It is interesting to note that mandalas exist in American indigenous tribes, Eastern religious sects and nature. 

Mandala in Sanskrit means circle. Mandalas are symbols of the universe. They are a spiritual diagram of the cosmos. In many cases, their geometric pattern includes a square. Each side of the square is a T shaped gate, representing a portal. Within these gates is a center point. Mandalas are a meditative tool. They help us create a sacred space and find focus. 

Native American mandalas include dream catchers and labyrinths. When we ponder the patterned circles, we come across various metaphors. You may see and understand the web of life, the infinite voyage of our soul’s journey, the power of nature or celestial wisdom. 

Tibetan Buddhist monks have a ritual wherein they fill in huge, floor mandalas with colored sand for days. They meticulously pour handfuls or finger amounts of sand onto sacred, encircled shapes. When they finish their multicolored live artwork, they blow the surface off, dispersing and destroying their handiwork. This is a symbolic reminder of the immediacy, fluidity and impermanence of life.