Mandalas

Mandalas

What is a Mandala?

What is a symbol?

A picture that means many things

What is a Mandala?

Originated in Tibet 2000 years ago

Tibetans use it to calm themselves and think about the meaning of life

Intricately illustrated Used for meditation Show individual or cultural uniqueness Many cultures use it

Aztec Asia Native Americans

Aztec Calendar

Timekeeping

Religious uses

Taoist Yin-Yang Symbol

To show opposition and interdependence

Native Americans

Sand painting

Medicine wheels

Why a circle?

What are some things a circle can symbolize or represent?

Why a circle?
Represents harmony and wholeness of life Universal shape: eye, sun snowflake, moon, circle of friends, atom, cells, nucleus A simple representation of WHO YOU ARE Using symbols that represent you Peace, love, friendship, etc

You are going to create your own symbolic picture representing aspects of your life. Your own mandala

Visualizations

Close your eyes

Picture the scenes Im going to describe Open when I say

Write or draw what you thought about

*

Visualization #1

Think about a significant day in your life.

Who was there? Where were you? What was happening? Why is the day so important to you?

Visualization #2
Think about a series of favorite locations of your childhood. Why is each place special? What does it represent?

Dads lap? Grandmas kitchen stool A secret hiding place under a tree

Visualization #3

Envision the people closest to you.

Who are they? See their faces View their actions What have they done or what do they do that makes them special?

Visualization #4

Think about the objects in your life that are most important to you. What are they? Feel yourself holding them How do they make you feel? Where did you get them? Why are they special?

Visualization #5

Think about a difficult time in your life.

What was going on? Why were you struggling? Who was there to help you? How did you respond to the challenge?

Visualization #6

See your life as a journey.

What does it look like?

Bumpy road River

Where did the journey begin? Where has it led you? Where is it heading? How has the trip been? What part was really important, a defining moment?

Most important symbol in the middle