Mandala Tattoos: The Meanings of "Sacred Geometry"

The symmetrical arrangement of the elements is intended to trigger calm and harmony in the viewer. Who creates that? Surely only the Mandala Tattoos! Translated from Sanskrit, the word "Mandala" can be derived as "circle" around which everything revolves. So everything is concentrated on a center point, from which an entire work of art is built. This consists of various shapes, figures and elements, which are often not all immediately comprehensible to the viewer. Whether as a spiritual tattoo, timeless diagram or simply as a template for coloring: Mandala tattoos are a sought-after motif.

The representation of mandalas goes back about 25 to 30 thousand years, because they were already found on ancient rock drawings of the Indians and South American Incas. Also in the Middle Ages, the patterns can be found in sacred buildings, church paintings and windows again. However, mandalas are particularly well known in the world religions of Buddhism and Hinduism. There they serve as an important meditation object and were used for religious rituals. Even today, the representation and use in Far Eastern countries is still very widespread. Precisely because mandalas have a religious meaning, they are often referred to as "sacred geometry".

In esotericism it is believed that shapes and colors influence the human subconscious and thus also the psyche. A mandala has either a round or square shape and is equipped with many other geometric shapes. These can be ornaments, animals, abstract beings or religious symbols. Thus, many components can be found repetitively in other mandalas. In many cultures the circle symbolizes the soul and the cosmos. Many geometric elements thus also have their own meanings, which can be found in the article on Geometric Tattoos.

Black and Grey: Renewal, Mystery, Death & Abandonment White: Purity, Light & Emptiness Red: Love, Power, Passion, Courage & Anger Blue: Peace, Serenity, Relaxation, Boredom, Paralysis Yellow: Serenity, enlightenment, wisdom, fear & hubris Green: nature, growth, hope, power, ambition & dishonesty Purple: inspiration, spirituality, magic, melancholy, ambition & suffering

As another part of geometry, numbers can also be found in mandala tattoos:

• The number one can stand for God, the human individual itself, or for the beginning and origin.
• Calmness, vitality, drive and self-knowledge can be found in the number three.
• The number five can stand for the inner center and for love as well as for Ying and Yang.
• Eight is representative of balance, harmony and rebirth. But it is probably best known as a symbol for infinity.
• The eleven is used as a symbol for chaos, transition and conflict.

Today, mandala tattoos function detached from their original religious meanings and are less connected to them. Instead, they serve mostly purely aesthetic body art with decorative character.