We use art to express ourselves and to interact with others, we also use it to contour our imperfections! One way of expressing ourselves is a mandala! A mandala is defined by Buddhists as a circle of blessings and it means a sacred circle in Sanskrit as well and due to the fact that it reflects two cultures, it reflects many beliefs as well. Since Asians have many beliefs, they recognize it in the form of a circle to communicate with god. Mandala as an art form is principally used for meditation by Buddhists and every detail of it has a significant meaning.
Mandalas help initiate sacred spaces within one's mind which then influences the “achievement of the justification of oneness and deeper levels of the unconscious” and because of this very reason, they are becoming increasingly popular, and more and more people now believe in them and their sacred powers. They usually relate them to their disorders and try to rectify them to achieve wholeness. They ensure complete concentration and relaxation of the mind and they have now been added into different fields of study as well such as astronomy & mathematical representations amongst others.
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Mandalas are geometric designs that hold a great deal of symbolism and are believed to have different aspects of the universe. They are also used as instruments of meditation and prayer in China, Japan, and Tibet.
They are basic circles contained withing different shapes or in a circle itself and arranged in organized sections around a single point in the center. These vibrant circles are often associated with the restoration of the body, mind, and heart. Started out as patterns on paper, cloth, or jute, this is now seen more often in yoga studios, dreamcatchers, healing circles amongst others.
Here are some Therapeutic Effects of Mandalas which can help you attain relaxation and distance yourself from all the stress :
1. Mandalas in Psychology
Psychology views mandalas as an exercise to foster deep connections and as a way to improve perception as well as attention and relaxes and soothes the mind from worries!
2. Inner self
Mandalas make it easier for people to connect with our inner selves and meet our most intimate selves, hence promoting self-knowledge. It helps us reflect our place in the world as well as introspect on the relationships we have with others.
3. Promoters of Harmony
Mandalas as a form of art help us focus our attention and in turn promote harmony. This happens because shapes, colors, and energies which transform negative aspects turn into positive ones. All this brings balance into our lives and makes us into more calm and composed human beings.
4. Great Stress Reliever
All of juggle multiple things together and might get stressed while managing everything, these things might be very important but no one should compromise on their mental health. One activity that relieves you of your stress is coloring mandalas. Since mandalas require attentiveness, calmness (to color these circular patterns), and enhance concentration, the deep engagement with the color works as a stress buster and relieves us of our stress and anxiety.
5. Alternative of Meditation
A lot of people out there like to balance their mind and body by meditation, which makes them join yoga classes but psychological studies show that coloring mandalas have the same effects as meditation. The shapes and patterns one makes and/or colors in a mandala require deep engagement with colors and this in turn help you disengage you from the negative thoughts and you’ll acquire more positive thoughts on the way.
6. Boosts the Immune System
There are several mandala coloring applications making waves nowadays. The geometric patterns of a mandala represent the cosmos metaphysically and modern medicines even believe that mandalas have healing powers that induce calmness, boost the immune system, reduces pain, and promote good sleep.
7. Perfect Therapy for many Diseases
Mandala drawings and coloring books are considered a good treatment for the patients of epilepsy and low blood sugar level. The epilepsy patients have several limitations but coloring and/or drawing mandalas help them calm down and promotes relaxation as well. The jerky hand movements are also controlled through mandalas. Epilepsy people enjoy these activities as it reduces and/or prevents epilepsy attacks.
Coloring of mandalas in concentric circles help maintain the blood sugar levels as well.
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Fun Fact :
Each color in a mandala represents something and has a strong link to creativity. You have the complete freedom to choose any color, shape, and size while making one for yourself. Each shape also tells something about your unconscious aspects. Here are the meanings of some of those colors and shapes:
1. Red : symbolizes passion, power, and aggressiveness. It also represents the first chakra.
2. Orange : symbolizes glory, vanity, and progress, it also represents energy and the second chakra.
3. Yellow : Yellow symbolizes happiness, willpower, and represents the third chakra.
4. Green : represents hope, ease, and naturalness, it represents the fourth chakra
5. Blue : means calmness, respect and communication and represents the fifth chakra,
6. Purple : it is a symbol of meditation, creativity, and oscillation and represents the sixth chakra
7. White : white is a symbol of peace, harmony, delicacy, and shyness and represents the seventh chakra.
8. Black : Color black signifies mystery, dignity, mourning, and depth.
9. Circles : A symbol of dynamism and connection with the cosmos.
10. Crosses : Represents the conscious and the unconsciousness and shows a merger of heaven and the Earth.
11. Triangles: They represent transformation and vitality.
12. Squares : They represent stability and balance.
13. Mazes : This means looking for your personal center.
Mandalas are everywhere around us; they are not only people-centric but are larger than life, they represent life as we know today but also represent an ecosystem which exceeds our consciousness! They are everywhere; they are in the structure of our cells, our world as well as our universe.
Just keep one thing in mind; coloring and drawing patterns in concentric circles promote relaxation and keeps your mind calm. So the next time you come backhoe after a very hectic day at work or at school, try drawing and/or coloring a mandala and then just close your eyes and see what you created! it’ll calm you down and balance your body energies!
Get. Set. Draw !
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