These symbols are often used in Tibetan Buddhism. The idea behind mandalas is that it is used as an instrument of contemplation. It communicates a deep consciousness that is beyond conceptual thought. For many years, mandalas have been used in Tibetan Buddhism. It is thought that the mandala was first used in the eighth century by the Tantric guru Padma Sambhava.
Tibetan mandalas are especially complex, and can take years to make.
They may be painted or constructed in three-dimensional figures, but mostly they are traced in the ground with colored powders during rituals. During meditation, a mandala can help a practitioner begin to better understand their inner-self. All such are regarded as phantom shapes emanating from our own minds and partial reflections of our inner natures. Of course our minds can show us images that are beautiful, if we have worked on our inner-self, and have realized things about our self and suffering. Below is an example of a Tibetan mandala from the 19th century.