NEXT MANDALA WORKSHOP February 24 and 25 - contact Dr Uma at 208 315 3777 for info or to register
Mandalas 
When not in the office, Dr. Uma can often be found painting Mandalas or sharing the Mandala with others in teaching workshops. In addition to the descriptions below, more information and photos of her Mandalas can be found at Mandalas 4 Joy.com
The word mandala is from the Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle.” Mandalas are considered Eastern in origin, however, they are found in all cultures and all religions.
A few of the many places they are found are in Native American Culture with the “sacred hoop”, in Christianity with the Gothic cathedral “rose windows,” in the ancient Aztec Calendars, and in Tibetan Buddhist sand paintings that are intricate and elaborate – only to be allowed to be blown away by the wind signifying the impermanence of all things.
The “sacred circle” of the mandala is found throughout nature and in most aspects of our lives. The universe and its contained orbits are permeated with circles – from the plants, the sun and its orbital nature, the cycle of the seasons, flowers, seeds, trees, and so much more – even down to the cell itself and the orbital nature of the atoms.
Carl Jung is attributed to bringing the Mandala to western culture in the early 1900′s when his own personal development began a major exploration of the mandala – drawing them daily for years. He stated, “it became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the center. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the center, to individuation… I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self, I had attained what was for me, the ultimate.”
Simple Lotus Spiral
This connection with wholeness is no doubt one of the reasons that the mandala has great healing energies. The act of coloring, drawing, painting – or any involvement in the making of a mandala has great healing energies for the “artist” involved. Many therapists are using the creation of mandalas as a type of therapy for children, adolescents and adults, whether it be for PTSD, cancer patients, victims of abuse, or children with behavioral difficulties. The act of “involvement” with the mandala is soothing, relaxing and healing.
Additionally, it is said that the mandala has a healing energy that it gives off. Many people state, “I don’t know what it is – I just feel a calmness in looking at this (mandala).” Perhaps that is the part of connection to “wholeness” within. Some mandalas are specifically for the “concentration” or “focus” on them – a form of meditation, which is, once again, for the quiet and healing aspects that come from reconnection to one’s center.