Creating and Colouring Mandalas

💝Mama's Day Mandalas to Colour🌈 
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Grab your cuppa☕ and colours🎨 and head here for some calm with (or without☺️) the kids:

Peace Begins With Me
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1000946178/peace-begins-with-me-mandala-colour-in?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=peace+begins+with+me+mandala&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&organic_search_click=1

Rest to Rise:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1000947932/mum-mandala-rest-to-rise-colour-in?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=rest+to+rise+mandala&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1

Creative Mama:
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1000932076/mandala-creative-mama-colour-in-download?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=creative+mama+mandala&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1
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Mandala is Sanskrit for ‘circle’. It represents wholeness and balance. The symbol’s purpose is to assist with healing through meditating on a central or guiding focus.  Many cultures around the world use them as part of their spiritual practices and as a therapeutic art technique.

It was an honour to design hand-made mandalas for author, mama of three and creator of Happy Mama, Amy Taylor-Kabbaz. The mandalas are part of Amy's Divine Mama Circles, where mamas sit in circle together (physically or virtually, online) and hold space for each other. For more information on Matrescence and the transition to motherhood, please listen to her amazing Happy Mama Movement Podcast.

Colouring mandalas has numerous health benefits for kids and adults, used as a form of:

• meditation,
• self-expression,
• stress reduction,
• mindfulness or being in the present moment,
• organising frenzied thoughts, and
• accessing the subconscious mind and changing limiting patterns and beliefs

The psychology behind the therapeutic art effects of colouring such intricate symmetrical patterns is attributed to the use of fine repetitive motor movements that assist us to return to the central point of focus and put aside thoughts that arise. 

The floral mandala pictured above was inspired by Amy's focus, 'Simplicity, Creativity, Connection' for a program currently underway. It is my hope that mamas connect with their innate creativity and feel inspired as they colour the pattern surrounding the focus. The buta mandala pictured below was inspired by Amy's affirmation, 'Rest to Rise' for another recent program. The buta is Sanskrit for ‘fire’. I hope mamas in this program feel relaxed and renewed with fiery energy as they colour and contemplate the mandala.

Colouring is one of the kids - and my - favourite activities. My kids enjoyed colouring in these mandalas over the school holidays :)

WHAT WE USE:

• Find and print your mandala from online resources or email me at [email protected] if you like my designs. Better yet, create your own with the help of numerous online tutorials.
• Select your coloring medium. Color pencils are the best but colour markers work well too.

LET'S CREATE!

• When it comes to choosing colours, there is no right or wrong colour and it is entirely a personal choice. 
• A technique I use is to colour in a shape with a light shade, then colour another shape (in close proximity) in a deeper colour in order to create contrast.

CONNECT & INSPIRE...
It was great to see my kids physically relax and get creative over which colours they would use. Be as creative as you like and unleash your imagination. The flowing and swirling patterns in the mandalas pictured here are especially helpful in reflective thinking and encouraged my kids to let go of the day.

To learn more about my mandala designs for your unique project or program, please email me at [email protected] and I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below!