“Mandala is inner integrity,

which strives for harmony

and does not tolerate self-deception.”

Surely many of you have heard this word. But what is a mandala, what is its history, its meaning, what it is like, how it can be useful to you? Let's try to figure it out in this article.

Mandala – it is a complex geometric structure symbolizing the world order, that is, in essence, this is nothing more than a model of the Universe. This symbol came to the world from the eastern religious practices(Buddhism, Hinduism), where it was a sacred image of the world of deities. The word itself, translated from Sanskrit, means “circle”, “disc”, “center”.

It is the circle that most often underlies the Mandal image. Its outer circle symbolizes the Universe, a square is inscribed in it, and inside the square there is another circle - the world of deities. This circle is usually divided into segments or depicted in the shape of a flower, most often a lotus.

This is the basic structure of the mandala, but there can be many options for its image. It can be flat and voluminous, drawn on sand (or using colored sand) and embroidered on fabric, cut from metal or from specially colored oil. Usually it is used for ritual purposes, painted on the floor, walls or ceilings of temples, it is worshiped, it is considered sacred.

In general, if you look at this symbol more broadly, you will find that the circle underlying the mandala image is found everywhere in the macro- and microworld. For example, in nature: this is the roundness of our Mother Earth, and circles on the water, and the iris of the human eye, even the cycle of the seasons! And in human life: a wheel, a plate, a clock - you can continue the series yourself. And, of course, in any religion there will be symbolism of the circle.

It will not necessarily be called a “mandala”, but the general idea of ​​a circle, uniting, for example, the rosettes of Gothic cathedrals, Indian “dream catchers”, the shape of shamanic tambourines or the roundness of domes Christian churches, is obvious.

A little history. Tibetan mandala

Historians report that the word “mandala” first appears in the oldest monument of Indian literature, the Rigveda, and is ambiguous: it is both a circle and a space-container for something. Further, this concept spreads through Buddhist teachings in Central Asia and the East.

According to Buddhist legend, the very first mandala was made by the tantric yogi Padmasambhava (in some areas of Buddhism, revered as the second Buddha) in the eighth century.

For seven days he prayed and worked continuously to create this ritual object, with which he hoped to invoke the deity. On the eighth day, a deity descended into the center of the mandala created by Padmasambhava, who fulfilled all his desires.

To this day people believe in sacred power mandalas, and many rites and rituals are not complete without its creation.

In the 20th century, with the light hand of the great psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, the mandala symbol migrated to Western culture, or rather, reborn and strengthened in consciousness western man, because, as mentioned above, the symbolism of the circle has always been present in one way or another in the collective unconscious of humanity.

And today this symbol not only has not lost its relevance, but is one of the most popular, enjoying enormous success. Mandalas are used in various fields; a great variety of them have emerged.

Purpose of the mandala

The original symbolism of the mandala as iconic image, the subject has now expanded significantly and is actively used not only in religious rites, but also in art, and Carl Jung first began to use this symbol in psychotherapy and psychology for self-knowledge.

Jung believed that the mandala is a visual manifestation of the unconscious, an understandable language that our soul can speak in, manifesting itself, revealing itself to the world.

• the mandala protects and harmonizes;
• helps in the process of meditation;
• promotes expansion of consciousness, concentration of attention;
• has a therapeutic effect when working with somatics, emotional problems, and relieving stress.

In Tibet they believe that the mandala pattern emits subtle vibrations that help enlighten the mind, comprehension of the highest meaning.

Types of mandalas

These sacred geometric patterns are believed to combine different energies. The harmony of the mandala, sacred symbolism and power encourage a person to use it in different areas of life.

Maya, mandala dance video

Exists special mandala dance, essentially representing dynamic meditation. It is performed exclusively by women. This dance is built on the principle of the lotus - the flower of life. It has its own lines (spirals, waves, zigzags) that give direction to the energy that is born in the dance movement, and, of course, circles that connect the entire dance pattern into a single whole. This dance allows you to achieve calmness, harmonize the energies of the body, and with regular performance, increase bodily flexibility and plasticity.

Mandala yoga, video

This is a special technique that allows you to improve yourself by comprehending the structure of a person’s essence. The exercises here combine the sounds of a mantra, asana poses, and all this is repeated many times. As a result of repeating such series, a complex geometric mandala pattern is built in space, which is oriented to the 4 cardinal directions, and in the center of this pattern is the performer himself.

