My love for art has been a constant since childhood. Art was my solace from this reality. There was no judgment of me when I was in a state of flow, channeling whatever came to me. Being an introvert, it kept me engaged in my own imaginary world. My art was nothing extraordinary that I could call myself an artist by any measure. Yet, it was an expression of me. My exploration with various art forms led me to Mandalas. This time, it led me onto a different path.
Channeling My Intentions
My first few Mandalas were just doodling with precision and symmetry, to broadly describe it. One day I was exasperated with a relationship that had turned sour for almost three years. No matter how much I worked on myself, it did not change. That evening, things turned ugly. I started drawing a Mandala late at night, to get my mind off it. As I started drawing, I had an epiphany. Instead of concluding that things cannot get better, I prayed that I get a breakthrough this time.
I made an intention for the relationship to heal. I became totally present in my body and with the paper in front of me. I asked for whatever it was in me that was keeping the relationship in the current state, to be released. I asked for forgiveness and I forgave the person too. I realized it had been a pattern in my life, to have these kind of troubled relationships. So, I broadened my circle of forgiveness. My awareness told me that the origin of this pattern was not just from this lifetime. I had to make peace with my entire past and also clear the projections into the future. The process of finishing a piece takes couple of hours. This is long enough to be present with the energy and shift it. This is obvious in hindsight. I did not know this then. The very next evening, my relationship with the person turned for the better, as if by magic. If one knew us, this is nothing short of a miracle. It has gotten better ever since.
I had personally experienced the power of Mandalas as a therapy and not just an art form. I continued to explore this further with my Mandala work. I started noticing shifts in various areas of my life as I started delving deeper into it. I was not alone in this. I started teaching others and saw that their experiences were equally powerful. While some experienced a flow state, few others got insight about their life situation. At the basic minimum, it was deeply relaxing and at its best, it was a form of meditation.
Below are some samples of the mandalas that have brought me joy and equanimity.
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- Mandala Art
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- Monks working on a Mandala at La Mayuru Monastery (Ladakh, India)
What is a Mandala?
Mandalas have been a common tool used by various cultures across the world. Mandala originated from the Sanskrit word which means a circular form. The Tibetan Buddhists used it to pray. We see some Mandalas which are considered sacred by Hindus, such as Sri Yantra. Even the kolams or rangoli (originally drawn using rice flour as an offering to the birds and insects) drawn outside South Indian homes have a symmetry and follow sacred geometry. Even the Native Americans have dream catchers. We see fractals and symmetry in nature too – such as a sunflower, snowflake, a pinecone. It makes me wonder that it is not just an art form, but has deeper significance and power hidden somewhere.
One need not be an artist to draw a Mandala. The creation takes a life of its own. It calls out to you, even in the middle of the night, to come and play with it. It has its own mind. You can never plan how it starts and what it goes on to become.
This is my invitation to you to get started on Mandalas, without worrying about the outcome. Do it just for yourself, as if it were your personal journal. Let go and surrender.
Read our other articles on stress relief through the ancient art of Ikebana, through practicing gratitude, through deep breathing and through mindful exercise. Or the way Leena found it through her 100 days with Watercolors.
About Thejasvi
Thejasvi is the co-founder of The Happy Circles – a wellness service to help you grow holistically and create a life of greater possibilities through Coaching and Energy healing. She enjoys her various roles as a mom, Mandala artist, photographer, home chef, teacher and traveler. An alumna of IIM Bangalore, she worked as a sales and marketing professional for over 11 years. Her own spiritual work led her to her Ikigai – helping people get in touch with their greater Self. You can write to her at thehappycircles@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram @thejasvee
