Mandalas: 5 Advantages

The word mandala comes from Sanskrit and means “sacred circle”. These representations in the form of circles are used in different cultures, such as Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and some indigenous tribes, as an artistic element or as a way for the person to find themselves.

According to the beliefs of some cultures, mandalas are related to the energies of life. Eastern cultures consider, for example, that each color is associated with a  chakra . These energy centers are connected to our being and the environment, and promote well-being. Therefore, the mandalas, which contain them, also promote it. They are a wonderful, legendary technique that brings us multiple benefits.

Mandalas bring relaxation

Drawing and coloring mandalas helps focus attention. It is therefore an excellent exercise to calm the feeling of stress  and clear our mind. Some of the benefits of mandalas are as follows:

• They facilitate balance
• They bring peace and serenity
• Contemplating them brings a feeling of tranquility
• Mandalas help with concentration
• They facilitate full attention
• They allow us to put aside thoughts  and let creativity flow
• The arrangement of the figures conveys a feeling of balance

Mandalas   are designed to free us from preoccupations as they promote focus in the present.  This is the reason why they are a powerful tool for relaxation.

Deep connection

Mandalas facilitate connection with the most intimate part of ourselves. So that they promote self-knowledge.  They are a wonderful exercise in reflecting on our place in the world and the relationship we have with others.

We must not forget that the mandalas are arranged from the center outwards. This  allows the person to connect, to break free, to rebuild and to interact. All this through the projection through the selection of colors and shapes.

Creativity and mandalas

Mandalas are an artistic representation of free drawing. In other words, it means we can draw them however we want. But if we don’t want to design them, we can also buy coloring books and notebooks. As we can see, there are many options.

An interesting aspect of mandalas is that they are related to creativity. Indeed, they allow the use of colors and shapes in complete freedom. In other words, they  facilitate the creative process and are a source for generating new ideas. Moreover, each figure and color represent unconscious aspects of the person. Here are some of their meanings:

• Red. Passion, sensuality, strength, power and aggressiveness. First chakra
• Orange. Pleasure, glory, vanity, progress and energy. Second chakra
• Yellow. Joy, will and novelty. Third chakra
• Green. Hope, self-control and nature. Fourth chakra
• Blue. Peace of mind, seriousness, respect and communication. Fifth chakra
• Purple. Meditation, creativity and oscillation. Sixth chakra
• White. Peace, harmony, kindness, delicacy and timidity. Seventh chakra.
• Black. Depth, mystery, authority, dignity, security, sadness and mourning.
• Circle. Dynamism and connection with the cosmos.
• Cross. Unconscious and conscious, union of heaven and earth.
• Triangle. Transformation and vitality.
• Square. Stability and balance.
• Labyrinth. Search for its center.

Mandalas to decorate

Mandalas can also be used to decorate our home or workplace. Some decorative ideas are as follows:

• Paint mandalas on stones and use them as ornamental objects.
• Knit a mandala and use it as a blanket. 
• Hang a mandala tapestry on the wall.
• Make decorative paintings.

Therapeutic benefits of mandalas

Mandalas are recognized in psychology as a therapeutic element. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung said that these are representations of our mind that facilitate concentration, transformation and assimilation of unconscious aspects. He suggested that we can project what we feel and think into the mandalas.

In addition,  different branches of psychology have talked about their benefits. Transpersonal psychology views mandalas as an exercise aimed at fostering deep connection. And cognitive and behavioral psychology as a tool to improve higher functions such as memory, attention, perception and visuomotor coordination.

These representations are also used in other fields. In occupational therapy, for example. They promote performance in daily activities, through cognitive stimulation. They are also used in educational settings to facilitate concentration, attention and discipline.

As we can see, mandalas offer us many  advantages. These artistic representations are a source of relaxation, liberation and have a deep creative power. Why not try them out?

Bibliographical references

Añaños, E., Estaún, S., Tena, D., Mas, TM, and Valli, A. (2008). Psychology and advertising communication. Barcelona, ​​Spain: Bellaterra.

Dahlke, R (2004). Mandalas, how to find the divine in you. A book to find meditation, drawing and coloring the different mandalas. Barcelona, ​​Spain: Book by Robbin.

Martínez Cruz, MC (2008). The mandalas: these great unknowns, 1 (3), 1-7.

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