They’re omnipresent, cryptic and alluring … but what really are mandalas?
The mandala is one of the most ancient and universal symbols known to man. Meaning “circle” in Sanskrit, the mandala can be found everywhere from Palaeolithic engravings, to medieval alchemy and Tibetan Buddhism.
Mandala Meaning
At the most basic level, mandalas represent wholeness, unity and harmony. However, every mandala has a unique meaning. Throughout the world, mandalas have come to portray everything from psychological balance (Jungian psychology) and cosmic order (Taoism), to religious beliefs (Christianity) and the impermanence of life (Navajo Indians).
Father of analytical psychology, Carl Jung, himself drew mandalas to aid his self-growth. Every morning he would sketch a circle in his notebook, and within it he would draw what he felt reflected his inner situation. As he wrote in his autobiography: “Only gradually did I discover what the mandala is … and that is the self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious.”
However, Jung’s interpretation of the mandala is only one of many interpretations. In Tibet, for example, mandalas are created as meditation aids for the Buddhist monks who design them. In Islam, mandalas are created purely for devotional purposes, and in Celtic paganism, the mandala represents the three worlds of body, mind and spirit.
Clearly, regardless of their meaning, mandalas have always embodied that which is sacred, holy and mystical. It seems that despite our cultural or religious context, mandalas have a universal appeal to our human psyche.
How to Draw Your Own Mandala
Awareness of the mandala may have the potential of changing how we see ourselves, our planet, and perhaps even our own life purpose.
— Bailey Cunningham
Learning how to draw your own mandala is a deeply absorbing, meditative practice. Not only does it unleash your inner artist, but creating your own mandala meaning can produce deeper insights about life itself.
Designing your own mandala is a beautiful way of entering an altered state of consciousness. Benefits include an increased sense of wellbeing, calmness, clarity, emotional stability, wholeness, creativity and understanding. Mandalas are also said to carry their own special kind of vibrational energy. Therefore, they can be used for the enhancement of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.
Before you create your mandala you will need a few materials:
- A piece of paper or visual diary
- Pencil, permanent marker and eraser
- Optional: ruler, compass and protractor for drawing lines and circles (otherwise you can draw them organically by hand)
- Optional: coloring pencils, watercolor paints or oil pastels
- Get comfortable — find a quiet and undisturbed place where you can relax. Being interrupted might cut your creative flow.
- Create a purpose — in other words, what is the intent behind your mandala? Do you want to simply express your unconscious mind, or do you have a more specific intention such as creating a meditation aid? Perhaps you might even want to creatively express feelings such as anger, love or gratitude?
- Draw whatever comes to mind using a lead pencil that can be freely erased. You might like to use a compass, protractor and ruler … or free-hand draw your designs.
- Mandalas are all about symmetry, so it helps to split your page into two. Whatever you draw on one side, draw on the other. This creates balance.
- If “mental chatter” enters your mind, stop, breathe and let it pass. Once you’ve reconnected with your creative juice, you can continue drawing.
Once you’ve finished your mandala, you may like to think about coloring it in. Different colors have different meanings, so choose what colors resonate with your intention. Here are some examples:
- Yellow for joy and happiness
- Orange for self-awareness and creativity
- Red for energy, passion and strength
- Pink for femininity, love and gentleness
- Purple for mystery and spirituality
- Violet for insight and intuition
- Blue for healing and peace
- Green for nature, groundedness and connection
- White for purity, truth and consciousness
- Black for shadow work and power
Most importantly, your mandala needs to be soulful. Don’t concern yourself too much with making it look “correct” or perfectly symmetrical. We use our analytical left-sided brains too much in daily life! Let your mandala art be free-flowing. This way you’ll enjoy creating it much more and it won’t be a source of perfectionism or stress for you.
Here is a short instructional video:
The mandala meaning varies from culture to culture. What is evident is that the sacred circle has been apparent in nature, religious art and spiritual rituals since the dawn of time. Circles will always be symbolic of oneness and thus appeal to our deeper understanding of truth, completion and joy.
Three paths to inner transformation – here’s how I can help you go deeper:
1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Are you feeling lost, adrift, and unsure of your life's purpose? Gain clarity, focus, and direction on your inner path by uncovering the five archetypes of awakening within you. Learn how to navigate the highs and lows of your inner journey and chart your unique path with 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, and a premium test.
2. Shadow & Light Membership: Do you crave consistent support on your spiritual quest? Receive weekly intuitive guidance and learn to embrace your whole self, including your shadow side. Cultivate deeper self-love with our affordable, personalized support.
3. Spiritual Awakening Bundle: Ready to embark on a profound soul-searching adventure? Dive into our collection of essential transformative resources! Explore five illuminating eBooks and seven in-depth journals, plus unlock two special bonuses to empower your spiritual growth.
$5
Oh, if anyone wants to look into similar resources on mandalas, other than looking up instructions on how to draw one, there are also coloring pages/books with mandalas as well. Recently, there’s been this trend of coloring books for adults, which is apparently a way to relax, and it’s a nice way to get in your inner child too. For similar forms of art, look up “Zen doodles,” “Zen drawing,” or “Zentangles,” for some examples. You might also want to look at “Geometric art,” “Things to doodle,” and “Pattern art,” for more general similar styles outside of the Zen art experience. Similar art mediums outside visual art types include haikus, lettering, and calligraphy, if anyone’s curious.
Today I learned through an astrophysicist that scientists have “traced” if you will, the orbits of the planets in our solar system. 2 orbiting planets create their own mandala pattern. Truly fascinating and perhaps a glimpse into the divine within science.
I’m almost nearing the end of a 100 mandala challenge and aiming to do another round this next year. Here is my first go at a mandala and now my 92nd mandala. I’ve learned much as this began as a healing journey for myself. This past year has been an extraordinarily interesting yet difficult journey.
here are two of my mandalas
In the past I used to draw geometric and symmetrical patterns. It turns very difficult sometimes because one little error in one part, start to generate exponential errors later on. But the results generate a good impression. But that’s different, and like you say, require a different kind of energy and more focus, and I no longer enjoy drawing it, only see already made ones. What I did, not long ago, are not symmetrical mandalas but symbols. I took only a paper, cheap color paintings for kids and a old little paintbrush (I never had used paints and brush before). I made it freely and without concern in “perfection”, but yes in the intention and energy that I wanted to put in it. I used different colors for specific purposes like you mentioned above, and I put them at sight. I like to put some background music (or nature sound) to not be distracted and not think. And when I had to make a circle, I used a little plastic bowl backwards that I found (or you can use an old cd or something similar). And also, years back, I used to make dream catchers. All of this helped me… Read more »