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My Zentangle Tool Box

My Zentangle Tool Box

Julie writes...

 

As Zentangle artists, we have more tools in our toolbox (pencil pouch?) than just our pens and paper. It has become abundantly clear over the past few months, that our most valuable tools are the philosophies and lessons we learn practicing the Zentangle Method.
 
Sometimes when you start a tile, you have no idea where it is headed. You just tangle away, taking things one stroke at a time, free to move this way and that. Other times, when you start a tile, you have a plan. Maybe you were inspired by another tile or had a vision of where it was going. However, as you tangle, plans may change. You may put down a line that doesn’t go quite as expected. Fortunately, though, we have the tools to deal with these situations, and no, I don’t mean an eraser.
 
We embrace the philosophy of “No Mistakes,” and look for opportunities when things don’t go quite as planned. It is this philosophy that has led to so many new and exciting things in the Zentangle world. “Mistakes” on Zentangle tiles have often led to new tangles, new techniques and new adventures.
 
We embrace the philosophy of “Anything is Possible One Stroke At A Time…” You can’t finish you tile before putting down that first stroke. Or the second, or third. Taking things one stroke at a time allows us to slow down, to breathe, to reflect and to deliberately take that next stroke to progress on our tile.
 
We practice gratitude and appreciation from start to finish. In Project Pack No.09, each day we wrote down something we were grateful for on our tile, serving as a constant reminder as we tangled away. When you take a moment to recognize what you are grateful for, no matter how small, it is powerful tool to adjust your attitude, your heart and your peace, no matter the circumstances.
 
The world, and our lives, have been a little bit like a Zentangle tile lately. I don’t know about you, but my plans for this spring looked a lot different than my current reality. Thankfully, I had some tools in my tool box to help deal with the changes.
 
I have had to miss family events, birthdays, trips and get togethers. Thankfully, I know how to look for opportunities when things don’t go quite as planned. I know that when one door closes, another one is usually opening and while this may not have my first choice, it is an opportunity to explore things I may have not otherwise.
 
I know how to take things one stroke at a time. I know the benefits of slowing down, focusing on what is in front of me and blocking out the rest, and making deliberate choices.
 
I know how important it is to find a moment of gratitude and appreciation in every circumstance. To focus on these things whole heartedly to calm my mind and my heart.
 
And, when I am having trouble with these things, I have pens and I have paper to sit down and draw. An exercise that reminds me to use all of the tools in my tool box.

Update: May 4, 2022

It has been two years since I wrote this blog post and yet I feel like I have written it every day since. So much has happened since then, life unfolds like a Zentangle tile, with unruly and unexpected strokes going this way and that. When new challenges and opportunities come about, I am always grateful for the tools in my toolbox.

We recently held our first in person seminar since 2019 in Newport, Rhode Island. As I got to know all of the attendees, I came to learn that many of them found the Zentangle method within the past two years during the pandemic and they expressed how it helped them get through this difficult time. Even those who had been tangling long before March of 2020, there was this bond among all of us, that the Zentangle Method was a tool that we had to help us through difficult times.

Let us know in the comments how you use your Zentangle tools both on and off the paper and we will choose a commenter at random to send a "gratitude and appreciation" Zentangle MantraBand.

Julie Willand

58 comments

  • Julie, you are the heart and soul of Z blogs. 🥰

    Kathy Y. on

  • I’m so grateful for our Zentangle ®️ practice and community during these times. It’s helped me stay calm, focused and relaxed. Thanks for your words Julie. Stay well.

    Deborah Bowyer on

  • Thank you, Julie, for your words of encouragement for Zentangles, and the situation we are in during the plague.

    Francene L. Smith on

  • I have taken the sheltering in as an opportunity to share the Zentangle Method of Mediative Art with others that have never heard of it by doing free daily Mini tangle lessons on my FB page, Tangled in Texas! I’m getting a following now and they are all seeing results as in lower anxiety, focusing on the present, becoming calmer, creativeness they didn’t know that they had, learning new skills and having appreciation and gratitude for looking forward to learning something new everyday! It gives me great pleasure and happiness to be able to help them reap all the benefits that Zentangle has to offer that we as CZTs already know!

    Leslee Feiwus on

  • Julie, your piece today just seamlessly fits with other things I am dealing with and focusing on at the moment. ‘One Step at a Time’ allows us to slow down and focus on our work with each stroke that is being made. No rich, no impossible expectations — just go with the flow. ‘No Mistakes’ encourages us to be calm when those loose strokes float in and become new opportunities. I truly believe that Zentangle Drawing is another place where God was watching out for me and made sure that I was connected to another way to shine light in the dark places. Zentangle, I was reminded the other day, has become my ministry and I am Grateful, Grateful, Grateful!!!! Blessings to you all!!!!

    Pam Stevenson CZT 20, 31 on

  • Beautifully said,Julie. Perhaps this is why Zentangle has spread throughout the world…it has changed our lives as we live one stroke at a time, gratitude, no mistakes, and an appreciation of what we can do that we didn’t know we could. What a gift!

    Barbara Hibner on

  • Yes, Julie, I am so grateful for not just the physical tools of Zentangle, but the meta-physical ones as well. Not to mention that because of the ‘limitations’ of travel, I have actually taken more classes than I would have otherwise, and I have started teaching a few folks as well!! I am grateful for all those who have offered affordable or free classes, I am appreciative of the many who have given me feedback on my tangles, I am truly thankful for the entire Zentangle team being there to provide materials as I have ordered them. Stay safe and well; tangle on!

    Annie Sargent on

  • This is exactly what I was thinking about this morning! My tiles and my yoga practice are like my life. No mistakes – just learning and continuing to feel grateful to have the opportunity to be drawing, or doing yoga, or living. Our tools are the observations, the growth, and the learning we are accumulating over time. Just as I’m figuring out how I can use pencils and tortillions for shading, just as I’m figuring out how to use my breath to support my yoga poses, I’m using all of my experiences to understand and appreciate the “now” moments of my life. Lots of gratitude to you, Julie, for sharing these thoughts.

    Peyton on

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