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.