They say that the regularity of these activities is not important - a few times are enough to feel extraordinary new sensations and gain a new level of communication with your own body.

Mandala drawing

And yet the most popular mandala as a drawing. Although here there can be many varieties of it.

For example, they often have the same geometric design motif. True, not many are aware of what multi-valued sacred symbol they have chosen to decorate their body. Of course, if we take the original meaning, then such a tattoo will be a diagram of the structure of the Universe and the world of gods, who are by no means always serene and kind.

But in general, such a drawing among knowledgeable people is most often intended, of course, to protect, preserve the integrity of a person, his spirituality, to remind that Spirit is higher than matter, to attract everything that contributes to spiritual growth and repel the negative.

Esotericists believe in magical power number mandala, which is based on the principles of numerology, which believes that everything in the world can be expressed by numbers, which at the same time acquire magical meanings.

The date of birth of a person and his name are involved here (the letters are assigned their own numbers), each number has its own color, and the combination of such color designations creates a special matrix, a picture of fate. It is clear that such a drawing is individual.

It is believed that it can be used to determine what opportunities a person has, what of his potential he uses, and what is still “gathering dust in the closet,” what a negative scenario (“ generational curse") can interfere with the implementation of life plans, etc.

Mandala tattoo, sketches

The history of Mandala dates back to the prehistoric era. It is an art form used by ancient people to represent the entire universe. It is also a symbol used in the spiritual aspect of Buddhism and Hinduism. Although this ancient art, many people are still raving about how great it looks.

It is a popular symbol of Hinduism and Buddhism which makes it religious in nature. There are sketches that represent the Sun, the Universe and the Stars.

Some people believe that only those who have the blessing of heaven can apply such designs on their bodies. But what matters is what you believe in, and if you really want it, then nothing will stop you from getting a beautiful tattoo, and on our website you can find a suitable sketch.

Mandala art consists of basic geometric shapes, in particular squares and triangles. However, when you look at a larger picture, it will display a circle rather than squares and triangles. It involves the harmonious combination of geometric shapes to create a single pattern. Getting this design as a tattoo will be a great idea, especially for people who love ancient art.

How does a mandala work? Practical benefits

Jung, who considered the mandala to be a projection of a person’s inner mental life, was the first to use it for therapeutic purposes, for self-knowledge, and diagnosis. Nowadays, interest in such techniques has increased significantly and all kinds of exercises and techniques for working with the mandala are actively used in art therapy courses, self-knowledge trainings, etc.

The famous psychoanalyst carefully studied mandalas and drew them himself. Jung had a special diary in which he sketched these magic circles every day. Later, after analyzing his experience, he came to the conclusion that the mandala is one of the most powerful archetypal images, reflecting the internal integrity of a person, his “self”.

This image can appear in dreams, hallucinations, or any fantasies. Such a circle, as a prototype of the world with a preserved center, is associated with protecting the core of a person’s personality.

Mandala is a sacred space, protective human essence, the inner “I” of a person from destructive influences from the outside. Round - as a symbol of the mother’s womb, from which all living things are born and where this center originates.

Daily sketches of mandalas allowed Jung to collect a lot of material and notice that each drawing differently reflected the internal state of the author at the moment of drawing. It turned out to be like sketches of its dynamics inner life , his mental transformation. This allowed the scientist to conclude that mandalas are the path to unique individuality, to the center of his personality.

If you decide to use Jung's technique and draw your mandalas every day, then remember that these drawings are a reflection of the internal state, and such work can have a therapeutic effect. Don’t try to embellish what comes out on paper: if on some days the drawings turn out to be alarming, gloomy, torn - let this happen, perhaps this is how your soul needs to express itself today and this is the only healing path for it.

The mandala integrates a view of the world, allows you to feel your own integrity, look at yourself from the outside, accept and resolve internal conflicts.

Thanks to its shape, it is ideal for meditation, helping to concentrate in a relaxed manner. It integrates a view of the world that can ultimately impact your own life.

The practice of contemplating the mandala teaches you to calm down, control your attention and emotions, reveals to us something new and perhaps unexpected in ourselves. This requires slowness and non-judgmental attention to your internal changes and sensations in the process of contemplation.

