Mandala (Sanskrit: मण्डल Maṇḍala, 'circle') is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the Universe.[1] The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the general shape of a T.[2][3] Mandalas often exhibit radial balance.[4]
Our goal at the retreat was to let ourselves go when coloring our mandalas. Listen to your mind and color what feels right. Color what is inside. I had a therapist once who would give me a box of crayons during therapy sessions and tell me to draw what I felt. I loved her. Not only did drawing help me get my emotions out, it allowed me to see what was going on inside. When I was in turmoil- which was every time, hence therapy- the colors were always reds and blacks. Sometimes some burnt orange. Lots of tornado shapes or eyes with dark circles under them.
At the retreat, I was obviously in a period of reflection, so I drew what made me happy. The focus was of course my family. When drawing them the colors become much brighter: blues, yellows, greens. No red or purple, nothing striking. Just serene, cool colors.
This past week I have tried to sit down every day and color a mandala. The amazing thing is how time passes so quickly when I am in that creative space. Time stands still for the artist. I find it to be the coolest thing. It is in these repeated moments where time is still that I am finding more blues and greens. The longer I color, the better I feel, and the better I feel, the brighter life is.
Last night I was feeling really low and my mandala was half red & angry, and half blue & calm. Because that is how I feel on the inside. Dark vs. light. Good vs. Evil. Stitched up in the middle with ugly black stitches, each side trying to sustain its territory. The internal juxtaposition is hard. Which one will win?
I suppose that there will always be a dark and light side in me, and that I have to learn to nurture the good/positive side in order for it to prevail over the other. Water it. Give it sunshine. Allow it to grow. Hopefully my newfound affinity for art therapy will aid in growing that lighter side. The side I want to become. The side that is so often clouded over by life and stress.
The pictures below demonstrate dark v. light, coincidentally in the color pallets I mentioned above. Interesting how other artists interpret good v. evil with the same pallet I do. Maybe it is as some say, and there are no coincidences.
God, please help the light to shine. Amen.
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