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.
Creating art can be a form of prayer
Creating art can be a form of prayerOne 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.
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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.
Active prayer to quiet the mind
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.
Letting go of self to draw nearer to God
Letting go of self to draw nearer to GodAs 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.
PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Try coloring or drawing a prayer circle today. Try printing a coloring page and just spend time coloring. Release your mind to God as you color, entering into prayer.
Resources:
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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.
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Dawn Boyer says
Mandala’s have such a unique history, the Rose Window is one of my favorites. The Mandala represents order, and conformity… the math behind it is fabulous. One of my endeared books is Beauty for Truth’s Sake, it is a math book, actually… but it talks about the power that one finds in the beauty of math.(including the Mandala) I have never been able to look at a stained glass window the same, I literally see the math in everything I look at but I one of those people who really loves numbers. 🙂
I have never used the mandala process for prayer, personally, though I do journal and create as I write and pray. I would love to take a trip to visit sacred labyrinth gardens some day, just to sit and walk in the beauty and peace that seeking Christ in the ordered pattern brings.
Blessings,
Dawn
Kathryn says
I ran across a lot of controversy about using mandalas in Christianity, so was really cool to learn that rose windows and labyrinths are actually mandalas. I actually love how these are used in so many cultures and religions and can be meaningful in different ways. I’m writing about labyrinths next week – highly encourage you to walk one if you’re near one.
Being Woven says
I bought a blank journal and have a set of nice colored pencils. I scribble on a page and then write names or events or needs in some of the spaces. As you describe, I quietly pray and calmly seek God in the midst of coloring like a child. It is wonderful.
I have “Praying in Color” where much of my ideas came from. I look forward to heading over to your links.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Kathryn says
I’ve really enjoyed finding these art techniques for prayer. I love the prayer doodling the best, but have found the mandalas to be powerful too. I need to get a new art journal and markers (my daughter keeps taking mine!) 🙂
sarahgirl3 says
I have never heard that term. That is so cool! I love that you shared what yours looked like-mine wouldn’t have looked so good 🙂
Kathryn says
This really is a fun – and impactful – way to pray. I’m much better at using coloring pages, but a friend of mine does art in hers. She has this amazing one of a tree that just came together as she let her prayer lead her pencil. Turned one way it’s a tree with branches; turned the other it’s the roots. the best part, she said, was her time after when she journaled about the experience and how that picture spoke to her.
Cathy Kennedy says
Recently, while watching House of Cards, there were several brief scenes of men from India (I think, I can’t remember for sure) creating a design on a table. Each person were carefully filling each section with colored chalk (I think). They were focused, no words exchanged, when they finished it it appeared some sort of verbal prayer was offered, the ring of bells, and then they swept the image off the table. Could this been a Mandala Prayer? The design was beautiful and I didn’t understand the meaning until possibly now. Thanks for the enlightenment! It’s nice meeting you through Friendship Friday!
Kathryn says
I bet that was a mandala prayer! They are used quite a bit in Hindu and Buddhism and I’ve heard that they’ll often sweep them away once the prayer is over. There’s something very relaxing and meditative about a repetitive, non-thinking task – like coloring. The action keeps your mind focused yet available – and I’ve found it can be a great and interesting way to pray. Thanks for sharing that story.
Mary Geisen says
I had not heard of the use of mandalas for prayer. I would like to try it sometime. When I saw your title, I thought your post might reference Mark Batterson’s book “Circlemaker”. He talks about prayer as circling around what you are asking for and sometimes physically completing the circle. That is a very rough overview but I found it to be one of the most powerful books I have read on prayer. Thank you for joining The Weekend Brew.