Introducing a Mandala for Peace
The other day I had the pleasure of working with a group of 9 kiddos, aged 10 – 14 to delve into the “spiritual domain“. It was “Domain Day” at the school where I work. We spent the morning exploring qigong and energy practices. In the afternoon, I taught them about my mandala practice. I felt such love for those kiddos. And peace. And so, I got the idea to create a mandala for peace.
I asked to be able to teach for the spiritual domain (the others were, for example, the social domain, the emotional domain, etc.) and I got my wish. I told these students that I love to create mandalas as meditation, and to compliment my spiritual practice.
Creating my mandala for peace
As I do my mandala practice, I allow for “intuiting” my drawing. I don’t plan my mandalas before I draw them, nor do I know what colors they’ll be.
As I worked in silence, I kept thinking about the idea of peace: peace for myself, peace for the people, peace for the planet. Peace begins with an inner practice. Because this was the theme that kept coming up for me, I knew that this mandala would be for peace.
The students I worked with the other day understood this. I can’t say I’ve ever been more inspired after working with those students. And I got to work with them for 6 hours (!) delving into the intricacies of meditation and different ways to do it.
Mandalas as meditation
I have a long-time practice of creating mandalas. It is a meditation for me.
If you would like to do this, you can follow the method I use.
- Gather your materials: pencils, erasers, markers of different thickness (yes, you can use artist markers, but throughout the years, I have found I prefer Sharpies), ruler, compass.
- Breathe. Take three deep breaths and center yourself before beginning.
- Find your “center”: draw diagonals from corner to corner on your paper to get to the center. Then draw horizontal and vertical lines to act as “guiding” lines.
- Using a compass, place the point where the lines intersect (the center) and begin drawing concentric circles of varying sizes.
- Now, begin with a fine-point marker and begin drawing shapes. Just do what comes to you, but be sure to “balance” it somewhere else. You can make your mandala symmetrical or not, but if you use a shape, be sure to use that shape somewhere opposite.
- Once you have created your basic mandala, use a medium point marker to make the lines thicker. Use an extra-fine point marker to create very thin lines.
- Choose your colors. Allow your process to unfold intuitively. Select colors that seem to resonate with your current mandala.
- Block the colors in.
- Work to calming music or in silence. Sometimes I’ll put on an inspirational audio track in the background.
Use your mandala for meditation
You can use your mandala in different ways.
Some ways I use mandalas include
- Gazing at them in meditation. I’ll gaze at my peace mandala as I meditate on peace.
- Giving as a symbolic gift
- Keeping some on my home altar
- Using them as decoration and/or to help make a space sacred
Try your own
Have you tried to do your own mandala before? How did it go?
I did do these more when I was younger to be honest. But could use a bit of inspration to do more of these mandelas now. And think this may have just jump started that in me. So thanks for that and so much more always! Happy Monday now and many hugs to you xoxo <3
Janine – sweet friend! I can so see you doing these! Did you ever play with those Spirographs? I loved those and made my own forms of mandalas as a kid. hehe. I hope you’ve had a great week! Now, let’s see some mandalas! Ha! Sending you big hugs. xo
I’m not a drawing kind of person and these days my hands shake too much to hold a pen steady. But I do love seeing those that others do.
Marlene – I’m glad you enjoy these, even if the drawings aren’t done by you. You have so many creative gifts and you make beautiful things: I consider your quilting and embroidery a kind of meditation, so there you go. You meditate beautifully! Hehe. Sending you hugs, sweet friend! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week.
Never in recent memory have we needed peace more than now, Lil Sis. I am absolutely heartbroken when watching the news. What in the world is happening to us all? I lived through the Civil Rights movement, and the protests over Vietnam, and there was hatred then for sure, but today’s world just seems to be on fire daily.
And I don’t have any answers other than to live my life in peace, and to treat all I meet with love.
Keep ringing the bell, Little Sis….it has to be helping!
Big Bro, I couldn’t agree more. I am heartbroken at seeing what’s going on, as well. It’s as if our own media and our politicians stoke the fires of division and so many fall in line with that – me included. I know I haven’t been above what’s going on, either.
