The Green Mandala: Where Eastern Wisdom meets Ecopsychology

Article Information

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2017) 3(2):3–16DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2017/3/2

The ‘Green’ Mandala: Where Eastern Wisdom meets Ecopsychology

“绿色”曼陀罗：东方智慧遇到生态心理学

Alexander Kopytin

St.-Petersburg Academy of Post-Graduate Pedagogical Training, Russia

Abstract

Mandalas are circular images often created in various religious and indigenous traditions. Due to the development of Jungian analysis and transpersonal studies diagnostic and therapeutic potential of the mandala was extensively explored. Analytical psychologists and art therapists understand visualized or created mandalas of their clients as the symbolic mirror of the psyche, a means of containing and integrating its energies, both conscious and unconscious dynamics and states of mind.

This paper presents ecological and environmental perspectives on our understanding and therapeutic application of the mandala as an expressive/creative tool that helps to bring the arts and nature together and provide beneficial effects both for human and nonhuman worlds. Basic theoretical, ethical and instrumental ingredients related to the ‘green’ mandala, or eco-mandala, together with case vignettes illustrating their therapeutic application and functions will be presented.

摘要

曼陀罗是通常在各种宗教和土著传统中创建的圆形图像。由于荣格分析和超个人研究的发展，对曼陀罗的诊断和治疗潜力进行了广泛的探索。分析心理学家和艺术治疗师将他们客户的可视化或创造的曼陀罗理解为心灵的象征性反映，这是一种遏制和整合其能量的手段，既有意识的也有无意识的动态和精神状态。

本文将我们对曼陀罗的理解和治疗应用的生态和环境视角作为一种表现力/创造性工具，帮助将艺术和自然融合在一起，并为人类和非人类世界提供有益的影响。本文还将介绍与“绿色”曼陀罗或生态曼陀罗相关的基本理论、道德和机制成分，以及说明其治疗应用和功能的案例简介。