Mindfulness colouring books

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I was browsing a book site there when I noticed that they were selling "mindfulness" colouring books, I guess they're colouring books for adults to help them unwind and relax a bit.

I thought it was interesting, I suppose they're really no different from the likes of jigsaws and painting but somehow more "mindful." I don't think I'd have the patience for it but then again, maybe that's why I'd need it the most, eh?

What about you? Do you also think that it's an interesting idea that you'd like to try? Or do you think that it, and adults whooping for joy at yet another Star Wars film, are other signs that society is being infantilised and that childish things should be left for children?

Answers on a postcard, please.

Alf Veedersane

Don't really think colouring is infantile. My Dad's always been creative and has taken to trying different 'mindfulness' techniques since Mam died. He finds it really good. It's just another way of doing something that's akin to active meditation.

Gongoozler

Robert Glamorous Track wrote: »

I was browsing a book site there when I noticed that they were selling "mindfulness" colouring books, I guess they're colouring books for adults to help them unwind and relax a bit.

I thought it was interesting, I suppose they're really no different from the likes of jigsaws and painting but somehow more "mindful." I don't think I'd have the patience for it but then again, maybe that's why I'd need it the most, eh?

What about you? Do you also think that it's an interesting idea that you'd like to try? Or do you think that it, and adults whooping for joy at yet another Star Wars film, are other signs that society is being infantilised and that childish things should be left for children?

Answers on a postcard, please.

I have a colouring book, though not an adult one or a mindfulness one - I think they're just trying to get more money out of you. I find it relaxing to do, I actually just keep forgetting to do it.

I don't see any harm in doing it. Literally not affecting anyone else unless you were to somehow develop an irrational fear of all things not 2D and suddenly go around stabbing people, but that's unlikely now isn't it.

So colouring books for all! Or just for those who want to colour. Miniature American flags for others.

whiskeyman

Robert Glamorous Track wrote: »

Answers on a postcard, please.

I've nothing to add to your main point, but just am freaked out as I realise a whole generation probably have no idea what this phrase means!!

Mr. Incognito

Got my girlfriend one.

She uses it and thinks its useful but finds it too interesting to fall asleep sometimes

Lia_lia

People at work were talking about these today. Supposed to be very relaxing. They have some in Tiger if anyone is wondering where to get them!

The Backwards Man

I can just picture Aonghus colouring in his with crayons in his lederhosen :P

Tasden

Yeah I colour with my daughter to de stress, but it's just in normal colouring books.
Same with lego, building that stuff is so therapeutic.

Links234

It's a neat idea, I've seen loads of different adult colouring books pop up around the place. Don't know if it would be for me.

Toots

I got one in Lidl there during the week, more out of curiosity than anything else. It actually has been quite enjoyable.

PARlance

Tasden wrote: »

Same with lego, building that stuff is so therapeutic.

But very easily undone if not tidied up properly.

Medusa22

My OH got me a mindfulness colouring book for my birthday, as I tend to get a bit stressed out :pac: It definitely helps though, sometimes it is just nice to concentrate on a simple task, it's soothing.

Tasden

PARlance wrote: »

But very easily undone if not tidied up properly.

no tidying up needed if we build it all in one day and put it on the shelf!

Wibbs

whiskeyman wrote: »

I've nothing to add to your main point, but just am freaked out as I realise a whole generation probably have no idea what this phrase means!!

Blue Peter and Swapshop jumped into my head I have to say.

RyanDrive

Great idea and I might pick some up. The other day I found myself helping my nephew with his colouring book and it was the most relaxed I've been in a long time!

Hammer89

I could see how quite a few would be reluctant alright, but the mind is of the utmost importance. Gotta do whatever keeps it in good nick, be it colouring or anything else which may seem a little silly.

alwaysadub

Think I'd just pick up a normal colouring book and use that, are these mindfulness ones more expensive than you'd pay for a kids one?

Dr.Robotnik

Saw one of those colouring books recently in Aldi I think. Had really intricate designs in it. Can see how they would be therapeutic.

Alf Veedersane

alwaysadub wrote: »

Think I'd just pick up a normal colouring book and use that, are these mindfulness ones more expensive than you'd pay for a kids one?

Get them online for less than a tenner. Think there was ~100 pictures to colour in the one I got my Dad recently. Usually more intricate than a kids one. Mandalas and the like.

It's not my thing but I can certainly see how they'd be good.

Wibbs

I could never keep the colours inside the lines.

