I read a while back that when you sleep it is like a little army of cleaners goes through your brain sweeping up all the garbage and waste you create with your thoughts during the day. That especially on a particularly hard thinking day a power nap can really refresh you and help you continue your good work into the evening. That a solid night sleep is so beneficial to making you feel well and be productive with your thoughts because your brain now has a clear ‘workspace’.

When I practice Zentangle -or any kind of focused activity – I think of it as a tidying up of my mind. The power cleaners come out when I sleep, and when I am awake – I give myself an opportunity to clear my head and spend some time really focusing.  By spending five, ten or 120 minutes on a focused activity it creates a tidier path for the rest of my thoughts to work uncluttered for the next few hours.

Whether you find that focus in knitting, or running, or gardening, practicing Yoga – or with Zentangle, feel good about giving your mind a clean space to work with and do it often!

 wound up

Awhile back I discovered a great side-kick of Zentangle – a group of tanglers devoted to leaving Random Acts of Zentangle around the world for the surprise and delight of strangers who find them.  Earlier this week I was so excited to leave my first RAZ in a little coffee shop on Capitol Hill in Seattle.  I hope whoever finds it enjoys their little treasure!

If you are wondering what to do with some of your creations – make someone’s day and hide it for them to find.  If you are a Facebook user, you can follow other RAZ’s on their Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/RandomActsOfZentangle/.

Happy Tangling!

Zentangle’s little mascot Bijou stopped by my tangling journal to remind me to relax a little this week and enjoy the the process of the holidays. Despite the mad rush, and feeling that there is always more to be done, the ritual of the holidays is part of the journey we choose, and I was glad to have a little reminder. I put aside the list of things that must be done, and enjoyed a very relaxed day with a friend exploring old favorites and discovering new treasures along the way.

Zentangle, Inc. launched a new website full of information and ideas. One of my favorite new features is the Story Booth.  It is inspiring to hear the positive impact of mindfulness, art and the practice of Zentangle.

Check out a few www.zentangle.com/story-booth.

Certified Zentangle Teachers (CZTs) have attended the Zentangle Teachers Training with Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts the founders of Zentangle, Inc. In the training, we learned first hand the philosophies and techniques of Zentangle, and how to share those with our students to enhance their art.  We trained along with other teachers and artists who want to share the Zentangle method to build confidence, reduce stress, inspire creativity, practice mindfulness or even just because it is enjoyable.

Similar to if you want to enhance your skills in any other area of life – you might take a cooking class, or a writing class from an author, or have a marathon runner help you with your cadence – a CZT can introduce you to, or help enhance your experience with pen and ink in the Zentangle method.

I immediately became smitten with the Zentangle method, and how it helped me find focus and invigorate my creativity, and I am so excited to have completed the CZT course so that I can share this tool with others.