Why do we practice Mandala?

A Mandala is a 40-48 day cycle that is taken up as a commitment where one practices a newly learned kriya/asana series every day without a break. This is to help the novice build a daily practice.

Also, during a 42-day Mandala one goes through many physical and psychological changes and if one continues through these challenges, the yogi becomes established in his/her practice. After completing this, the practice is engrained within the muscle memory.