A mandala (Sanskrit: मण्डल, romanized: maṇḍala, lit. 'circle',
[ˈmɐɳɖɐlɐ]) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various
spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of
practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing
a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction. In the
Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Shinto it is used
as a map representing deities, or especially in the case of Shinto,
paradises, kami or actual shrines.
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