Tangling Away the Fear

A calm voice to dissipate fear and panic…thank you Rick and Maria for such sage advice. All forms of meditation take us back to who we really are…spiritual beings having a human experience. 🙏

I am just coming out of a 2-month bout with shingles during which I was homebound. Zentangle really contributed to my calm—so important when you have shingles!—and being able to face one day at a time. I wrote about all the life lessons I took away in this week’s zenspar blog post. My classes have been canceled due to the pandemic, so I’m now exploring doing some online classes for my groups. This initiative, I believe, is also inspired by Zentangle’s “no mistakes” philosophy, and looking for creative solutions. I’ve also forwarded this post to my students. Thank you for everything you give us.

Wonderful ideas to help us to live in the moment and leave our cares and worries behind for just a little while. Every time I watch these videos, something different catches my eye. Thank you. MASD

Maria and Rick, I read this upon waking and it was like being gently rocked in a boat. (For some, that image isn’t comforting but for me, it really is.) You never identified the thing that could be producing the intense fear, but we all know to what you are referring. Even just THAT was a gift as many of us can be triggered by seeing the word. You are both the epitome of thought-full-ness and kindness. The amount of thought you put into this post was tremendous. Of COURSE Zentangle helps with fear! Why hadn’t I thought of that? The variety of videos you’ve given us is wonderful and just the thing many of us need as fear can block the memory.

Thank you so much ♥️
Kat

Hi
You are so right.
People have been contacting me after finding me on Zentangle.com. And because of all the craziness I am now doing online classes for these people who are wanting to do Zentangle to free their mind from this craziness but are not willing to risk their health.
Thank you for this wonderful wonderful way to stay healthy.
You all stay healthy, because we rely on you. ❤️ Lisa

This popped into my inbox at a perfect time. Thank you for your calming words.

Everyone, take gentle care.

Thank you Rick and Maria for this post. Yesterday I did a few of PP08 Day 5 and today i did Indy and Mazzy, and I finally discover DingplatZ. Tanglind is helping me to face what is going on. I was thinking of you and what you may say to the Zentangle Community. Thank you for your kindness! Nathalie Paré (from Québec City)

I’m this time of wild uncertainty, you’ve been able to impart a sense of calm along with great advice. Wishing your family & the entire Zentangle community a safe return to normalcy. Until then…let’s create and Tangle on!

Jan

What wise words you gift us with! My husband and I (both being in our 70’s) have decided to stay out of the crowds and enjoy home life, tackling projects, taking walks, cooking comfort foods, and for me—tangling. My goal is one tile a day, but I can always do more! Brain science tells us that fear can make us stupid. We must not let it visit us too often! To health!

Thank you for this reminder xxx

I’m so thankful that I have resumed tangling. I have been so inspired by other artists, calmed by the process, and in the end I have something wonderful to look at and feel thankful that I had time to create it.
Thank you for sharing this means of mindful creation. It’s something that could heal so many.

Thank you, Rick & Maria, for reminding us that we can find respite from the storm – this one and any other – by allowing ourselves just a little time to tangle and put aside all those frayed edges for just a little while. I wish everyone in this amazing, artistic community to keep safe, stay healthy and find some peace each day with simply a pen, paper and pencil.

Thank you Rick and Maria for your support. My wish for everybody around the globe is: may you all be safe and well. And don’t forget that after winter, there will always be Printemps (spring in French). Love from Belgium

There is joy to be found in these uncertain times and friends who live around the world are all in this experience so we can tangle and laugh and for a moment, forget there is more than just that one line to be focused on… I am so grateful for you all in the Zentangle community, having something creative to do when the craziness gets to be too much and for the respite I find in the results. Blessings to you all, Annie

This could not have come at a better time. I have OCD and this whole scare is activating my fear and I’ve been wondering what to do to help alleviate the fears and panic in my mind, and this pops up in my inbox. Zentangle helped me through some of the worst times I ever had with pain, and I’m sure that this will help once again. Thank you so much.

Rick and Maria! Thank you so much for your kind thoughts, wisdom, and generosity of spirit. Such perfect reminders for all of us. I plan to quote a few of them at my Zentangle Embedded letter class tomorrow night! Yours in Zentangle, and always very fondly

I just finished a redo of a triangle tangle from PP8 – then I read your blog. Tangling works magic especially for me 1st thing in the morning. We are blessed💕

Thank you for this wonderful advice!

Thank you for this wisdom when so many of us are so frightened. “Fear is the mind killer,” as Frank Herbert wrote in Dune. Being present dissolves fear, and Zentangle always brings me into this very moment, where I can explore what is beautiful and what is true, and where I can feel safe. You have been such an inspiration for so much joy and presence. Many, many thanks to you both, Rick and Maria!

Dear Rick and Maria;

I can’t thank you enough for the thoughtfulness. I am forwarding to my art group which is not meeting as we are all in the vulnerable category.

This came at the perfect time. I was just laying in bed this morning trying to decide how to share some calm with my students without it being in person. I don’t have all the necessary equipment to video myself. So thank you. I’m going to share this now! Hope you all are safe and healthy.

Thank you Rick and Maria for your wise words during the virus time. Both my daughter and my sister said to me yesterday, “you’re so lucky you have Zentangle to help you at this time!“ And I am fortunate. Fortunate to have found this relaxing, meditative, creative process. I plan on spending the next two weeks immersed in my lesson planning, practicing lessons on the large Post-it note chart paper that I have. Drawing in my calendar a day pages. And organizing my inventory. All good things! And thank you for sharing the top videos on YouTube. Love you all!

dear Zentangle HQ…I just wanted to stop and say thank you for being a voice of truth, grace and light in these uncertain times, we need more posts like this one. Tangling the fear away is such an easy, wholesome, life-building, fear-chasing thing to do – and I will be sharing this to everyone I can. thank you again…

with love from a seasoned tangler… xoxox

Such sound advise that always works! I did this yesterday when feeling overwhelmed with everything going on. Tangling for an hour helped me reach a level of calm and peace that I needed. Needless to say I will be doing a lot more in the days to come. Thank you for the reminder of all the great video inspiration you have given us! 💞

Thank you so much for this!! When I got to the end of the email and you spoke of getting back to creative balance and take a few moments to step away from your fears, I could feel my entire body and mind loosen and calm down. I was hoping you both would do something like this, thank you!! Your samples of what to work on are also a big help. Sometimes it is hard to focus on what to do in order to calm down and giving us the suggestions directs us down that path.