Mandala Art Therapy
Ever wonder what those round images with repeating geometric pattern mean. It’s everywhere nowadays, you can see them in yoga studios, beach towels, tattoos, cars, and fridge magnets so forth and so on.
Mandala is a Sanskrit word that loosely translates to circle or centre. In most of eastern religion like Hinduism, Buddhism and Shintoism, it represents the spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers. More like a guide through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering into one of joy and happiness. It’s a repeating pattern of life till you reach the centre.
Modern day mandalas are not restricted by religion, I think. For me, it’s more like art, an interpretation of how we feel, and also our subconscious. Expression of emotions. I find it relaxing just looking at them. Many people create mandala as part of art therapy.
Symmetry is also one of patterns highly observed in making mandalas and use of symbols
Common Symbols used in mandala:
- Rays of the sun – happiness radiating from inner self
- Circles – The element of spirit, seen as an element equal to or superior to the physical elements of fire, air, water, and earth, is commonly represented by a circle.
- Triangles – pointing outwards mean stability, pointing inside is female energy like water and earth.
- Heart – this symbolizes love and affection
- Leaf – is about life and giving birth, creating something. Starting anew, may it be life, career,
friendship - Wheel with Eight or Ten or Twelve Spokes – When a wheel has eight spokes, the spokes represent the Eightfold Path. An eight-spoke wheel is the most common form of the wheel in Buddhism. When a wheel has ten spokes, the spokes represent the ten directions—in effect, everywhere. When a wheel has twelve spokes, the spokes represent the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination.
Other symbols may include spiral, pentagrams, crosses, hexagrams, heptagrams, etc.
Common Colours used in mandala:
Colours play an important part in how we perceive and interact with the world. It seems that each colour emits specific signals that affect our mental, physical and psychological states.
· Red indicates power, bravery and physical strength.
· Yellow same as the rays of the sun symbol, happiness and peace. It also symbolizes knowledge and mental strength.
· Green is a festive colour. It represents life and happiness. Symbolizing peace and happiness, green stabilizes the mind; the colour is cool to the yes and represents Nature
· Blue – in Hinduism, the Creator has given the maximum of blue to nature – sky, oceans, rivers and lakes. The deity who has the qualities of bravery, manliness, determination, the ability to deal with difficult situations, of stable mind and depth of character is represented as blue.
· White is a mixture of seven different colours hence it symbolizes a little bit of the quality of each. It represents purity, cleanliness, peace and knowledge.
· Black, if white is the mixture of colours, this one is the absence of them. Symbolizes sadness and grief. Also as border, separating colours, defining one from the other.
If you’re keen, try making your own mandala art, recommended to be highly therapeutic and fun!
Sources
- Chwalkowski, Farrin. Symbols in
Arts, Religion, and Culture: The Soul of Nature. Newcastle: Cambridge
Scholars. 2016. - Fontana, David. The Secret
Language of Symbols: A Visual Key to Symbols and Their Meanings. San
Francisco: Chronicle Books. 2003 - Iyengar, BKS Iyengar. B,K,S,
Iyengar Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health: The Definitive Step-by-Step
Guide. 2014 - Mandalas at home