Crochet for Meditation: Colouring Mandala with Yarn

Do you practice meditation? I don’t. But I feel very relaxed and strong when I create my mandalas. Crochet is a very relaxing craft. When I start crocheting I forget about everything around me. The yarn and colors bring me far away and I can crochet for long hours. Recently I’ve learned about “coloring mandalas” - a meditation and healing technique which has become very popular in western world. And I thought: this is actually what I am doing when designing my mandalas in overlay crochet. I do color them, but using yarn instead of pencils and paints.

The word “mandala” is literally translated as a “circle” but it definitely means more than just a simple shape. It is a circle symbolizing universe, time, movement and infinity. It has no beginning and no end. And it is a symbol of inner power and creative potential.

Mandalas have existed since ancient times. They have been used for meditation and healing in many cultures and their use has spread throughout the world. Their designs can be very simple and intricate. They can be drawn on paper, embroidered with threads and beads, created of sand and rice… and crocheted of course!

Mandala is a very powerful and at the same time very simple instrument for meditation. You don’t need to learn any special techniques. Mandala is reflecting the mode of your soul now and here – depending on the colors you choose.

And I felt this myself. I have crocheted three items using my Kaleidoscope Mandala design: a bag and two potholders. I used absolutely different color combinations and they look very different. I was choosing the colors intuitively and each finished item is translating its own unique energy.

Coloring mandalas is very useful for adults and kids. Very often small children start to paint elements of mandalas – different colorful circles and their parts. While painting the stress is being reduced, the fear disappears, the nerves are calming down. When working with mandala you get a new creative energy and develop inner (hidden) potential. The same is happening when I crochet my mandalas. I feel like harmony and peace are filling me.

This technique has become very popular recently and today it is possible to buy coloring books with mandalas and also download them for free. For example, the mandala which I used as a cover picture for this post was taken here. You can also find short instructions on how to use mandalas for meditation and coloring on Spiritual Awakening along with the symbolic meaning of different colors.

But you can of course create your own mandalas. What you need is a crochet hook and colorful scraps of your favorite yarn!