Journeys of the Heart
Creating Nature Mandalas With Barbara Dutchak
Making a nature mandala is an easy meditative and creative practice. Mandala is ancient Sanskrit for the word circle, but mandala-like patterns have been used in cultural and faith traditions around the world, often to symbolize wholeness or a unifying principle of the cosmos (both macro and micro). Mandalas have been drawn with sand, carved in stone, laid out in mosaics, woven in tapestries and painted in manuscripts. Mandala patterns can also be observed in nature, from the structure of our solar system to the radiating forms of many flowers, cacti, tree rings or acorn caps, for example.
"For me, nature mandalas are a symbol and celebration of our 7th UU principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Creating these mandalas is a spiritual practice of focus, attention, mindfulness and making thoughtful choices - including when gathering the found and natural materials to use." ~ Barb
Find complete instructions for making your own nature mandala by clicking here.
Heart Tip
When creating a mandala together, as a family for example, talk about things like who wants to collect what types of natural objects, whether to share or take turns deciding what goes in each ring and who creates it, respecting each others’ choices and helping each other WHEN or IF help is requested. Share with each other how you felt while looking for and discovering materials to use, and your thoughts and ideas while creating your mandalas.