Meditation with mandala

Slowly look at the mandala, moving your gaze clockwise from the edge to the center. Stop in the center, but don’t focus, but focus on what you feel, what sensations you notice, listen to them.

Without judgment or analysis, just observe what is happening inside while contemplating the center of the mandala, just let everything happen. The concentration time depends on your individual condition (5 minutes is enough for some, an hour is not enough for others): if you feel tired or no longer notice any changes, you can end the practice.

Such daily work with the mandala will give you interesting results and will allow you to learn a lot of new things about yourself and the world.

Expert opinion

In the next video, Margarita Tkacheva, a specialist in mandalas, explains what they are, what they are for and what they provide, and also answers frequently asked questions of a practical nature (meditation and finance, is it a sin to use these drawings for representatives of other cultures, how she creates her own mandalas, including personal ones, etc.) We look:

Creating a mandala. How to make a mandala?

The simplest thing you can do is, of course, draw a mandala. But, in general, there can be many options for creating it. The mandala is embroidered, knitted, woven, cut out (for example, snowflakes that we cut out on New Year, decorating windows, why not mandalas?!), built from stone, laid out from natural materials and even baked!

Drawing a mandala is quite easy - even a child can do it. By the way, for the younger generation, drawing mandalas can be an excellent tool for developing thinking, training in setting problems and solving them.

In addition, modern publishing houses have simplified the task: they sell all kinds of blank mandalas and heralas (cross-shaped mandalas), which you can simply color as you wish.

So, prepare the necessary colored pencils, select the mandala you want to color and place it in front of you. Take 2-3 slow breaths in and out while looking at the mandala, close your eyes and listen to what arises inside.

Perhaps these will be some words or images - just watch what happens. After some time, you can open your eyes and start coloring.

Mandalas for coloring to print with meaning

Below are the templates you can use You can print and color it to your liking,(click on the image to enlarge it).

Mandala financial freedom

Mandala money well

Mandala - shield

Content

This is sacred in the cultures of peoples different countries a symbol that helps a person get closer to what he wants. Coloring or weaving a mandala is a meditation, therefore it adjusts the consciousness in a positive way, bringing a person happiness, love, financial well-being, etc. The drawing is a two-dimensional image on a plane or has a relief, three-dimensional shape. Magic circle carved from stone or wood, embroidered on fabric using colored powders, drawn on sand, woven with threads.

What is a mandala

This is one of the sacred symbols, which is a geometric pattern. When literally translated, the word "mandala" means "circle" or "circle". The symbol looks like a square inscribed in a circle and decorated with many decorative elements and patterns. Each figure and ornament is arranged symmetrically. While creating a drawing, a person is immersed in a state comparable to the practice of meditation; the image accumulates the positive energy of the creator. This explains why many Buddhist and Hindu temples are decorated with such symbolism.

The word “mandala” appears for the first time in the Rigveda, meaning “space”, “circle”, “totality”. Buddhists believe that the first symbolic image was created in the 8th century by the founder of the Vajrayana, Padmasambhava, who used this ritual geometric object to invoke the deity. Padmasambhava created a mandala and prayed continuously for 7 days, after which a deity descended into the center of the sacred circle to fulfill his wishes.

In the east, the symbol is very sacred: it is recognized by Buddhist and Hindu followers. The monks draw a sacred circle, seeing in the image not just figures or patterns, but an object of worship, symbolizing the structures of the Universe. Creating a mandala helps a person open the subconscious and establish harmony with nature. To achieve such a result, you need to be passionate about knowledge of the inner world, develop spiritually, and be able to meditate.

Mandalas and their meaning

In Eastern countries, the symbol is considered sacred; its image can be found on walls, ceilings, and floors. A circle filled with patterns is drawn during the religious rituals, including the Kalachakra initiation. Sand paints are used for this. The destruction of the sacred drawing completes the sacred ritual. What does a mandala mean in a particular culture?

Buddhist

In Buddhist culture, the meaning of a mandala has a sacred meaning. This image came into Buddhist practice from ancient Indian mythology, receiving a slightly modified value. The ritual symbol appeared in India several thousand years ago and was used as an auxiliary tool for meditation. In Buddhism, images are used in sacred rituals, symbolizing the field of certain saints and bodhisattvas, their habitat after emerging from endless rebirths.

