I've talked several times in the past about how I write a haiku everyday. It's a good practice that I've had for many years. I write these haiku on notecards and after I write them I stick them in index card boxes. I have many of these boxes full now.

In addition to that practice, I also draw a mandala everyday. Unlike the daily haiku, I am not incredibly consistent in this and I do skip many days, but at least the intention is to draw one everyday.

I've always been interested in mandalas. They are neat to look at and can be hypnotic. That, of course, is the point. In many traditions they are used to aid in meditation or even in inducing a trance. They are used extensively in many forms of Buddhism in Japan, though not in Zen Buddhism, so my knowledge of that is limited. In Jungian psychology they are considered fairly important, as a great tool for understanding one's inner mind.

I don't know exactly what I'm trying to accomplish by the practice. I'm not making any effort to improve my mandala drawings, nor do I study other mandalas for ideas in my own. I don't have any idea of making art that I can sell with them. I just enjoy drawing them, kind of like doodling. Jung said that the urge to draw mandalas indicated a period of personal growth. If so, my period of personal growth has been all my life, as I've always enjoyed drawing them.

I don't use any drawing tools and do all of mine freehand. No ruler, no compass, no stencils. If they are lopsided or uneven, that's perfectly ok with me. I also try not to spend too much time on the activity, maybe about ten minutes or less. Sometimes I might use multiple colors if a few different pens are handy, but usually I'll just use a single color. I usually draw them on notecards—the same kind that I use for my daily haiku; yes I buy and use up a lot of notecards!

As I look through my mandala box, here are some of the ones that jump out at me.

None are very good, but that's ok. I'm not trying to make any great art, just enjoy the act of making them.

Any you like? How about you? Do you have any drawing or doodling habits that you try to get around to doing every now and then?

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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.