Last year I was introduced to The Great Courses. For those of you who haven’t heard of this before The Great Courses is a company that produces a series of college-level video courses taught by experts in their fields for people who are life long learners but don’t actually want to go back to school. Topics range from cooking to history and everything in between. There is something there for everyone. As I browsed through their catalog I was enthralled by the offerings. The cooking course peaked my interest but at the time my life had been a little crazy (we all know how that goes) so in an attempt to slow things down and pay attention I chose my first course to be Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation. I ordered the online version and dove right in.
For most people the vision that comes to mind when you say meditation is of the personÂ
sitting cross legged on the floor, arms gently folded in their lap. Â But meditation can beÂ
practiced in many forms.  This is good news for someone who can’t sit and breathe deeplyÂ
and try to calm her thoughts for even 30 seconds without getting itchy all over, it’s nice toÂ
have something other than traditional meditation that still feels meditative.Â
Coloring Books for Adults
Coloring books for adults have been very popular in the last year. Even QuiltWoman.com has some great coloring books available. They have even just came out with coloring note cards that you can purchase, color and mail.
Coloring is meditative. Â It slows you down. Â You stop and pay attention. How to fill theÂ
space in, what colors to use, and the repetitive motion all create a focus point aroundÂ
which your thoughts can revolve. I think there’s a comfort in the concentration detailÂ
demands. Coloring in a pattern is a lot like walking a paper labyrinth. There’s nothing to trap you, there’s nothing to solve. You just quietly wander down the path until you’re done.Â
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  Give coloring a try! You won’t regret it. Order your coloring book, or note cards atÂ
QuiltWoman.com. Â Grab those pencils or markers, maybe a glass of wine and createÂ
something calming and beautiful today. Â
