Creating Mandalas: For Insight, Healing, and Self-Expression

by Susanne F. Fincher, Robert A. Johnson (Foreword)

The circular designs known as mandalas are symbols of deep inner truth, and when creating your own mandalas, you can discover things about yourself that can surprise you. Susanne Fincher introduces here the history and ritual use of mandalas in cultures all over the world. She then shows you how to make your own, offering guidance on choosing art materials and techniques. She discusses the symbolism of colors, numbers, shapes, and motifs (such as birds and flowers) that appear in mandalas, and she also presents several illustrated case histories of people who have successfully used her techniques.

This revised edition includes a new preface. It also includes a new chapter on making mandalas with a group, a practice that can yield even greater insight—and more fun.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Psychology, Reference, Religion

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[JoyfulK]

This book contains an extensive analysis of the use of mandalas in personal psychospiritual development or as a tool in expressive arts therapy. If you're interested in these topics, you may find it useful. It's accessible whether you're trained in these topics already, or not. In fact, the author's suggestion of drawing a mandala daily or weekly, as a practice, and her suggested ways looking at the resulting series, are particularly interesting.

Unfortunately, I found the discussions of symbolism to lack cultural sensitivity, particularly in the tendency to associate "dark" and "black" primarily with negative aspects of the personality and "white" and "light" with positive aspects of personal and spiritual growth. This book was written in the 1990s, so I don't feel comfortable excusing the author on the grounds that consciousness about these issues hadn't been raised yet. Instead, I keep thinking she should have known better. But I haven't found a better book on mandala work yet. Be sure I'll post it if I do.

[Ray Zimmerman]

This book is an excellent resource for those who create or color mandalas. It has instructions for creating your own mandalas, which can be quite different from the predesigned geometric colors in adult coloring books. I have done both and find both activities valuable. The dext delves deeply into the interpretation of your use of color, numbers, geometric shapes, etc.

[susanna suchak]

It's a treasured resource.

[Olivia]

Fascinating and a good reference book

[Ceanne]

I love drawing and coloring mandalas and have for many years, this book provided me the opportunity to learn more about the history of mandalas and some more "uses" for them than I have been using them for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am planning on buying it for my libary.

[Blythe]

Revisit this book if possible. Good foundational information, and her story at
the beginning makes for a useful workshop introduction. Just dislike the
very simplistic symbol interpretations. Buy if I can find a 2nd hand copy.

[Christine]

I found this book most valuable for the explanation of Kelloggs Grand Round in chapter six and individual testimonies to the mandala creation process (with corresponding image plates) in chapter seven.

[Francine Apollo]

I borrowed this from the public library. However, I will buy a copy and would give it as a gift. Mandalas covers everything you ever wanted to know about mandalas, chakras, etc.

I am just beginning an independent study of this material and those book was immensely helpful.

[Angie crosby]

i really enjoyed this book. It was great as not only an introduction to mandalas but as a guide to creating and interpreting them.

[Summer]

Read this book for Graduate school and I really enjoyed it. I love what comes into "view" when anyone does a mandala. Very fascinating. :)

[Yasmín]

Siempre le acerto a todos los mandalas que analice con ayuda de este libro!!

[culley]

This is my go-to book for considering the meanings of color, numbers, shapes, etc.

[Opung Hermanto]

i think this book can help me, for to find the answer abot mandala.. i hope i can read this book.