Do you know what the word ‘mandala’ means? In Sanskrit, ‘mandala’ means ‘a sacred circle.’ Now you know why mandalas are circular in shape, right? They symbolise a lot of aspects of different cultures across the world, particularly Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, aside from certain indigenous tribes who use mandalas to let flow their creative juices as well as use it as a tool of relaxation and soothing meditation.
In fact, there are certain cultures where people believe these circular structures that mandala designs are made of are connected to the very source of our life energy. In some Eastern cultures, people tend to believe that the colours used in the mandala are to be matched with what each mandala chakra represents. There is certainly no doubt that ‘chakras’ are forces of energy and nature linking our human body to the environment we live and operate in, thereby extending our sense of mental and physical well-being and nourishment at the soul level.
As we discuss the benefits of creative mandala art, let’s deep dive into exactly how they influence our mind, body, and soul, and why is it a good idea to start investing time in this creative mandala art if you haven’t already for the world of benefits it promises us.
If you spend some time colouring a mandala design, the first thing it will do is help you focus your attention. Even many mental health consultants will, as a result, suggest you take up creative mandala art creation as a hobby as they are a great way to calm down your stressed mind and allow it to regard happiness and peace despite the concerns raging through your mind. Get ready to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
The process of mandala-making can help you find balance in your everyday day which can be otherwise overwhelming at times. The very process promises peace and tranquillity to your senses. Even just looking at a mandala design can evoke a feeling of calmness in you.
Mandalas also deepen the concentration level. So, if you lack it and want to improve it, try creative mandala art for a dedicated amount of time every day and see how magically it helps you improve your concentration game, helping you make it easier to stay focused and mindful at all times. It is important to understand that what mandala does is push aside your stray and intrusive thoughts so that your inner creativity can find its flow. No matter what shape you are opting for, you will find a feeling of balance.
They are meant to help you unfetter yourself from your worries and focus your mind on the present moment at hand which is why mandalas are the best tools for relaxation and establishing a deeper connection with yourself. They will let you connect with your most intimate self, guide you along to attain self-knowledge, and help you think about your space and place in this world and in the lives of the people around you.
It is a meditative process which will help you sharpen your focus and strengthen your attention for a long duration while ensuring that you feel a sense of harmony as energies flow through the patterns, colours, and the process of creation. These energies will weed out the negative thoughts and transform them into positive ones. Also, as the process entails going from the centre to outwards, it will allow you to free, rebuild, and create a renewed relationship with yourself.
An agent of artistic expression, Mandalas, can be drawn however you are inspired. Also, it is worth remembering that you don’t necessarily need to make the shapes yourself, you can just buy the books with the designs and just experience the colouring aspect. As mandalas are strongly linked to creativity, you have the freedom to choose your colours. Every shape and colour holds a symbolism, letting you unravel yourself. For instance, red means passion, sensuality, strength, and power; orange means glory and progress; yellow means happiness and newness; green is the beacon of hope, calm, and nature; blue means seriousness and communication; the purple colour, of course, represents meditation and creativity; white means peace and harmony; black means mystery, dignity, security, and sadness. On the other hand, in terms of patterns, circles mean dynamism and a strong connection with the universe; crosses mean both the conscious and unconscious, merging the heaven with the earth; triangles represent transformation and vitality while squares mean stability and balance and mazes mean centring of your mind.
There are other uses of mandalas too, such as decoration for your house during festive times. You can use other objects to accentuate the beauty of mandalas, such as creating mandalas on rocks and using them as earrings or pendants, stitching a mandala design into your blanket, making a mandala tapestry to frame and hang it as a wall mount.
Mandalas have therapeutic benefits and they are said to be representations of our mind and that is why they can easily help us concentrate, transform, and recreate our truth, deepening our connection to our inner being. According to psychology, mandalas help with our cognitive and behavioural growth by improving our attention, visuomotor coordination, and perception, which automatically helps us to be better at our daily activities, make better decisions, and lead a more responsible, conscious, and disciplined lifestyle. As we try to cover the benefits mandalas offer, it is time for you to try it out yourself to see how it works for you. Benefits will vary from person to person and the situation in our lives, so you will get benefits that are tailored to your life and thoughts. Try it out and usher in a good change today.