Art Therapy - Mandalas

"When I began drawing the mandalas, I saw that everything, all paths I had been following all the steps I had taken were leading back to a single point - namely, to the midpoint. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the centre, to individuation." - Carl Jung

Mandalas, Carl Jung, and the Practice of Art Therapy

The mandala—a circular, balanced design—appears across cultures as a symbol of wholeness and harmony. For Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, the mandala was more than an art form; it represented the Self, the totality of our inner world. In art therapy, mandalas are a gentle tool for reflection, emotional regulation, and self-discovery.

Why Jung Valued Mandalas

Jung noticed that people often drew circles or symmetrical designs during times of stress or transition. He believed these images symbolized the psyche’s natural movement toward balance and integration. Creating or observing a mandala, he said, could stabilize the mind and help bridge the conscious and unconscious.

“For Jung, drawing a mandala was a ritual of centering—a conversation between the inner and outer world.”

Mandalas in Art Therapy

  • Grounding and calming: The circular form naturally soothes and focuses attention.
  • Externalizing the inner world: Mandalas give shape to emotions that are hard to express in words.
  • Insight and integration: Colors and patterns can reflect aspects of the unconscious.
  • Containment: The circle provides a safe boundary for exploring difficult feelings.

A Mandala Exercise

Ten-Minute Grounding Mandala

  1. Draw or trace a circle on paper.
  2. Set a 10-minute timer and begin filling the circle from the center outward using lines, dots, or colors.
  3. When finished, breathe deeply and notice what emotions or images arose.

A mandala journal exercise: “If this mandala could speak, what would it say?”

Creating mandalas can be a way to slow down and listen. As Jung observed, forming a circle mirrors our inner movement toward balance and meaning.

Whether used for calming, reflection, or exploring life transitions, mandalas are a gentle pathway into the Self.

 

If you would like to have a session to explore mandalas, I offer online sessions wherever you are in Australia. I also offer a 12 week course covering the 12 mandalas of The Great Round.

Get In Touch →

For an online session - Phone / Text / WhatsApp: 0408 792 747

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