While contemplating the image, Buddhists at the mental level come into contact with the deities in the center of the picture, moving to the highest stage of meditation, becoming one with the cosmic Absolute. Modern psychologists suggest that drawings serve as a tool for internal transformation and self-improvement of people. By looking at or creating a sacred symbol, Buddhists achieve peace of mind, get rid of problems, restore their own strength, and recover from illnesses.

Numerical

One of the tools for understanding man and the world is bringing different phenomena to a single measure, which is a number. With its help, you can connect seemingly incompatible things, for example, a person’s date of birth and the words he speaks. The numerical symbol of integrity allows you to see how speech works and use it consciously. This will make life more joyful, happier.

Even ancient philosophers adhered to the idea that everything in the world can be expressed in numbers, which at the same time are filled with magical meaning. Modern scientists also talk about similar things, who express the idea that everything that exists in the Universe represents energy flows and information that can be expressed in numbers. The vibration they create affects a person’s life, which is studied by numerology.

This pseudoscience draws all the information it needs to study from a mandala - a drawing of fate created individually for each person. Using this technique you can trace life path and identify hidden opportunities. Such knowledge helps to correct shortcomings and use existing abilities, which will provide the opportunity to more successfully solve the tasks set by fate.

Indian

According to one version, woven Indian mandalas in the form in which they exist now come from South and Central America. It is known that such symbols were woven by the Huichol Indians living in the territory of modern Mexico. During the colonization of America, many valuable skills in the art were forgotten, and today weaving is hardly remembered. The Indians themselves called such products “God's eye.”

Even children could weave the most primitive patterns: their products were hung in a prominent place, since it was believed that the mandala made by children brings prosperity to the house, through it God protects the family from misfortunes. A wise Indian, the leader of the Dakota tribe, said that everything done by the Power of the World is done in a circle - the sky, the earth, birds' nests, the sun, the moon are round, etc. The seasons also replace each other and are constantly repeated, forming a circle. Thus, the mandala symbolizes the cyclical nature of all living things.

Yoga

On the path to self-improvement, understanding the structure of the human essence plays an important role. For this there is mandal yoga, which is a type of exercise that combines asanas, vinyasas, mantras and mandalas themselves. The result of these actions is the formation in space of a complex geometric figure oriented to the cardinal points. In the center of the symbol is a practicing person and, if the technique is performed correctly, he feels new unusual feelings located at the level of energy channels.

Mandala for coloring

A magical diagram used in Buddhist and Hindu practices. Creating and coloring a sacred drawing can harmonize a person’s inner state and give strength. The work requires the ability to contemplate and visually perceive the world. The goals of the practice are different: a mandala of love and happiness, material wealth, health, etc. can be created. The drawing is a circle, inside of which there are triangles, other figures and patterns arranged symmetrically. The elements are painted in different colors, which is considered a form of art therapy.

Why are they needed?

Modern publishing houses offer collections of meditative coloring books for sale. What are mandalas and why are they needed? Simple graphic drawings, with the right approach to the creative process, help improve family relationships, attract love into your life, get rid of illnesses and achieve other goals. Coloring diagrams and patterns will help your child learn to concentrate and independently understand his own feelings. Herals and mandalas are a tool for developing thinking, setting and achieving goals.

How to color

Tibetan monks draw real mandalas with colored sand on a flat surface for 2 months. This process is a means of meditation. When the drawing is completed, the sand is blown off and a new one is started. No matter what your goals are when creating color mandalas, it is important to know how to do it correctly. The sacred symbol is always multi-colored, so for the technique you will need paints, pencils or felt-tip pens.

You need to color the drawing from the center to the edges, because this way the drawing will come out organic and the colors will not be smeared by hand. Absolutely used when drawing different colors, each of which matters. An example of deciphering popular shades for creating a picture:

• yellow – prosperity, happiness, joy;
• red – love, passion, life;
• black – darkness, danger, despair;
• green – understanding, support, desire to help;
• orange – emotionality, ambition, controversy;
• blue – conflict, mysticism, fear, intuition;
• lilac – well-being, emotions, worries;
• purple – emotional dependence;
• light green – weak energy field;
• blue – water, sky, source of life.

How to use

To meditate, take a comfortable position, you can light candles, incense, and turn on quiet, calm music. Clear your mind of thoughts and worries, look at the center of the image, but do not focus your gaze. Listen to your inner state without analyzing or evaluating what is happening. As you continue to perceive any feelings, concentrate your attention on them to achieve maximum intensity of these sensations. How to color mandalas? Meditative coloring can take from 5 minutes to an hour; you need to stop the process if you feel tired.

