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| Some of the mandalas created by participants at "Awakening the Divine" |
There it is again.
Beep! Beep! Beep! How does the
relentless ring of an alarm always seem to invade the best of dreams? Morning
people spring out of bed prepared for the day, while others need a miracle to make
it out of the house on time. The Georgia Museum of Art recently offered a
workshop for all kinds of people to wake up —in the spiritual sense. “Awakening
the Divine,” a mindfulness workshop, was also scheduled for the convenient
evening hour of 6 p.m. For many, the experience was a much more welcome wake-up
call than their daily alarm.
The workshop began with a
short history of mandalas. Many different cultures have created circular
designs throughout history. Humans were likely first inspired to draw circles
from looking at the sun and moon. This workshop drew inspiration from “Images of Awakening: Buddhist Sculpture from
Afghanistan and Pakistan,” an exhibition that highlights the Buddhist artistic
heritage of ancient Gandhara. Many other religions around the world have also
found significance in mandalas. From Tibetan monks to Navajo Indians, the
ritualistic production of these designs is often intended to produce healing.[1]
Psychologists today have
discovered the many positive effects of creating mandalas. The instructor of
the workshop, licensed physiologist Debra P. Avis, included a few in her
presentation. This practice may prevent writers block or aid in
decision-making. Mandalas symbolize the self in Jungian psychology.[2] By creating a mandala, an individual works to find a
place in the world. In conjunction with mindfulness, a well-studied practice
with many benefits, the process teaches one to focus on the task at hand. At
the end of the workshop, visitors left with completed, unique mandalas — as
unique as their individual dreams and aspirations, which they may now pursue
with renewed focus.
Gone are the days when art
museums were only spaces to observe a painting on the wall (though the museum
does offer ample time and space for this activity with Slow Art Day on the calendar for April 14).
Additionally, curators of education create experiences that call upon visitors
to interact with art in new ways. In recent years, the Georgia Museum of Art
has increasingly offered opportunities for visitors to participate in art
making. Workshops in acrylics and tapestry weaving employ local artists and
give members of the Athens community an opportunity to benefit from the
resources on campus. Whether it is making mandalas, paintings or tapestries,
visitors can find what makes their days a bit brighter at the museum.
--
McKenzie Peterson
Intern, Department of
Communications
[1]
Krippner, S. (1997). The Role Played by Mandalas in Navajo and Tibetan Rituals.
Anthropology of Consciousness, 8(1), 22-31.
doi:10.1525/ac.1997.8.1.22
[2]
Psychology of the Mandala. (2018, April 11) http://creatingmandalas.com/psychology-of-the-mandala
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