Mindlessness Into Mindfulness

My mother is currently WAY into the adult coloring book craze. As a result, I've received notepads, bookmarks, coloring books, and magazines that encourage me to color, color, color. Mom has also supplied the markers so I have no excuse except to color.

So, I've been coloring.

Here's a picture of a work in progress. It is a notebook cover that I've been working on. As you can see, I have not completed it at all, but I'm making progress.

Now, I have always been a colorer - I enjoy coloring things and making them unique. I also enjoy drawing things. I've never given up my colored pencils and markers - in fact, I have lots of coloring materials already in my house, but I don't often color just to color. Most of the time, I have a goal for my coloring - completion of visual aids, making a product for sale, etc. This coloring is a bit different.

I've never been one who slips into meditation easily. Guided imagery is not something I've been successful at - I only see the orchestra when I hear the music. It is difficult for me to quiet my thoughts or practice meditation, but I'm finding my way into mindfulness through coloring.

I'm sure that this is the reason why these coloring books are everywhere! The mindless act of coloring leads me into deeper thinking and mindfulness. I am still doing something (sitting still is difficult for me), but it is something that has no other purpose than coloring. My mind then moves into lots of different things.

Minds are interesting. When I sit down to color, I start to figure out other things. Yesterday, I picked up the journal to color the cover, I had finished an online training for the Online Conference for Music Therapy, I was exhausted, and it was time to talk to my Dad for our weekly call. I called my father, and then picked up my markers and my journal. I colored as I talked to Dad, and I kept coloring after my conversation was finished.

I found my mind wandering over and through different things. Writing, my full-time job, my part-time jobs, my family members, my cat, the television show I'm currently watching, the TMEs I've improvised this week. All of those thoughts came in and out of my mind as I sat and chose markers for different pieces of this picture.

I colored until I was finished. It didn't take long, but it was a good respite from stressing about other things that are going on in my life. The mindless act of coloring led me into mindfulness.

I think I'll color my Jane Austen-themed bookmarks next.

Happy Friday!

Comments

  1. Janice Lindstrom, MA, MT-BC9:12 PM

    I can't stand coloring. It's difficult to encourage my son to do it. But we have been enjoying folder games!!

    ReplyDelete

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