I was born and lived in New York State all of my life, I’m married and have two adult daughters. I love living near the beautiful Adirondack Mountains and enjoy camping, hiking, kayaking with my family and friends. I also love gardening.

I am a mosaic artist and I participate in art shows and exhibitions, I teach mosaic art as well. Much of my art, mandalas included, is inspired by nature, and the seasons of the year. I also work as a teaching assistant in an elementary school.

Mandalas are fascinating, and beautiful and I have enjoyed making them for some time, but I wanted to learn more about drawing them.

Quite a few years ago, I saw a FB post about Julie’s Mandala Magic, she was offering a free introductory course and I wanted to learn more about creating mandalas.

Mandala Magic was so much more than I anticipated!

Not only did Julie teach mandala drawing techniques, she talked about how to make the mandala meaningful, how to use symbolism in the mandala and make it personal.

Since then, mandalas have come mean much more to me. I enjoyed Mandala Magic so much, so I signed up for Alignment and I have been with Julie ever since!!

When I first became interested in mandalas, it was the beauty of them that inspired me. When I began making them, I found the process meditative and that lead me to want to learn more.

With Julie and Mandala Magic, I learned how to connect my thoughts, feelings and experience to mandalas.

Mandala Magic has influenced my creative process by allowing me to become more free with mandala making, whereas prior to Mandala Magic, I believed a mandala was all about creating a perfect image.

I have learned that mandalas are more about making a personal connection with my thoughts and experiences. I have found it difficult to incorporate symbolism in my work and Mandala Magic has helped me with that.

For tools, I have my compass, some nice sharp pencils and a good eraser. I have a set of ink pens of different sizes. For coloring the mandala I usually use watercolor and watercolor pencils. I have a set of colored ink pens I also use from time to time.

I like to start with my compass to make my circle or concentric circles, then I draw the symbols and images freehand with a pencil, I will outline images and add details with my ink pens. Also, as a mosaic artist, I sometimes use glass to make a mandala!!

When I have an idea for a mandala, and I’m not able to sit down and start drawing, I jot down ideas on what ever I have available to write on.

I try to keep a little notebook with me so I can write down thoughts, make quick sketches of images.

When I am able to start the mandala, I like to have a comfortable spot in my studio and all of my materials handy so I don’t have to go searching for them.

Sometimes I light candles. Sometimes I like to play music, other times I prefer quiet. I try to create a peaceful, relaxing environment for mandala making.

Mandala Magic is so meditative.

I feel that doing something that requires a need to focus on something intently, is not only relaxing, it helps me to problem solve and organize my thoughts.

My art has been my primary focus, for creating and meditation.  I have always turned to creating art to clear my mind, to relax, get my thoughts together.

I have most definitely noticed changes in my emotional state when engaging in Mandala Magic. I often feel more relaxed and in a happier, calmer state of mind.

Sometimes I am exhausted after making a mandala as I have been focusing intently for sometimes more than an hour.

I think art is my way of meditating. If I try to just sit and meditate… I am unable focus. If I am creating, my whole state of being improves. I’m in the zone, my happy place!

I find mandalas in particular have an emotional connection and often are restorative. 

My first real experience of making a mandala to connect to some strong feelings was during Covid in 2020. I was exposed to Covid and had to quarantine. I had to stay in one room in my home as to not expose my family.

This was during our Thanksgiving holiday and it was a lonely time with strong feelings of isolation. I had to quarantine for two weeks.

After the first week, I went to be Covid tested. It was exciting to be out, driving around. Since I was in the car alone, I thought it would be wonderful to just take a drive around the countryside.

I came to a trailhead and parked my car, glad to see no other cars. It was a chilly, windy day so there wouldn’t be many people hiking. I went for a hike and I felt so free and happy! I encountered no one.

When I returned home to my isolation, I felt the need to create a mandala of my experience.

This experience was like a door opening for me to put more of myself into mandala making!

The world around me, nature and my personal experiences are a constant source of inspirations for creating mandalas.

I see mandalas everywhere in nature, flowers, birds nests, the tree stump cross sections, spider webs.

I am also inspired by the beautiful mandalas shared in the Mandala Magic Facebook group.

Our fellow Mandala Magicians inspire me to keep going, to take the time to make mandalas.

Time is my biggest roadblock to making mandalas. Work, a busy life and responsibilities often make if difficult to sit down and create…but when I finally eek out some time, it is a much needed break from everyday life. It’s kind of like a reset for me.

I enjoy seasonal changes, I love the way the light changes as the sun gets lower or higher in the sky.

I love the Spring awakening as well as Autumn harvest and the plant life going to sleep and Winter darkness and Summer’s bright light.

Creating mandalas during the solstice or equinox seems like a celebration to me. I love learning about the Eight Fold Year as it has made my seasonal awareness more acute.

I would advise newcomers to Mandala Magic and Alignment to not be afraid to dive in and enjoy the process. I think we can be surprised at what our Mandalas can tell us about ourselves!

Our Mandala Magic Facebook group is so supportive.

Sharing our mandalas is personal, as they are part of ourselves, our thoughts and dreams. I enjoy seeing what others have made and their mandalas provide endless inspiration.

I want to continue learning through Mandala Magic and Alignment. I’m determined to work in more time in my much too busy schedule do mandala work.

I have started incorporating mandalas into my mosaic work and that is exciting as it is expanding my art process as a whole.

Mandala Magic has become an important part of my art and life routine and will continue to be for quite some time!

Linda Biggers Website
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