MANDALA MADNESS

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Do you remember the feeling you had when opening a brand-new box of crayons and seeing more colours than you’ve ever seen before? You’d probably park your fist-sized butt on the floor, and colour away, determined to stay within the lines like your life depended on it. A colouring book was like a magical portal, transporting you from the real world to a place where animals were multicoloured and fruits and vegetables smiled at you.

Sounds insane to think of it now.

When was the last time you got so lost in something that you were able to forget the world around you existed?

When did you last put crayons or coloured pens to paper and let your hand take you places?

Most people use mandalas as a way of expressing their current state of mind. A mandala is a perfect geometric figure—intricate, detailed, symmetrical, beautiful.

You start in the centre and work your way outwards. Move in straight lines or diagonally, in curves or swerves. Just stay patient and relaxed; fall in love with the act, not the final product. In this way, you form a pattern completely within your control. With this heightened self-awareness brought about by introspection and turning your attention inward, mandalas have come to be great tools for meditation.

Let’s briefly dive into some theory on mandala mindfulness.

If you’ve ever encountered psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud ,you might be familiar with his idea of the fractured self.

Another psychologist, Carl Jung, popularly theorised mandala art as a representation of the self.

“If we are all fractured individuals, strangers to ourselves, what we desire is wholeness, the unity and completion we lack, a sense of roundness in our lives.”

Carl Jung

According to Jung, this desire is represented in the form of a mandala.

So does that mean mandalas have to be perfect? Do those squiggly lines need correction? Should we only ink it out once we’re absolutely certain we won’t %@#! it up? Let’s not kid ourselves, are we still talking about humans here?

This is gonna sound idealistic and grossly overstated but we’ll say it anyway: Free yourself from any concerns about the final product looking “good” or worse, perfect.

If you’re looking for answers about yourself in art, they won’t come easily and it definitely won’t help to force out something perfect. Although, it might help to work through something knotted and twisted like we all sometimes have to. If mandalas haven’t worked for you in the past, maybe this is your sign to try again. The freedom is all yours. Don’t force symmetry onto your mandala just because that’s what the rules say. Draw whatever comes naturally to you.

A recent study showed that colouring mandalas might induce a meditative state in an individual and reduce their levels of anxiety more than colouring other prints or drawing freestyle. However, the exact reason behind this mandala-induced stress reduction remains a mystery.

Drawing can become an exercise in mindfulness when the act brings your focus to the present moment. Pay attention to each motion, make every movement with intention, and try to feel what you’re drawing.

For some people, even the act of making repetitive patterns can be soothing. For these reasons, mandala journaling and mandala colouring are being encouraged in art therapy and art classes for both adults and children.

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If you’re just starting out, and not quite ready for the big solo leap, check out this step-by-step tutorial on drawing mandalas.

If you feel like skipping the drawing, that’s fine too. Just get a mandala colouring book from Amazon’s bestselling choices

Download and print mandala colouring designs for free on Monday Mandala!

Get inspired by Saudamini Madra’s mandala designs and learn from her in her private teaching sessions if you like.

Follow artsybeats for more ideas on mandalas, doodling and floral patterns and take a look at her printable step-by-step, beginner guide to mandala art with worksheets, templates and tracing guides for all learners!

If life is imperfect, there’s no reason for mandalas to be any different. Learn to draw perfectly imperfect mandalas.

Make peace with wobbly; embrace the simple.

This is YOUR perfect geometric figure—intricate, detailed, asymmetrical, beautiful.