Mandala

What is Mandala?

Mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.

An integrated
structure organized around
a unifying center
Longchenpa

On our planet, living things are made of cells and each cell has a nucleus -- all display circles with centers. The crystals that form ice, rocks, and mountains are made of atoms. Each atom is a mandala.

Within the Milky Way galaxy is our solar system and within our solar system, is Earth. Each is a mandala that is part of a larger mandala.

Flowers, the rings found in tree trunks and the spiraling outward and inward of a snail's shell all reflect the primal mandala pattern. Wherever a center is found radiating outward and inward, there is wholeness--a mandala.

Representing the universe itself, a mandala is both the microcosm and the macrocosm, and we are all part of its intricate design. The mandala is more than an image seen with our eyes; it is an actual moment in time. It can be can be used as a vehicle to explore art, science, religion and life itself.

Mandala in Culture & Architecture

So, why Mandala for our Shichida kids?

I believe it is a visionary and reflective exercise that hopes to encourage young minds to visualize and meditate about the positive qualities that they would like to see manifested in the world. It motivates them to express their ideas through art by symbols and patterns.

The speed by which Sensei presents the flashcards is of utmost importance. Flashing quickly (1 to 2 seconds) will activate the Right Brain memory which is perfect, long term and effortless. But if the picture is shown longer, the child will try to remember with his Left Brain in a conscious and logic manner, which is slow, tedious and short-lived.

Prof Shichida  stresses the use of Mandala to help develop your child's visualization ability and build towards Photographic Memory.

This is a neglected area which I am currently working on with Linus.

How to use these Mandala pictures? Instructions