The opposite feeling is when we are doing something we really don't want to be doing. We check our phone every 2 minutes, watch the time, and get distracted by anything else other than our task at hand.
In our busy life of juggling many things, we work on 5 things at once, and as soon as the phone rings we find ourselves immersed in the screen, hopping from call to call... when we least expect it, we are scrolling through our phones, and we completely lost track of what we were working on...
Does it sound familiar?
We want to share the amazing tool zen or meditative art, drawing and colouring can be for you! Engaging in meditative art help us flow within ourselves, and through our creativity.
When we flow and are concentrated on one task at hand without any distractions, our mind is in order.
It is so important to find a mindful hobby, away from work, life, chores, TV, the internt, eating...something you can get stuck into even if it is just once a week, something that will help you find that sense of flow.
Meditative colouring is one of the ways we have found brings this calming sense of flow because it engages us in a fun, colourful and creative activity. We want to show you a few ways to get started in your new relaxing hobby!
Adult colouring-in books and watercolour pens can be an amazing escape you can take with you anywhere and start colouring in whenever you feel distracted or upset.
You can also relax while doodling something from your daily life, your favourite objects and places.
Zentangle has taken the arts community by storm with it's free-style and geometic patterns combinations. Jenny Sugar wrote on a PopSugar article "After 3 weeks of zentangle before bed, I've never slept so well and woken up so calm". Are you in? All you need is paper and a fine point black pen.
Another fantastic meditative and mindful practice is drawing your own mandalas. Mandalas are therapeutic, and the world around you can disappear while working on them on various mediums: paper and pens, carving on wood, coloured sand, painting with acrylics on canvas, etc.
The following mandalas have been painted by our amazing NZ ambassador, artist Lizzy McNaught (@lizzymcnaughtart). She paints mandalas on anything, from furniture to surfboards to pots.
Michelle Avison @myrocksnz has turned mandalas on rocks to a whole other level, adding myriads of vibrant colours to her stone mandalas.
This pastel mandala was painted by @ana_kelly_creates using Life of Colour paint pens in pastel colours (get your own pack of Special Colours).
Are you into mindful art? Let us know how it's impacted your life - we want to hear from you, and see your wonderful creations!