Mandalas

I started creating mandalas in May of 2016. I knew a little bit about Carl Jung, psychology, and spiritual studies. I set out to create a mandala one day because I wanted to see what my “inner mind” looked like. I was deep into astrological studies at the time and had a real yearning to be able to take a flash-light and peer into the innermost parts of my mind, to figure out how it all worked.

Perhaps I will write more about this subject in the future, however I really want the mandala to speak for themselves. If you are interested in this form of art, of understanding, expression or therapy, please feel free to check out my “reading list,” coming soon. I have a ton of good content saved via bookmarks, as well as book recommendations.

When I am creating a mandala I start with an intention. I sit down with a blank canvas in front of me and begin to take some nice smooth deep breaths. I begin to calm the waves of my mind and start to come to a steady current with which I can focus my attention. Usually a word or a feeling will come pop up and I begin to move that feeling around my entire being. I begin to let it envelop me and get to work. The art speaks for itself in this sense. I focus on nothing else but the intention that I have set, and sometimes I listen to music. Often when creating a mandala I take a step back and wonder how this artwork came from me, what depths did I go through to put this on a canvas?

My background in art is not the most extensive, though I always wanted to be an artist. As a young child I enjoyed drawing and creating, I could copy things that I saw in front of me with ease and drawing brought me peace, as I was always rather withdrawn from the world and quiet. I took art classes in high school and didn’t seem to receive any extra praise or “oohs and ahhs” from others as with other creations made by my classmates. Oftentimes I simply couldn’t figure out what to draw, I was lacking inspiration. I also took some art classes in community college, and at one point, decided it would be my major. I took classes on color theory, sculpture, and the basics. I would look at my drawings/creations and think, “how cliché am I, there is nothing special about this at all.” My own artwork bored me… how would others feel about it? I hadn’t really created any artwork beyond my second year of college, besides some doodles.

There was a good 3 year gap from last time I had sat down and actually tried to draw something, to the point where I sat down and didn’t “try” to do anything at all, I just let the art flow from me.

I will be posting my series of mandala that I still create today. I hope that you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Meditation” 5/22/16