Key points

Mandala means "circle" in Sanskrit; it's a revealing symbol often associated with psychological wellness.

Studies indicate that mandalas can help to reduce anxiety, process grief, and create life meaning.

Engaging with mandalas has many forms, such as art-making, bodily movement, nature-viewing, and labyrinths.

Labyrinth, Marin County, CA Source: Ariella Cook-Shonkoff

When visiting a stretch of Pacific coastline, there's a ritual that I often partake in. Sourcing whatever materials are available on the beach—seaweed, shells, rocks, feathers—I create the form of a mandala. This act is spontaneous, and looks and feels different every time: a meeting of inward thoughts and feelings and external tangible materials. Sometimes, I'm with others, but other times I'm alone. While

See Full Page