This morning I went over to Mavericks in Half Moon Bay to practice mindfulness in nature AKA forest bathing. The ocean is a perfect place to engage your senses! Every time I go out there, I receive new gifts from nature. This morning there were tons of desiccated turban snail shells, I started arranging them and this way what happened!
Mandala means “circle” in Sanskrit, a ceremonial and ritual language in Hindu/Buddhist practices. It’s a circular symbol which represents the universe, serving as a reminder that life is continuous. They are traditionally used as a meditation tool in Eastern traditions. The belief is that you can achieve a peaceful state of mind from just focusing on the shape of the mandala. Making mandalas is very calming as well as centering. When we allow ourselves to let go of thought, sometimes new solutions to old issues spontaneously arise. Our brains think about the same 68,000 thoughts every day, most of those thoughts are not novel and have a negative bias. These thoughts drive our actions! Creating a mandala gives the thinking mind a break and this is where our insight and creativity has space to emerge. By spending time creating the circles and patterns involved in a mandala, you will fall out into a calm, creative and meditative state: so good for you!
This process of play and creation will connect you, sometimes quietly, not only with yourself, others but with mother nature herself. Play is a state of flow, which promotes growth.
Lastly, I am noticing that having a project like this to focus on is a wonderful tool to get people off the phone and maybe have a moment of quiet that is interspersed with meaningful connection.
I will be incorporating this mandala process into my forest and ocean bathing sessions. Please contact me if you want to learn more.