What is a Mandala - How to Make a Psychic Mandala and mandalas for Meditation

A mandala is a geometric pattern, usually circular, that represents the cosmos. Mandala is the ancient Sanskrit word for circle and some see it as a diagram of the cosmos or universe.

Designing your own mandala for meditative purposes can help you get in touch with your inner-self, your deepest thoughts and strongest needs. The centre of the mandala represents the most important aspect of your spiritual self at the moment in time the mandala was created, while whatever springs out from the centre is regarded as less important.

Learning how to interpret the symbols and colours chosen for your mandala is similar to dream interpretation and analysing unconscious symbols.

For many cultures, mandala art is used as a form of self-expression to help towards spiritual development For those who seek greater spiritual awareness, a mandala is a tool that is believed to guide a person straight to the heart of this quest.

To understand this further, the psychologist Carl Jung regularly used a mandala as an aid to psychological understanding. He would draw a mandala to express what was going through his mind and he would recognise the images drawn as symbols representing his inner-self.

Interested? Even if you have not heard about mandalas, you might now be wondering how you might make one for yourself. Because making a mandala can be a creative, fun and profound experience. There are simple techniques that can be used and remember: ultimately creating your own mandala can be as easy or as complicated as you wish it to be.

How to Make a Mandala ~

To make a mandala, all you need is a large sheet of drawing paper, paints, colouring pencils, crayons or pens in the colours of your choice. You will also need a compass or large circular object such as a plate to draw around.

It might help to play classical music or a CD you like to meditate to while you are completing this project. Chose a time when you know you will not be disturbed as you need to quieten your mind.

Allow your mind to relax into a meditative state. Then draw your circle. Next you will want to fill it with patterns and colours. Go with what you instinctively feel is right. Whichever shapes, colour combinations and patters that feel right for you. There are no rules here. You might find yourself drawing the same pattern over and over or you might fill the circle with flowers, animals, planets … whatever comes to your mind at the time.

When you feel it is time to stop, do so. Date your mandala just as you would date a dream interpretation. When you are ready to do so, your next exercise will be to consider the symbols within your mandala and what these might be saying to you. As with recording dreams and dream interpretations, be sure to write down your observations.

First published Helium October 2013 © Carole Anne