NECESSARY WISDOM
The word “mandala”
comes from the Indian Sanskrit language and means “circle” or “completion”, but
the term commonly refers to geometric pictures containing shapes and/ or symbols
of the cosmos from the point of view of the observer. Commonly, mandalas
include circles and squares, but really, there are no rules.
Carl Jung described
the mandala as a representation of the unconscious self or soul, and he used
his own and patient’s mandalas as a way of diagnosing psychological needs, illnesses
or imbalances. He would encourage his patients to create a mandala that
represented their own “personal world” at the time and he believed this picture
would provide insights into his patient’s spiritual state.
Constructing a
mandala can be a form of unconscious or symbolic art, and we can all use this
identity focus technique to help reveal some of our unconscious needs, or
simply as a form of relaxation and fun.
You do not need
artistic talent to create your own mandala. You just need some materials, some
tools, and a preparedness to let your mind go with the flow during the creation
process.
Figure 12: A mandala made with computer graphics
You can construct
your mandala using any one, or a combination of a variety of methods. You might
like to use a drawing program on a computer or electronic pad (see Figure 12).
Alternatively, you may prefer to construct your mandala out of natural
materials found in natural surroundings and glued or attached in some way to a
base board. Many use traditional art materials such as paints, crayons or
pencils on paper or canvas. Zen Buddhist Monks create mandalas on the ground
using piles of sand of many different colours. Again, there are no rules. Use
whatever combination of materials that appeals to you.
Many web sites display
pictures of mandalas and describe different ways of creating them. Simply type
“mandala” into a search engine and you will most likely discover hundreds of examples
to inspire you.
You can create
mandalas whenever you like, but as a reflection tool, some of the most
revealing times can be at the start of a new year, on your birthday, during a
time of crisis or before you have to make a major decision in your life.
You need to allow at
least one to two hours for the whole process of creating your mandala, and half
an hour or so to reflect upon it at a later stage. Whilst some people complete
mandalas with music, it is usually best to complete the mandala in silence;
otherwise, your mandala may reflect your reaction to the music - not what is happening in your life.
Before you start the
process of creation, you will need to decide on your method and “canvas” or
base such as a computer screen, paper, real canvas, a board or the ground. You
then need to collect your materials together.
Place the blank canvas
(paper, board, electronic or ground area) in front of you and spend a few
moments in silence. Try to put all thoughts of particular events and people out
of your mind. One way to do this is to count backwards from 50. You can close
your eyes while you do this or focus on a flickering candle. The secret is to
try to get your conscious mind right out of the way so you can allow the
unconscious to express itself.
After at least 5
minutes of mediation, focus on the blank canvas for a few moments and then move
your gaze to your collection of materials or colours. Choose whatever colour,
object or material that seems to choose you. Look back at your blank canvas and
think of geometric shapes - let them
all parade before your imagination:
circles, squares, pentagons, hexagons, triangles - when one seems to appeal to you, draw the outline on the canvas.
Make this first shape fill most of the available area. Remember that the
quality of the shape is not important - you
know what shape is in your mind, and that is what is important.
Once you have your
first shape on the sheet, study it for a few seconds and allow another shape,
object, and/or colour to come to mind. As soon as it chooses you, add it to
your picture. Colour in any shapes as you feel like doing so. You can also
leave the shapes as outlines if you wish. You do not have to restrict your
inner shapes to geometric shapes - they
can be realistic shapes if that is what you want - you can draw or add leaf shapes, stones, twigs, fruit, animals
(preferably not real ones!), buildings, vehicles, anything, as long as the
shape comes without thinking about it. This is one reason why geometric shapes
work so well. However, if you have this urge to add a realistic shape, let it
happen.
Continue the process
of adding shapes, colours and objects until you feel as if you are creating
without thinking. Just go with the flow, and resist the temptation to judge
your picture at any stage. You are trying to allow your unconscious mind to express
itself.
Once the mandala is
complete to your satisfaction, spend a few moments getting in touch with the
feelings you feel as you look at it.
Record these initial
feelings in a journal and then, if possible, take a break from your mandala for
a period of time e.g. at least a few hours, or a day or so. If it has been
created on paper, canvas or a portable base, put your mandala on display in a
place where you have access to it, but where other’s will not. If your mandala
has been created in a natural area, it may be worth taking a photo of the piece
in case it is damaged before you come back to see it again. If you have
produced an electronic mandala, save the file and if desired, print it out for
later reference.
After a period, come
back and study your mandala again. Allow the shapes, colours and materials to
soak into your mind and again, take note of any feelings evoked by the work.
One of the best
times to do this is just before you turn the lights out to sleep. This
technique can often produce some interesting dream images that expand on the
themes in the mandala.
Another useful time
to reflect on your mandala is first thing in the morning. Again, record your
responses in your personal journal if you have one.
The basic question
to ask yourself as you look at your mandala is “What do the shapes, colours and
objects I used to make these shapes tell me about myself or my spiritual
journey at this stage of my life?” Here are some further questions you can use
to get you started.
-
What feelings does the mandala seem to evoke in you?
Are there certain parts of the mandala that affect you differently from others?
Are the colours generally happy colours or sombre, sad colours?
-
What kinds of shapes predominate in the picture?
Are they hard-edged shapes or soft flowing shapes? Are the lines strong and
purposeful, or soft and wispy?
-
Is the composition packed with shapes and
colours, or are there many “empty” spaces?
-
Think about how you worked at your mandala - did
you work your way in from the outside or start at the middle and work out? Alternatively,
did you concentrate on one little corner and get that right before moving off
to another spot? Was there order in the way you went about things, or was it
random, or even chaotic? Is this process similar to the way you tackle life’s
problems?
If you find it
difficult to come up with any useful responses to these questions, or the very
process of reflecting on your mandala seems rather uncomfortable, do not be
concerned. Sometimes, there may be very little of consequence that we can learn
from our mandalas, or if there is, the meaning of particular elements may
spring to mind later when we least expect it. In the meantime, simply enjoy mandala creation
for its own sake.
After reflecting on
your mandala, you will need to decide whether to keep your creation or
“de-commission” it. Buddhist monks who make mandalas out of sand typically rake
over and destroy their images after they have been on display for a short time.
Their point is that our life is always in a process of change, and we should
not cling to any of our creations or identify ourselves with any moment in
time. On the other hand, if we keep a record of our mandalas, we may have a
useful collection of images to chart stages of development in our spiritual
journey. You need to decide which path to take.
CREATIVE RESPONSES
CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Create a personal mandala to reflect the
current stage of your life journey.
Use the guidelines above to create your own mandala.
Return to your creation at a later stage and reflect on the
symbols, shapes and images using the questions suggested above.
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