Mandala - The Magical Circle, Part 1 of 2

First, let us take a look at some of the amazing pictures. Aren’t they beautiful? Do you see any commonalities between the artworks? Yes, they all have circles, or are in circular shapes. All of them can be categorized as mandalas, the Sanskrit word for circle or wholeness. Sanskrit is a classical Indian language. The circular design of mandalas gives us a sense that everything in the universe is connected and life continues forever. As shared in the pictures, the easiest place to find mandala images are in nature. They are everywhere.

Although the mandala is usually a spiritual symbol that represents the universe in Hinduism and Buddhism, mandalas appear in all ancient cultures throughout the world. Tibetan monks create sand mandalas as a prayerful meditative practice. At the other end of the globe, we can watch a demonstration of a Navajo Sand Painting, which is also a sacred art. It conveys the God’s power. Here different colored sands are used with skillful fingers. The Aztec calendar is a mandala that is a sacred calendar of the Mexica. The geometric diagram shows two very different calendar systems, one being the 365-day agricultural year that we follow and the other is a 260-day sacred year where the days are described according to the Aztec gods. Interestingly, mandalas are also in the astrological zodiac signs.

Making mandala art helps us concentrate in the present moment, a powerful relaxation tool that promotes inner harmony and balance, that is also not difficult to create. Have you ever made a nature mandala? Here’s how to do it. Let’s gather in a circle. To collect elements for our mandala, we split into groups, maximum of five people. Each group goes out into the surrounding area gathering natural elements without cutting or destroying anything. The intention is to connect and act mindful. As you search for things to use, you can explore their energy, their story and their strengths. Whatever you take, maintain respect for the place and cultivate gratitude.