Why Coloring Is Good for You

If you haven't been swept in the adult-coloring craze yet, find a few pencils and try it with the mandala (above), a Buddhist symbol of the universe. Feel relaxed? It's probably not just because you're getting back into kindergarten brain. Coloring, especially with complex, geometric patterns, can be its own meditative practice because it involves repetitive motion and enough structure to let you detach from stressful thoughts. In one small study published in the journal Art Therapy, the subjects who colored mandalas or plaid pattrens experienced greater anxiety reduction than those who did free-form coloring. We recommend the mandala, which puts the whole universe at your fingertips.

For downloadable PDFs of ready-to-color images, go to printmandala.com.