Magnificent Mandalas!

Looking for a new hobby that is not only fun, but also helps you de-stress, find some personal bliss, and discover your calm center? Coloring mandalas is something you should try!

What is a mandala?

The mandala is a circular design that begins with a defined center, and from that center, it branches out into a variety of shapes and symbols.

 

 

The word mandala means “circle” in Sanskrit. In Buddhism and Hinduism, it is a spiritual symbol representing the universe.

Coloring mandalas can be a meditative experience. The repetitive, soothing practice of creating them (or even just coloring pre-made ones) feels great – and even better – when you’re done you have yourself a work of art!

And no, you do not have to be an artist or even remotely gifted in drawing to enjoy coloring mandalas (or I wouldn’t be able to do them – I can’t even make a stick-man).

You can make your own (how-to instructions linked below), or my preference, order pre-made mandala coloring books (who said coloring is just for kids?).

Check out these awesome resources:

• “How to draw a mandala,” from the “Art is Fun” website.

• “How to draw mandalas, and why you want to,” from this cool blog – “Creative Dream Incubator.” It includes a video tutorial.

• Find some cool free mandalas to print out and color on printmanda.com.

• Here is my favorite way: I use this coloring book that I order from Amazon – there are lots just like it. I frame my pages when done, they are so gorgeous!

• If you are able to, I highly recommend ordering or purchasing Prismacolor colored pencils or markers – they are far superior to the kind you’d buy for school maps and such – and the colors turn out brilliantly! You can get them at their website, or in hobby and craft stores (like Hobby Lobby and Michaels).

Have fun!

 

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Peace from your smartphone? Yes!

Not too long ago, many people thought of meditation as something only practiced by mystical gurus and New Age enthusiasts. Well, and The Beatles.

More and more, people are catching on to the fact that meditation is a fantastic way to de-stress get some inner peace.   It doesn’t mean you have to sit still for an hour, and you don’t have to say “OM,”  I promise.

I urge anyone to give it a try – I can list medical benefits (there are many), but really my favorite thing about it is that it just feels good – I always feel refreshed and in a great mood whenever I do so (I’m up to twice a day now), and if I’m in a good mood – that means my whole family is in a good mood.

Talk about a win/win!

Phone it in!

Today’s phones are “smart” – but they can be irritating as well, with their constant blaring, buzzing notifications alerting you to calls, texts, emails, and other news.

But you can also turn off all the sounds and use it for meditation!

There are hundreds of apps available to download some instant peace – and even better, lots of them are free! Read on for the best of the bunch.

Meditation for stress

Feeling stressed out lately?

My favorite solution to stress is to go to my Android app “Simply Being Guided Meditation,” created by Meditation Oasis. Also available on iPhone.

Mary Maddux is the voice behind it, and she is so reassuring and calm – just a lovely voice.

Side note: I’ve tested out probably 100 meditation apps (yeah, I’m addicted), and occasionally, I’ll hear some awful, irritating voice, and say NOPE and hit exit. I often wonder “who in the heck approved this?!”

So you can be assured my recommendations are tested personally by me, and will only list those that pass the “annoying factor” with flying colors.

OK so back to Meditation Oasis. With this app, you have several choices for background sounds (or not) and session length. It’s available on both iPhone and Android, with a free version available as well!

 

Meditation for confidence

A great app for this is aptly named: “Build Confidence” – and it delivers. For less than $3.00 (Android or iPhone) you can put your headphones on, chill out, and get your daily dose of…

“I’m smart enough, I’m good enough, and doggone it – people like me.”

(hat tip Stuart Smalley of SNL)

Meditation to help you get to sleep

Insomnia is awful. As a former insomniac, if you suffer with this – you have my deepest empathy.

But there is hope, because there’s an app for that!

“Relax & Sleep by Glenn Harrold”  is one of the best meditative (and self-hypnotic) apps for sleep out there. Harrold has a marvelously soothing voice. It’s also available for your iPhone.

Background tones are subtle, understated, and calming. Don’t be surprised if you never get to hear the entire thing, because you’ll be asleep before it’s finished!

Even better, you can download this app for FREEEE!

All of Glenn Harrold’s apps are great – check out his website for more goodies.

I hope you try some of these (or other) apps and give meditation a try – if you do, let me know how it goes.

Or, if you have other meditation apps you love, please share your tips!