Why do people love mandala painting so much when they start doing it?
Here’s why: It offers a great technical opportunity to bring those doing the painting into the “optimal arousal window.” What we mean by this is that it allows the person painting to both think (which keeps them in the prefrontal cortex) and feel (which relates to the limbic system) at the same time.
The great thing about mandalas is that when you incorporate this technique into your work, you really activate both parts of the brain. As the person painting makes choices about which colors to use to color the patterns, this activates the prefrontal cortex, which is related to reasoning and judgment. The coloring process itself, the act of coloring back and forth, is more right-brain based, sensory, emotional, and geared toward the limbic system.
This is why mandala coloring is becoming more and more popular. You can use a mandala to model “containment” because they are self-contained images. They also have an auto-hypnotic function. When we focus on coloring, staying within the shapes and lines, it brings a kind of hyper-focus to what we are doing. This can actually help the person coloring (who we could also call the person undergoing therapy) feel more grounded and more “in the moment.”
Mandala coloring can also provide an important idea for teachers. I recommend that they consider bringing mandalas to class for their students just before an exam. About 10 minutes before the exam, allow the children to access their imagination and creativity, but also get them more focused by coloring that mandala, then administer the exam. I’m just telling you this as an anecdote, but I think it can really help students perform better, be more focused, and be less distracted. Mandala coloring is not only for students, teachers, and those who enjoy it as a hobby, but it will also provide wonderful relaxation and rest for all individuals who work from morning to night. You come home from work and after doing your routine things, instead of picking up your phone or TV remote, pick up a mandala coloring page. Start coloring with colored pencils. You will notice how you get rid of all the fatigue of the day, the stress in your body, and the many unnecessary thoughts in your head. It’s free to try…
Don’t forget… Don’t be surprised when schools start offering classes on mandala coloring and focus soon.
Tom Backet.
