Did you know that the mandala is one of the most ancient and universal symbols known to man?
Mandalas are magical. They represent the universe, unity, wholeness, and connection. They’re sacred circles.
But best of all, mandalas are super fun to create and color.
"Color is a power which directly influences the soul."
- Wassily Kandinsky
Here’s what we’ll cover in this post:
Part 1. The benefits of coloring mandalas
Part 2. The ease of coloring
Part 3. Tips for making the most of your coloring playtime
Part 4. The power of creative play
Part 1. The benefits of coloring mandalas
To begin with, I can’t possibly tell you about coloring mandalas without including the wonderful benefits of drawing freehand mandalas.
In addition, everything I say about coloring mandalas can be attributed to adult coloring in general.
1. Visual Stimulation Tool
Making mandalas helps you calm your mind and boost your concentration. But you also get to express how you’re feeling at any given moment.
And the most intuitive way to do this is to play with colors and color combinations.
The process of following your impulses while coloring stimulates your creativity. You’re selecting colors, combining them, and creating contrast and patterns.
So here’s a basic list of color qualities you can explore when coloring your mandalas.
COLOR QUALITIES:
• Yellow is linked to cheerfulness
Associated with optimism, joy, happiness, intellect, energy, youth
• Orange evokes liveliness
Associated with enthusiasm, optimism, creativity, stimulation, fun, warmth
• Red is linked to anger and passion
Associated with energy, passion, aggression, strength, power, love
• Pink induces calm
Associated with softness, tranquility, sweetness, innocence, hope, optimism
• Purple is linked to magic
Associated with wisdom, luxury, creativity, mystery, magic, spirituality
• Blue improves focus and rest
Associated with stability, tranquility, reflection, healing, peace, truth
• Green reduces anxiety
Associated with healing, hope, harmony, luck, freshness, calmness
• Black evokes seriousness
Associated with power, mystery, elegance, sadness, death, evil
• White is linked to hopefulness
Associated with cleanliness, freshness, perfection, simplicity, purity, hope
2. Mindfulness Practice
Doodling and coloring mandalas is a deeply absorbing, meditative practice. It allows your mind to relax and wander as you slow down and connect with the present moment.
3. Concentration Boost
In addition to helping you slow down, the repetitive and rhythmic motion of doodling and coloring mandalas is centering. You’re naturally tuning out distractions.
You’re also engaging both hemispheres of your groovy brain. While playing is a right-brain activity, creating designs is a left-brain activity.
4. Reflection and Learning Tool
The process of coloring gives you the time and space you need to notice your thoughts. Reflection is the key to learning. Coloring is not unlike going for a walk after reading or studying.
Taking a creative break allows for fresh insights and solutions.
Your insights will come to you via stray thoughts, images, or ideas that bubble up to the surface of your conscious mind.
5. Energy Boost
Creative play charges your feel-good battery. It’s amazing how a little play time can dissolve years of resistance giving you new-found energy.
And of course, completing a colored design is always a tiny win that you can celebrate. Yay!
6. Self-Care Practice
Coloring is an excellent alternative to watching TV when winding down at the end of the day. Taking time for coloring can act as a buffer from daily stressors and negative thoughts. And as a result, you'll improve the quality of your sleep.
Part 2. The ease of coloring
Now that we’ve gone over some great benefits of coloring mandalas (and adult coloring in general), let me point out one more fabulous fact:
Coloring is an easy, intuitive, and inexpensive activity.
• Coloring has a super low barrier to entry. It’s accessible to everyone regardless of artistic skill level.
• Coloring is intuitive and playful. You don’t need instructions. Just your coloring tools.
• Coloring is an easy activity for when you’re short on time. Because there’s no prepping or big clean-up. It’s easy to jump in. And it’s easy to find a stopping point.
• Coloring tools can range from basic to super fancy. You’ll find pencils, pens, and markers to fit every budget imaginable. From inexpensive colored pencils to pricey Japanese manga markers. The choice is yours.
“Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet.”
