Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle". Mandalas are symbols of the Universe and its energy. Tibetan monks create these archetypal templates to remind us of the cycle of life and death. A Mandala has many layers of meaning, such as cosmic diagrams and support for meditation.

In Tibetan Buddhism, a mandala is an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. Each object in the palace has significance representing some aspect of wisdom or reminding the meditator of some guiding principle. Tradition dictates the shapes, sizes and colors of these objects. There are many different mandalas, each with different lessons to teach. Most mandalas contain a host of deities as well as inanimate objects.