Blog from Paper Crane Community Arts Centre. Paper Crane is a community arts program operated by Ranch Ehrlo.

Clients at Paper Crane recently participated in a mandala project.

A mandala is a spiritual and ritualistic symbol that spans cultures and belief systems around the globe, from Asia to North America, Africa to Europe. Mandalas can also be found in nature—in flowers, plants, or fruits and vegetables when you slice an orange or an onion in half.

At Paper Crane we often use the mandala as a map of the self, with the middle representing the self, and as we move out different patterns and colours represent the self within the larger universe.  Sometimes we draw our own mandalas and sometimes we colour them.  In these mandalas you will see themes of identity, community, support systems, roles, and values.