I am going to let you in on a little secret that only my former co-workers and family members know… I have a secret stash…
in my desk drawer, at all times. This particular package is NOT for sharing. When days are crammed full of obligations, crisis intervention, and too many scheduled activities; sometimes I get overwhelmed. So, I close the door, open the drawer and pull out a box of FRESH, un-used Crayola crayons. And I smell them. This is the best break from adult-related stress that I have found. Aromatherapy for the work-place, it helps me retreat into a safe mental space. Things calm down in my mind and a few minutes later I am ready to get back to the crisis at hand.
Some days, aromatherapy isn’t enough. So, I just do it. I pull out my favorite coloring book or create a new mandala design and I JUST COLOR. The gestures and movements become a colorful meditation. Sometimes the lines and patterns start out very heavy and fast, aggressive even, if I have had one of THOSE days. Eventually, it slows down. Clouds of color blend together. I relax.
More reasons & ways to find your Crayola bliss…
Colors can have a positive effect on your mood. “Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.“~Wassily Kandinsky
[One of my personal favorite artists, Kandinsky wrote the book on the power of color. His birthday was yesterday. He was born December 16th, 1866. Wassily Kandinsky’s birthday – in pictures and in prose~ Paul St. John Mackintosh]
Coloring is one of my favorite, best-loved old acquaintances, and moving meditations.
“From choosing colors to the gentle, repetitive motion of your hands as you bring color to paper, coloring can be seen as a form of “active mediation”. Oftentimes when you think of meditation you think of sitting still for a long period of time. With active meditation it is just the opposite. Repetative motions such as coloring (or running, walking, dancing or even drawing) can help strengthen your focus and easily shift your attention back to a relaxed state. Stressful thoughts and future worries can be simply pushed aside as you take time to enjoy the present. When is the last time you have done this for yourself, or have you ever?” ~Meditative Coloring~ Aurora University
If you can color, you can meditate ~ 30 Minute Madalas to Color
Coloring Isn’t Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress. ~The Huffington Post | By Elena Santos
Fine Art Labyrinths Coloring Book
Healing with Color and the Human Aura ~ Rev.Simeon Stefanidakis
Art For Arachnoiditis 
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