Nature Mandalas

Activity Overview

The Sanskrit word mandala means “sacred circle.” In several Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, the circle is elevated as a symbol of the cosmos, without beginning or end. Mandalas can be used to connect us to our inner life and ground ourselves to a sense of peace and focus. Mandalas, and circle art, can be found in many cultures around the world. During Diwali, Hindu families create rangolis - mandalas made with flowers, lentils, colored rice meal and candles - to bring prosperity to their households. The creation of sand mandalas is a meditative practice of self-awareness and humility amongst Tibetan Buddhist monks in which they work to painstakingly create intricate patterns with sand and then let their colorful mandalas return to the nearest water source and back to nature. Carl Jung kept a mandala journal every day, as a form of daily meditation. Andy Goldsworthy, an artist known for his remarkable natural sculptures, often uses the mandala form and creates works with found materials. Once a photo is taken to remember it by, Andy abandons his works to nature with no assurance it will be there when he returns. Our practice will allow the students to look at patterns, balance and symmetry, as well as the beauty of the natural world in a novel way through the use of a nature mandala. We recommend doing this activity both inside and outside to create a connected experience.

What You Need

• Collected natural materials: stones, sticks, flowers, grasses, leaves, feathers and more

• Your imagination

• Nature Mandala slideshow

Steps

1. Go on a nature collection walk and gather a large amount of similar and different materials. You can also use flowers from the store or your home for this activity.

2. Lay materials out in an inviting way for your student.

3. Talk with your student about what a mandala is and what shape they are. Look at the Nature Mandala slideshow with your student. Talk to your students about what they might want to create or if they have any questions.

4. Create! Give lots of time and space to your student to focus and create. Take a photo of your creation to remember it later.

5. Use the guiding questions to prompt your conversation with students.

Guiding Questions

• What kinds of colors are you going to add to your mandala?

• How big will it be?

• What patterns would you want to create?

• How can we create symmetry?

• How does your body feel doing this work?

• How long will it take for our mandala to disappear?

Extensions

• Can you create nature spirals?

• What other shapes or creations can you make with your materials?

• Can you remember your creation by drawing a picture of what you made?