December Reflections. Mandalas and the Return to Wholeness

As the year bows its head, reflection arrives like a quiet visitor. The days move quickly, yet my inner clock begins to slow. I listen more closely. I choose what matters.

This year opened with a bright drumbeat. A new team formed around my work. Paint returned to my hands. I felt spark and flow. Then life asked me to tend what was tender. My mother became very ill, and our path turned sorrowful. Grief rearranged my calendar and my cells. My work changed. My energy changed. I changed.

I remain devoted to healing the Mother Wound. I am leaning even more into the medicine of art therapy, mandala making, and intuitive coaching. I am now a Certified Intuitive Coach, and that training has woven a golden thread through everything I offer in therapy and groups. If you would like to hear how this looks in session, I am happy to share.

Why mandalas in therapy

A small story. My very first painting as a pre-kindergartner was a mandala, though I did not have that language yet. I called it a Turtle. I can still feel the easel towering above me, the colors singing, my four-year-old self stepping back with a grin that felt larger than the room. Pure exhilaration.

The circle kept finding me. In undergraduate art school, I drew a series called Avocados, each with a seed or an opening at the center. In graduate school, my drawings leaped off the page and became sculpted circular forms. The shape of the mandala has been walking beside me for a long time.

The MARI Mandala Assessment in my practice

As an art therapist I grew curious about the MARI method, the Mandala Assessment Research Instrument created by Joan Kellogg. MARI describes a cyclical journey through twelve, sometimes thirteen, stages often called the Great Round. The map is influenced by Carl Jung’s work influences the map and offers a compassionate way to witness where we are in our process. In therapy, MARI can illuminate strengths, name transitions, and support clarity for next steps.

December, Stage Twelve, and the return to wholeness

Here we are in the twelfth month. In MARI, the twelfth stage invites a return to wholeness through acceptance. We soften our grip. We gather what the year taught us. We allow completion to prepare the soil for beginnings already stirring.

A gentle mandala practice for this month

1. Set aside a few quiet minutes. Breathe. Place a hand over your heart. Name how you are arriving.
2. On a plain sheet of paper, trace a large circle the size of a dinner plate. This is your container.
3. Spread out your materials. Colored pencils, markers, paints, and pastels are all welcome.
4. Pause, breathe, and ask your body for a color. Begin anywhere. Let shapes and lines emerge without judgment. Allow symbols to arrive. Trust your hands.
5. When you feel complete, sit with your mandala. Notice what draws your eye. Offer it three words. Date it. Thank it.

I would be honored to witness what you create. You can send a photo of your mandala through my contact page or share it on Instagram and tag @creativehealingintegration.

Circle of practice

I will be opening a monthly circle that journeys through the Great Round together. Each month, we will explore one stage, create a mandala, and translate its symbols into language that supports healing and next steps. This is a sweet spot where science, creativity, and intuition braid into something quietly powerful. If that resonates, add your name to the interest list, and I will keep you posted.

May this month bring you a gentle settling. May acceptance open the door. May your circle lead you home.

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Work with me

I provide art therapy and trauma therapy in New York City and online. My approach integrates the MARI Mandala Assessment, expressive arts, and intuitive coaching to support nervous system regulation, grief work, and Mother Wound healing. If you are ready for a soft return to yourself, you can schedule a consultation, and we will begin.

With care,
Mari Grande, LCAT, ATR BC