Mandalas What are Mandalas The word mandala originates

Mandalas

What are Mandalas? The word mandala originates from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. It loosely translates to mean “circle” however a mandala is far more than a simple shape.

A mandala can be described as any form of circular geometric design that contains symbols of a person’s inner self, guiding principles, and overall ideas about the world. It is a symbol of wholeness and can be seen as a representation of life itself.

The significance of objects within a mandala are conveyed by shape, size, and color; they can be abstract designs or specific images of people, places, and ideas that are central to a person’s life.

The Mandala in Nature From micro to macro: The "circle with a center“ pattern is the basic structure of creation that is reflected throughout nature in the world as we know it. ØOn our planet, living things are made of cells and each cell has a nucleus -- all display circles with centers. The crystals that form ice, rocks, and mountains are made of atoms. Each atom is a mandala.

The Mandala in Nature ØWithin the Milky Way galaxy is our solar system and within our solar system, is Earth. Each is a mandala that is part of a larger mandala.

The Mandala in Nature ØFlowers, the rings found in tree trunks and the spiraling outward and inward of a snail's shell all reflect the primal mandala pattern. Wherever a center is found radiating outward and inward, there is wholeness--a mandala.

Types of Mandalas In the Americas, Indians have created medicine wheels and sand mandalas. The circular Aztec calendar was both a timekeeping device and a religious expression of ancient Aztecs. In Asia, the Taoist "yin-yang" symbol represents opposition as well as interdependence. Tibetan mandalas are often highly intricate illustrations of religious significance that are used for meditation.

Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a work of art. Radial Balance: image is emerging from a central point of location and equally weighted around the entire piece. Radial Balance

Symmetrical Balance: Elements are given equal weight from an imaginary line in the center of a piece of artwork. Symmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical Balance: having an uneven distribution of parts throughout a composition. Asymmetrical Balance

Organic Lines

Organic Lines Organic, free formed, natural looking lines – They are derived from nature

Geometric Lines

Geometric Lines Straight, angular, precise man made looking lines.