Reflection

A mandala is a vision shown to us by a benevolent force that reveals something beyond our understanding. It shows us something that we can not yet experience but that we can imagine and work towards through focused visualization and thoughtfulness. We are currently facing a climate crisis which threatens the survival of millions of marine organisms. My project imagines a benevolent deity offering humankind a vision of an alternate model of existence that ceases to destroy the environment and instead coexists with nature. One of the biggest obstacles to environmentalism is people stuck in their ways. But by focusing on this vision of the future, I believe that we can all make the necessary changes to make this vision into a reality. The eye at the center of my piece represents moral consciousness and enlightenment, and the repeated symbols throughout the mandala are representative of how the various aspects of the ocean are interconnected. The coral, whale, polar bear, and sea turtle on the four sides of the mandala represent these different pillars of the ocean, and the fact that they are all present here demonstrates that in this vision of the future, all of these species are able to thrive. By looking at my mandala, I hope that people are able to imagine and then work towards this brighter and more vibrant future wherein humans are able to coexist with nature instead of causing it harm.