When was the last time you colored with crayons? Until recently, when my daughter was old enough to begin coloring, I hadn’t colored in decades. She wanted me to color with her, show her how to do it, and share time with her doing this new favorite activity. Only, I’m not artistic. At. All.
I get all closed up and anxious when I’m staring at a blank sheet of paper. I see pictures of friends doing those painting parties and think that’d be a fun girl’s night out, but then I see the blank canvasses they started with and wonder how I’d ever produce something presentable.
I finally found a compromise that let me do coloring with my daughter without too much anxiety. In fact, I found it quite fun and relaxing. A coloring book! I found I could color within the lines and let my mind fall into the rhythm of coloring.
One of the most ancient forms of prayer is the mandala and it’s used across many different religions. The word mandala means “container of sacred essence” in Sanskrit. It originated as a spiritual practice in the 6th century BC out of the Hindu and Buddhist religions, but is now used by many others, including Christians.
Some of the more familiar forms of mandalas are the elaborate powdered marble designs made by Tibetan monks, the sand paintings made by the Navajo Indians, the Celtic knot, and the rose windows featured in many churches.
You can use a mandala in your prayers in different ways. One is to find a template with a design (a coloring page) and color it in. Or you might draw your own design and color it in. You may even choose to create your own unique drawing, allowing your hand to create what comes to you in prayer.
With a mandala, you start with a circle. Create your prayer space. You don’t have to stay within the lines, but this is your sacred space for prayer. You can draw your own circle on a blank piece of paper or print out a coloring page.
Then, begin to color. As you color, let your mind wander. This is not about the end result, but about the process of prayer. Spend time in prayer and talking with God as you color. Or, simply release yourself into His hands and allow God space to speak to your heart.
You can repeat scripture or a short prayer as you color, allow your mind to wander through the thoughts God places on your heart, or simply relax into the exercise.
As I prayed through a mandala drawing this morning, I realized this one is a difficult prayer technique for me because I crave order and a plan. Starting with a blank sheet of paper and allowing myself to draw without a plan and an end result in mind is a challenge. I want to know that I’m working toward a great outcome.
Yet, I was reminded this exercise of prayer – really the whole faith journey – is about releasing myself to the process of following God’s lead. He calls us to surrender, to release ourselves to His control, to focus on our journey not our destination. I needed to let my mind wander and release my thoughts, so God could speak. I needed to accept that my picture may be meaningless and amateur by others’ standards. I needed to release that this prayer is not about the drawing, but about the process of spending time with God.
In humility, I’ll share the mandala I colored this morning:
Do you love the adult coloring book craze? Or are you looking for a new option to calm your mind and connect with God in a different way? Take out a piece of paper, make a circle, and draw your way into prayer. Or, choose your favorite coloring book and get lost in the movement of coloring as you let your mind connect to God.
{These are affiliate links – and my own books – so any purchases help grow and sustain this blog.}
Below are some resources on praying with mandalas, as well as some sources for printable coloring sheets and coloring books:
Coloring Mandalas @ SpatiousFaith.com (also has links to printable coloring sheets)
Color Yourself Closer to God @ UpperRoom.org
Finding the Sacred in Coloring Mandalas @ LoyolaPress.com
{these books are affiliate links, so I get a small commission to help sustain and grow this blog.}
This post is part of the “Pray Deep” series. For more information on the series, click HERE.
How to Use Coloring in Your Prayer Time – Prayer & Possibilities
When was the last time you colored with crayons? Until recently, when my daughter was old enough to begin coloring, I hadn’t colored in decades. She wanted me to color with her, show her how to do it, and share time with her doing this new favorite activity. Only, I’m not artistic. At. All.
I get all closed up and anxious when I’m staring at a blank sheet of paper. I see pictures of friends doing those painting parties and think that’d be a fun girl’s night out, but then I see the blank canvasses they started with and wonder how I’d ever produce something presentable.
I finally found a compromise that let me do coloring with my daughter without too much anxiety. In fact, I found it quite fun and relaxing. A coloring book! I found I could color within the lines and let my mind fall into the rhythm of coloring.
One of the most ancient forms of prayer is the mandala and it’s used across many different religions. The word mandala means “container of sacred essence” in Sanskrit. It originated as a spiritual practice in the 6th century BC out of the Hindu and Buddhist religions, but is now used by many others, including Christians.
Some of the more familiar forms of mandalas are the elaborate powdered marble designs made by Tibetan monks, the sand paintings made by the Navajo Indians, the Celtic knot, and the rose windows featured in many churches.
You can use a mandala in your prayers in different ways. One is to find a template with a design (a coloring page) and color it in. Or you might draw your own design and color it in. You may even choose to create your own unique drawing, allowing your hand to create what comes to you in prayer.
With a mandala, you start with a circle. Create your prayer space. You don’t have to stay within the lines, but this is your sacred space for prayer. You can draw your own circle on a blank piece of paper or print out a coloring page.
Then, begin to color. As you color, let your mind wander. This is not about the end result, but about the process of prayer. Spend time in prayer and talking with God as you color. Or, simply release yourself into His hands and allow God space to speak to your heart.
You can repeat scripture or a short prayer as you color, allow your mind to wander through the thoughts God places on your heart, or simply relax into the exercise.
As I prayed through a mandala drawing this morning, I realized this one is a difficult prayer technique for me because I crave order and a plan. Starting with a blank sheet of paper and allowing myself to draw without a plan and an end result in mind is a challenge. I want to know that I’m working toward a great outcome.
Yet, I was reminded this exercise of prayer – really the whole faith journey – is about releasing myself to the process of following God’s lead. He calls us to surrender, to release ourselves to His control, to focus on our journey not our destination. I needed to let my mind wander and release my thoughts, so God could speak. I needed to accept that my picture may be meaningless and amateur by others’ standards. I needed to release that this prayer is not about the drawing, but about the process of spending time with God.
In humility, I’ll share the mandala I colored this morning:
Do you love the adult coloring book craze? Or are you looking for a new option to calm your mind and connect with God in a different way? Take out a piece of paper, make a circle, and draw your way into prayer. Or, choose your favorite coloring book and get lost in the movement of coloring as you let your mind connect to God.
{These are affiliate links – and my own books – so any purchases help grow and sustain this blog.}
Below are some resources on praying with mandalas, as well as some sources for printable coloring sheets and coloring books:
Coloring Mandalas @ SpatiousFaith.com (also has links to printable coloring sheets)
Color Yourself Closer to God @ UpperRoom.org
Finding the Sacred in Coloring Mandalas @ LoyolaPress.com
{these books are affiliate links, so I get a small commission to help sustain and grow this blog.}
This post is part of the “Pray Deep” series. For more information on the series, click HERE.