T A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols. Mandalas are used in the Buddhist tradition, as sand paintings in Native American traditions, and even in the Christian tradition as mostly appear in stained glass windows. Coloring mandalas helps me develop the value of mindfulness which involves bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment. It’s actually difficult to do—something from yesterday will come up, or worrying about next week’s meeting will spoil things. Meditation is the main avenue to mindfulness. But guess what? Coloring mandalas does the thing like snap-your-finger fast, at least for me. I am able to focus exclusively on the act of coloring even without trying to be mindful! It surprised me. Suddenly, I am swept away, or rather, swept into the present moment. And I can stay for as long as I want..
In this page I will feature a gallery of mandalas that I have colored and named according to the image each mandala reminds me of. You can use the mandalas to focus on your own mindfulness practice, or you can create and color your own. There are several websites from which you can download mandala patterns to color for free, or you can buy mandala coloring books. You can even draw your own mandalas and use different paint media to color them in. Here's a great website for info on mandalas. https://www.art-is-fun.com/how-to-draw-a-mandala
