July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Crafting, Creating & Building

Good Morning Yogis! We are near the end of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

We covered a few specific crafts during the month, such as painting, sewing, and diamond painting. Today’s summer fun / flow practice suggestion is to pick from a range of crafts or other DIY activities to create something. I started my career in accounting which is a mostly paperless industry, but I especially enjoy interior design and organization projects where I can actually see the physical results of my work and then live in my own creation.

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

close up of crafting table covered with various craft supplies - mindful mindfulness sewing crafting craft Quote: The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/bYOi200uQ6w
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: A craft, DIY, or building project to create something! You can turn any activity you are passionate about into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself.

Craft, Create & Build

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Sewing & Knitting

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. Today is also Threading the Needle Day, so today’s fun practice is sewing or knitting!

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

close up of incomplete floral needlepoint embroidery alongside textile fabric - mindful mindfulness sewing crafting craft embroidery needlepoint Quote: Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. - Oliver Wendell Holmes original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/fL5xqqoUVF0
Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Sewing or Knitting! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple pastime such as crafting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I enjoy Sewing and especially needlepoint. Knitting is not for me, although this is a favorite hobby of some of my friends!

Sewing & Knitting

Sewing and Knitting are similar, but two very different crafts. Knitting is creating a piece of fabric with yarn. Sewing usually uses a thin needle to stitch thread to fabric, or stitch pieces of fabric together. If you are familiar with these crafts, I recommend picking your favorite and mindfully creating! If this is new to you, please review the list below (I have tried to list in order of difficulty) and start crafting!

Now, I realize this type of activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Gardening & Floral Arrangements

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. Today we will cover both Gardening and Floral Arrangements.

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

cool shot of multicolor flowers on dark background - mindful mindfulness flower garden floral arrangement Quote: If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. - Frances Hodgson Burnett     original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/lcC8KvQVQiE
If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. – Frances Hodgson Burnett

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Gardening and Floral Arrangements! Either growing or gathering flowers for an arrangement is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. If you are new to gardening, I recommend starting with growing a favorite herb!

Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun passtime or what some consider a chore like gardening into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. Also, Floral Arrangement is another Zen Art like the Tea Ceremony! You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I will admit that although I love enjoying parks and gardens, gardening has always been a challenge for me! I do enjoy arranging flowers when I receive them, but I personally will be practicing Tea Ceremony today – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Diamond Painting

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice – Diamond Painting! Now, I realize this is a fun passtime for me, and a torture method for some of my friends. This fun month has lots of activities, but not all will be for you! Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

incomplete in progress cherry blossom diamond painting
Diamond Painting

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Diamond Painting! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple childhood pastime such as crafting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I personally LOVE working on challenging craft that keeps the hands busy as a meditative activity to help me process complex issues ‘in the background’ as I work. These Diamond Painting sets take a very long time to complete, so you get a large return in entertainment time for a relatively small small investment. This is a fairly new craft, so please check out if you have not heard of it before! Now, I realize this activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

completed ballerina diamond painting
Diamond Painting

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Watercolor Painting & Calligraphy

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. This month is World Watercolor Month so today we will try either Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy!

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

watercolor painting of white flower with flower alongside art - mindful mindfulness painting art watercolor Quote: Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul. - Vincent van Gogh original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/cNs36HTg2R0
Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul. – Vincent van Gogh

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple pastime such as painting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I enjoy Watercolor Painting, but I have to admit I do NOT enjoy Calligraphy! I studied Japanese, and I can read and write in two of the three writing systems – Hiragana and Katakana “letter” characters, but I can only read (or type) but cannot write the more complex logographic characters Kanji! You have to make choices for where to focus your energy – I decided the few points I would lose for not writing Kanji in Japanese class were worth keeping my focus on classes for my accounting major! Now, I realize this activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Watercolor Painting & Calligraphy

You can use the same supplies for both Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy IF you are a beginner! For Watercolor Painting, it is important to use the right paperWatercolor Paint will not absorb properly on the wrong medium! For Calligraphy, it is most important to use a the proper brush or utensil. I recommend Brush Pens for Modern Calligraphy (cursive or other modified modern lettering in your language) or a Size 12 Quill Brush for Traditional Eastern Calligraphy.

Person creating calligraphy original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/zHwWnUDMizo
Calligraphy

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: Gardening & Floral Arrangements

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. Today we will cover both Gardening and Floral Arrangements.

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

cool shot of multicolor flowers on dark background - mindful mindfulness flower garden floral arrangement Quote: If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. - Frances Hodgson Burnett     original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/lcC8KvQVQiE
If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. – Frances Hodgson Burnett

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Gardening and Floral Arrangements! Either growing or gathering flowers for an arrangement is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. If you are new to gardening, I recommend starting with growing a favorite herb!

Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun passtime or what some consider a chore like gardening into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. Also, Floral Arrangement is another Zen Art like the Tea Ceremony! You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I will admit that although I love enjoying parks and gardens, gardening has always been a challenge for me! I do enjoy arranging flowers when I receive them, but I personally will be practicing Tea Ceremony today – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow: International Drop a Rock Day

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month. I have heard if we focus on the past we will be depressed, if we focus on the future we will be anxious, and the key to joy is living in the present moment. A couple of the Yamas and Niyamas reflect this secret of happiness hidden in the “now”.

