I agree.
Its mostly the mandalas that are of servitors or deities to strengthen the connection and communication, like a little nudge when we focus on them for a bit.
But for the mandalas that are to work on us like for the aura, healing, brain, protection, bones, they definitely just work by wearing them.
I however touch them in the center at times and say their name “activate” and they exude heat right away, but thats more me to feel that initial punch again, for me to go like ahh there it is. Not because otherwise they wouldnt work as good.
What Sammy said long time ago with the mandalas/NFT was that if we are not going to wear them, then we could meditate a bit to connect to them here and there, but also that for a lot of folks accustomed to this type of job, simply consciously connecting just by thinking on them and tapping into their energy would suffice.