Mindfulness Mandalas

At GLAD House we have incorporated mindfulness activities into our daily schedule.

Mindfulness is simply... noticing what is happening right now. Mindfulness is taking notice of how your body feels and what you see, hear, smell, and taste. The kids love the various mindfulness activities they try at GLAD House: we do mindful coloring, mindful crafts, mindful breathing, mindful walks, mindful eating, etc.

For the art show we decided to make Mindful Mandalas. Mandalas are a circular design starting from a central dot, working outward in repetitive patterns, and are often vibrant colors. Mandalas are a form of meditation and/or mindfulness and are really just a way of quieting the mind. Mandalas assist kids in focusing attention and relieving stress and anxiety.

While making the mindful mandalas the kids were asked to work in silence while paying attention to their thoughts, feelings, and the body. Kids were encouraged to set an intention before starting (eg; this mandala is to make me feel... or I would like to let go of this...).