Mandalas – The Circle of Life

A 30 Day Creative Journey

ART – DAY BY DAY

BY ROSEMARY SCHRAM

“A MANDALA IS A CIRCULAR DESIGN THAT GROWS OUT OF THE URGE TO

KNOW ONESELF AND ONE’S PLACE IN THE COSMOS.”

COLORING MANDALAS 2 BY SUSANNE F FINCHER

THE REASON WE ARE DRAWN TO MANDALAS IS BECAUSE THEY EXPRESS OUR

COMPLETENESS AND INVITE US TO EXPERIENCE OURSELVES AS A WHOLE BEING.

Whereas the CONSCIOUS MIND uses words to categorize and define objects

and experiences, the UNCONSCIOUS MIND deals in images and symbols

that generate various kinds of sensations and perceptions.

Take a circle pattern or draw around a plate to make one. Use

that pattern to create a different mandala every day for a

month. Use different shapes, sizes, colors, combinations, all

within the confines of a circle. Don’t plan what to make. Let

it flow organically from the inside out. See what inspiration

and creativity emerges.

That is a 30-Day Mandala Challenge.

A MANDALA LIKE THIS CAN TELL A STORY WITH PERSONAL

SYMBOLS THAT HAVE BEEN EMBEDDED IN IT. CAREFULLY

CHOSEN COLORS ALSO ADD TO THE EFFECT OF THE STORY.

VIEW YOUR MANDALA AS IF IT HAS SECTIONS WHEN

YOU ARE DESIGNING IT. THINK OF ADDING A BORDER

JUST INSIDE THE CIRCLE TO CREATE A BOUNDARY.

USE IMAGES IN YOUR MANDALA THAT HAVE A

SPECIAL MEANING TO YOU.

REPEATING SHAPES CAN ADD MOVEMENT

WHEN THEY ARE DELIBERATELY PLACED.

TRY VARYING THE INTENSITY OF YOUR

COLORS AND INCLUDE SOME SHADED AREAS.

IN A MANDALA, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO

ESTABLISH A CENTER POINT. SYMMETRICAL

SHAPES BRING BALANCE TO YOUR CIRCLE.

ADDING A SQUARE WITHIN YOUR CIRCLE

DENOTES STABILITY AND A FIRM FOUNDATION.

NATURE MANDALAS SHOW US THAT WE ARE

INTERCONNECTED WITH ALL LIVING THINGS.

COULD THIS BE A LADDER YOU RAISE TO

HELP YOU REACH YOUR HOPES & DREAMS?

DOES YOUR IMAGE CONJURE UP A TITLE OR

EXPLANATION? MAYBE IT HAS A MESSAGE FOR YOU.

USE YOUR SURROUNDINGS FOR INSPIRATION.

LOOK OUTSIDE. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

GEOMETRIC SHAPES TAKE ON A COMPLETELY NEW LOOK

WHEN YOU CREATE THEM AS 3-D IMAGES.

THIS MANDALA WAS DONE BY JUST CHOOSING

COLORS AND RANDOMLY COLORING SPACES.

WHEN FINISHED, I SAW ANGELS. DO YOU?

TRY A LINE DRAWING INSIDE A SPACE OUTLINED BY DIFFERENT

COLORS. TURN YOUR DRAWING AROUND AND YOU MAY FIND

SOMETHING UNEXPECTED IN IT LIKE I DID.

USING EVEN #’S OF SHAPES SUGGESTS

BALANCE, HARMONY AND COMPLETION.

NATURE MANDALAS HELP US TO RECONNECT

WITH THE ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE OF

SELF-AWARENESS, SIMPLICITY AND PEACE.

TRIANGLES SYMBOLIZE GOALS,

DREAMS, VISIONS AND SELF-DISCOVERY.

TRY INCLUDING SOME OF THEM IN YOUR MANDALA.

THIS SHOWS A COMBINATION OF SHAPES WITH EVEN #’S (10) AND ODD

#’S (5). EVEN #’S SUGGEST BALANCE, HARMONY, AND COMPLETION.

ODD #’S INDICATE ENERGY, MOVEMENT, AND CHANGE.

CIRCLES REPRESENTS THE ENDLESS CYCLE OF LIFE,

WITH NO BEGINNING AND NO ENDING. HERE ARE CIRCLES

WITHIN A CIRCLE. NOTICE THE PATTERNS WITHIN THAT

COULD BE CONTINUED OUTSIDE OF EACH SMALL CIRCLE.

A SPIRAL IS A SIGN OF GROWTH & CHANGE. IT’S A VARIATION OF A

CIRCLE THAT CONTINUES BY COMING TO THE SAME POINT AGAIN &

AGAIN BUT AT A NEW LEVEL AND WITH A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

THE SYMMETRY OF THESE GEOMETRIC SHAPES SUGGESTS

ORDER. THE 8 REPEATING SHAPES INDICATES BALANCE,

WHICH IS ALSO ACHIEVED WITH COLOR.

DOORS ARE UNIVERSAL SYMBOLS OF PASSAGE AND CAN BE EXITS OR

ENTRANCES. THE SHAPES ARE IN GROUPS OF 7. THAT IS A SPIRITUAL

NUMBER SO THE DOOR MAY BE VIEWED WITHIN THAT CONTEXT.

JAGGED LINES CAN ADD MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY.

ALSO, TRY USING A COMBINATION OF

LIGHTER AND DARKER COLOR TONES.

ADD DIMENSION TO YOUR MANDALA

WITH 3-D GEOMETRIC SHAPES AND

BY VARYING THE COLOR SATURATION.

NOTICE THE COLOR AND SHAPE PATTERNS IN THIS MANDALA. PATTERNS ARE

IMPORTANT. WE REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ORDERLY AND AN

IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ORDER IS THAT IT’S PREDICTABLE.

THIS IMAGE JUST SEEMED TO APPEAR

OUT OF AN IMAGE OF A ROAD TRIP.

YOU CAN NEST SHAPES TO MAKES

ONE DOMINATE LAYERED IMAGE.

SPIRALS SHOW GROWTH, CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION.

LOOK WHAT IT “BIRTHED.”

A DRAGONFLY IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF TRANSFORMATION.

NATURE IS THE CREATIVE LIFE FORCE

FOUND ALL AROUND US. IT HELPS US

EXPERIENCE A HARMONIOUS SENSE OF BEING.

IF TRIANGLES REPRESENT OUR HOPES AND DREAMS, THIS

SHOWS THEM AS A SEA OF POSSIBILITIES

THAT ARE ALL WITHIN OUR REACH.