I recently attended a two-hour Introduction to Mindfulness class taught by the Director of the University of Pennsylvania Program for Mindfulness (their website can be found here). It was helpful in understanding more about the history of mindfulness, why the science of neuroplasticity has led to the support of mindfulness practices, and some of the techniques that are used to practice mindfulness. Of course, I believe the Zentangle Method can be used to practice mindfulness and is one of the reasons why I was drawn to becoming a Certified Zentangle Teacher.
This video is a great description of what mindfulness, habit, and neruoplasticity have in common. Take a look, it's very interesting.
Finally, I found some free mindfulness podcasts produced by UCLA here. I haven't listened to them yet, but plan to soon. Maybe I can listen while I am working on a Zentangle....
A lot of students ask me about what to do when they start to lose the point to their blending stump, or tortillion. Fellow CZT, Geneviève Crabe, posted a note about how to use a paper clip to fix it right up using a paper clip. Click on her name to see an image!
I was fortunate to be able to travel to Indiana to see my family last week and I taught a basics class for them. It was a lot of fun. My parents, brother and his wife, my six year old daughter and husband all sat around the table trying paradox and other favorite patterns. Then my sister-in-law took her kit to NY to show her mother and niece. This is time well spent together, plain and simple.