Aongus Von Bismarck

Mindfulness is a wonderful thing to incorporate into your life. It's in danger of becoming McMindful though. Looking for an easy way into a practice that is simple, but not easy. Like healthy eating or exercise. It takes effort.

These colouring books are a good idea. So is buying a box of Lego and creating something from your imagination. Even something as ordinary as focusing completely on ironing your shirts, or walking to work with a heightened sense of awareness of the sounds, smells and sights around you.

There's a wealth of material on Youtube and websites about mindfulness. Ironically enough; I feel that one of the easiest ways to become mindful is to simply put away your access to an Internet filled with distraction.

If I were to offer a recommendation then it's to download this lovely free app: http://stopbreathethink.org/

riffmongous

Wibbs wrote: »

I could never keep the colours inside the lines.

Don't worry, that's just your subconscious expressing itself, someday you're going to grow up into a artistic visionary who isn't constrained by society's boundaries! ....someday...

NomadicGray

If someone would bring out a really intricate join the dots that would do me fine

Nevermind

http://www.amazon.co.uk/1000-Dot---Dot-Book-Incredible/dp/1781571457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447369962&sr=8-1&keywords=Thomas+Pavitte%27

Dolbert

I never liked colouring books much, I just wanted to draw my own stuff in black and white. I was a weird child

Toto Wolfcastle

My sister has started using these colouring books. She asked me to get her some for Christmas. She's had a stressful couple of months and they seem to have helped. I think she likes the idea of staying inside the lines.

My favourite thing about them was when her 5 year old said to me that 'mommy wouldn't let me use her colouring book.' Poor kid.

Tasden

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

My sister has started using these colouring books. She asked me to get her some for Christmas. She's had a stressful couple of months and they seem to have helped. I think she likes the idea of staying inside the lines.

My favourite thing about them was when her 5 year old said to me that 'mommy wouldn't let me use her colouring book.' Poor kid.

Imagine the stress of a kid getting to your de stressing colouring book and they go and colour it all messy outside the lines :pac:

fussyonion

I had seen them a few times on Amazon and forgot about them actually.
I always loved colouring and I'm a lover of all things artistic.
Thanks to this thread, I've now ordered "Secret Garden" colouring book and I can't wait for it to arrive.

Zaph

My sister suffers from depression and has started using these books as a form of therapy and finds them great. They're not for me, but if they help you get your head straight or de-stress in some way who am I to say that colouring books are childish?



On a totally unrelated note, does the word mindfulness sound like one of the most irritating, made-up words in the English language to anyone else? It's as bad as wellness. :mad:

Dr. Mantis Toboggan

Zaph wrote: »

On a totally unrelated note, does the word mindfulness sound like one of the most irritating, made-up words in the English language to anyone else? It's as bad as wellness. :mad:

Wellfulness.

phasers

I saw them in Dealz the other day if anyone wants to pick one up cheap!

I don't see the appeal tbh, although even as a kid I preferred mindless doodling to unwind. My schoolbooks were a holy show from all my... art.

Tasden

phasers wrote: »

I saw them in Dealz the other day if anyone wants to pick one up cheap!

I don't see the appeal tbh, although even as a kid I preferred mindless doodling to unwind. My schoolbooks were a holy show from all my... art.

When I finish with a book if nobody wants to read it I'll sometimes use it as a doodling/painting scrapbook, alot easier to draw on because it's not a daunting blank page that I'm afraid to ruin, it's already filled with stuff! Brings me right back to doodling on schoolbooks too

Aongus Von Bismarck

It's a modern word for the ancient idea of meditation. Some people find it spiritual. It's a way of finding some sort of comfort in the world.

Like all those grandparents and parents of ours who found some sort of solace in the idea of Christianity.

RDM_83 again

This thread makes me want to go to Games Workshop and buy some figures to paint, unfortunately I crushed my inner nerdiness as a teenager without realizing it would be socially acceptable someday

Medusa22

RDM_83 again wrote: »

This thread makes me want to go to Games Workshop and buy some figures to paint, unfortunately I crushed my inner nerdiness as a teenager without realizing it would be socially acceptable someday

It's never too late to revive your inner nerd!

My daughter picked one up for me recently, cost 3 pounds. I started my first page last night. Very intricate pattern, had to really think about where the colours repeated and what other colour would suit beside each other.

I was doing great until I went to sharpen a pencil and had no sharpener! !!!

Regardless, I would highly recommend them.

GAAman

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

I was doing great until I went to sharpen a pencil and had no sharpener! !!!

