Im involved with this group on campus and this one gal in there does these amazingly beautiful mandalas, but are they really art? like WHAT are they? She gave me a little sketch book and said their theraputic and admittedly what Ive dribbled is kinda theraputic but I was just wondering if anyone out there could give me a lil more on them?
a mandala is a meditation pattern... mandalas can be found in nearly every ancient culture in many forms... perhaps the most well known mandalas are made by buddhist monks. these mandalas demonstrate the 4 noble truths, the eight fold path, and the precepts of buddhism. they are often created using tiny grains of dyed sand... the monks painstakingly create the huge mandalas over the course of weeks or months. as soon as it is finished they say a few words then sweep up the sand into a pile and dump it into a nearby river. i believe to demonstrate the concept of impermanence. however, you can make your own meditation pattern. their symmetrical nature seems to focus the mind and eliminate distractions. i make mandalas sometimes and they are very relaxing. and they also are very nice to look at because they are often colorful and the symmetry is very soothing. mandalas are certainly art, i dont know what else you might call them... here are some mandalas i've found on the internet from various artists starwheel90 by Aya Amelia by Jessica(found on etsy) Cosmic Blue Lotus by Charlotte Backman as you can see they are all very symmetrical... some more intricate than others, some more colorful. they are all art. all of them very interesting meditation patterns. sometimes when i look at a mandala i get lost in it, i lose track of time and before i know it i've spent 20 minutes looking over every line and shape. try making one, they're fun and certainly a therapeutic form art, but really is there any kind of art that isn't therapeutic?
mmg, what a great post! Thanks for sharing. I'm trying to find this great article I read a few years about about mandals and constructing them to reflect one's self. I had a hard copy of the magazine it was from but probably lost it in one of the many moves I have done over the past few years. I'm going to keep looking for it... perhaps see if I can find it online archived somewhere.
carl jung drew a new mandala every day for a few years whilst he was developing his theories about archetypes and collective unconscious - his view was that each one reflected his inner state at the time they are representations of the 'centre of energy' or of one's centre within inner space. i love, love, love getting lost looking into mandalas mandalas can be constructed with objects also - i always have one laid out with crystals in my room and work with a group who make large scale mandalas at bush parties here in australia for example, we did this one at the rainbow serpent festival 2009; i wish there was an aerial view so you could see more of the layout and symmetry link to a better explanation of how what we create through the mandala works and how it's used in a festival setting; http://www.rainbowserpent.net/index.php/4-lifestyle/62-the-crystal-mandala.html
For me making a mandala is meditation in itself. The flow makes the patterns in balance and harmony. I also have them hanging on my wall and walpaper on my computer to look at through the day Some videos of my mandalas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOLf1QppLMY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOLf1QppLMY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bge-6rw7YXw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bge-6rw7YXw Peace and love Haint
there is an awesome thread somewhere on here made by stalk for do it yourself mandalas.... that was an excellent website you know stinkfoots avatar? he made that there! imma find the link now.................
I LOVE Mandalas.. I use them for healing... http://www.powerattunements.com/mandalas.html http://www.eaglespiritministry.com/works/uc.htm
I love these things, I used to draw a small one to chill before getting into a painting. More interesting than drawing circles and figure eights over and over. Haven't done any in ages though, so might do start em again
i made this really quick one day outside my apartment. i'd like to make another, more extensive one someday. i just looked at some (very tiny) mandala pictures at the first link jared posted...they were surprisingly relaxing!
Man I just love the way that mandallas are an exercise in appreciation of the transient nature of reality. I really want to go to a beach on some good blotter and draw a mandalla in the sand with a few friends, light a fire smoke some joints, then watch the tide carry it away. unfortunately it is winter so I'll have to settle for snow mandallas.
