Focused meditation with mandalas

How to succeed in focused meditation with mandalas

Focused meditation with mandalas is a form of mindfulness practice where you focus your full attention on a single thing over a period of time.

This form of meditation can lower stress levels and helps improve concentration. Even short sessions (about 15 minutes), even by people previously untrained in meditation, had significant positive effects for the users when performed over several weeks [1].

In the following article you will learn how you can easily start focused meditation with the help of mandalas. You will learn about the possible benefits and what you should consider before starting this quick-to-learn method as part of your daily routine.

Focused meditation with mandalas

Mandalas are very suitable for a session of focused meditation.

In contrast to traditional meditation where we work without focus for a clear mind, focused meditation is the concentration of attention on a feeling, a sound or an object to distract from everyday life and the environment.

The geometrically balanced patterns help with this centric focus. It does not matter whether the mandalas are drawn completely by oneself, or whether they are merely colored.

The concentrated attention on a certain thing enables the harmonization of the mind.

The effect of focused meditation can therefore be experienced quickly. Another advantage is that even beginners can usually start without a coach or trainer. Focused meditation is a quick, simple technique to get away from everyday concerns and experience an off moment.

The effectiveness of mind-body medical stress management has also been demonstrated in a study for healthy students, demonstrating the remarkable benefits of a mindfull lifestyle [2].

The most important requirements for focused meditation

Focused mediation is not tied to a specific place or time. For an optimal effect, however, it makes sense to consider a few rules to increase sustainability.

• Find a few minutes for yourself without constant interruptions
• Find a quiet place with a good temperature
  It is much more difficult to reach a meditative state when feeling hungry and directly after a sumptuous meal.
• Maintain a comfortable, upright seated posture – a meditation cushion can help bring your muscles, pelvis and spine into a comfortable position relative to each other. However, when coloring a mandala, you will usually be sitting on a chair. Therefore, sit on the edge to relax your thighs and pelvis. 
• Make a few circular movements with your shoulders to loosen them and take a steady deep breath into your belly (called belly breathing).

Now concentrate on the mandala and begin to fill it with colors. Let the colors and shapes have an effect on you. Feel the calmness and your breathing. The point is to experience a wonderful moment with all your senses. Enjoy what you see, what you have created. 

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References

[1] JC. Basso, A. McHale, V. Ende, DJ. Oberlin, WA. Suzuki: Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators. 2019 Behav Brain Res, Jan 1;356:208-220. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023. Epub 2018 Aug 25. PMID: 30153464 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023

[2] T. Esch, U. Sonntag, SM. Esch, S. Thees: Stress management and mind-body medicine: A randomized controlled longitudinal evaluation of students’ health and effects of a behavioral group intervention at a middle-size German university (SM-MESH). 2013 Forschende Komplementärmedizin, 20(2),
129–137. doi: 10.1159/000350671

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