Meditation Series - Part 15 - Techniques For Practise Of Common Types Of Meditation - Mandala

Meditation

A mandala is most commonly a circle. As artwork they are beautiful, but are so much more than this. It can be translated roughly as a 'circle' and in Buddhist tradition represents the universe. 

Meditating with mandalas allows us to delve into our own 'universe' to gain insight and understanding within ourselves. 

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In the previous blog, Meditation Series - Part 14 - Techniques For Practise Of Common Types Of Meditation - Open Monitoring Meditation, we looked at observing experiences such as thoughts, emotions and sensations without attachment and letting them go. Meditating with mandalas is different as it encourages us to contemplate and comprehend what is going on within us.

Mandalas can be used for meditation in two ways;

1. Creating a mandala and using the process of creation as the meditation - You can create a mandala simply with paper and pencils inside or even outside on the ground with nature's toolbox of twigs, stones, leaves etc. This meditation in movement is great for those who need to be active of find it difficult/uncomfortable to sit and meditate as your body is kept busy and moving. Your meditation is observing and processing the thoughts and emotions that arise during the act of creating the mandala.
2. Observing a mandala and using the observation as a focus for meditation - Meditating with mandalas can be  used to consciously process the thoughts and emotions that arise from observing the mandala. They also can be used to enter a state of trance. Also, they allow images in a visual form to be carried to your consciousness, and by doing so they can be consolidated so that higher levels of direct, spontaneous perception of the mandala can be achieved.

There are many benefits of using Mandalas in meditation. For general techniques on meditation, click Meditation Series - Part 3 - Meditation Techniques.

The next instalment of this Meditation Series will be; Meditation Series - Part 16 - Techniques For Practise Of Common Types Of Meditation - Guided Meditation/Creative Visualisation

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Complete Vibrational Therapies has a Diploma of Metaphysics and is qualified in meditation.

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