What Is MARI?
MARI© (Mandala Assessment Research Instrument) is a Jungian psychological assessment based on symbols and colours. It is a whole-brained instrument that provides a literal snapshot of the psyche. The inner truth of a person is revealed and the MARI© suggests further paths for integration.
MARI© is based on the drawn mandala. Carl Jung spent his life trying the understand the subconscious. When he discovered the mandala, Jung said that “as an expression of self, [he had] found the ultimate tool.” The mandala passes beneath the radar of the ego and the filters of the subconscious to reveal the psyche as it really is.
Colors and Symbols
Information is passed down to us genetically from the countless generations who came before us. For thousands of years, humans have made other than conscious connections to symbols and colors. Today we know that, just like the memories of our grandmothers, this knowledge of symbols and color is part of what we know. We know it on an unconscious level but do not know it consciously. MARI is a whole-brain instrument that includes both conscious and unconscious elements of our whole psyche.
What To Expect In Your MARI© Session
First, you relax. This process can include silent or supported meditation, or listening to calming music.
Next, you will draw a simple mandala. Supplies are provided, and no artistic skills are needed.
39 symbol cards printed on clear plastic are spread out before you. Choose the ones you are attracted to.
45 colour cards are now spread out before you. Choose a colour to go with each of your chosen symbols.
Your card combinations are placed on a board.
Now, see aspects of your life as they relate to the life cycle of all living things.
Together we will explore your strengths and challenges, and discover your new possibilities.
Now look at your mandala and see the wisdom that has been within you all along.
Through the simple act of drawing a picture and picking a few cards, you can become aware of and better understand your subconscious processing. And having then SEEN your psyche laid out in front of you, a shift in your brain occurs. No longer are your inner processings an abstract concept. You are now FULLY AWARE and this is where you become empowered, as you are now at the helm – consciously aware of how to continue living your life.
