Mandalas And Labyrinths
A Mandala (often known as a magic circle) is a tool that can be used to guide us to get in touch with our intuition and to balance our emotions. It is a very helpful aid in balancing Chakras. Also, using a Mandala can help us attract abundance, health, love etc into our lives. Focusing on a Mandala can help to dispel any negativity, jealousy, insecurity and fear that we may feel. This can help us remain calm, balanced and grounded even when our life is muddled and confused. A Labyrinth again is an ancient symbol that helps to connect us to our own centre. They have both been used for thousands of years in many different religions, especially Buddhism and Hinduism as a tool to help with meditation and healing. The Native American Indians used Mandalas a lot and their medicine wheel is based on the principles of a Mandala and the dream catchers which we all know and love is a Mandala of the dream world.
There are many different types of Mandalas, from natural rings in a tree stump to stone circles such as stonehenge. Most aspects of the universe are a type of natural Mandala, even a cobweb is a Mandala. You can get some elaborate designs or very simple ones; they are usually used in church stained glass windows. At the most basic level, Mandalas and Labyrinths are like a key to our higher self, which can then help us have a more broadened and peaceful understanding of our own life and the world around us.
There are thousands of different designs you can use and there are no rules, although a Mandala is usually symmetrical, that is to say matching sides, radiating out from a central point. You can design Mandalas for specific reasons, i.e. to bring love or money or health etc, in abundance and these are not always symetrical. The centre of the Mandala is its strongest point and that relates to the deepest core of us, or the issue that is on our mind. Mandalas and Labyrinths are to help us use the right side of our brain and therefore release our creativity and help us in getting in touch with our intuition which helps in daily life.
With a Labyrinth there is often a comparison to a maze but this is not the case because with a Labyrinth there is no beginning and no end, it is not something that needs to be worked out or solved, again it is a tool to lead us to our own centre, you can either walk around one or trace with your finger and this helps 'open' your Chakras and connect with your higher self. Remember the whole point of this exercise is to help you realise the inner truth to a situation - do not block what comes into your mind first.
It is helpful to meditate with a Mandala or Labyrinth. If you are unsure which road to take in your life or what is the best course of action regarding a situation you are in, using these tools will help you connect to your higher self.
By then changing the way we relate to problems we can also attract more positive energy into our life, and it can also help us to release specific blocks that are holding us back and have more acceptance of our situation.
Creating A Mandala
There are NO rules or order in which it should be done
Every aspect of the universe from the stars formation to the ripples in water do actually create a Mandala of their own, so you will find that even the most simple designs that you do will help you connect with your centre. Start with simple or bold designs that are not to complicated and then let your instinct do the rest.
You can create a Mandala for yourself, or it is a perfect gift for a friend, you can also create one with one specific subject in mind such as with the intent purpose of dispelling fears, bringing love into your life, improving your health, bringing financial abundance etc, or you can create one to bring all kinds of abundance into your life at the same time. If you are creating one for a friend think about the person, what makes them happy, what they are going through at this time in there life, it helps to have a photograph of them, and meditate on this person (or your own subject) for ten minutes or so before you start. You can use any type of material to create a Mandala or Labyrinth. Colouring with any type of crayon or pen is best, some people find it helpful to play relaxing music, whilst others find complete silence helps them "connect" with their higher self.
It is best to start simple and then as you become more familiar with them and see the benefits it can bring into your life, you will find your designs become more complex. It is best to start with pens and paper (or pencils so you can erase it). Later on you could use sand, material, shells, crystals or anything you feel drawn to. Make sure you have all that you need to hand before you start, as the actual act of making one is a meditation in itself - how many of us doodle when on the phone etc? That is the same technique we use for creating Mandalas and a Labyrinth, just let the pen work without thinking to deeply or planning what to do next.
You can talk aloud when you are creating your Mandala as the whole purpose of this exercise is to get to the centre of YOU with all levels of self honesty and the truth of matters around you. It doesn't matter if your conscious mind is blocking you which you will find happens quite frequently at the beginning, your sub-conscious mind will come through in the end and your dreams and hopes will be realised.
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