Research on the Psychological Cost of Completion Requirements in Mandala Painting and the Healing Independence of Circular Forms

Mandala painting has a healing effect in fields such as art therapy, which alleviates anxiety and improves emotional well-being. However, in practice, individuals often believe that a work can be considered completed only when it is fully filled in, thinking that only then will their psychological anxiety cease. This notion transforms a mode of free expression into a task governed by explicit evaluative standards, generating pressure in an activity intended for relaxation and healing. This article first discusses the intensification of pressure due to the pursuit of “completion” from three perspectives: altered time perception, perfectionism, and intrinsic motivation. It then draws on empirical evidence to argue that the therapeutic effects derive from the circular form and the drawing process themselves, and that “completion” is not a necessary condition. Taken together, these six lines of argument show that “completion” is not a prerequisite for mandala painting; rather, it can even hinder art therapy. When the pursuit of “completion” is relinquished, control over the painting returns to the participants themselves, allowing inner peace to emerge gradually.