The circle symbolizes space and is an ancient peace symbol used in different cultures. Sacred symbols are used for many purposes, including:

• amulet, protection of a person, home;
• healing the body, healing from diseases;
• energy filling;
• meditation, purification of consciousness, subconscious;
• raising money;
• finding love, family happiness;
• development of character qualities (elimination of negative ones, activation of positive ones), etc.

For women

Coloring mandalas brings sacred energy to a person and influences the outcome of many events. Thus, the figure acts as a tool for getting what you want through meditation. With the help of such technology, plans can be easily realized and dreams come true. Beautiful mandalas for marriage are capable of accumulating and exuding the beneficial energy of a woman. Such drawings are needed so that the girl does not lose confidence and finds family happiness.

For luck

The mandala of happiness awakens the spirit of integrity, helping to feel the joy of life, establishing a person’s mental balance. Contemplating the finished painted drawing, the mind tunes into a positive mood, attracting more happy moments into a person’s life. In addition, the image brings the effects of satisfaction and inner peace, helping to love and accept oneself.

For love

The symbol of relationships carries a special meaning and energy; it is used when they want to attract a bright feeling of love into life. In addition, individual symbols help strengthen existing relationships. While painting the figures, a strong energy surge occurs, making it possible to fulfill the dreams of the person who creates the mandala.

To fulfill a wish

This is a very powerful technique for fulfilling your plans and desires. By creating a magical image, a person imbues the drawing with positive energy, freeing himself from uncertainty and doubt. The completed bright picture is kept in a visible place where the image often catches the eye. Every time you pass by a drawing, you should focus on it and think about what you have in mind.

Family Mandala

Before performing the technique, think about the ideal family relationships whether they will be passionate or calm. If desired, having tuned in to the desired mood, draw a mandala using universal signs or creating individual symbols. Favorable colors for the family are red, white, blue, purple. If you don't want to draw, use the ready-made template presented below. While coloring it, constantly think about feelings and love.

In Buddhism and Hinduism, there are symbols that personify the universe - mandalas, the meaning of the images in these complex ones is multifaceted and mysterious. The mandala design is always symmetrical. It is a circle in which the center is expressed. Its most common form is a basic circle in which a square is inscribed. Inside the square is another circle, divided into segments (often in the shape of a lotus flower). The mandala is decorated with various symmetrically arranged ornaments.

What are mandalas: the meaning of images

In translation from Sanskrit the word mandala translated as "circle". Hindus and Buddhists paint it accompanied by certain sacred rituals. The walls of many eastern temples are covered with similar drawings and are objects of worship. It is believed that sacred symbols contain positive energy, help to reveal the subconscious and inner “I”. That's why mandala in the East - This is a kind of frozen prayer.

The one who draws mandalas depicts the essence of his soul at the moment:

• the center of the mandala is the eye or pupil;
• inner circle – enlightenment, nirvana;
• outer circle – protection;
• lotus is the flower of the mind.

Mandala images are used for meditation . Focusing on the ornaments of a drawing contributes to the restructuring of consciousness, as a result of which certain abilities are revealed in a person. A mandala is, first of all, a holistic model of life, reminiscent of the connection between man and the cosmos. Sacred drawings help you look at yourself from the outside, accept and resolve a protracted internal conflict.

Mandala: meaning of symbols

In addition to the image of the lotus, circle and square, there are other symbols:

• Triangle with its apex up – determination, strength; down - indecision, weakness.
• A spiral rotating clockwise is the beginning; against - devastation, waste of energy.
• Winding lines - experiences.
• Cross – indecision, cross state.
• Five-pointed star - freedom and self-confidence, self-protection.
• Eye, pupil - to be aware of important events.
• Heart – love, sensuality.
• Lightning - divine power healed the soul.
• Wood is the basis of the universe.
• Animals are a sign of human behavior in the present period of life.
• Birds - awareness of your soul, lightness.

A mandala drawn in a state of meditation will help you analyze the state of your inner self, concentrate your mind, and realize the freedom of being; the meaning of the symbols that fill the drawing will help you analyze the sacred meaning of a person’s internal forces.

