Mandala's came from Hinduism and Buddhism, the word mandala meaning 'circle'. They would create these mandala's as a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the connection between the universe and spirit. Buddists also said that it represented life as never ending and that everything is connected.
Nowaday's most people use mandala's for meditation, relaxation, to reduce anxiety and stress - removing irritating thoughts and allowing for the creative mind to run free. They can also be used to help in centering the body and mind, and for creating greater awareness of life and spirit. Many people when creating mandalas's allow their instincts and feelings to guide them in creating a mandala that represents what they hope for.
To create a mandala I have made these simple steps in the images below which you can follow, all you need is a pencil compass, if not then a ruler and pencil and a square piece of paper.
The first steps are to create a dot in the centre of your paper, then draw a horizontal and vertical line going through the dot. Down each of the lines measure out 1cm, then 2cm, then 4cm marking it with a dot, do the same down each line. Once you have done this, then add two diagonal lines through the centre point, again creating the same dots from the measurements above. Then begin joing the dots to create the circles you can see in the image below.
*Note - These measurements can be anything this is just an example to start with, and you can make as many of them and as many circles as you want.
Once you have done this you can then move on to adding patterns and shapes around your circles, making sure that they are symmetrical.
You can add any shape and pattern you want, before adding colour to your mandala.
*Creating a mandala can be therapeutic and relaxing, so remember to take your time and enjoy the process, allowing for reflection as you do this. Also using certain colours can help reduce anxiety and stress. Examples of the meaning of mandala colours can be found on this website link below:-