If you have ever gazed at the vibrant hues and intricate patterns of mandalas, you have probably wondered what they meant. Perhaps you have filled in a book of mandala coloring pages when you needed a moment to relax, or spotted the all-too-familiar circular imagery in some of your favorite buildings or works of art. Whether used as a meditative tool or a divine symbol in religion, philosophy, or psychology, mandalas serve an important purpose to many different people around the globe.
According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, the word mandala is Sanskrit for “circle.” Mandalas often take the form of a circle with multiple hues, patterns, and geometric shapes radiating outwards from the center. They can also take the form of a square with a gate on each side. The repetitive nature of mandalas represents the endlessness of the universe, an idea, or an individual themselves. The center of the mandala suggests the beginning of a journey or life itself. The outer circle imitates the circular nature of many things in the organic world: the Moon, the Sun, a water droplet, or a flower. Mandalas can be either geometrically precise or organic and free-flowing.
A mandala can be a visual representation of the universe as well as a symbol of the internal world. Mandalas often serve as tools in spiritual and psychological practices such as meditation. Many of these exercises can be found in mandala coloring pages. A mandala is also an important symbol in many different cultures, playing a significant role in the consecrated rituals of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. In fact, mandalas have their roots in Hindu and Buddhist teachings.
The very first mandalas date back to the first century B.C.E. Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the “the Buddha,” was born in Nepal, India, and founded Buddhism. After the Buddha’s death, his followers spread his teachings throughout southeast Asia, reaching China, Korea, Japan, and eventually Tibet by the seventh century C.E. Buddhist monks traveled the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting Asia and present-day Europe, carrying mandalas and spreading knowledge on how to create and paint them.
Most of the mandala painters came from families with a similar occupation. Others were Buddhist monks. All were religious-minded. In Tibetan Buddhism, painters had to undergo initiation rites before crafting mandalas. A Tibetan mandala was painted in a series of steps, including preparing the painting surface, transferring mandala designs from pre-established sketches, applying the initial layers of paint, using dyes for shading and outlining, and administering finishing touches.
Traditional mandalas are still created today. The Tibetan monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery produced a sand mandala for New York City as a gift to represent goodwill and healing after the terrorist incident of September 11, 2001. Mandalas continue to symbolize unity, wholeness, and new beginnings.
There are many different kinds of mandalas. Sand mandalas are made from colored sand. They are often produced as part of an elaborate ceremony and are symbolic in both their creation and destruction. A team of monks will draw the geometric patterns of the mandala before beginning work. Then, the monks will lay down the sand, starting in the center and working outwards. Like all mandalas, the sand mandala represents the universe, and its destruction symbolizes impermanence.
A word mandala is just as it sounds: a mandala made with words rather than symbols. Word mandalas still follow a pattern, though, whether that be overlaying text onto geometry or using text as the geometry itself. Some ancient mandalas used Sanskrit scripts portraying religious teachings. Mandalas are also created using inventive materials such as thread and semiprecious stones.
There is an abundance of symbolism in mandalas. A flower can be used to represent love, beauty, growth, and passion. Mandalas are also used to create sacred spaces, especially during meditation, and may include the image of a deity. A meditator will sit in the center of the mandala, allowing him or her to feel centered and connected to the rest of the universe.
Each color in a mandala has its own special meaning. Red signifies strength, energy, and passion. Pink represents love and femininity. Orange cultivates creativity, intuition, and transformation. Yellow is associated with wisdom, learning, happiness, and laughter. Green symbolizes physical healing, psychic ability, nature, and caring. Blue relates to emotional healing, meditation, and inner peace. Purple represents all things spiritual as well as ethereal focus. Finally, black signifies deep thought, individuality, and mystery.
You can design your own mandala to attract certain qualities or feelings into your life. Or, you can color in an existing mandala pattern and see where your creativity takes you. There is an abundance of ready-made mandala coloring pages available online, many of which are free to print. Coloring in a mandala can be a transformative experience. A simple printable pdf could be your key to unlocking a world of personal insight and intuitive mystery. Soon you will be on your way to creating a beautiful Mandala of your own!
In addition to its religious significance, the mandala has played an important role in psychology. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, was exposed to mandalas while studying Eastern religion. He was so inspired by the mandala that he brought the concept back with him to the West and introduced it into his psychotherapy practice. Jung believed mandalas were symbolic of the psychological processes of Self-Expression and personal growth. He instructed his patients to create mandalas so he could identify obstacles on each individual’s path towards wholeness and healing.
Joan Kellogg, an art therapist and researcher, developed the MARI (Mandala Assessment Research Instrument) in the 1970’s to help clients learn more about themselves. Clients first select symbols which resonate with them. Then, from a pool of about 45 cards, they choose the colors they feel best accompany those symbols. Their choices are then laid out on a field, the “Great Round,” composed of thirteen developmental stages. Kellogg believed that the clients’ choices would reveal important insights into their subconscious. The intuitive nature of the MARI made it approachable and easy for clients to use.
Today, mandala art is created all over the world. The mandala continues to be an important tool in expressing creativity, discovering personal insights, and relieving stress. It can be found within sacred architectural spaces or free coloring pages of books. A mandala represents a person’s individual journey towards completeness and its meditative pattern signifies the possibilities of both our internal and external worlds. By engaging with mandalas, you open up a pathway to higher level awareness.
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