Mandala painting activity (consistent to 1st grade’s UOI Patterns) Self-awareness Mandala painting activity (consistent to 1st grade’s UOI Patterns) Optional: Read the book “Mountains of Tibet” Discuss the choices the woodcutter had to make, and choices the students have had to make, some easy some difficult. Take a “picture walk” back through the book, looking at the colorful illustrations of the woodcutter’s imagination as he made choices. The illustrations are representative of colorful mandalas (a spiritual art form) that are created by 4 monks working peacefully together.

Conversation about the Tibetan culture: Life is a continuous circle of life, death, life and so on. Importance of thoughtful decisions along the way. Pattern of life, patterns of choices. Buddhist monks represent these cycles/patterns in their Mandalas as a meditative practice, a healing exercise in times of crisis, and a pleasurable act of creativity.

The Mandala is a symbol of Self. It provides a connection to our innermost being. We create the symbols through an artistic and meditative procedure.

Creation of a Mandala We used the book “One Million Mandalas” by Madonna Gauding. The CD-ROM that comes with the book allows children to create, print and color their Mandalas. Depending on the grade level and time you have in your disposal you can use ready printouts from the internet or make it from scratch like the monks!

Task: Focus attention on breathing Think about your Self and choose the symbols that represent: Outer circle: My choices, my behaviors Middle circle: My thoughts, my feelings Inner circle: Best me I can be Print and color Write down a simple explanation-connection of your choices of symbols for each part of the circle