation of what is going on within your “self”. It will show the "whole" picture, or part of the "whole" picture.

5. Translate your mandala with a detached curiosity and sense of wonder. Look at the mental patterns and energies in the forms within the mandala. Translate the feelings through the use of color.