Instead of doodling, I decided to color a mandala today.

I find Tibetan mandalas beautiful and calming. According to Buddhist teachings, these geometric compositions of repeating patterns transmit positive energies into the environment and to all those who view them. They’re designed so that when you look at them, or mediate upon them, certain shapes, lines, angles, and colors, lead your eye to the center of the image, where it’s believed deities reside. This is supposed to help transform our ordinary little minds into enlightened ones.

I wouldn’t mind a world with more compassion and enlightenment, so I thought coloring and posting this mandala couldn’t hurt.

Here’s a really lovely story about a mandala that 20 Buddhist monks created in response to the September 11th attacks. And here’s a link to print and color your own mandala.