The meaning of flowers in a mandala

The same color in a sacred drawing has many meanings, and in combination with other colors the meaning can change.

Red – a sign of energy, passion, life potential. A person drawing a mandala in red has goals and aspirations. The absence of red means anxiety, depression, loss of interest in life.

Yellow – creativity, optimism. The color yellow adorns the drawings of artists.

Blue – the color of serious personalities, calm and reasonable people. People who are hardy and strong in spirit are attracted to the color blue.

Green – renewal not only of oneself, but also of others. Green prevails in the mandalas of people whose profession is related to helping and treating people.

White – cleanliness, protection, ; a color that protects from negativity and helps thoughts remain bright.

Brown – practicality and stability, the desire for consistency and security.

Black – darkness, mystery, death. The presence of black indicates emptiness and self-denial.

The meaning of flowers in a mandala is deeply symbolic. Experienced psychologists have long used sacred drawings in their practice to help accurately determine the patient’s internal state. People with mental disorders are invited to choose a mandala from several offered or draw it themselves.

The center of the picture, the most important place of the mandala, the meaning of the images in the central part make up 90% of the meaning of the entire ornament. It is in the middle of the picture that the gravitational movement is strongest, the path to which is slow and difficult.

In this article we will tell you what a mandala is and why it is needed, and we will reveal the meaning of the images and symbols of the mandala. What mysteries does this magical image conceal and why is it considered sacred in Buddhism?

From Sanskrit the word “mandala” is translated as “circle”. This symbol always has the shape of a circle, which personifies the Universe. The images of the mandala are symmetrical, and its center is always clearly highlighted against the general background. Usually a square is inscribed in the main circle, and another circle is inscribed in the square.

Thus, the mandala is a complex geometric figure. But in fact, this is a real model of the Universe, a kind of energy matrix that has a deep meaning.

The history of the mandala goes back centuries. The tradition of creating these sacred images dates back to the emergence of Hinduism and Buddhism and dates back more than one millennium. It is interesting that in these religions the mandala had sacred meaning. With its help, various rituals and meditations were carried out, prayers were read.

Mandalas can be made in various ways: their mysterious patterns are embroidered on linen, created from sand, laid out in mosaics, or painted with paints. The making of a sacred image is accompanied by special prayers and rituals. Believers believe that in this way the sacred drawing is filled with the energy of the Universe.

In addition, it is believed that the sacred mandala pattern makes it possible to penetrate the secrets of the subconscious, with its help you can know your inner essence. The person creating the mandala reflects his essence in the drawing. Using these patterns, you can look into your soul, find out what problems and internal conflicts are interfering with your happiness at the moment.

The mandala plays an important role during meditation. By concentrating on mystical patterns, a person enters a meditative state, gains access to the knowledge and abilities that ordinary life are not available to him, he feels his connection with the Universe.

Types of mandalas

There are many types of mandalas and each of them is aimed at solving a specific problem.

• Healing mandala. Aimed at healing from illness. It must be drawn by the patient himself, directing the disease onto a sheet of paper. After this, the drawing must be burned. Mandalas to attract health, on the contrary, are hung at the patient’s bedside so that he can tune in to the energy of life.
• Mandalas that are used during meditation. Hanging in the meditation room helps to enter a prayerful state.
• Women's, men's or general. They carry a certain type of energy: yin or feminine, yang or masculine. They can combine two types of energy. They replenish missing energy in the body and promote the production of appropriate hormones.
• Energy generators. If a person doesn't have enough vital energy– makes him more active and energetic. In case of excess energy, aggressive and nervous behavior, it calms and harmonizes.
• Mandalas-amulets. They neutralize flows of negative energy and do not allow them to enter the home.
• Mandalas aimed at providing psychological assistance and understanding your inner world.
• Decorative. Used to decorate the room.

The most mysterious and unknown type of mandalas are crop circles.

Meaning of Mandala Flowers

Color plays a very important role when creating a mandala. When drawing an image, you need to remember the meaning of colors.

