i lOvE to CoLoR...

hellO fUn & fReE fOo's (jK!)

(super secret information . . .): Have you ever noticed that gRoWnUpS LoOoooove to color with kids? I think I have an idea why. When we color, we are completely present and concentrating on . . . (wait for it . . . wait for it . . . YOU GUESSED IT!) COLORING! 

Have you ever heard of a mandala? It's a Sanskrit word that basically means "circle." Tibetan monks use the meditative practice of creating mandalas out of sand for creating inner peace and for representing unity, and the changing nature of life: here's a quick look at this beautiful art. 

I took a class about meditation once, and I sat in a circle with eleven women. We each "meditated" by coloring a mandala, and for each shape or space, we were supposed to think about something or someone we were thankful or grateful for, and concentrate on that as we colored. It kind of made me focus in the moment and on coloring. It took a long time, and then we shared our colored mandalas. It was pretty cool and they were beautifully awesome. You can find mandala coloring pages on the internet: Mandala Coloring Pages for Kids.

Here is a mandala that my family did together last night! I guarantee that by the time you complete a mandala, you have a nice sense of calm and quiet pEaCe (beware, however . . . you may get a bit stressed if you are a pErFeCtIoniSt and you [OMG] . . . go outside the lines . . . more about perfeCtioniSm to follow . . . ) 

Anyway, hope some of these ideas are cool for you! 

Have a beautiful day; and I DARE you to COLOR 

OUTside the lines! . . . 

LOL ;)

Dana