Mandala Painting Workshops and Courses

Creating a mandala is a form of ‘artistic meditation’, which involves a careful, quiet, prayerful kind of attention, helping you:

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• Feel more balanced and centred in yourself

• Be a bridge between your conscious and unconscious self

• Improve concentration and develop mindfulness

• Enhance your sense of colour, spacial awareness and perception of shapes and patterns

In my workshops we learn how to create designs using geometry, with the ancient tools of compass, straight edge and pencil. As we work, we learn:

• About Mandalas​

• Sacred Geometry - the symbolism of shapes and the qualitative value of numbers

• The history and cultural interpretation of certain patterns

• Geometry in Nature  

Creating your own mandala design (rather than colouring in someone elses) enables you to:

• Discover your own patterns

• Get a feel for the flow of energy through lines and shapes

• Produce a design that holds an intention or symbolism that is meaningful to you.

Your design is a journey of exploration, as you extend your curiosity outwards from the centre and inwards within your self. The process is in itself a wonderful metaphor for Life's journey: How we navigate pathways, intersections, follow lines of interest, pause to step back and contemplate the whole, trust the gradual unfolding without knowing the end result.

The design may be completely instinctive, or you can work with an affirmation. The completed mandala becomes a focus for meditation, a personal shield or sigil. Some examples of possible themes/intentions include:

• Celebrating a rite of passage or threshold time of life -  such as pregnancy, birth, birthday, marriage, major life change, menopause, saturn return or in memoriam of someone.

• Significant animals, plants, elements, seasons

• Emotions, pathways to healing, movement of energy 

The possibilities are endless! Once your design has begun to emerge, you develop it  with colour, using watercolour paint and pencils. We consider the energetic properties of colours, so you can choose harmonius combinations to create the right mood.

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All materials provided - though I encourage you to bring your own tools (compass, ruler, brushes) if you have them.

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Who can do it?

• Anyone capable of holding a compass/paintbrush with a relatively steady hand, and feeling an interest in trying a meditative art practice.

• Suitable for ages 14 to adult (under 16's to be accompanied by an adult)

• Groups of up to 12 people for day workshops. 

• Larger group experiences tailored to your needs.  

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Study Possibilities:

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Weekend Retreat 4pm Friday to 3pm Sunday; deeper immersive experience

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Day workshops run from 10am til 4pm, with a short break for lunch.

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Short courses four 2.5 hour weekly sessions

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Taster workshops at festivals and events can last from one to two hours.

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Team Building sessions tailored to your group needs.

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The Practice

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Creating a Mandala (Sanskrit, meaning circle or wholeness) offers a visual pathway for coming into centre, while at the same time bringing peripheral elements into a feeling of inter-connected harmony. We do this through the resonance of sacred geometry (the universal language of shapes and symbols), creative use of light, dark and colour, and engaging the limitless power of our intent.

The practice can be devotional, in the sense of acknowledging the divinity within all things and how that oneness expresses through us.

Geometry provides a framework which allows us to set our sense of 'self' aside. We follow new routes and ancient pathways, pausing at intersections to feel our way. The drawings we make are symbolic maps of our inner world. Each shape is a number, each number holds specific properties, every meeting an opportunity.

In the workshops we consider geometry in nature, as well as looking at mandalas in different cultures, to inform our practice.

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To see my Calendar of Events and for Booking, please click here. 

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