• Red - speaks of physical strength, energy, the desire to survive, passionate love, sexuality, will. It also indicates negative qualities: aggressiveness, destructiveness, stubbornness.
• Orange color is responsible for optimism, love of life, and self-affirmation. May indicate high self-esteem.
• The color yellow indicates cheerfulness, an active life position, openness and self-confidence. It is possible to overestimate your capabilities and frivolity.
• Green color is responsible for the ability to create, self-improvement, and determination. May speak of selfishness and desire for power.
• Blue color indicates organization, sociability, wisdom and intuition, calmness, depression, despondency.
• White is the color of lightness, purity and spirituality, changes for the better. It can mean detachment and isolation.
• Black is a symbol of chaos, emptiness, mystery and the unknown, the unconscious and not manifested in reality. May indicate fears, depression, disappointment.
• Brown color speaks of reliability and rationality, down-to-earth and limited.
• Purple is the color of self-development, the desire for excellence, intuition and spiritual strength. May indicate internal suffering and dissatisfaction.

The colors located at the center of the mandala indicate your secret feelings and desires. And the colors that are located at the borders of the circle indicate what you openly demonstrate to others.

Meaning of Mandala Symbols

The most common symbols found in mandalas are:

• Circle means unity with the Cosmos, wholeness, fullness of life, security.
• Quadrangle - speaks of morality, endurance, perseverance, and a sense of security.
• Triangle. If the top is directed upward - willpower, integrity, passion. Down – timidity, uncertainty, cowardice.
• The flower indicates harmony, the desire for beauty, self-improvement.
• The cross is a state of uncertainty, the need for choice.
• Spiral. Clockwise - development, change, advancement. Counterclockwise - decline, stagnation, disappointment.
• The eye is the desire to understand the situation; you are being controlled.
• The heart is a manifestation of your emotions and experiences.
• Star - speaks of reliability, security, patronage.
• Wood is the power of creation, unity with the Universe, movement forward.
• Animal – intuitive knowledge, natural instincts, behavior in the present moment.
• Bird - unity with the soul, a feeling of lightness.

When deciphering a mandala, you must also rely on your feelings in order to understand what meaning this symbol has specifically for you. After all, your personal perception of symbols may differ from the generally accepted one.

How to choose a mandala

If you want to purchase a ready-made mandala, listen to your inner voice. Choose the product that resonates in your heart and evokes positive emotions. It will definitely bring you happiness and good luck.

Twinkling stars, living and dead planets, galactic nebulae, pulsars, black holes; and hosts of gods, and souls of saints; a man looking at the sky and looking into himself. All this, enclosed in the geometry of circles and squares, is the sacred mandala - model of the Universe.

In the East it is a sacred object of worship. Most often, mandalas are depicted on planes: they are embroidered or painted on fabric; on the floors and ceilings of churches; they are carefully drawn out on the sand with colored powders... But they can also be voluminous.

BUDDHIST STUPA

The most amazing example of a three-dimensional mandala made of stone is, of course, buddhist stupa. The first stupas appeared in India as monuments on the graves of the rulers of this country. Their remains were placed in these stupas after cremation. In Sanskrit, stupa means “pile of stones” or “top of the head.”

Buddhist stupas

Later, in Buddhist times, the stupa began to acquire more broad meaning. Stupas began to be erected to commemorate significant events Buddhist history; as memorial places; and, perhaps, first of all, the stupa began to be perceived as an object of offerings to the nature of the Buddha - his enlightened mind.

And in the mountains, on snowy passes, stupas served as protection and guiding marks for wanderers on their dangerous roads. High in the Himalayas, the stupa received the Tibetan name - chorten. Stupas were erected in many Asian countries, and in each they acquired their own architectural forms, inheriting the cultural traditions of these places.

THE POWER OF AN ANCIENT SHINCY

One of the most majestic stupas in the world is located in Boudhanath, a district of Kathmandu, a densely populated area of ​​Tibetans. The stupa was founded in the 5th century AD. e. during the reign of King Manadevi, during the Lichavi era. The road from Tibet to India passed here since ancient times.

Buddhist stupa Boudhanath, Lesser Tibet

The stupa was rebuilt several times. Today its height is 36 meters, in the octagonal base along the entire perimeter there are rotating prayer drums in niches. Between the dome of the element of Water and the pyramid of Fire, on the sides of the cube are depicted the slightly slanted eyes of the Buddha, with lowered eyelids, looking at all directions of the world.

Multi-colored flags are stretched from under the umbrella to the base on ropes, symbolizing the elements of nature. And around the stupa, low buildings with restaurants and all kinds of shops for tourists are crowded together. But in one place the line of similar buildings is broken to make way for the pagoda of a Buddhist monastery.

