Drawing in circles - the benefits of mandalas

Have you ever tried drawing a mandala?

Mandalas have become known as beautiful symmetrical circular patterns, but that’s just one expression of them. Mandala means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit - so really any drawing in a circle could be a mandala.

Drawing mandalas has a lot of benefits - something about the lack of corners can be very soothing, and support relaxation and focus. Circles also have a lot of symbolic meaning. They can represent the centre, the beginning, the whole, the self, to name a few.

The medicine wheel is a circle. The full moon. The yin-yang. These are all examples of circles that hold so much meaning.

So when we’re drawing our own mandalas, the circle can hold our meaning, too. Our stories. Our feelings and experiences and fears and curiosities. Our expression of who we are.

Creating these kinds of mandalas isn’t about the final product. As with most art therapy, it’s about the process of doing it, the journey from blank page to completion. When your circle feels full, feels finished, you might notice that you feel different to how you felt at the beginning - perhaps with a new understanding or new perspective.

If you’d like to explore this more, you’re in luck!

Beginning in October, my good friend and art therapist colleague Rose and I are beginning a drop in online art therapy group, and our first group will be exploring just one of the many ways to use a mandala. Click here for more info and to save your spot - we’d love to create with you.