How to paint a mandala and why it’s good for mental health

29 Sep 2022

Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week is this week, 26 September to 2 October and aims to help us all understand ways to improve our wellbeing and mental health.

A fantastic way to anchor back into your mind is through getting out your Resene paints and using your creative brain. As health psychology specialist Dr Fiona Crichton says, “Studies show a range of benefits associated with painting, art and crafting.”

The mandala is a beautiful art form to create to practice mindfulness and connect with yourself. Meaning circle in Sanskrit, the mandala is a geometric design which is symbolic in Hinduism and Buddhist cultures, but has been adapted as a popular mindful art form. It is seen as a visual representation of the universe and used as a guide for meditation. The idea is that by entering the mandala and proceeding towards its centre, you are guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from one of suffering into one of joy and happiness. Creating a mandala is a transformative practice that is intended to restore inner peace and wisdom within, making it a perfect tool for increasing self-awareness.

“Artistic endeavours often require attention, which means we are no longer caught up in worries about the future or ruminating about the past – we are in the moment,” says Dr Fiona Crichton, a health psychology specialist for mental health app Groov.

A stylised mandala painted in Resene Wanaka, Resene Wedgewood, Resene Comfort Zone, Resene Coconut Cream and Resene Gulf Stream.

To create your own mandala, start with drawing a simple dot in the centre with a pencil, before marking concentric circles around it. Draw straight horizontal and vertical lines through the middle of the circles and then split the circles into as many same-sized wedges as you like using lines. These are your guidelines, which will be erased at the end. Now is where you can really get creative and get out the Resene testpots – in each wedge, draw whatever design you would like and repeat it around the circle until you get to the next layer. You have the freedom to choose whatever shapes and colours you feel express your sense of self, and you may even get into a ‘flow’ state where it comes naturally.  “When you find your flow, you are completely in the moment, and time disappears,” says Fiona.

This form of meditative state is very therapeutic for the mind, and mandalas in particular have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, ease depression, and promote better sleep. 

Try painting your own mandala this Mental Health Week, benefit from the peace and relaxation it brings your mind along with the creativity and colour it brings into your home!

Read more on Mental Health Awareness Week here: www.mentalhealth.org.nz/our-campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

Download the Groov app at www.groovapp.com

Published: 29 Sep 2022