An intricate mandala, while utilizing plenty of other shapes, forms unity in a circular fashion with often radial balance, like you saw in that video by blackfamesofmystery. In fact, mandala is loosely translated to “circle” in Sanskrit. This scared concept is significant in role in both Hinduism and Buddhism; it was also a form of expression we touched on in Art class.
The natural flow of thoughts carries the process of creating a unique mandala, an element of mediation. This form of art is a spiritual essence; personal symbolism is conveyed through the ideal symmetry, images, and composition. Individuality is emphasized.
Tibetan Buddhists use sand-painting to create mandalas collaboratively, only to be deconstructed in a ritual as soon as it is completed. As the sand used is released into a stream of water, the “impermanence of life” is portrayed, seen in the documentary “Wheel of Time”.
Here’s another quick time lapse at the process in a video from TaylorTazJohnson –
Growing out of traditional roots, the concept of mandalas have reached across the world – an example is how high school students in Mt. Prospect, Illinois were eager to engage in this concept:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSzmLBwfpus
Through creative usage, mandalas have formed the basis of several art showcases:
- Mandalas are used to teach and promote the value of peace in the Mandala Project; all of submissions they have received are hosted here.
- In Ireland, they were utilized in a public art initiative.
- The Human Mandala Project aims as using human posture to collectively create geometry.
- Here in Calgary, the same Grassroots Inspired Grants (GIGYYC) program that gave our Hunger Dinner a grant for funding also helped fund a local Buddhist awareness eveny by the name of Sand Mandala of Compassion.
InterACTIVE – Finally, with all of these examples and individuality in mind, what would you display though your own creation? What symbols would you use in your mandala? Shoot me a comment 🙂
