Much is said today about mandalas as it has become a kind of phenomenon that has managed to capture the attention of people of all ages. It may even be that on occasion we have had to see, draw and / or get to color one of them with its extravagant design. But really, how much do we really know about mandalas? Do they have any special function? Where do they come from? And why are their strange and extravagant designs? The origin of mandalas is older than it seems, what happens is that with time, globalization and the greater The use of the Internet and social networks has become more and more publicized in a exponential. In this article from Psychology-Online: what are mandalas and their origin, we are going to explain in a simple and detailed way everything you need to know about mandalas.
The word "mandala" comes from Sacrit (Indo-European language) which translated into Spanish means "Sacred circle" or "energy circle." This word is composed of two parts, each one with its respective meaning, the first part that is Manda means "essence" and La means "concretion", so joining the two can be translated as "concretion of the essence" and it is said that this occurs when we create a mandala.
Origin of mandalas
This word has its origin in India and refers basically to those circular images that start from a central axis, followed by a diverse number of symmetrical figures that are directed towards the four cardinal points. There really is no pattern to make this type of drawing since its design is free as long as it meets the basic characteristics for that is considered as such (circular figure, part of a central axis, figures symmetrical to each other, figures directed towards the four points cardinal).
The characteristic circular shape of mandalas is said to come from early in the history of the humanity and in fact these types of bas-relief shapes have been found drawn on rocks with very Similar in other parts of the world like in Europe, North America, Africa, China, India and Australia so they have not really only been made by Hindus.
Really the mandala can have various usesFor example, Buddhists use it basically as a tool to practice meditation. However, it also has spiritual and healing purposes since it is said that the design of the mandala (because it developed very early in the history of mankind and its design that is similar to the structure of the cosmos and everything that surrounds us) is engraved deep within our unconscious. It is also perceived from a spiritual point of view as an energy center which helps people who They do it to have a greater balance and to purify their mind and therefore the environment in which they operate.
It is interesting to mention that the fact of drawing and painting mandalas is used more and more today for therapeutic purposes. In fact, the first psychologist to use them in therapy was Carl G. Jung And although there is very little scientific evidence of the positive impact they have on mental health, there are some studies that validate them.
For example, one of the empirical and controlled studies that was carried out to validate the benefits of mandalas in psychological therapy it was carried out to reduce the symptoms produced by the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The way it was carried out was that they divided into two groups of people suffering from this disorder (the control group and experimental group) the control group did not carry out mandalas during therapy and the experimental group did made. This study showed that the people who were within the experimental group demonstrated decreases in the symptoms they presented during a follow-up table.
Another interesting aspect of mandalas is that they are not only about figures, circles and colors, but each one of them has its respective meaning. Next I will briefly mention the meaning of each color and geometric figure within the mandalas.
Geometric figures
- Circle: The absolute, the true self, the essence of being, the security in oneself. It can also mean remoteness and extension.
- Triangle. It refers to vitality, energy and transformation. It has to do with water.
- Square. Balance, stability.
- Cross. It is related to our own decisions and the directions in which each of them can lead us. It involves changes.
- Star. Be positive, be optimistic and have a desire for success and get ahead.
- Spiral. Vitality, energy flow or, on the contrary, mental confusion of the cartoonist.
- Heart. Union, friendship, happiness.
- Labyrinth. Confusion, need for self-cooking and inner search.
- Butterfly. Transformation and death.
- Pentagon. Silhouette of the human being and elements of the earth.
- Hexagon. Balance
Colors
The psychology of color It also plays a very important role in mandalas and their meaning:
- Blanco. Purity, enlightenment.
- Black. Death, sadness, pain, mystery.
- Gray. Wisdom, calm down.
- Green. Nature, hope, freedom.
- Blue. Peace of mind, satisfaction.
- Red. Passion, energy.
- Yellow. Sympathy, color of the sun.
- Orange. Courage, energy.
- Rose. Sweetness, femininity, delicacy, altruism.
- Purple. Wisdom, love towards others.
- Purple. Inspiration, music.
- Gold. Lucidity, vitality.
- Silver. Well-being, extrasensory capacity.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
