"Beauty in all things."
That’s what Maria said this morning when she saw the patterns of light and dark in the foam of the coffee I brought to her.
When we teach a Zentangle class we remind students to relax and sit comfortably. We encourage them to notice their posture and their breathing. We suggest that they do not need to hold their pen with a tight grip.
When you are comfortable and relaxed, when you have a nice posture and your breath flows easily, when the grip on your pen is gentle; then, your strokes flow more easily. It makes sense that your strokes flow more easily if you are relaxed. But your creative response-ability also flows more easily.
We also encourage our students every now and then to hold their tile at arm’s length and turn it this way and that. It shifts your perspective when you look at your tile further away because your eyes realign themselves in a different angle of view. I find it interesting that the Hindi word for perspective, दृष्टिकोण (drshtikon), translates literally as “vision angle.”
Of course, we always encourage our students to regularly “turn your tile.” When you turn your tile, it is more comfortable to draw the same stroke in different directions. Also, when you turn your tile, you see patterns and shapes differently and you get new inspirations for your next strokes.
You can apply these suggestions for tangling patterns on your tile to creating and expressing the patterns in your life:
- Sit comfortably
- Notice your posture and breathing
- Relax the grip on your pen
- Shift your perspective now and then
- Turn your tile
And most importantly . . . Beauty in all things.
Thank you to everyone who commented on our last blog post. We have randomly selected Melissa Grudin to receive a Project Pack No. 09! Please send your snail mail address to julie@zentangle.com
After reading today’s post, I also read all the comments and even though my brain “knows” all these wonderful life lessons (change perspective, loosen the grip, breathe…) it is so good for my heart to get them again! I echo what others have said: I have SO MUCH GRATITUDE for all of you at Zentangle. You’ve given us so much, and then even more right when we need it! I can’t imagine life now without the Zentangle practice and community! 💜
Lynnette Jerome on
Deborah Alborell on
Sue Leslie on
These days I had holiday, but I couldn’t spend them in the place I choosed, so as everybody my husband and I stayed at home like all of you. We live next to the forest and every day we watched the birds, we listened to springtime, we heard the music of the birds, we smell the flowers and trees awaken from their sleep during winter, also our dog Oskar get the feeling of spring, well he woke us up at 5.30 in the morning, cause he smelled the female dogs. These holidays we are so intensive aware for the beauty of nature and like you write, dear Maria and Rick, we see the little things, because we have the time.
Thank you so much for your inspiration.
Julia
Julia-Maria Weber on
In this time when daily life seems to stop all over the world, the zentangle community is a great help. You can find a moment for yourself to fully resume your normal activities. Thank you for your commitment and creativity.
Vera Rutten on
Ginny Stiles on
Perfect! Yes, we Zentangle everything, including our coffee. I noticed that if I am tangling, and I stop, look up, and take a deep breath -when I return to it I’m more relaxed. It isn’t even difficult
LIsa Hoesing on
georgianna klein on
Kathy on
Sandy Kelley-Jones CZT on
Rimona Gale on
Jill Maxwell on
Mary Ellen Ziegler on
Lise Orwig on
Lori
Lori Dupont on
Deb Murray CZT 30 on
I have found that I relax the moment I take up my pen and tile. That would probably never have happened if it wasn’t for Zentangle! I see things more now, and enjoy the beauty in the patterns!
Catherine Gisby on
Jeanie ‘JJ’ James on
LovelyRita on
For me, the reminder to relax my grip on the pen is key. If I do that my breathing falls in place and I move into the present moment. It’s a respite to tangle and especially now.
Jackie on
Love the tangle and the thoughts behind it. Zentangle is so important to my life, but even more so these last weeks in isolation. It helps me let go of the what ifs and gives me peace. Thank you for that!
Melinda Butcher on
Thanks for the reminder to change our perspective when creating tangles. When I take this advice in looking at my life too, I see things differently. I see our current snow and frigid outside temperatures not as “uncomfortable” and “undesireable,” I see the snow as a beautiful “equaling.” The snow makes every yard appear equal. No one’s yard is greener, tidier or more “beautiful.” Every yard is equal.
Kim G on
SUsan sHane on
Carolyn Thomas on
MKay B B Watson on