At Big Walnut University, we matriculate through an entire unit on Buddhism. But at BWU, we try to experience a unit, not just read and take notes. One way to do this is to engage in art. Buddhist are famous for crafting inspiring mandalas. Here’s a captivating 2 minute clip on monks creating a mandala:
Here’s the way to construct a paper mandala:
- Take a perfectly square paper and folded it into 8 pie-shaped sections.
- Create a cool design in one of the sections.
- Fold the paper, place it on a window or light box, and recreate the image in the 7 remaining sections.
- Here’s some examples from last fall. But in the spirit of Buddhism, we promptly took them out in the parking lot and torched them!
Why, you may ask, would one do such a thing? The answer lies in attachment. Buddhism is all about letting go. That’s a tough concept to grasp when you’re a youthful 17-years-old. Burning these beautiful works of art could have a profound impact on you. Regardless, I have no doubt you’ll remember this assignment and the message about attachment for the rest of your life!
Blog #9 Instructions: (20 Points)
- Create a beautiful mandala. Snap a picture of it and post it on your blog.
- Write a paragraph which describes your emotions creating and then destroying your artistic offspring!