A creative way to Meditate
A quick stress relieving art exercise (no art experience necessary!)
With the pandemic still on the rise, recent news of deadly fires, hurricanes, and the presidential election looming in the not so distant future, everything seems a bit EXTRA stressful these days. It’s hard to tune out all the noise and subside feelings of panic. At times, even the pursuit of self-care seems futile. However, I would argue it is increasingly important to find time to explore alternative ways to de-stress and re-center. One such way is that of the art of Zentangle. As an art therapist, I hear a lot of folks describe themselves as “not the creative type” or proclaim “I can’t draw a straight line” in an exacerbated sigh. Good news! There are tons of art processes that don’t require a special skill set, no talent required.
Zentangle is drawing technique that is an easy, relatively quick art exercises that you can do at home. The process of the Zentangle is akin to meditative doodling. And like “doodling,” it is based on a human behavior in which one refrains from planning and allows lines and shapes to unintentionally emerge. A benefit of the Zentangle is that it can be done anywhere. All you really need is a scrap of paper and a utensil to draw with. Traditional Zentangle is done using a 4 x4 square piece of paper and a black ink pen. We don’t have to follow the rules though, so feel free to incorporate color and use whatever size paper you can find. The finished pieces look deceivingly complicated but the process is simple and easily accessible to most people. Almost anyone can find that they can make something beautiful and creative in about 15 minutes which can be especially rewarding for those that feel that they can’t draw or have insecurities about engaging in the creative process.
Art materials needed:
· Paper (any will work but if you’ve got some mixed media paper with a little heft to it, that’s best)
· Anything you can make a mark with (pencils, pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons)
Activity:
Grab your media of choice, a piece of paper and start a simple scribble drawing with overlapping parts. There is literally no right or wrong way to do this. You can start with a certain shape that repeats or make a series of overlapping circles. Once you have the basic forms drawn, fill in the spaces with a variety of, patterns, textures and decorative marks. You can change colors at will, layer colors or stay monochromatic. Let this be a time to clear your mind- don’t over think it. Engaging in creative repetitive pattern making is soothing and can calm an anxious mind. This process can be especially satisfying when one can focus on the process and let go of expected outcomes. Don't worry about what it's going to look like. Let “mistakes” be part of the process. Just focus on each stroke of the pen as you make it. Trust that you'll know what to do next when the time to do it comes. There is no up or down to Zentangle art so feel free to rotate your paper in any direction that is most comfortable for your hand as you draw.
The method of Zentangle seems especially relevant to today’s stressful circumstances. It reminds us to slow down, be in the present moment, focus on the process and be flexible. It’s a process that asks you to respond to what’s in front of you, accept mistakes, and serves as a reminder to look for the beauty in connections and patterns.
If you are interested in learning more about the art of Zentangle there are plenty of free patterns that you can download online. Take a look at Pinterest for more ideas and practices.
