1. Exploring the power of the circle archetype.
Mandala
Exploring the power of the circle archetype.

2. What is a Mandala Means “circle” in Sanskrit
Originated from the Hindu scripture Rig Veda and holds a spiritual and ritual significance
Adopted by Buddhism, but also seen in all other religions & cultures as well since it is an archetype
Used as a spiritual teaching tool for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation
It draws our eyes and our focus toward the center

3. Mandalas across cultures

4. Mandala Reprsents
It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.
The mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.
The microcosm and macrocosm of our universe
Our “heroic” journey inward

5. Mandalas in nature

8. What people say about the Mandala
According to David Fontana, its symbolic nature can help one "to access progressively deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a mystical sense of oneness with the ultimate unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises."
Carl Jung saw the mandala as "a representation of the unconscious self,” and believed his paintings of mandalas enabled him to identify emotional disorders and work towards wholeness in personality.

9. Mandalas in Christianity

10. Mandalas in Judaism & Islam

11. Mandalas (Yantra)in Hinduism

12. Mandalas in Buddhism

14. Symbolic sections of the Buddhist Mandala
It contains four concentric circles symbolizing steps to enlightenment
Outside circle (fire of wisdom) = wisdom’s purifying fire
Vajra circle = diamonds that express strength and fearlessness
Tomb circle = 8 tombs which symbolize the 8 fold path
Inner circle (lotus) = open state of devotion

16. Inner circle symbolism - squaring the circle
The inner square with the four gates can represent the palace of purity.
Sometimes the buddha is in the very center
Sometimes a lotus flower is the very center
Sometimes it is just a diminishing point
The symbol of "square in circle" shows the interconnection of the Earth (square) and Space (circle). This interprets their relation as a balance, order and harmony in a process of eternal movement.

18. A human being is a part of the whole called by us “the universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest-a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.—Albert Einstein