Mandala: The Natural Center

Susanne F. Fincher, LPC, ATR-BC, Jungian art therapist

Swiss psychoanalyst C. G. Jung considered mandalas (Sanskrit for sacred circles) a visible sign of a natural centering impulse present in all human beings. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, describes the mandala as a principle of “complete union with the energy of the universe.” This lecture will explore the rich field of ideas suggested by these two approaches. First we will describe the neuropsychology of human development that predisposes us to love circles. Then we will explore the mandala as an individual’s experience of personhood, as seen in the exhibit. Finally, we will highlight the mandala as a support for the rich spiritual experience of being part of the web of life.

Fincher is a Jungian art therapist, a licensed professional counselor, and a passionate student of mandalas. She has given hundreds of lectures on mandalas, including a series at the Jung Institute in Switzerland. Susanne has also produced a number of internationally known books about mandalas. Susanne lives and works in Decatur, Ga., where she hosts mandala classes and workshops offering art making for insight, healing, and self-expression. Her website is www.CreatingMandalas.com.

General Admission: $5, free for Oglethorpe University Museum of Art and with a Petrel Pass