I have a confession: even though I'm a yoga instructor, I'm not a fan of meditation. It's not that I don't want to revel in the present moment, reduce stress, embrace stillness and all that good stuff. It's that I don't like how it feels like time just disappears. I've done all kinds of meditations from totally silent to chanting the same word for 60 minutes straight, and even though I've felt serene afterward, my first thought when it's over is, "Where the hell did that hour go?" It freaks me out a little.
I'm also the kind of person that has a really hard time quieting my thoughts, which is probably why I need meditation — but it wasn't until I discovered Zentangle that I truly found the type of meditation that works for me. Zentangle [1], in simple terms, is meditative drawing.
What Is Zentangle?
Zentangle [2] was created in 2003 by Rick Roberts who had practiced meditation for many years, and Maria Thomas, an artist. They combined their insight and talents to create this fascinating method of drawing easy-to-learn, relaxing, structured patterns, which are called tangles.
Zentangle art is spontaneous and free-flowing so you can focus on each stroke and not worry about the result. Think of it as meditative doodling. You can learn different tangles and string them together to create detailed drawings on small squares of paper called tiles. You can move beyond these small tiles and get creative with bigger drawings or different shapes.
The most important thing to mention is that you don't need to be artistic or good at drawing. You need no prior art experience at all, just the willingness to try! The patterns may look complicated but once they're broken down and you learn how to do them step by step, you'll see how simple and easy Zentangle is. There are no mistakes in Zentangle! [3]
What Are the Benefits of Zentangle?
Zentangle is for anyone who needs to slow down, have some quiet time, and just chill. I started doing Zentangle after dinner with my two kids, and it's amazing how our moods transformed even after that first evening. An hour flew by but it didn't feel like the time escaped me, but rather it felt like the hour was healing. It felt similar to how calm, relaxed, and rejuvenated I feel when I wake up from Savasana. And I liked that I had something physical to show for the time that had passed.
Whenever I do Zentangle, I just feel happy. It allows me to use my creative side, but because the emphasis is on just drawing what I feel, there are no expectations about what the finished piece should look like, which takes the pressure off.
The patterns are simple but so satisfying. I just focus on watching my pen move along the paper as the simple dots and lines came together to form intricate-looking drawings. My thoughts quiet naturally because I'm so focussed on the present moment of just drawing patterns. I was amazed at how effective this was as a form of meditation. An hour will go by and I still won't want to stop!
Even though I've only been doing Zentangle for a few weeks, it's already positively influenced my mental health. I not only feel joyful while doing Zentangle, but I feel so relaxed afterward that it helps me fall asleep effortlessly and wake up feeling refreshed. Now everyone I meet, I tell them they need to try it!