Meditate through Coloring Books
Remember the childhood days of spending hours carefully coloring in the pages of a color book with crayons and markers? According to recent studies showing the benefits of meditation through art therapy, it may be time to pick up the coloring book again.
Everybody experiences stress, whether it be physical stress, mental stress, financial stress or emotional stresses. We encounter these magnitude of stressors throughout any given day, all of which can take a toll on our physical health, vitality, and happiness. Meditation, in addition to regular exercise and a healthy diet, can decrease this stress to promote longevity and a positive mental state. According to Psychology Today, meditation is the practice of turning your attention – or bringing awareness – to a single point of reference. This point of reference can be your breath or body, but must be in the present moment. The purpose of meditation is to clear the mind of existing external thoughts. Unsettling thoughts, such as relationship and life issues, melt away while meditating. Meditation provides people with a deeper sense of self-connection and mental clarity.
Meditation can be practiced in a multitude of forms. Art therapy has become a widely acknowledged, contemporary form of meditation. The American Art Therapy Association describes art therapy as a “life-affirming” expression that can aid in melting away stress, and enables people to focus on the singular task at hand: the art that is being created in the present moment. Drawing in a coloring book is a simple, but highly effective, way of practicing art therapy. The next time you feel overwhelmed with stress, pick up a colored pencil or marker, and let your focus and stress melt into the pages.
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