16 Barry Stevens
It would seem that the circle and variations of the circle naturally resonate with humanity's sense of sacredness and wholeness. I would say this is the case because the circle is a perfectly balanced shape and in a sense it is WHOLE, COMPLETE AND PERFECT and so naturally resonates with our Inner Being with which it shares these characteristics.
Two principles strongly related to mandalas are Unity and Unicity. Unity and Unicity are considered to be different in that Unity might be considered to exist relative to Duality whereas Unicity refers to that which transcends Unity and Duality.
My own perspective is that mandalas explore all three dimensions. Unicity is the underlying reality that inspires mandalas and the interplay between Unity and Duality in all its myriad diversity is the content of mandalas. Clearly some mandalas emphasize one aspect more than others.
