I have many notebooks where the margins are filled with creations, swirls and shapes, doodling has been a practice used for generations. Zentangling is an intentional “doodle” practice that builds mindfulness, grounding and expression all into one.
Why zentangle? Zentangling can be a very tangible practice of mindfulness. For those who find silent meditations difficult or have difficulty with visualizations, a zentangle may be helpful for you. The use of materials can be helpful in grounding you in the mindfulness practice in the moment. What I like about zentangles is that it also challenges the perfectionist. You start with pencil but you quickly move to black marker or pen-- a tool intended to create permanent marks. The idea of this is that you do not start over if a “mistake” is made-- there are no mistakes. In its own way this mindfulness practice opens up the practice of radical acceptance. This practice is a great example of DBT HOW skills for mindfulness. This exercise is a way to practice mindfulness nonjudgmentally, one mindfully and effectively.
The following steps are adapted from www.zentangle.com. You will need a pencil, a black pen or marker and a 3.5 inch square paper (can be adapted to any paper).
Step 1: Gratitude and Appreciation
Get comfortable, perhaps take a few deep breaths and agree for yourself to the time of completing a zentangle.
Step 2: Corner Dots
Place a light pencil dot in each corner with a little bit of space from the edges (alternatively measure out a 3.5 inch square on a larger piece of paper). Now it is no longer blank.
Step 3: Border
Connect the dots with a light pencil line, straight or curvy to create the square. This is your border.
Step 4: The String
Inside the border, draw a light pencil line to make what is called a “string.” The string separates your tile into sections inside of which you draw your tangles. A string can be any shape and can touch the edge of the border as many times as you’d like.
Step 5: Tangle - A sequence of simple strokes that make up a pattern.
Now you switch to pen or black marker. Draw your tangles with deliberate strokes. Don’t worry about what it is going to look like (here is that non-judgmentalness). Focus on each stroke as you make it. There is no up or down to this art so feel free to rotate your tile in any direction that is most comfortable for your hand as you draw.
Step 6: Shade (Optional)
Add shades of grey with the pencil to bring more contrast and dimension to the tile.
Step 7: Initial and Sign
This is art you created. Put your initials on the front somewhere (another practice of non-judgmentally).
And lastly in Step 8, appreciate the mindful moment you had and what it created.
I hope you will give this a try this week, and notice how it feels to zentangle.
Interested in learning more about mindfulness through the lens of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)? Looking Glass Counseling offers DBT skills training groups a few times a year. We are currently enrolling for the first module of a DBT group led by Vera beginning October 10, 2024. Check out our website to learn more.
Vera Bednar, LMHC, C-DBT, RYT-200 is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and certified in dialectical behavioral therapy (C-DBT). A Lesley University graduate, Vera earned a bachelor's in counseling and art therapy and a master's in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in trauma.
Prior to joining Looking Glass Counseling, Vera worked in a wide variety of clinical settings including inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient and an assisted living center with an art therapy focus. She also worked in partial hospitalization programs specializing in trauma, LGBTQIA+ individuals and young adult transitions as well as substance use.
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