People often stop at my stall or message me to ask the same gentle question: what actually is a mandala? It is a lovely question, because the answer reaches far beyond art.
A circle that holds everything
Mandala is a Sanskrit word that simply means "circle". In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, a mandala is a sacred design that represents the universe and our place within it. It has a centre, and everything radiates outward from that centre in balance and harmony.
That structure is the whole teaching in one image. The centre is stillness, the true self. The rings around it are the layers of life we move through. Looking at a mandala, the eye naturally travels inward, and the mind tends to follow.
Mandalas across cultures
Tibetan Buddhist monks create intricate mandalas from coloured sand over days or weeks, then sweep them away once they are finished, as a reminder that nothing is permanent. Circular sacred designs appear in many other places too, from the rose windows of cathedrals to Native American medicine wheels.
In the twentieth century, the psychologist Carl Jung drew a small mandala in his notebook most mornings. He came to see the circle as a picture of the whole self, and noticed that his drawings reflected his inner state from day to day.
Why I paint dot mandalas
Every one of my mandalas begins with a single dot in the centre. From there I work outward, ring by ring, placing every dot by hand with simple dotting tools and acrylic paint. I never plan the whole design in advance. Each ring suggests the next, so the painting grows the way a flower opens.
The process is a meditation in itself. The breath slows, the mind quietens, and time seems to disappear. My business is named after that feeling: samadhi is the Sanskrit word for the deepest state of meditative absorption, where the sense of a separate self falls away. My hope is that some of that stillness travels with each piece into the home of whoever receives it, spreading a little love and healing along the way.
Living with a mandala
You don't need to meditate to feel the effect of a mandala. Many people simply find that one on the wall brings a sense of calm to a room. A few ways people use them:
- As a focal point for meditation. Rest your eyes softly on the centre and let your breath settle.
- As a daily reminder. Each of my greeting cards carries words from teachers such as Rumi and the Buddha on the back, so the design and the words work together.
- To mark a new chapter. A mandala can be a meaningful gift for a birthday, a new home, a recovery or a fresh start.
Find your mandala
If you would like to bring a mandala into your own space, you can explore original paintings, 40cm art prints and cards, or spend the year with twelve of them in The Journey Within 2027 calendar. And if there is a colour, intention or person you would like a mandala painted for, I would love to create one with you as a commission.
With love,
Sejal