The visual structure of the Mandala helps in narrating a story or parable. Like a frame it constitutes a series of images that describe a movement in time, which itself is understood as cyclical. The cycle of the year, with its various festivals, tells the story of Creation. The journey of the hero in quest of the mystery of life, follows a pattern that reflects the cycle of the seasons. The image of the Tree is fundamental to this journey, that begins with the seed, growing into a plant with many branches, and finally coming to the blossom which again forms a seed. The tree lies hidden in the seed, and the seed contains the promise of the tree.