Regardless, I would highly recommend them.

Use a Stanley blade or a knife to whittle the pencil point

Junkyard Tom

Fuck that.

Mackman

fussyonion wrote: »

Thanks to this thread, I've now ordered "Secret Garden" colouring book and I can't wait for it to arrive.

I bought that book not long ago with a good set of colouring pencils for myself . I tend to get stressed out and anxious a bit and it really helps me chill out.

Having a couple of beers, watching Sons of Anarchy and doing a bit of colouring

Lyaiera

RDM_83 again wrote: »

This thread makes me want to go to Games Workshop and buy some figures to paint, unfortunately I crushed my inner nerdiness as a teenager without realizing it would be socially acceptable someday

I haven't coloured in colouring books but I imagine it's the exact same deal as painting models (Malifaux for me.)

The whole thing behind colouring (and painting models) is the idea of "Flow." It's when you get caught up in something, and time and other worries seem to disappear as you stay focused and occupied. It's often referred to with being "In the zone."

There's a couple of things you need to get into a flow state. You need to be challenged in an area you're accomplished in. A musician who's bored will get anxious, or antsy. If they're trying something too hard then they'll make mistakes and upset themselves, but if they've got a good jam going and they're occupied by it and with music that challenges a little but they can play they get in the flow state.

With colouring it's not that hard in the first place, most people can do it but the intricacy and detail in the adult books means there's a bit of a challenge. With that people get wrapped up in the flow and start forgetting about their troubles and worries.

You can achieve that state with a lot of activities, music, writing, your job, cooking, art, knitting, painting models, anything. It just seems colouring in may be an easy way to achieve it that works for a lot of people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_%28psychology%29

super_furry

If it works for you, go for it.

They're not just for adults, they're supposed to be great for kids who need to de-stress, children who have autism, ADHD, intellectual disabilities etc. Mandalas they're called.

I bought a Mr. Men colouring book a few weeks ago, haven't had the chance to colour it in which is probably why I need that kind of thing!

looksee

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zentangle-Art-Therapy-Anya-Lothrop/dp/1784941077/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447397547&sr=1-1&keywords=zentangle+art+therapy

This idea is great for relaxation too, if you want something with a bit more personal input than colouring, but manageable, bit like artistic doodling.

Canis Lupus

Tasden wrote: »

Imagine the stress of a kid getting to your de stressing colouring book and they go and colour it all messy outside the lines :pac:

Yeah and do sh*t like colouring in an elephant as blue and a dog as pink and that crazy sort of stuff. Makes me want to hurt kids that do that. #notapsyhco

Tasden

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Yeah and do sh*t like colouring in an elephant as blue and a dog as pink and that crazy sort of stuff. Makes me want to hurt kids that do that. #notapsyhco

Just thinking about it makes me want to colour :pac:

looksee

After my mum had a stroke we found colouring books for her - difficult to find simple pictures in an adult style but we did find some, and she got great satisfaction from colouring. Apparently there is something about colouring 'between the lines' that is very beneficial in repairing the damage to the brain - someone else might be able to explain that more satisfactorily - certainly she got pleasure from colouring.

fizzypish

My mother does this. I see how it would be meditative as I used to get the same from tinkering with my motor bike in the garage. I get it. But...... the first time I seen my 50+ mother coloring a spiral picture and hanging it on the wall, I had to take a moment to form my words correctly......

Badly Drunk Boy

PARlance wrote: »

But very easily undone if not tidied up properly.

Is it true that standing on a piece of Lego in your bare feet is more painful than childbirth? I wouldn't know because I haven't had a baby and I don't have any Lego, but that's what the village midwife says.

leahyl

I have a mindfulness colouring book, got it recently when I was stressed out and needed something to take my mind off things. I found it quite good and then just abandoned it after a few days (mustn't have been that stressed after all :pac:); must go back to it again soon

RDM_83 again

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Is it true that standing on a piece of Lego in your bare feet is more painful than childbirth? I wouldn't know because I haven't had a baby and I don't have any Lego, but that's what the village midwife says.

I don't know either but I'm guessing most people don't step on lego for twelve hours straight!

SEPT 23 1989

I fear for mankind

fizzypish

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

I fear for mankind

Don't fear what you can't change. We are within a couple of bad decisions from the people in charge of the apocalypse (WW3, nuclear holocaust, take your pick, dramatic climate change(less to do with bad decisions)). Sit back and enjoy the ride. If a little bit of coloring makes the ride better then have at it. Wouldn't do much for me admittedly.