Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means circle, or sacred circle. Mandalas are all around us, in labyrinths, sacred sites, in the petals of a flower, the growth rings in a tree, the web of a spider, raindrops falling into a lake, the face of a watch, spiritual symbols like yin and yang, the Buddhist wheel of dharma, and the Native American medicine wheel.
Carl Jung, was particularly intrigued with mandalas, he believed that mandalas arising in dreams or drawn in waking life were unconscious attempts to heal one’s inner self. He believed that all images, even frightening ones, come in the service of wholeness.
Bailey Cunningham in her book, Mandala, Journey to the Center, writes, “Mandala making can serve as an activity for meditation and relaxation, or if we dare to explore the deeper aspects of our psyche, it becomes a tool for transformation.”
In our workshops and trainings we teach our students how to use mandalas as a tool for self-discovery, and how to create mandala journals for themselves and others. We both also use the MARI Card Test, an assessment tool that is based on mandalas and colors to identify unconscious issues related to one’s career, relationships, health, spirituality, and creativity. To learn more about mandalas, or to register for a workshop that includes training in mandalas, please visit our website.