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Expand your creativity by creating a mandala

A mandala literally means “circle.” It is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a centre point.
mandala
Mandalas are often used as a form of meditation.

A mandala literally means “circle.” It is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a centre point. Traditionally each gate is in the general shape of the letter T. Mandalas often exhibit radial balance, but not always.

A circle can mean wholeness, reminding us of our relationship to infinity and extending beyond our bodies and mind. The circle appears in so many aspects of life, the earth, the sun, the moon and also circles such as the circle of a family, friendships and communities, and the circle of the world. 

Mandalas are often created by individuals to symbolize what they are feeling at the moment or they tell a story of their journey or path through life. Mandalas are often used as a form of meditation.

The intention behind creating a mandala is to become pulled in to your work as a form of meditation, absorbed by its essence, its meaning and its beauty. It is a journey on its own where by the simple act of creating it becomes a special form of meditation, with a purpose within itself. You may even find you will feel more at peace, happier and more fulfilled.

How to create your own personal mandala:

1. Start with an intention. I want to manifest a more peaceful life, a more loving relationship, friendships.

2. Focus on your intention during the creating of your personal mandala.

You will need :

* A pencil, a fine tipped pen (coloured pencils if you want to add colour after)

* Drawing surface 

* A ruler

* Circular objects that you can trace

3. Your imagination – anything goes.

Step 1 -Draw a circle on your paper; this will be the size of your mandala. You can trace around an object such as a plate, a roll of packing tape or the rim of a drinking glass. If you’re up to the challenge, you can also draw it freehand. 

Step 2 -Draw one line horizontally in the centre of your circle, then another vertically, so that you have four equal quadrants in the circle.

Step 3 -Start by drawing a small circle in the centre of your large circle. 

Step 4 -Create organic shapes (we used a flower petal shape here) coming out of each of the four quadrants from the small circle.

Step 5 - Working from the “negative” spaces in your current design, draw additional shapes. These can be a new shape or the same shapes you initially drew at a different height.

Step 6 -From here, you will basically continue this process — building your way out from the central image, maintaining a consistent and symmetrical design. We find that making additional sectors as you work out helps you create evenly spaced imagery.

Step 7 -Continue adding shapes until you run out of space in your circle. Or, if you decide that you want to go bigger, simply expand the circle and keep going. You may find that it’s addictive and you’re not ready to stop. 

There are hundreds of designs that you can use to enhance your mandala so search images online for mandala design elements.

Mandalas are something that others can instantly identify with and a symbol that can really help you to feel truly connected to your world. We really hope you try this and that you will find that creating your own mandala is like a sacred journey that will help you to truly connect to your world. 

Mary Ann Burrows is an artist and creativity coach at Spark Creativity Coaching. Meg Neufeld is a cultural anthropologist, practicing mixed-medium artist and program director at Alongside You in Ladner.