WHAT IS A MANDALA?
The word mandala has its origins in an ancient Indian language called Sanskrit.
The term is derived from two different words <manda> and <la> which mean “essence” and “container”, respectively, and can loosely be translated to mean "circle”.
A mandala, however, is far more than a simple shape - circles are considered by many cultures and spiritualities to be magical forms, without a beginning or an end. Mandalas are used as instruments of prayer and meditation in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions and are considered to be symbolic representations of life, the universe, and the divine - each seemingly also without a beginning or an end...
In their most basic construction, mandalas are arranged into sections that are organized around a single, central point. They are typically produced on paper or cloth and drawn with ink, thread, crushed stone, or coloured sand.
Traditional mandalas are commonly associated with circular designs that have radial balance, ie., repeating elements radiating from the center in a geometrically precise and symmetrical pattern. Because of its symmetrical intricacy, one’s focus is continuously drawn to the center of the mandala.
In contrast, modern-day mandalas are often an asymmetrical melange of free-flowing colours, shapes, and patterns.