I first heard of mandalas at a yoga retreat when I happened to share a hot tub with a psychologist and a therapist. They were discussing the therapeutic benefits of mandala coloring books. I found this interesting but did not give it more thought until several years later I bought a coloring book in the bookstore of a holistic health center. I started coloring with crayons but soon switched to colored pencils and eventually watercolor markers. I often use coloring mandalas as a way to de-stress and relax.
Here are two from one of my earliest books, Everyone’s Mandala Coloring book by Monique Mandali.
Mandalas are usually circular or based on points of a circle. If one wishes to view them from a spiritual or philosophical perspective one can say that the circle represents wholeness and the various designs show how many parts can create a much larger whole. I have always made my mandalas very symmetrical. I think this is born out of my own need to create order.
Here is one from volume 2 of Monique Mandali’s Everyone’s Mandala Coloring book:
Another Coloring book that I enjoyed early on was Magic Mandala by Martha Bartfeld. The designs are very simple and could be completed in a half hour or so.
