Mandalas for Everyone

Mandalas for Everyone

By Julie Dawn Fox

What is a mandala？

Which do you prefer to look at， circles or squares？ Most people， even babies， choose circles. So it isn’t surprising that one of the world’s oldest art forms， the mandala， is based on circles. The word mandala means circle and is used to describe patterns within a circular shape.

Where can you find them？

Did you realise that mandalas are all around you？ Probably not， but if you slice an orange， a tomato or a tree you’ll find one of nature’s mandalas. Or look closely at the centre of a flower.

What are they made of？

For thousands of years， people have been inspired by these natural patterns to create their own designs. They usually involve elements of symmetry and geometrical shapes. Mandalas can be made from almost anything： glass， beads， leather， paper and leaves， or even by dancing a pattern. They have many uses too.

What are their uses？

They are used in some form by most religions to represent unity and eternity. Some religious mandalas， like the round， stained-glass windows of European cathedrals， remain for centuries. Others don’t last long. Tibetan Buddhist monks in China train for three years before they are ready to create mandalas using coloured sand. Their detailed designs often take days to complete， but then they are left to be blown away by the wind or swept up after a few days and placed in running water to be spread. The monks do this as a reminder of how temporary the material world is.

Why should you make a mandala？

Creating mandalas is not just for religious people; it can be a form of meditative art. Some people set up a relaxing space and allow the image to develop naturally. Others， like me， cheat and download templates from the Internet. My husband jokes about my ‘colouring in’ but I find the process of selecting colours and materials and deciding how to personalise the design both reflective and satisfying. I often use them to make cards for friends and family.

Even if you’re not tempted to try creating your own mandala， look around you with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at how many are already there to be appreciated.

Activity 1

Before you read， match the word or phrase to a definition.

1. be inspired by something 2. cheat 3. meditative 4. monk

5. pattern 6. slice 7. symmetry

a. a design created by a repeated arrangement of lines， shapes or colours

b.  cut food such as fruit or meat into thin， flat pieces

c.  do something that you shouldn’t to get an advantage

d.  get an idea from something or someone

e.  one of a group of religious men who usually live apart from other people

f.  the quality of having parts that match each other

g. thinking about just one thing so that you relax and feel calm

Activity 2

Now complete the sentences using words and phrases from the text. Make any changes to the words that are necessary.

1. As a boy he was very religious， so it was no surprise when he went away and became a （____）.

2. Can you see the strange （____） of the lines on that rock？ Each of them is exactly the same.

3. He （____） his visit to the museum， and became an artist.

4. His mother （____） the meat so that we could all have some.

5. In Scotland some men wear kilts， which are a kind of skirt， made of tartan – a （____） of coloured straight lines that cross each other.

6. The teacher knew the student had （____） because she got 100% in the test when she usually got 60–70%.

7. This is （____） music – it makes you think but also relax.

Activity 3

Decide if the following statements are true or false， according to the text. Can you correct the false ones？

1. Babies prefer to look at squares， not circles.

2. Everyone recognises a mandala when they see one.

3. Mandalas are always man-made.

4. There is no value in using templates made by other people.

5. Mandalas are used in religious art.

6. Mandalas are always permanent.

7. Creating mandalas can help people to relax.

Activity 4

In each sentence there is ONE punctuation mistake. Find and correct each mistake.

Example：

they are used in some form by most religions.

They are used in some form by most religions.

1. Do you like circles or squares more！

2. Its not surprising that he likes mandalas.

3. Mandalas are one of the worlds oldest art forms.

4. If you slice an orange or a tomato you’ll find one of natures’ mandalas.

5. Mandalas can be made from materials such as glass， beads leather， paper and leaves.

6.There are stained-glass windows in many european cathedrals.

Answers

Activity 1

1. d; 2. c; 3. g; 4. e; 5. a; 6. b; 7. f