by atmara | Jun 30, 2014 | Art, Healing, Mandala Monday, Mandalas, Meditation
Mandala healing is not one of the most well known forms of alternative healing. However, the integration of a mandala image into a meditation session can certainly boost the effectiveness of the process. That is why the concept of mandala healing deserves a closer look.
Meditation has long since been used as a means of promoting proper restorative mental health benefits. When a person meditates, it becomes possible to calm and relax the mind. This can put an end to much of the psychic noise that is present within the deep recesses of the mind. Now, this is not to say that meditation alone will cure all mental and emotional ills one may possess. Yet, it can definitely help in many regards towards calming the mind and allowing the healing process to take place.
Some may have certain preconceived notions as to how meditation is performed. They will often look at meditation from the traditional perspective of performance in the Zazen position. While this is most definitely a helpful means in which to perform meditation, there are various other ways meditation can be performed effectively. For example, walking and moving meditation is quite popular and so are two-person meditative drills as well. Then, there is also the lesser known process of integrating mandala healing into the process of meditation.
In traditional Zen meditation practices, koans are used to enhance the meditation process. Koans are parables without clear meanings that are meant to be pondered. With mandala healing, a painting or other artistic image or symbol is what is to be pondered upon.
What exactly is a mandala and how is it possible to integrate its symbolism with mandala healing? It is a circular diagram that originated in Hinduism and has found its way into Zen Buddhism. In time, the mandala was heavily integrated into tantra meditation practices. In the most simplistic terms this involves looking into the imagery and outside of the natural world. In essence, you will look beyond yourself and into the mandala to fully maximize your meditative experience.
So, where can you acquire a mandala? This is the fun part: you can make one yourself. No, that does not mean you need to be the most talented artist in the world or even possess a modicum of artistic skills. You simply need to have the basic ability to craft a decent mandala based on words and symbols that are meaningful to you.
When you meditate upon mandala imagery that you have created, you will be doing so in a highly personal manner. That will allow the mandala healing process to achieve its highest level of perfection since it has been deliberately tailored to your specific needs and goals. This will greatly enhance the entire meditation process and make it far more effective.
Try out Mandala healing by creating a simple circle and filling it with a word or basic symbol that has meaning to you. Color it in with your favorite colors, taking time to enjoy this creative process. Then when its done, tape it the the wall, sit comfortably and meditate on your new mandala for 15 minutes. You will find yourself feeling refreshed and calm and thats what mandala healing is all about.
Cat Williams is a freelance writer and advocate of mandala healing. To find more info on the benefits of mandalas, go to her website at Internet Marketing For Newbies Review.com.
Article courtesy of GoArticles.com
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I look forward to your thoughts and comments!
by atmara | Jun 26, 2014 | Creativity, Science, TED Talks, Video
According to ted.com: “Web cartoonist Randall Munroe answers simple what-if questions (“what if you hit a baseball moving at the speed of light?”) using math, physics, logic and deadpan humor. In this charming talk, a reader’s question about Google’s data warehouse leads Munroe down a circuitous path to a hilariously over-detailed answer — in which, shhh, you might actually learn something.”
“One of a small group of professional web cartoonists, math obsessive and chronic explainer Randall Munroe dazzles the online world (and racks up millions of monthly page views) with the meaninglessly-named (and occasionally heartbreaking) webcomic xkcd.”
Enjoy this entertaining talk.
For those of you not familiar with TED Talks here is a brief summery from www.ted.com: “TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences — the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK each summer — TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Project and Open TV Project, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize”
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I look forward to your thoughts and comments!
by atmara | Jun 23, 2014 | Art, Healing, Mandala Coloring, Mandala Monday, Mandalas
The Mandala Cure: End Anxiety Today
Whether you know it or not you are probably quite familiar with mandalas. If you have gazed upon a magnificent rose window adorning a local cathedral or spent time enjoying a fragrant spring daisy, then you have already been touched by the beauty of a mandala.
Sanskrit for sacred circle, mandalas are an ancient art form dating back to Tibet over 2,500 years ago. The Tibetan Monks saw the mandala as more than a circle divided into an ornate design, they saw it as a representation of the Universe; a blend of different symbols and colors coming together, bonded by its center, to form in harmony.
Look at the Christian\’s usage of the labyrinth or marvel at the mandala healing ceremony performed by American Indians and you will find that the sacred circle has transcended its ancient roots. Many present-day religions and civilizations have come to view the mandala, with its gentle symmetry, as a symbol of the balance in nature, the unity within the world, and the harmony we all seek within our lives. Even the world renowned psychologist and founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung was struck by the healing abilities of the mandala. Jung went on to write many papers about the subject and regularly used mandalas as a healing tool with his patients. Now this same restorative power is in your hands.
Coloring or creating mandalas is a simple process. Basically a form of active meditation, you suspend your inner dialogue while you draw images on a page or color a pre-made design. As with any form of active meditation you will be able to achieve the same calm, peaceful effects of traditional meditation without the difficulties of sitting still for hours at a time or trying to empty your racing mind. By meditating on a mandala, specifically the center of the design, a person can easily be drawn into the circle to find their focus, and most importantly keep that focus. Great for beginners or anyone short on time, mandala coloring books are a great way to introduce yourself to this healing process.
Coloring mandalas is a peaceful pastime used by a variety of peoples and institutions to heal the mind and the body. Today you will find mandala coloring and creation being used in nursing homes, elementary schools, cancer wards, and mental health facilities across the country. As someone who once struggled with both General Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder I know first hand the calming, meditative power of coloring a mandala. For free mandala downloads, go to my website at www.30minutemandalas.com and enjoy the power and simplicity of a mandala.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/the-mandala-cure-end-anxiety-today-218302.html
About the Author
Michelle Normand is a freelance health and beauty writer and the author of 30-Minute Mandalas Coloring Book: Active Meditation for the Mind and Body. For a free sample of her mandala designs or links to other great articles about mandalas and meditation, please visit her website at www.30minutemandalas.com.
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I look forward to your thoughts and comments!
