I was never a person that would jump to the idea of mediating, probably because I never feel like I had time to do it. While I’ve done some yoga classes and learned about the importance of meditating from my father, I could never focus myself and be present in the moment with so much going on in my life. However, this year I was privileged to experience the art of Mandala drawing in my argumentation class.
Mandalas are referred to as ‘sacred circles’ with geometrical shapes that draw your eyes to the center. They represent wholeness, unity, and harmony. Mandalas have been used in a lot of cultures, most commonly in Buddhism to Hinduism. We learned that before drawing a mandala, it is important to set an intention and focus on this intention when drawing mandalas. Thinking about your intention as you draw your mandala lets you reflect on what may be stressing you out, but also make you feel calm from the balancing of visual elements.
Dr. Terri Russ took us through each step of drawing a mandala. Diagnosing myself as a little OCD, I had trouble when I first learned how to draw mandalas. It was hard to make every line perfectly proportional. I learned, however, not every line needs to be perfect, frankly because life isn’t perfect. Once I stopped worrying about this, I began to relax and be present in the process.
After showing us how to draw a basic mandala, we were told to draw our own version of a mandala. At the end of class, we all shared them. It was amazing to see the different geometrical shapes and colors people used to recreate their mandalas.
Not only are mandalas great to doodle on your notebooks, but allow for you to be creative as no two mandalas are the same. I learned that drawing mandalas are a great stress reliever, and I found myself drawing them as a form of meditation. After drawing them, I always felt calm and content with the final product. Mandalas allowed me to have a greater sense of self and incorporate a form or mediation in my stressful college life. I have even noticed mandalas in my everyday life. For example, two tapestries I have in my room make a mandala! I encourage everyone to try drawing or noticing mandalas in their everyday lives.