DOODLE DAY JULY - DAY 3

Welcome to Day 3 of the Doodle Day July challenge! This month, I have many guests writing posts and doodle prompts by doodlers from the May challenge. Today, our guest is Alayne Kay Christian.

Take it away, Alayne...

MANDALA-DOODLE

For this prompt, I use the word “mandala” loosely because my suggested mandala doodling is not true to the form of a “proper” mandala. According to my Webster’s, the definition for mandala is as follows:

Mandala: 1) a Hindu or Buddhist graphic symbol of the universe: specific: a circle enclosing a square with a deity on each side. 2) a graphic and often symbolic pattern usu. In the form of a circle divided into four separate sections or bearing a multiple projection of an image.

The word “mandala” is Sanskrit for circle. Many cultures across the globe include the mandala as part of their religion as a way to tap into the soul or psyche.

In addition to the mandala’s spiritual or religious connection, it gained psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s attention early in life. He painted his first mandala in 1916. He called mandalas “a representation of the unconscious self.”

Today, mandalas are used in art therapy because they are considered a great source of healing and reflection or meditation. There are even mandala analysts who will interpret a person’s drawings – just a little tidbit for those who might be interested.

Remembering that this group is about DOODLING and NO PRESSURE, today’s prompt is about the freedom to instinctively use whatever materials, colors, and spontaneous expression that come to you.

There are a few ways to create your Mandala Doodle:

1. The core of mandala designs is the circle, so start with a circle. I like to trace the lid of a frying pan, but that is a large circle. I have used cups, bowls, even water bottles. Go for the size that you are in the mood to use for doodling. I have even drawn a very irregular circle freehand. I had nothing to trace, and I was in the mood to mandala-doodle, so I went for it freehand. You can find that one on my blog.

2. Let your feelings and instincts guide and inspire you through this creative process. The best way to do this is to mandala-doodle in a place that is distraction free. They say in art therapy that the finished mandala will represent and reflect who you were at the time of creation, only you will know if that is true for you.

3. I enjoy giving my mandala-doodles titles because when I am done, I always see something within it that I feel must be said. You might want to consider doing the same.

4. Remember, do what strikes you. As with all our doodling, this is about the experience (the actual creation of the mandala) not about the finished product.

You can find images of many beautiful “proper” mandalas on the Internet. A search will also bring up plenty of info on mandala art therapy and info on Carl Jung’s connection to and writings about mandalas. I offer some of my mandala-doodles below for examples. You can find more examples on my blog. You will see that some are very involved and others are very basic. It all has to do with what I was experiencing at the time I doodled. I even have one mandala where I was in a “rule breaking” mood, and I went way outside the circle with my doodle. I titled that one “Chaotic Freedom.”

BACK TO BASICS

EXPANDING CONTRAST

ONE EMAIL

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE

WEB OF LOVE'S LIGHT

 

 

Enjoy the process!

Check out more of Alayne's Mandalas on her BLOG.

 

Thank you, Alayne, for today's post and for sharing your Mandalas. Now I'm off to doodle. I think I'll doodle two - a geometric design and an organic design.