Jung’s The Red Book is filled with mandalas that he sketched and painted over many years. He kept asking himself where this process was leading, what was its goal?
“My mandalas were cryptograms concerning the state of the self which were presented to me anew every day,” he wrote in Memories, Dreams, and Reflections. “It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the center. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the center, to individuation.”
He considered mandalas to be archetypes and found confirmation in a synchronicity that happened in 1927-1928. He had painted two mandalas and one of them had a golden castle in the center. He wondered why it looked so Chinese.
“It was a strange coincidence that shortly afterward I received a letter from Richard Wilhelm enclosing the manuscript of a Taoist-alchemical treatise entitled The Secret of the Golden Flower, with a request that I write a commentary on it. I devoured the manuscript at once, for the text gave me undreamed up confirmation of my ideas about the mandala and the circumambulation of the center.In remembrance of this coincidence, this ‘synchronicity,’ I wrote underneath the picture which had made so Chinese an impression on me. ‘In 1928 when I was painting this picture showing the golden, well-fortified castle, Richard Wilhelm in Frankfurt sent me the thousand-year-old Chinese text on the yellow castle, the germ of the immortal body.'”
Great insights, Gibbs!
In the course of investigating the perplexities of synchronicities for my just released book on the nature and uses of coincidences I observed on a curious fact. The date of the critical scarabs synchronicity was never recorded by Jung. This is important as Jung dated virtually all of his findings. This was verified by a letter I received form Deidre Bair the author of a definitive biography of Jung. There are clues that the scarab occurrence happened from 1924 – 1928. Voila! Now comes your reference to mandalas. The timing of this coincidence appears once again to validate my naturalistic theory of synchronicities. In short meaningful coincidences are self generated messages from ones self – the result of a person dedicating them selves to solving a seemingly unsolvable problem – activating their creative process – initiating a psychological scavenger hunt – in which their is a search for clues – clues which when found are like pieces of a jig saw puzzle which when combined eventually form recognizable patterns (synchronicities) marking the presence of a created solution but still coded. Interpretation of the hidden message has to occur to unlock the meanings of the synchronicity in question by treating the event as if it is a waking dream.
In summary my theory concludes: " The importance of the scarabs coincidence is critical for Jung’s confirmation that he is on his right path – that the identification and focus on the phenomenon of synchronicities is exceedingly important particularly as it relates to problems that both he and his patient present.His problem as well as his patients is how to resolve his and her's ambivalence issues preventing them from experiencing a sense of sustained unity in the midst of diversity. Mandallas if nothing else are graphic representations that achieving this fixed state of psychological balance is at least intellectually possible. The 'trick' is to translate intellectual possibility into existential actuality – often the task of therapy.
This is really great to know. Maybe business models are changing. I hope so. The previous models haven't done anyone any good.
I've walked through a lot of cubicle worlds with names in the Fortune 500. Being a people person and rather observant, I would always see that one thing someone had within their work zone. Tea cups with astrological symbols, a tiny Tree of Life pinned to the right of the computer monitor, but mandalas were the most common because they are so beautiful. I've even seen crayon filled spyrograph child art on display in cubicles and explained with pride as a mandala.
The mysteries of the universe are alive and thriving in cubicle world. They have to be, otherwise, how could a soul survive there?
Theresa – thanks for the clarification. This can only be a good thing, businesses using mandalas. I think Jung would like this. I know I do.
– Trish
I love mandalas! I think I was introduced to them as a child because my mom was always getting cool picture books from the library, chosen by librarians.
While I don't know Jenean's daughters story, I have been involved in a lot of business classes, especially in the high tech field and yes, mandalas have been used for "business" purposes as an example of the interconnection and symmetry of good business.
Inquiring minds want to know why a business class asked for mandalas. Maybe it's a hint of a paradigm shift or something, Jenean!
Cole – if you haven't read Jung's autobiography, you would probably love it!
I am intrigued! I know very little about Mandalas, so that will be another topic I hunt down in the book store, and I had no idea that Jung painted them. A bonus point. Interesting post.
on the mandalas assignment, my memory cells are too cold at the moment to recall the exact deal, but when she gets back from louisiana, i'll be sure and refresh my memory and let you know – yeah, interesting! and, the class was here in delaware where most people would think painting mandalas was a crime punishable as in salem – instructor obviously imported –
I am curious too, Jenean! I have always been fascinated by Mandalas.
Mandalas for a class on business management. Now THAT is intriguing! What was the purpose of the assignment? I mean, why mandalas??
fascinating story – and mandalas, like anon said, are magical – interestingly, one of my daughters a few months ago had to do a series of mandalas for a class on business management – great post!
Mandalas are magical. And this one is especially beautiful