The Mind, Body and Spirit Benefits of Coloring
Yes, you read that right- coloring is back and better than ever! I am obsessed with coloring..and not ashamed to admit it! I purchased these "adult coloring books" from Etsy a few weeks ago during a 2AM Etsy binge. Something I've recently become famous for.
When I found this coloring book of mandalas I was in love! A Mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian religions, representing the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Found to be a truly peaceful symbol itself, coloring one is even more relaxing than you can imagine! I came across this article after I made my Etsy purchase that said "coloring is the new meditation." I thought to myself, that's actually kind of true! Even when I would color when I was younger I found it always quieted my mind..any teachers out there relish in arts and crafts time because the kids are actually pretty quiet and usually sitting still? Right!
Creativity is a huge part of our overall health and wellness. When we express ourselves artistically, whether through coloring, drawing, painting, sculpting..we are taking some quiet time for ourselves and our minds and truly relaxing. It is ideas like this, coloring being an essential part of our health, wellness and internal happiness that Western medicine tends to ignore. Truthfully, I encourage you to try coloring and see if you notice any difference in your thought, internal monologue, sleep patterns, or just general mood.
Mind, Body and Spirit Benefits of Coloring:
-Coloring Reduces Stress: Each day we are faced with things that trigger stress points in our body. Whether its stress with our job, financial stress, relationship stress, whatever it might be stress weighs on the spirit, the mind and the body. Stress can lead to weight gain, heart issues, and so many other ailments that is extremely important as we get older we find activities that de-stress us and help us remember what is truly important in this life.
-Coloring Relaxes Your Mind: Primetime for coloring? Night time. Instead of scrolling through all of your social media before bed, or watching TV..spend the 30 minutes or so before bed coloring. I've done this the last two nights and I realized I experienced a much deeper, fully restorative sleep. Coloring truly helps quiet the mind and relax the organs to prepare for sleep.
-Coloring Sparks Creativity: At first you might just begin to color just to help de-stress or relax your mind, but it might inspire another creative project that you didn't know you wanted to do! For example, when I first started coloring again I wasn't sure what I would do with all my finished pieces. I thought I could gift them to friends, frame one or two, (which I plan on doing all..) but I decided I would make a cool Mandala collage on my wall! Ahhh..creative outlet fulfilled!
-Coloring is Mindful: Think about it, while you're coloring your really making sure NOT to color outside of the lines! Your mind is engaged and precision is key to color within the lines, keeping your brain engaged and focused.
To purchase the "Flower Mandalas: A Candy Hippie Coloring Book" from Etsy, check it out here.