And to that end, the need for peace is truly great right now. I try to treat all those I meet with love, as well. I fall short of my own expectations sometimes, but I aspire to live, be, and breathe love. Thank you for your words of wisdom. You keep on shining that big heart of yours 🙂
Dear Cynthia, Loved that you got to teach a whole 6hours some of your wisdom with these children, whom I am certain will have lapped up your words and teachings..
Creation brings me so much peace, whether it be painting, knitting, or gardening. I think if we set our intentions to BE at peace within our creations, it becomes it’s own meditation..
Loved your Peace mandala Cynthia, and I expect you have created a new enthusiasm for creating mandalas within the classroom of these students..
We need more than ever to go within and find what ever means we can to feel and project that peacefulness out into society.
Society in general have lost so much of their inner peace, as they are pushed forward into the busy world of commercialism. Children especially I feel in today’s education system, are pushed and pushed to succeed, as ever more pressure is put upon them to pass exams cramming in information becomes I am sure an overload..
No wonder we hear of so many young children suffering depression, and the affects that this modern day technological life style brings with it.
So I hope those who attended you class, continue to learn more about creating that quiet space and by just doing this simple mandala artwork, it creates within such a new sense of peace and well being..
And I am so pleased you felt so much rewarded and gratified in that shared feeling you generated with your students..
Stay Blessed dear friend, You bring so much to so many..
You are a beacon of light and love ..
Lots of love sent your way.. Mega Hugs to you my friend.. I know you will inspire many, many more.. <3
Sweet Sue – teaching this stuff, I was just so inspired, so happy, so filled with hope – the day went better than I thought was possible. They really “took it all in” – I was able to teach what I know about chi kung, about making mandalas, and I worked with a fellow teacher who is like-minded, into sacred geometry, iron body (with a new-to-me author, Mantak Chia), Wim Hof and deep breathing, and we had so much to talk about. It was fun planning the day with him and have him listen to my ideas, and I was able to listen to his. So incredible. It really gives me hope for humanity that there are people out there who do care so deeply. Yes, I know they do here on the site, but I just mean that out there in the world where it’s not every day that I can come upon folks who are as into all this as I am. I know I’m an outlier, but it sure is incredible to meet others on the journey in real life. And yet…I’m meeting more and more people who are on this journey and it’s so inspirational.
I hope we were able to ignite a spark in these young folks. They seemed to love the John Chang video we shared, and the history of mandalas. I dunno, the whole day was so neat that I couldn’t stop smiling for hours afterward. I still get chills thinking about it. They had a wonderful time creating mandalas and trying to “stand like a tree” even for just two minutes, hehe.
I love the school where I teach. The school was founded by sufis and it’s evolved into a beautiful place of secular spirituality. My work there informs my work outside of the school (i.e. meditation and this site) and vice-versa.
And it’s got me even more fired-up for teaching meditation in real life. I feel like the past year (starting in March 2017) to now was about preparation. Preparation for coming out of my shell, for accelerating my journey, and sharing it with others. I decided to teach a free class (but donation-based) on meditation for 8 weeks at the school. Since I’m an employee there and offering it to the community, I can use their space for free. It’s a win-win. Hehe. And then we’ll see where it goes from there. 🙂
Sending you so many hugs, sweet friend. Here’s to this sacred journey. Where I feel so inspired, such love and a need to share it with the world. xoxo
Dear Cynthia,
How wonderful that you are working with our future – developing creativity, mindfulness and a love of peace.
This post makes me feel hopeful. You are truly an Ambassador for Altruism.
Love you and hugs, Maria
Hi, Mar! Happy week to ya. 🙂 Thank you for this beautiful response. I was so psyched to work with this group of kiddos. It just inspired me so. I couldn’t wait to create my own mandala – I had told them I would. Hehe.
Thank you – always – for your beautiful spirit, your genuine love and light that you share, and for just being you. I am blessed our paths have crossed.
Big hugs to you! xo