What is a Mandala: Not Just A Pretty Picture

Mandala comes from Sanskrit and like so many Sanskrit words, mandala has layers of meaning that resonate far more deeply than the simple literal translation, circle. It’s impossible to talk about mandalas without reflecting on their deeper symbolic meaning. So….what is a Mandala?

Mandalas Represent the Entire Universe

Each of us is part of a much greater whole. The mandala represents the cosmos and our relationship to the great infinite universe that extends far beyond our physical bodies and minds, it is integrated within the very essence of our souls.

Yep. Mandalas are as complex to think about as they are to explore and absorb in all their beautiful, intricate forms and circular designs. There are an infinite number of ways to create mandalas, just as there are infinite ways to consider our place within the universe.

If you think about it, the mandala’s endless circle looping back on itself is the perfect symbol for the eternal cycle of birth, life, and death. We can also find circles of friendships, families, and communities and each of us is in the centre of many circles that overlap and affect the circles of others.

Many Ancient Cultures Embrace the Symbolic Power of Mandalas

Many ancient cultures recognised the power of the mandala as a way to symbolise these great concepts. You’ll find mandalas in Hindu art and Buddhist temples, but people from any religious, spiritual or secular background can find wisdom and beauty in the mandala form. The Mayans used a type of mandala as a calendar, a way to represent the passage of time. Celtic knots, rose windows, and the lovely tiled patterns found in Islamic mosques remind us that the mandala is universally embraced and appreciated; it speaks to us in ways we don’t always fully understand on a conscious level.

Use Mandalas in Your Meditation Practice

No surprise then that mandalas can be useful tools for meditation. Gazing at the intricate patterns of a mandala gives the mind somewhere to focus and, by focusing, a way to let go of the endless chatter that distracts us from finding the deep sense of inner calm, peace and contentment that lies within all of us. This intense personal form of meditation on the cosmic diagram can be an wonderful tool for personal growth.

We Are But a Grain of Sand

Perhaps the most beautiful expression of the art and philosophy of mandala-making can be seen in the exquisite sand mandalas of Tibetan Buddhists who labour long and hard to create mandala patterns from coloured grains of sand. Though the final result is as worthy of preservation as any artistic masterpiece, when the mandala has been completed the sand is swept away. What a marvellous lesson in detachment and impermanence! If only we could all be so at peace with the eternal cycles of creation and loss, magic and emptiness. The Navajo Indians also have a sand mandala tradition, which also serves as a reflection on the inevitability of change and the transience of life.

The Mandala is You, Me, and Everyone

Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist believed the circle to be reflective of the most inner place of his unconscious being. He drew mandalas and wrote about the practice saying, “… Only gradually did I discover that the mandala really is: … the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious.” Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, pp. 195-196

Create Your Own Mandala

Creating a mandala is a way to dive even more deeply into the experience and understanding of mandalas. Creating basic form mandalas on your own isn’t that difficult (check out this website and the excellent tutorials you’ll find there to get going), but it is utterly absorbing, you may find it hard to stop once you get started!

Labyrinths: Life Size Mandalas

If you’ve ever walked a labyrinth you’ll know how soothing it can be to allow yourself the time and space to simply be, to walk the path laid out before you. The history, philosophy, and symbolism of mandalas is so rich it would take a lifetime of study to fully explore and understand this simple ‘circle.’

We Are All in this Grand Mandala Together

What we know here at Mandala Dream Co is that we don’t operate in a vacuum. We are part of something much bigger, connected to Mother Earth, to each other, to you, to every living being on our planet. The choices we make may seem inconsequential, but in fact, as in the mandala, everything is connected to everything else. Tug at a strand in the web over here and a dewdrop quivers over there.

That’s why we are so committed to only using organic, ethically-sourced ingredients in everything we create. That’s why we do everything we do with loving intention, pouring ourselves into our work because we believe that how we work matters as much as what we do. That’s why we care so deeply about you, our customers. Because we know that you are beautiful, caring human beings who love our world enough to make wise, ethical choices when it comes to what you and your loved ones wear, the linens you use, what you eat, and the products you use on your skin.

Thank you for being part of our mandala. We could not do what we do without you.