Coloring Mandalas as a Meditation Technique

Although you may not have heard of the word mandala before, you already know what it is. Mandala means circle in Sanskrit.

Circles are a powerful symbol found in every culture. We see them in halos, prayer wheels, and other religious symbols, architecture, and nature. Mandalas are sacred circles that have been long been used to facilitate meditation in the Indian and Tibetan religions. People create and look at mandalas essentially to center the body and mind.

Mandalas are entering medicine as a healing tool. An increasing body of clinical trials suggests that meditation can boost the immune system, reduce stress, combat depression, reduce pain, lower blood pressure, and stimulate the release of melatonin, a hormone believed to slow cell aging and promote restful sleep.

Mandalas are not just something to look at or meditate on. There are now mandala coloring books. Coloring a mandala using pencil crayons, crayons, paint, or pastels combines the benefits of meditation and art therapy.

continued on page 2 and 3 (links below)