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From facilitators to
the project
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New Jersey, USA
“Interacting, creating and... loving it!. Many children are very thankful for the opportunity to participate in this project.
I have been developing the mandala writing project for the past couple of years and I am excited to see a growing interest in the idea from school teachers and school counselors.
This project can easily fall into peace education curricula as it gives an opportunity to the children to use their creativity and to really think about what they are thankful for and discuss it amongst each other.
It also gives them a chance to share their pens, markers and so on graciously with each other, exploring naturally this sometimes delicate issue in a peaceful, practical environment.”
Birmingham, UK
Children intimately enjoy being creative, they are instinctively drawn to the positive words of a colorful mandala. Their connection with the natural world is direct and spontaneous.
During a mandala workshop held recently in the United Kingdom two young girls decided to start their mandala's in appreciation to animals. One of them wrote "I love rats" over and over again in multi colors. Never have rats received so much love from such an innocent heart of a child. Wonderful!.
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Peace education and Mandala writing
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 As peace education programs are gaining popularity in some school systems, the project of writing a mandala for peace, in gratitude to nature or to one’s family (and many other options) is attracting teachers and educators in various fields.
Writing a mandala is a wonderful and fun way for a child to explore and reflect on such issues as peace, the earth, the environment and the people they share their lives with. Even the little ones who are not ready to write can easily participate by drawing in the things they like, make several tiny mandalas and place them inside a picture (of a fish or a cat of the sun, making bouquets of flowers with mandalas) for instance works wonders.
There is a definite need to pause and think about the things we are grateful to, what is peace, what does it mean for us? before starting on the journey of creating a mandala.
A child can create a simple or elaborate art work, there is no need to be an “artist”, the end result is always a very personal piece, in fact not 2 Mandalas are ever alike as they carry one’s own energy, a sort of a soul signature.
When writing together the children come to share and discuss many of today’s issues, thus the writing of a mandala is an excellent tool for teaching, for reflecting and for debating.
Fueled by the creative ideas of former teachers, a project is in the making for the creation of Murals with Mandalas in Western Australia.
For more on this project, contact >> Jenny Funston
Our contacts in the UK, East Coast and West Coast USA areas will be happy to help you facilitate a workshop on mandala making and can provide for a discussion on the various themes such as world peace, the environment, love and gratitude for the earth and more.
Contact:
>> Diana/Antonella UK
>> Padma Reinartz East Coast USA
>> Nao Valente West Coast USA
For more visit the mandala art work web site. >> Mandala Gallery
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From children and teachers
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 “It is a great way to tell how you feel.”
‘I really like doing this project. You can express your feelings and the reasons to live.”
“I think it is good to express our feelings and gratitude for our parents.”
“We were given such a gift to our classroom with the lessons on mandalas. The children really enjoyed thinking about their lives in this way and how much they had to be thankful for. We are calling their project “Appreciation Mandalas. As a teacher I really enjoyed watching their eyes shine as they went through the process of celebrating themselves, their lives, and all they have in them.”
“The children enjoyed learning about the mandala. This project taught them patience and had them reflect on what they appreciated about their family, nature, or life.
Some counselors and teachers in the New Jersey area are discussing the possibility to have a “Peace Education Day” in the class room which would include the writing of mandalas as a project for their class room.
For more information... >> Padma Reinartz
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