A mandala journey

Lani shows her mandalas, remembering that a mandala is a sacred circle with a center and a circumference, and that our job is to connect the two.

As a child one of my favorite toys was Spirograph. I started drawing patterns with these plastic pieces and was fascinated with the designs that unfolded. I revisited making patterns later while living in Sedona, in 1994, where Sugatha introduced a group of us from Osho Academy to the world of mandalas. She created a beautiful space, supporting our creativity to unfold. The room was filled with the fragrance of pink Aurasoma, the color of unconditional love and non judgement, and we were accompanied by classical music. There was a spread of Caran d’Ache colored pencils, compasses, rulers and pencils in the middle of a big table. She explained that a mandala was a sacred circle with a center and a circumference. Our job was to connect the two. We were invited to jump into the deep water of creating mandalas.

Many years later, when I first arrived in Israel in 2008, I found myself in a bookshop looking for a book on mandalas. I thought this would be a great way to dive into the Hebrew language. But at that time there was nothing available. The shopkeeper, however, gave me the name of a mandala teacher, and his website, mandalaway.net. I contacted Eitan Kedmy, continued my mandala journey and became a certified mandala teacher. Over the years, I have taught individuals, groups, made presentations at festivals and various events; introducing many to the art of creating mandalas. I have had invitations to paint on walls of homes, on a yurt floor and paint on cloth for wall hangings. I have printed my mandalas on canvas and created gift cards.

In the video published on Osho News, How to Make Mandalas, I am showing how to draw a lotus flower mandala.

Lani grew up in the USA and took sannyas in Rajneeshpuram in 1983. Osho made her his World Ambassador. She is presently living in Israel where she facilitates Osho’s meditations, teaches mandala painting, and works as a Watsu therapist. facebook.com/mandalanilevine