Mandalas

Here are two ways to work with mandalas that will help you to get past conscious, logical, analytical thinking and delve into your unconscious and creative intuitive thinking.

Mandalas are symmetrical geometric designs, in which patterns radiate from the circle symmetrically and the circle encompasses duality and the whole. You can find many mandalas online that you can print for your personal use. One website which has many mandalas for you to download is http://www.free-mandala.com/. There are many other free sources online (including the two from which the images in this post are taken).

http://www.bizquests.com/free-download/coloring-mandalas-free/

If you want to create your own mandalas, start with a circle with a dot in the middle, then divide the circle into four equal sections. From the central point, draw symmetrical designs using whatever shapes and colours inspire you.

This exercise* will switch you over to intuitive thinking, so it is useful to do it before you do a creative thinking exercise.

Sit comfortably, breathe slowly and regularly and let your body relax. Hold the mandala about an arm’s length away from you. I find that my arms get tired doing this exercise so prop up the book on something.

Look at the centre of the mandala and focus your attention on the centre, while being aware of the rest of the mandala with your peripheral vision. Your mind will try to analyse patterns (make sense of them) but keep relaxing and bringing your focus back to the centre. Don’t worry if the pattern starts moving or moves in and out of focus. Just keep relaxing, breathing slowly and regularly and bringing your focus back to the centre of the mandala.

Do this for 15 minutes. If you can't maintain this practice for 15 minutes, then try to do it for 5 minutes and then increase the time each time you do it.

Another way to work creatively with mandalas is to colour them in, and surrender to your inner child or spiritual guide or creative self in terms of choosing colours. The results may be amazing! If your inner child tells you to use black or lime green or purple with orange, try it and, as I discovered, you will love the results.

Either draw your own or download some free mandalas. First, do the meditation practise described above, then colour in the mandala. It is a fun way to develop creative thinking.

http://www.marcels-kid-crafts.com/mandala.html

* I discovered this exercise in The Right-brain Experience by Marilee Zdenek (1983 Corgi Books).

© SD Vahl, 2012
S D Vahl hereby asserts her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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