Mandalas: A Gentle Reflection

By Emelisa Mudle

Through my years of experience, mandalas have been a beautiful, gentle way for people to get in touch with their subconscious and gain more clarity into what is happening within. Not only do mandalas help you to move through blocks and fears, but they are a wonderful way of manifesting dreams.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word for "healing circle." For thousands of years mandalas have been used in various forms starting way back with the caveman's fascination with spirals which were found on cave walls and in carvings — to the Tibetan monks and their beautiful sand paintings. Our fascination with the circle is understandable as it has so many meanings. I am sure you have heard the term the "circle of life." We are created from an egg and nestled in a circular place (the "womb"). We arrive through a circular tunnel into this beautiful world (which mother earth is a circle itself ) which circles around the solar system, and then our bodies leave. Hence the "circle of life."

So why the fascination? Carl Jung once said "I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing, a mandala, which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time. Only gradually did I discover that the mandala really is: the Self, the wholeness of the personality which if all goes well is harmonious." We are so drawn to self (hence the words selfish and self-absorbed) because in the self is where the answers are.

So what are the benefits of mandalas? Lets try one and see, shall we?

A Mandala Making Workshop

• Put aside one hour and create a beautiful place to be alone, light a candle, put on some gentle music (instrumental preferred) and incense, and pour a lovely cup of your favourite hot beverage.
• You will need colours of any sort — be it pencils, oil pastels, or paint. Mandalas can be made in many mediums — from paper cuttings to material. You will also need a large piece of paper.
• Now take three deep breaths, and with each breath breathe in love and let go of any tension and fear — anything that has been bothering you. Let's set an intent for this mandala; you could have the intent "love" and what that means for you. If love doesn't work for you then find something that you want to work through or bring into your life.
• I sometimes find it is easier for people who haven't experienced any creative processes to use their opposing hand when making the mandala. The reason being is it gets you in touch with the right side of the brain which is your intuitive, feeling side.
• Now draw a large circle and focus on your intent and just start making marks. Try not to think too much and just allow the feelings to flow through onto the page.
• Once you have finished your mandala, pick up a pen and write down the name of each colour you have used and give that colour a word. Examples: yellow is love, pink is joy, red is fire, blue is pain. The reason we do this is because each colour means something different to the individual and can vary each day depending on the space you are in.

Here is an example mandala that I have done recently:

This was about a visual I had received with regards to my inner child:

Pink: heart, love
Red: scream, anger
Black: depth, dark
Green: clarity
Blue: spiritual
Orange: power

You can also look at the shapes and give them meaning as well. In my example the circle of the mouth has a meaning of silence. As I look at the colours in the mandala, the story is telling me that my inner child is screaming to be heard and wanting to be loved and longing to create a beautiful world she has wanted for so long. She is angry — yet has moved through so much and the clarity of green in her eyes tells me she is seeing so much more in a healthier, beautiful way. The blue above her represents her coming out of the darkness. She is getting more in touch with her spirituality.

After you finish your own mandala, keep it out to look at each day for a week. You may find there is still more of a story to be told. You may find that there is so much more to work though in your mandala. For example, you may have an area of fear, but you may not know what it is. If that's the case, I would suggest that you do another mandala just on the intent of what this fear is.

I hope you enjoy your mandala experience and embrace your beautiful self through this. •

© 2006 Emelisa Mudle

5/2/06