Customer Reviews

Mandala Workbook for Inner Self-Development

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This is the best book on creating original mandalas that I have come across. The author explains what mandalas are and provides a brief overview, culturally and historically. She then guides readers through a series of steps -- from beginning to end -- so we can create our own mandalas intuitively. She details every bit of information we might need to get started, regardless of the medium we select for our mandalas. In addition, the author explains how numbers and colors can be used in our mandalas, and how symbols may be revealed, and explores what they could mean. Although I have designed mandalas intuitively for many years and thought I knew everything about the process, I learned a great deal from this book, and it has inspired me to explore new mediums and new approaches. This isn't just coloring between the lines...it's devising mandalas from your heart and spirit, and isn't that what true art is all about?

Gratefully, the author includes color and black-and-white plates that depict mandalas from various cultures and her own intuitive designs. She painstakingly discusses how she created her mandalas and what the colors, numbers, and symbolism in them mean to her. It is quite an eye-opener!

A small detraction is that the book was translated from the original Dutch, and there are quite a few editorial issues. Fortunately, they do not diminish the overall message. If you take delight in mandalas, enjoy designing them, and want to understand them more deeply, this book is a must-have. It is a rare gem you will surely cherish!

Making mandalas is form of active meditation which is both fun and fulfilling. In this book, the author explains what mandalas are and how you can benefit from making and using them. There is a brief section on materials you can use: colored pencils, paints, embroidery, etc. Also, there are meditative exercises you can use to make your own mandalas and how to interpret them. The color illustrations by the author are vibrant and quite energizing, and she explains her creative process for each one. This book is useful for anyone wishing to make and to understand mandalas.