- Paul Klee
A quick word about mandala coloring books:
Lots of people have beautiful mandala coloring books sitting on their shelves unused. And the reason is that it’s always gonna be more satisfying to create and color your own mandalas.
You can doodle a mandala in 10 minutes. But coloring in an elaborate mandala design in one of those coloring books can take hours.
Now I have nothing against intricate patterns, but I’ve seen how the same people who claim to HATE those coloring books, actually LOVE doodling and coloring their own mandalas.
So there’s a good chance that coloring is still your ticket to joy. Just steer away from those fussy patterns. And give making your own mandalas a try. Smile.
Part 3. Tips for making the most of your coloring playtime
Give yourself a dedicated spot in your home to work on your projects undisturbed. You want this time to be free of distractions. So keep your phone on airplane mode or leave it in another room.
• Make it easy. Keep your art supplies, coloring pages, and paper in a basket or drawer close at hand.
Take note, the right space for you may be a quiet room in your home, a cozy coffee shop, or a peaceful park bench. So you may want to keep all your supplies in a kit that sits by the front door always at the ready.
• Make it fancy. Create your space as luxurious as possible so that you look forward to spending time there. Think music, flowers, fragrances, noise-cancellation headphones, snacks, tea, smoothies, etc. And make your space inspiring, too. Think photos, art, objects, mementos, etc.
• Keep it short. It doesn’t need to be a big chunk of time. Treat it like a 15-minute break.
• Keep it fun. Experiment with different tools like markers, highlighters, or colored pencils. If you’re using watercolor paper or cardstock, you can try watercolor paints.
Play with different shapes, lines, and color combinations. Choose the colors that resonate with you the most.
• Keep it light. Allow yourself to let go of perfectionism and embrace the process of creative play. You can even incorporate mindfulness techniques into your coloring sessions. Try focusing on your breathing, being present, and letting go of any stresses or worries.
Part 4. The power of creative play
Coloring mandalas is the perfect way to give yourself a daily dose of joy, play, and ease.
As you practice coloring and doodling freehand mandalas, you’ll find your own style and rhythm. Embrace the process of creating. Allow yourself to be fully present in the moment.
And because you’re deeply immersed in play, this rhythmic motion of doodling and coloring triggers flow.
Creative play is a means to express yourself for the sheer pleasure of being alive.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
- George Bernard Shaw
And here comes the best part:
Your creative play begins to spill over into all parts of your life. It’s like the more you play, the more energized you feel to try new things.
• Play is productive. Play allows your mind to wander freely and make connections. By stepping away to play, you’re open to unexpected insights and solutions to problems you may have been stuck on.
• Play is valuable. Your life is a collection of experiences and memories. And you create some of your most valued memories by spending your free time being frivolous. As in, giving your full attention to a loved one in a state of play.
Everything you want begins with giving yourself permission to play.
Tip 1: Try stuff out
Be open and willing to try a variety of things before narrowing them down. What sparks your interest initially might be replaced by something else. Let yourself have fun exploring.
TIP 2: Be bad
If you’re learning something totally new, be willing to be horrible. Not knowing how to do things is part of the process. Let yourself be bad in the beginning and enjoy seeing yourself improve.
TIP 3: Invest in yourself
Be willing to invest your time and resources. Remember you’re boosting your optimism, energy, and enthusiasm. In other words, you’re investing in yourself and increasing your vitality.
Conclusion.
Adult coloring, especially coloring mandalas, is a simple yet effective way to spark your creativity, calm your mind, center yourself, reflect on new learnings, boost your energy, and reduce stress.
Coloring mandalas is the perfect way to give yourself a daily dose of joy, play, and ease that will spark your creativity and spill over into all areas of your life.
Wanna find out why collage-making an excellent type of creative play? Check out my blog post about using collage to get your creative juices flowing.
Click here to go to Four Ways Collage Is Great For Getting Unblocked.
If you’re looking for ways to have fun with your creative side, I’d love to help you.
Click here to learn more about my online workshops on the course offerings page.