C&T Publications Eye on Fine Art Photography - July 2015 | Page 36

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Coloring Therapy - How a Coloring Book
and Crayons Can Help Dissolve Stress
By Wendy Wallace

Remember when you were a child, lying on your tummy on the floor, coloring book
open, crayon in hand with the other crayons spilling out of the box? Can you
remember the sense of peace and enjoyment you felt while you were coloring? Why
not consider revisiting this favorite childhood pastime to help during those times
when you find yourself feeling on edge.

Coloring is one of the best forms of meditation
For many of us, when we think of coloring, we connect to the innocence of childhood and a time when we weren't
burdened by responsibility and expectation. Picking up a crayon once again can help us reconnect to a sense of
simplicity we have temporarily lost.
You could think of coloring as letting your inner child come out and have a fun time, or you could think of this
activity as a form of meditation. Choosing colors and the gentle, repetitive motion of your hand as you bring color to
paper helps quiet your mind--bringing your usual rapid-fire thoughts down to a much slower pace.

Now that you're an adult, there are no limits
Not only can you now give yourself permission to color outside the lines, you can keep your coloring as simple, or
get as sophisticated, as you want.
For less than $10 you can buy a jumbo coloring book and a box of Crayola crayons. There is nothing like the smell
of new crayons and getting reacquainted with your favorite color as well as opening a fresh coloring book and
looking through all the possibilities before choosing your first page to color.
(You can also search the Web for the many sites which offer free, printer-friendly coloring pages.)
You may find that you have outgrown crayons and want to color using something with a different texture and a
different feel. Pencil crayons and felt pens are an affordable alternative. But you may want to spend a bit of extra
money and try colored pencils, Conte Crayons, oil pastels, pastels or watercolor pencils.
These days, many coloring books