How to Create a Mandala Chart
Mandalas have been used for centuries in many societies, especially in Eastern religions and spirituality. The basic concept behind all mandalas is unity and centering -- whether a thought, idea, structure or system. Many people use them to meditate and become inspired, and to circle in on their own inner selves. Beauty arises as the work moves outward from the center. Mandalas are primarily circular, but they can also be created in chart, graph or box forms. When making a mandala chart for any purpose -- business or personal -- take the time to become still and allow the content to surface and reveal itself as you create. Your goal is to unify aspects of a central concept.
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Things You'll Need
- Blank paper cut into a square
- Pens, paints, coloring pencils
- Drawing tools (protractor, compass, and so on)
- Optional:
- Magazines
Instructions
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Meditate on your purpose and what you want to express. Focus on the central thought you will expound upon. The central thought will become your starting point.
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Decide if you want to use words or pictures as symbols for the mandala sections. You can draw, paint or use templates or graphics cut from magazines.
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Draw a square box containing 9 sections -- 3 across and 3 down. Enter your central thought limited to a word or a few words. This goes into the center box of the middle row. If you are creating the mandala for new work you are aiming to attract and grow, select the appropriate word or use your business name. If you are focusing on an area of your life you want to have more time for, such as exploring or travel, put that in the center.
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Add individual supportive thoughts as they arise -- for exploring for example, you can add images of places you want to visit or break it down into a box or costs, a box for people to visit, one for things you want to do, souvenirs to bring back, photographs to take and so forth. If you're creating a business chart centered around "My New Jewelry Business," use concepts like marketing, styles to offer, names of helpers, ways of shipping, etc. Story ideas can be built around a mandala using the subject or title in the center and adding characters, plot, timelines and other details to build around it.
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Finalize your mandala with artistic touches or add another 'circle' of boxes around the entire thing and build another level outward. You can also choose to replace the boxes altogether by using repeating circles much like a dart board, starting from the small inner circle and working outward to however many rings you wish.
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Tips & Warnings
If you start with a circle, you can choose to break the chart up into sections of 4, 5, 7, 9 or 12 around the center, which looks more like a flower. Each 'petal' provides a different thought or image, or can reflect opposing patterns and so forth.
You can make mandalas out of many different things, from paints to fabric and colored sands or pebbles.
Use your creativity and see what develops. Part of the beauty of mandalas is that while doing the work, other things than you might have initially expected will come to the surface. These often reveal much about the person creating them.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
