Quite a few folks have figured out that coloring and exercising that creative muscle is a wonderful tool to help clear the mind and move into a meditative state. I’ve seen it in young children all the way up to adults.
In fact, I personally think that’s why children are so full of happy energy, generally. They’re operating out of a creative state, and do not worry about anything except the present. We all could learn a lesson or two from them.
Coloring also helps to calm the soul, rejuvenate the spirit while allowing the mind free reign in artistic endeavors.
It makes sense. You have to move into your own head to figure out hues, how fast or slowly you want to shade in a figure, how much detail to include, and you’re pulling design elements together to form a cohesive, unified image.
That, my friends, is focus. Meditation is not emptying the mind and focusing on “nothing,” exactly. Rather, it’s a way of actually focusing the mind so that it thinks about nothing other than the activity in which it’s engaged in.
So, for example, if someone is meditating and just focusing on the breath, the breath and the act of breathing become the focus.
In the same way, someone who’s focused on coloring and concentrating on design elements and not thinking about what’s for dinner, is in a meditative state.
[bctt tweet=”Coloring a page invites focus which, in turn, invokes a peaceful, meditative state. #intuitiveandspiritual” username=”n2itvnspiritual”]
I love drawing images to color. If you’ve read this far, I’m sure you probably love to color.
Honestly, it’s the same when I’m drawing an image to color. I go into a meditative state. I think about line, shape, space, color, value, and texture. These are all artistic elements that are crucial to a balanced image and a balanced piece of work.
Funny. In creative endeavors, we’re always talking about balance. Balance.
Yes, creative endeavors invoke balance and concentration, all hallmarks of mindfulness and living in the present.
So, you can color and enjoy the idea that you’re inviting mindfulness into your life.
Below is a free ebook that I’ve created to allow you to have some coloring fun!
They are all mandalas. Mandalas are, historically, found in far eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Mandalas are circular to represent unity and interconnectedness.
They are also present in Native American philosophies, as well. Furthermore, cultures have used mandalas as sun dials, and the wheel became the ubiquitous symbol of mobility.
Meditating on a mandala helps you to find and achieve a sense of balance. When you color one in, you get a “double benefit” of coloring and meditating all at once.
I’ve created an ebook of 20 mandalas to help you get started. It’s free and instructions are inside the ebook, but here’s a short guide to get you started:
Coloring Meditation
Sit in a quiet spot. Look through the mandala book to see which one speaks to you. Print out that page, gather your coloring utensils and begin.
Each mandala has a title above it. When I was drawing that particular mandala, that was the predominant thought that occurred to me. If you meditate on that, you’ll invite more of that into your life.
For example, if you color in and meditate upon the mandala entitled, “power,” you might just well invite that into your life. So often we need empowerment. If you’re the underdog, if you’re a woman in a patriarchal society, if you’re wanting more confidence – that mandala can help get you started in creating more of that feeling in your life.
I wish you many happy meditations and glad tidings as you color these mandalas.
Take a look at a few sample pages:
(note: full size renders are in ebook)
love your designs Cyndi.. and I love how you have shown us that meditation is focus not emptying the mind.. And I clicked for the colouring book too 🙂 I hope to print off and enjoy painting one of them Love and Mega Hugs my friend.. Enjoy your new week.. Love Sue xxx
Sue – you’re a gem! Yes…focus. Hehe. Print away, my friend! Oooh, painting them! I love that idea! I should see if I can get these put on canvas…you gave me an idea. Hehe.
I can’t wait to do more artwork. Many projects going on but all creative.
And you make me smile! Enjoy, Dear One!
Wow.. Cyndi.. just got your Book and its fantastic… You can be sure I will be printing some off and linking back here when I have completed one of them… So many to choose from and ALL wonderful creations.. Many thanks again my friend.. I love them..
Hugs Sue xxx
HAHA! You just made my day! I LOVE this kind of giving: the kind of giving that makes others just smile and I cannot wait to see what you come up with. 😀
Thank you to you!! I hope you get many hours of enjoyment and love! YAY!
I was going to start a canvas in Acrylics and do a painting of a photo I took in Scotland this weekend.. But the light went quickly yesterday after our long morning walk.. So I May well look through your wonderful book and print a couple off today, I know my Granddaughter also loves colouring and I will print one off for her too… And I will be sure to let you see the results..
As for the book.. ( sorry this is not against the reply of your comment.. For some reason when I try to reply to you comments via the notifications it always fails so I have to come to your site.. )
But you will enjoy His Books. Sadly Stuart Wilde is no longer with us he passed suddenly.. a few years ago now travelling in Ireland.. I always thought his spirit must have completed all it needed to and I felt too he had gone home to a place he needed to be..
His books have always inspired and I know that one will speak to you..
He has done a few little hand books too which are good.. only a few pages .. ‘Life was never meant to be a struggle ‘ is one.. Anyway you will no doubt see many of his on google 🙂
Thank YOU again for the amazing gift of Mandala’s love them..
Sending you lots of Love and well wishes for a beautiful week
Sue .. And thank you for your own huge compliments.. I am blushing 🙂 xxx
Sue – I would *love* to see Scotland. It’ll happen…I’m visualizing here…within 2 years. 🙂 I love, love walks. While other people jog or otherwise work up a sweat, I can just walk for miles at the slower pace just to take in the sights and sounds of the world.
I will definitely look at Stuart Wilde. His name even sounds like he might have been friends with Walden or Thoreau.
I’m so glad you like the mandalas. I’m in the process of creating many more things like this to give away. Working on a few things as I type this. Hehe. Sending you big hugs! xo
You my friend are awesome and this couldn’t have come at a better time as I definitely need to relax a bit this week after how busy last week was. So, will definitely print out your samples above to color and meditate a bit to take a down a notch here. Hugs and thank you so much!! 🙂 <3
Janine – likewise – I could say the same about you. Thank you for always supporting me and my journey – and I wholeheartedly support yours! I have and I am watching your girls grow up and they’re so cute! I’ll have another coloring book on the site, soon.
I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season! I’m sure you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the girls and extended family! Yay! Sending you hugs and wishes for a wonderful week! xo
Very cool, Lil Sis! Bev and I color occasionally. We should do it more often. Now that you have prodded us, perhaps we will. Thank you and Happy Monday to you! Hugs from Olympia!
Big Bro – so good to see you! How’s the new book coming? I hope you and Bev have a chance to relax a bit and yes, if not color, just take time to relish in all the amazing things you do! Happy Tuesday (by the time I’ve had a chance to respond) to you and hugs from (rainy – yay!) western NC!