Dr. Christa Seybold

Self-Realization With Mandalas

The word "Mandala" comes from the indigenous classical Hindu language of Sanskrit and is defined as "sacred circle". One finds this specific concept in all religions and cultures, known variously as "circle, wheel, wreath, rotation, orbit, circle dance or dance".

In mathematics, the definition of a "circle" is the sum of all points that are equidistant to a central mid-point. The circle is thus defined by its center, although that center is not always visible or obvious.

Thus, a circle can also become a deciding factor in religious symbolism. The "mid-point" suggests a "god-head", the source and center animating all visible Nature. Our world corresponds to the circle, which is defined by its relation to the mid-point. Thus, our life develops its inner form as a direct consequence of the kind of mid-point around which it moves. The circle becomes the mirror image of the "all-inclusive omnipotent principal", the deepest symbol of the Mystery of Life, which plays itself out on the field of experience bounded by the "extremes" (or polarities).

In many cultures, during ritual proceedings, geometric pictures are often drawn on the floor and the walls in order to establish contact with the supernatural. The materials (used for these pictures) include colored sand or pastes made from pulverized herbs, cereals or roots.

The most famous Oriental Mandalas are the beautiful Tibetan paintings found on walls and silken cloth, which even today still serve as objects of meditation in Buddhist monasteries. One can also find Mandalas among Australian aborigines and among African and Native- American tribal groups.

In the West, we are fascinated by the circular arrangements of monoliths, such as Stonehenge (in Great Britain) as well as the monumental "rose windows" in Gothic cathedrals, which radiate in all colors when the Sun, taken as the symbol of the Resurrected Christ, illuminates them.

Ritual Mandalas are always based on traditional precepts and utilize only a fixed number of motifs. Individual Mandalas that appear in dreams and fantasies, on the other hand, contain an unlimited number of motifs and symbols, and are always an expression of one's internal and external perception of the world.

C. G. (Carl Gustav) Jung introduced the concept of Mandalas to the Western World. In order to improve his understanding of his own psychological processes, he painted circular, symmetrical images in his personal diary almost every day. Through this (practice), he discovered that the mid-point of his drawings exhibited a special meaning and a variable effect in relation to the periphery (of his pictures).

C. G. Jung perceived the "Self" as the goal of every psychological development. He understood this "self" to mean something greater than "I" (or "me") and also included the conscious and unconscious components of personality.

According to C. G. Jung, therefore, the Mandala becomes a natural symbol of Wholeness, a determining archetypal design that is inborn in every human being, and in the course of psychological development, can be expressed through dreams, conscious visions or spontaneous painting. During times of inner conflict or crisis, intuitively-created Mandalas can help people find their internal sense of balance and restore it again.

(text and pictures) Taken from the video-recording "Self-Realization With Mandalas"