The mandala is a sacred shape, which is so powerful that it is found in one form or another in most systems of belief, but most frequently in Eastern religions. Typically, it is a circle enclosing a square with a symbol in the centre representing the whole of life. It is mostly used as an aid to meditation. It moves us into a space that enables us to create a whole new concept of the principles of existence. In dreams this pattern often appears without us knowing what it really represents. It is only when it is drawn afterwards that is it recognizable as a mandala. This would suggest that it is a trueexpression of our individuality and connection with Unity, whatever we consider this to be. The mandala is often consciously depicted as an eight-pointed star and represents both man's aspirations and his burdens. It often appears in recurring dreams in this form and then becomes a personal symbol of the journey from Chaos to Order. It has also been found that in a healing process this symbol will occur in dreams over and over again. The particular shape, number of sides and colours in a mandala will be significant. Consult the entries for Chaos, Colour, Meditation, Mosaic, Numbers and Shapes/Patterns for additional information.