Where it's from
The Truth Mandala is probably one of the rituals that is unique to the Work That Reconnects, designed to honour and make sense of our pain for the world.
It emerged in 1990 during a workshop in Frankfurt, Germany, coinciding with the reunification of East and West Germany. This practice has since become a cornerstone of workshops worldwide, offering participants a structured way to express and transform grief, fear, anger, and hopelessness into collective healing and solidarity.
What you need
Duration
Approximately 90 minutes, including setup and closing. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the set-up before the dedication and beginning.
Materials
- A stone (representing fear).
- Dead leaves (symbolizing sorrow).
- A thick stick (for anger).
- An empty bowl (for hopelessness or numbness).
- A cushion or small cloth (placed at the center for expressions outside the four quadrants).
- (Optional) A bell or instrument for signaling transitions, and materials for a simple chant or sounding.
Preparations
- Choose a quiet, spacious area where participants can sit in a circle..
- Prepare to explain the purpose and rules of the ritual clearly to create a safe emotional environment.
- The ritual is ideally held by 12–40 people, though it can work with as few as four or as many as 100.
- Be sure people have already had a chance to acknowledge their pain for the world, perhaps through Open Sentences, before the Truth Mandala.
How it's done
Here's a list of step-by-step instructions to conduct The Truth Mandala as a group.
- Setup
- Arrange participants in a closely-packed circle to create a containment vessel for truth-telling.
- Place the symbolic objects in four quadrants within the circle, with the cushion or cloth at the center. Keep this space free from other objects like water bottles and tissues to maintain the sacredness of the space. People at the inner edge of the circle should keep their feet out of the central space.
- Introduction
- Explain the purpose of the Truth Mandala, namely to honour pain for the world and transform it into collective healing.
- Introduce each symbolic object:
- The stone represents fear—tightness and contraction.
- The dead leaves symbolize sorrow—grief for what is lost.
- The stick embodies anger—outrage and passion for justice.
- The empty bowl signifies hopelessness—hunger for what is missing.
- The central cushion allows space for expressions that don’t fit these categories.
- Remind that this space itself represents hope. If we didn’t have hope, we wouldn’t be here.
- Share Guidelines
- Only one person enters the mandala at a time.
- Participants may hold an object while speaking or remain silent if they choose.
- Encourage brevity; this is not a space for giving lectures or advice but for heartfelt truth-telling.
- Confidentiality is essential; what’s shared in the mandala stays within the group. Remind participants that they have the right to maintain privacy about what they shared during the ritual. If others approach them afterward to discuss it, they are under no obligation to engage and can simply decline.
- Avoid cross-talk or personal references to others present.
- Acknowledge that emotions such as anger, sorrow, fear, and feelings of being overwhelmed are natural responses to the suffering of other beings and the state of the world. These emotions are valid and deserve space to be expressed without judgment or interruption.
- Recognize that emotional release can take many forms, including tears, shouting, laughter, or even yawning. These are natural ways for the body to integrate and process feelings. Laughter or yawning should not be misinterpreted as indifference or boredom.
- Allow participants to engage at their own level of comfort. No one should feel pressured to display emotion outwardly, as catharsis is not a measure of care or commitment.
- Avoid rushing to comfort someone who is expressing heavy emotions. Gestures of comfort, while well-intentioned, may inadvertently signal that they should suppress their feelings. Instead, offer presence, acceptance, and a matter-of-fact demeanor as a form of reassurance.
- Trust participants’ capacity to manage their emotions. They can choose to stop at any time if the experience becomes too intense.
- Trust in the collective empathy of the group. Hearing others express their pain fosters mutual understanding and belonging. Remind participants that they are both receiving support from others and offering it in return through their presence.
- Inform participants how long you expect the ritual to last and let them know they can take breaks as needed.
- Dedication
- Dedicate the ritual to the welfare of all beings and healing of the Earth.
- Begin with a chant or sounding using “AH,” symbolizing unsaid truths and unheard voices.
- The Ritual
- Participants enter spontaneously, one at a time, selecting an object that resonates with their feelings.
- They speak briefly from their pain or simply hold the object in silence.
- Others in the group may offer supportive refrains like “I hear you” or “I’m with you.”
- Closing
- Signal when the ritual is nearing its end, inviting any who haven’t spoken to do so now.
- Honor each quadrant’s deeper meaning:
- Fear reflects courage and trust.
- Sorrow reveals love and care.
- Anger stems from passion for justice.
- Hopelessness creates space for new possibilities.
- Lead a final chant of “AH” and guide participants through three bows:
- To the Earth (returning energy).
- To oneself (acknowledging presence).
- To each other (thanking them for their support).
- Post-Ritual Integration
- Allow time for mingling, journaling, or quiet reflection.
Take it further
Accessibility and Inclusivity
- For elderly or participants with mobility challenges, consider setting up the mandala on a higher surface like a table instead of the floor.
- If you are working with participants who are at risk of harming themselves, consider replacing objects like stones or sticks with softer items (e.g., vines or pictures).
- Encourage participants to speak in their mother tongue or as another being if it feels appropriate.
- Be particularly mindful of societal conditioning that may make emotional expression difficult for some people (e.g., men who have internalized cultural norms discouraging vulnerability). Emphasise on terms like “speaking the truth” instead of “sharing feelings” to bypass these barriers.
Facilitator engagement
As a facilitator, your role is both participatory and supportive:
- Engage authentically in the process by expressing your own feelings when appropriate while monitoring the group’s overall dynamics.
- Model vulnerability and emotional honesty while maintaining a steady presence that reassures participants.
- Stay attuned to group energy and individual needs, offering interventions only when necessary.
Grounding during overwhelm
In rare cases where someone appears to be losing connection with the group (e.g., screaming with eyes closed or spinning into a private mental space), intervene gently but firmly:
- Approach the person and touch them lightly to ground them.
- Encourage deep breathing (see Breathing Through) and/or invite them notice sensations in their body such as their soles of their feet on the ground.
- Invite them to soothe themselves through touch such as putting their hand on their chest, giving themselves a hug, tapping, etc.
- Ask grounding questions such as “Who are you?” or “Where are you right now?” to help them return to the present moment.
Other practices
- Integrate meditation, movement, or dance before or after the ritual to deepen embodiment.
- Follow up with journaling prompts about participants’ experiences during the ritual.
- Pair this practice with other Work That Reconnects exercises like The Milling to explore themes further.
More Resources
- Senior Work that Reconnects facilitator Kathleen Rude leads a discussion on Facilitating Effective Work That Reconnects Rituals: Truth Mandala.
Source: Chapter 7 of Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy and Molly Brown; second edition, published 2014.
