Why I Choose to Draw Mandalas by Hand: In an ever more technological and AI based world, why do I choose to draw my mandalas by hand? So many beautiful ones are created (in a fraction of the time it takes me) with computers, so again, why? I think I want to start with a list of pros of each method and then explain my stance on it. Handmade Mandalas Digital Mandalas So, I understand people want to use digital mediums to draw but I like the traditional way. I like to feel the paper and pencil and I love not really knowing how it is going to finish. I feel the mandala is drawn by itself, I am just the hand that does it. And for the viewer there is something special when you look at something imperfect that has been handmade. You can feel the energy, the soul of who designed the art piece you are watching. There is something more humane about it. There is a connection between the artist and the viewer. In the end, both methods are valid. Both create beauty. But for me, hand-drawing mandalas is not just about the result, it’s about the […]
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A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon the concept of “horizon gazing” and it fascinated me. Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, has discovered that stress narrows our field of vision. One thing is in laser sharp focus and the rest gets blurred. By contrast, when we “defocus” our gaze and we take in a wider panoramic view, we relax, we enter a state of calm. “If you keep your head still, you can dilate your gaze so you can see far into the periphery—above, below and to the sides of you. That mode of vision releases a mechanism in the brain stem involved in vigilance and arousal. We can actually turn off the stress response by changing the way that we are viewing our environment, regardless of what’s in that environment.” Dr Andrew Huberman If you thing about it, it makes sense. When our body/mind worries that there is a threat it will focus our gaze to the things closest to us to make sure no predator will jump on us. When our body/mind doesn’t feel threatened, we can allow ourselves to take in a view and to relax our eyes by defocusing… That is the idea with […]
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Mandala have been found all across cultures and thought out human history. We find them from East to West in so many different cultures: Dreamcatchers and Medicine Wheels of Native Americans, Aztec Calendars, Cathedral Rosettes in Europe, Buddhist Sand Mandalas… These patterns are more than just beautiful designs, they carry deep spiritual and cultural significance. What is a mandala for? Mandalas ask from you to be patient. Tibetan monks, for instance, spend hours creating their sand mandalas only to erase them once completed. This practice symbolizes that the process itself holds more value than the finished result. Just like in life, the journey is more important than the destination. But it also talks about impermanence, how nothing in this universe is “for ever”. Mandalas are also an invitation to meditation. You can look at the intricate designs and quiet your mind. It allows you to find some inner peace and to know yourself a bit more. Mandalas inspire a sense of beauty and with it, joy. Mandalas also act as links to the divine (Yantra), offering a channel to receive cosmic truths. They are protective symbols believed to ward off negative energies and safeguard the soul. At their core, mandalas […]
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