On my first visit to Nepal, I lived in Boudhanath. In the evenings I loved to climb onto the stupa, under its domed “second floor”. So he sat there until nightfall, until an elderly Tibetan began rattling keys below, locking the entrance to the shrine.

The stars were shining above me, greenish moonlight The roof of the monastery was cast, from the slightly open doors of which the drawn-out sounds of Tibetan trumpets (dunchens and dunkars) could be heard during the evening puja.

The stupa had miraculous power. She gave away the beneficial energies she had accumulated over 1500 years. There was no need for any meditation postures with eyes closed with whispering mantras.

Everything worked out naturally. A feeling of harmony instilled itself in me. A pleasant relaxation spread throughout the body, and all the delusions of the mind seemed to dissolve forever in space... And everyone can check the authenticity of these words of mine by sitting for at least an hour on the stupa in Boudhanath.

Buddhist stupa in Zalaszántó, Hungary

ORBITING THE UNIVERSE

The last time I was in Boudhanath was quite recently. There I went into an art gallery overlooking the stupa. It presented paintings made in traditional Tibetan style. At one of them I lingered for a long time, looking at the great Tibetan yogi Milarepa sitting near a mountain cave, covered in glory.

Apparently, having noticed my interest in Milarepa, the gallery attendant suddenly came up to me and, pointing to the stupa through the window, said that there, around the stupa, was walking a famous master of spiritual practices, a hermit monk who had just descended from the mountains.

I immediately singled him out from the crowd of Tibetans, Nepalese, and tourists circling the stupa. He had a gray beard, and on his head was a ritual wig made of twisted long hair. He was accompanied by a young monk wearing a red robe and holding a bottle of water. I took it and followed them, spinning the prayer drums in the niches of the stupa with one hand.

So I followed them for several hours in a row. It was hot. But the longer I walked in circles of this gigantic mandala-stupa, as if in the orbit of the Universe, the more clearly I was overcome by a feeling of amazing lightness, as if I had entered a state of weightlessness, throwing off all the burden of earthly overloads.

I must say that the negative obstacles in my life were then eliminated as if on their own. And some good things happened as if without any effort. And the truth of these words of mine can be verified by anyone who makes at least a few circles around the stupa in Boudhanath. And it’s good if on the same day a hermit monk comes down from the mountains to the stupa.

FOR THE SALVATION OF MAN

The oath of a Bodhisattva (an enlightened being) says that as long as this world, this space exists, he refuses to go to nirvana, he remains on earth to save all living beings.

A Buddhist stupa is the image of a Bodhisattva, or Buddha, sitting in endless space in the lotus position. He is the Point of Light in the unity of the micro- and macrocosmos. Sitting in the lotus position and meditating, a person opens his psychic centers (chakras), and his body becomes, as it were, five floors of a sacred mandala, or stupa.

The lowest tier, or first floor, represented by a square or cube, corresponds to the element of Earth. In its dark depths the germs of all our actions, that is, karma, ripen.

The second tier - the round central part of the structure - corresponds to the element of Water. This is the so-called umbilical center of our body, where gross elements are transformed into psychic, subtle energies.

The Buddhist stupa, erected on the island of Ogoy in the summer of 2005 on Lake Baikal, is officially called the Stupa of Enlightenment, Conquering Demons.

The third tier corresponds heart center and is depicted as a gilded triangle, or cone, pyramid. This is the element sacred fire, which transforms, purifies and restores the elements of our personality to their original purity. This part of the stupa may have 13 steps or, otherwise, rings, symbolizing the path of enlightenment - this is the knowledge of the ten wisdoms and three times.

The fourth tier is the throat center, the element of Air, the hemispherical shape of the vessel. On some stupas it is hidden by an umbrella. This is the breathing center from which “internal winds” circulate throughout the human body, filling us with energy and strength and giving us speech.

The fifth, highest tier is the head, upper center with a flaming point, a drop of ether. IN Tibetan Buddhism it is called "thigle" - clear light consciousness, the highest wisdom, which is expressed by the well-known proto-syllable “Om”. This is the very top of the head, and it burns with gold in the infinity of heavenly space.

This is how the Bodhisattva stupa was built for the salvation of man.

Oleg POGASY, magazine "Mysteries of the 20th Century", No. 8, 2017

Dream Interpretation