Entering the Circle: A Mandala Intensive

SCHEDULE

Day One (Sunday)

• 7 – 9 PM Introductions, orientation to group process; opening group experience; guided experience of creating and interpreting a personal mandala

Day Two (Monday)

• 9 – 10:30 AM Opening group experience of creating a group mandala out of doors; lecture on history and psychology of mandalas, “interpreting” art, and Kellogg’s Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala (a model of human growth and development grounded in Jungian psychology, each stage linked to certain mandala designs)
• 10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
• 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM Introduction to Stage One (“Void”); graphic (drawing) exploration of Stage One, sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders
• 12:15 – 1:15 PM LUNCH
• 1:15 – 2:45 PM Opening group experience; introduction to Stage Two (“Bliss”), guided imagery as stimulus to graphic exploration of Stage Two; sharing of personal images and verbal processing.
• 2:45 – 3:00 PM Break
• 3:00 – 4:30 PM Group music and movement experience; introduction to Stage Three (“Labyrinth”), graphic exploration of Stage Three; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.

Day Three (Tuesday)

• 9 – 10:30 AM Group opening experience; introduction to Stage Four (“Beginning”); music as stimulus to graphic exploration of Stage Four; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
• 10:45 – 12:15 PM Introduction to Stage Five (“Target”); poetry reading and music as stimulus to graphic exploration of Stage Five; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 12:15 – 1:15 PM LUNCH
• 1:15 – 2:45 PM Group experience of meditation with movement; introduction to Stage Six (“Dragon Fight”); music and story as stimulus to graphic exploration of Stage Six; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 2:45 – 3:00 PM Break
• 3:00 – 4:30 PM Introduction to Stage Seven (“Squaring the Circle”); music as support for graphic exploration of Stage Seven; ; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
  

Day Four (Wednesday)

• 9 – 10:30 AM Group opening exercise; introduction to Stage Eight (“Functioning Ego”); graphic exploration of Stage Eight; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
• 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM Introduction to Stage Nine (“Crystallization”); graphic exploration of Stage Nine; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 12:15 – 1:15 PM LUNCH
• 1:15 – 2:45 PM Lecture on color related to psychology of mandalas, with reference to traditional color meanings, Kellogg’s Great Round, and chakras; introduction to Stage Ten (“Gates of Death”); graphic exploration of Stage Ten; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders.
• 2:45 – 3:00 PM Break
• 3:00 – 4:30 PM Mandala case study presentation with slides and lecture; discussion; closing with gently energizing meditation and movement.

Day Five (Thursday)

• 9 – 10:30 AM Guided group opening at outdoor mandala (solstice observance); Introduction to Stage Eleven (“Fragmentation”); graphic exploration of Stage Eleven; group sharing and discussion facilitated by leaders.
• 10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
• 10:45 AM – 12:30 – Group grounding exercise; introduction to Stage Twelve (“Transcendent Ecstasy”); graphic exploration of Stage Twelve; sharing of personal images and verbal processing facilitated by leaders; processing experience of the intensive; assigning responsibilities for evening gathering.
• 12:30 – 1:30 PM LUNCH
• 1:30 – 4:30 PM Studio time.
• 7:00 – 9:00 PM Evening gathering; re-visiting of the Archetypal Stages of the Great Round of Mandala..

Day Six (Friday)

• 10:00 – 11:30 AM Group opening exercise; lecture on patterns and colors in spontaneous mandalas; placement of spontaneous mandalas created by participants on the Great Round; suggestions for integrating mandalas into work “back home”; discussion of ethical guidelines for use of creative self-expression in the helping professions.
• 11:30 – 11:45 AM Break
• 11:45 – 12:00 Group closing exercise around outdoor mandala.