Mindfulness is the ‘hot topic” for mental health and wellbeing but people often struggle with the concept and incorrectly think that it is about:

• positive thinking
• going into  a trance
• having a blank mind
• religion

Mindfulness is simply paying attention, on purpose, to your life. Being present, seeing things as they are. 

We practice mindfulness for the benefits it brings to us and those around us. Through mindfulness we aim to:

• live with intention
• respond not simply react
• increase our happiness
• raise self awareness
• accept and have empathy

One of the most powerful lessons I have learned this way, is to accept and live with pain – my own and other people’s. Being at peace when in very difficult circumstances is an ongoing challenge to become better at acceptance and finding peace balances with action and communication to make a difference where I can.  

 

Mindfulness stimulates:

• the Cerebral Cortex, responsible for attention, emotion and interpretation,  
• the Hippocampus, responsible for learning and memory and
• the Amygdala, responsible for anxiety and stress

Art and drawing are linked very strongly with wellbeing. A study by University of Plymouth showed that even doodling has a large range of benefits including:

• anxiety relief
• enhanced concentration
• improved recollection

In tests, doodlers had a 29% higher memory retention compared to non- doodlers

Source: Applied Cognitive Psychology 

So practicing mindful doodling and mindful art are perfect ways to access the benefits of both art and mindfulness.