Mandalas in Your Art Journaling Practice
Mandalas in Your Art Journaling Practice
Art journaling is a therapeutic and creative expression of emotions, ideas, and reflection. It is like combining the visual elements of art with the personal touch of journaling and thereby creating a really personal form of expression. Incorporating mandalas into your art journaling practice will lift that experience, providing you with a balance between mindfulness and creativity and in turn increases your connection to your inner self.
What is a mandala?
Derived from Sanskrit, "mandala" comes from a word that means "circle." Mandalas are geometric designs that radiate outward from a central point, often symbolic of wholeness, unity, and harmony. They have been used in spiritual rituals, meditation, and art across different cultures for centuries. Today, many people use them therapeutically as drawing or coloring the images is soothing and meditative.
Why Use Mandalas in Art Journaling?
Mandalas represent symbolic spaces, representing the universe or the self, in many cultures. They may serve as a focal point to ground into, such as in your art journal, to reflect more intentionally on your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. In drawing a mandala, the mind is stilled through repetition, so they also are great for stress relief as well as other mindfulness practices.
Mandalas can also be a fun challenge in your creative journaling. Drawing a mandala does not come easily-it involves structure and spontaneity and balance between symmetry and artistic freedom-which can create a whole new kind of thinking and self-expression that you can't get from having your journal just be a record of your thoughts but can turn into a picture for you.
How to Add Mandalas to Your Journaling
Start Simple: Begin with simple shapes and patterns that radiate from a central point. Just draw freehand, or work with some tools, like a compass, to create even circles. Then, gradually get more elaborate in your designs as you become more comfortable.
Use it as a ritual for drawing or coloring a mandala before you write. Mandalas can be used as a form of meditation, helping to focus and clear the mind.
Colour Mandalas Colour is very important for a mandala. You can use colour to understand color theory, emotions, mood, or anything that you want. You can pick colours according to your mood and mood or assign colour meanings. For example, blue represents peace and red represents passion and energy.
Layers over Mandalas using Journaling: Mandalas can appear alone on the page or in a composition. You can layer your mandala with written reflections, affirmations, or even collages. You can doodle or paint around the mandala to create a dynamic, vibrant journal page.
Reflect on Your Mandala: Once you have created a mandala, take some time to reflect. What feelings did the process bring up inside of you? Does the design represent anything personal to you? This reflection can be incredibly valuable in your journaling process, as it gives you a glimpse of who you are and what you're about.
Final Thoughts
Mandalas in art journaling can sometimes be a highly creative exercise, but it may also help in establishing greater mindfulness and inner peace. This marriage of the meditative process of drawing mandalas with the reflective nature of journaling allows for a holistic space to release self-expression, healing, and personal growth. Whether you're an experienced artist or just beginning, mandalas are there to create and expand this journey in art journaling.
Mandalas in Your Art Journaling Practice
