Mandala Art and Mindfulness!!

Art Heals! We are creative beings and have an innate desire for free expression. Sometimes, we find it easier to express our inner feelings through art rather than words. Art helps to unlock immense creative potential within us. Mandala Art is one of the beautiful ways by which we can freely express ourselves and connect to our inner being.

In the ancient Sanskrit language, mandala means a “circle.” Mandalas hold diverse significance and meaning going back to different Asian cultures like Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism to modern day psychotherapy and artistic form . For some, they may represent whole Universe or it's different aspects. And for others, a Mandala may represent a part of the self, a reflection of the inner state at any particular moment.

Mandalas are circular, geometric patterns emanating from a center. If we look around us and observe our environment, we can see various mandala patterns - flowers, sea shells, labyrinth, tree rings, solar system and more. Mandalas can be used as tools for Meditation, Healing, Inner Transformation or Art Therapy.

The brilliant psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, believed that the mandala represents the Self and that drawing a mandala gives a person a sacred space to meet that Self. He considered making mandalas an effective form of art therapy, helping to calm and comfort people struggling with mental health issues.

I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing, ... which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. ... Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is: ... the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious.

— Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections,

Mandala represents our state of being in the present moment. If we are mindful while making a mandala, it helps us to process our emotions and thoughts and brings to our awareness what we need to know in the present moment. While making a mandala our breathing slows down, allowing us to feel a sense of calm and relaxation. Mandala Art can help in cultivating the art of being mindful in the present moment, to be an observer to our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, patterns. As you continue making mandalas, you realize that there is no limit to the designs and patterns - Its infinite as our Cosmos.