Mandalas – Juliet I. Spitzer

Mandala in Sanskrit means “circle”. Mandalas represent wholeness and unity and are used in many traditions as tools for meditative focus and practice. There is evidence of the presence of mandala art in most ancient cultures. Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, understood mandalas as the graphic representation of the inner self, and the spontaneous drawing of mandalas is often used in Jungian therapy.

I use a compass, protractor, and ruler to set the basic circles and their sections. Creating these mandalas, and then subsequently coloring them, has become an important part of my spiritual practice. Sometimes I begin the practice by emptying my mind-either through chanting or praying-and only after the piece is finished does its meaning become clear. At other times, I set an intention before bringing the pen to paper and I proceed from there.