Mandalas, simply, are circular designs (sometimes within a square or rectangle) that create a focus for the mind. They can be used in many ways, but I suppose the most common is as a tool for meditation (as in tibetan mandalas), and as a creative pursuit that brings healing.

Mandalas can be found in every culture and religion, from Native american medicine wheels, to Christian Rose windows. Carl Jung drew a mandala everyday saying it was the window to his soul.

I had to abandon the idea of the superordinate position of the ego. ... I saw that everything, all paths I had been following, all steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point -- namely, to the mid-point. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the centre, to individuation. ... I knew that in finding the mandala as an expression of the self I had attained what was for me the ultimate.

- C. G. Jung. Memories, Dreams, Reflections.

Tibetan Monks make mandalas out of coloured sand. It takes weeks to complete, pouring sand in intricate lines and symbols, and then the village is allowed to view the Mandala. It is blessed then swept away and thrown the river as a blessing. The creation is magic, the beauty it holds is magic, and the impermananence is breathtaking. I would love to travel to India to see one for real! 

There is also a practice called Rangoli in India.  Rangoli is one of the most popular art forms in India. It is a form of decoration that uses finely ground white powder and colours, and is used commonly outside homes in India.   Rangoli can be wall art as well as floor art. The term rangoli is derived from words rang (colour) and aavalli ('coloured creepers' or 'row of colours').

Crop circles, the world, the universe, star charts, flower heads, water down a plug hole, wheels, the london eye… all mandalas. If you look you see them everywhere. Slice the body in half, or look down on a tree from above and you have more mandalas. Mandala's are very fractal, and the possibilities are endless.

For more information, I suggest you check out some of the fabulous links to excellent Mandala sites I've included on this site, and better still... have a go at drawing one, all you need is a compass!