Mandala Art Therapy

At the most basic level mandalas represent wholeness, unity, connection and harmony. "Each person's life is like a mandala- a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and think forms the mandala of our life." -Pema Chodrin Art Therapists use mandalas to better understand the inner world of our clients and to help contain powerful, difficult emotions. Some clients have a meditative experience and produce insightful views of the self and deeper meaning to life’s situations. The process of making a mandala incorporates both symmetry and flow, and structure with flexibility. As we play and explore through art, within the safety of the circle, the process calls on our ability to be resilient and accept the unexpected. The process also engages both hemispheres of the brain, restoring a sense of mental and emotional balance. With both hemispheres engaged, our ability to cope with anxiety and regain a sense of control increases. In this course we will explore mandalas as a symbolic experience and metaphorical language. This is done by combining spontaneous mandala making exercises, and meditating on the correlating metaphors, stories, memories, and symbols. By sensing into the bodies metaphors and symbols, we can curiously witness what is emerging and growing from our next emotional "growth edge".