The Power of Mandalas

A Mandala is meant to represent wholeness. It is a cosmic diagram reminding us of our place in the word, and our relation to the great oneness of infinity. The designs are made to be visually appealing. When your is mind absorbed by the beauty and intricacy of the patterns, stressful thoughts fade away and your creative mind can run free.

Even when just coloring for relaxation, it seems some of that greater significance seeps into us as we work. Perhaps that is why we find it so calming and centering to color in these lovely patterns.

When coloring, we give ourselves over to our creative side for a bit. And there is something magical about the gentle rhythm of the coloring itself while we maintaining a gentle focus on our work. It is mesmerizing in a way that let’s the stress of the day melt away as we make ourselves something beautiful and fun. A coloring page gives us a bit of guidance so that we don’t have to be great artists ourselves, but leaves plenty of room for artistic self-expression.

Traditionally, a mandala (Sanskrit: मण्डल) is a spiritual symbol representing the universe. It is rooted in Hinduism and Buddhism. It is meant to be a stylized representation of the universe. The creation of a mandala in itself can be a meditative practice. When finished, some will use it to focus their attention and to aid in their meditation practice.

You may just want to enjoy your coloring time without worrying too much about how or why it makes you feel so good. But if you want to immerse yourself a bit deeper, allow yourself to take in the lovely designs; allow your mind to wander. If your thoughts get pulled away by the usual mundane things, simply bring your focus and attention back to the beauty of the mandala. Let it absorb all your attention. Enjoy the patterns you create with the colors you chose as you color it in. You may notice a feeling of lightness and a flow of more intuitive thoughts. Relax, and let the thoughts and feelings come to you and then float away without judgment - like watching clouds float across the sky, changing shape and form.

If you’d like a little guidance in color choices (besides just what you love) you can consider these traditional meanings of some basic colors:

RED for strength, high energy and passion
PINK for love, intuition and the feminine
ORANGE for creativity, transformation, self-awareness and intuition
YELLOW for learning, wisdom, laughter and happiness
GREEN for physical healing, psychic ability, love of nature and caring
BLUE for emotional healing, inner peace and meditation
PURPLE for all things spiritual
WHITE for spiritual focus
BLACK for mystery, deep thinking and individuality