Mindfulness is central to a number of eastern religions and philosophies, and is becoming a common theme in western therapy, psychology, and self-help. We have also focused on mindfulness in some of our past daily practices, especially on past Santosha Days and with some focused meditation practices. Mindfulness and losing oneself in the current moment is my idea of “finding flow” that we most commonly experience during “getting in the zone” during particular athletic, work, and artistic activities. Zen Buddhism takes this concept further with Zen Arts such as Tea Ceremony, Archery, Painting, and Flower Arrangement. So, we will focus this month on trying different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

cool shot of painted rock white with rainbow and imagine hidden in large tree knot with leafy shade - Painted Rock original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/HOgkWa7ajw0
Painted Rock

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Making and Dropping a Painted Rock for International Drop a Rock Day! Make sure to practice mindfulness and try to enjoy each day’s practice with all five senses. Learn ideas, techniques, and best products for painted rocks here! Make sure to use smooth rocks, and wash with soap and water and allow to dry fully before painting. You will likely want newspaper to keep your area clean, as well as acrylic paint and paint brushes. Make sure to use sealant after painting and before dropping out in the world for others to enjoy! Today’s practice may be more fun than flow, but it is a good opportunity to practice Aparigraha or Non-Attachment as we leave our creations in the world, or shrug off any mistakes.

We started this month with a deep dive of the Zen Tea Ceremony, but today is a more simple activity. Tea and other beverage recommendations from our intro had enough varieties to suit nearly everyone, but some of our practices this month will not be a good fit for you.. that’s okay! If today’s practice is not for you, try a craft of your choice, or go back and try another personal Tea Ceremony today!

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 27 – Crafting, Creating & Building

Good Morning Yogis! We are near the end of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

We covered a few specific crafts during the month, such as painting, sewing, and diamond painting. Today’s summer fun / flow practice suggestion is to pick from a range of crafts or other DIY activities to create something. I started my career in accounting which is a mostly paperless industry, but I especially enjoy interior design and organization projects where I can actually see the physical results of my work and then live in my own creation.

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

close up of crafting table covered with various craft supplies - mindful mindfulness sewing crafting craft Quote: The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/bYOi200uQ6w
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: A craft, DIY, or building project to create something! You can turn any activity you are passionate about into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself.

Craft, Create & Build

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 25 – Sewing & Knitting

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. Today is also Threading the Needle Day, so today’s fun practice is sewing or knitting!

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

close up of incomplete floral needlepoint embroidery alongside textile fabric - mindful mindfulness sewing crafting craft embroidery needlepoint Quote: Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. - Oliver Wendell Holmes original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/fL5xqqoUVF0
Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Sewing or Knitting! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple pastime such as crafting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I enjoy Sewing and especially needlepoint. Knitting is not for me, although this is a favorite hobby of some of my friends!

Sewing & Knitting

Sewing and Knitting are similar, but two very different crafts. Knitting is creating a piece of fabric with yarn. Sewing usually uses a thin needle to stitch thread to fabric, or stitch pieces of fabric together. If you are familiar with these crafts, I recommend picking your favorite and mindfully creating! If this is new to you, please review the list below (I have tried to list in order of difficulty) and start crafting!

Now, I realize this type of activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 22 – Gardening & Floral Arrangements

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. Today we will cover both Gardening and Floral Arrangements.

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

cool shot of multicolor flowers on dark background - mindful mindfulness flower garden floral arrangement Quote: If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. - Frances Hodgson Burnett     original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/lcC8KvQVQiE
If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden. – Frances Hodgson Burnett

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Gardening and Floral Arrangements! Either growing or gathering flowers for an arrangement is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. If you are new to gardening, I recommend starting with growing a favorite herb!

Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun passtime or what some consider a chore like gardening into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. Also, Floral Arrangement is another Zen Art like the Tea Ceremony! You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I will admit that although I love enjoying parks and gardens, gardening has always been a challenge for me! I do enjoy arranging flowers when I receive them, but I personally will be practicing Tea Ceremony today – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 19 – Watercolor Painting & Calligraphy

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice. This month is World Watercolor Month so today we will try either Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy!

Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

watercolor painting of white flower with flower alongside art - mindful mindfulness painting art watercolor Quote: Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul. - Vincent van Gogh original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/cNs36HTg2R0
Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul. – Vincent van Gogh

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple pastime such as painting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I enjoy Watercolor Painting, but I have to admit I do NOT enjoy Calligraphy! I studied Japanese, and I can read and write in two of the three writing systems – Hiragana and Katakana “letter” characters, but I can only read (or type) but cannot write the more complex logographic characters Kanji! You have to make choices for where to focus your energy – I decided the few points I would lose for not writing Kanji in Japanese class were worth keeping my focus on classes for my accounting major! Now, I realize this activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Watercolor Painting & Calligraphy

You can use the same supplies for both Watercolor Painting or Calligraphy IF you are a beginner! For Watercolor Painting, it is important to use the right paperWatercolor Paint will not absorb properly on the wrong medium! For Calligraphy, it is most important to use a the proper brush or utensil. I recommend Brush Pens for Modern Calligraphy (cursive or other modified modern lettering in your language) or a Size 12 Quill Brush for Traditional Eastern Calligraphy.

Person creating calligraphy original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/zHwWnUDMizo
Calligraphy

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 17 – Diamond Painting

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month.

Today is a KISS (Keep it Super Simple) Day with a simple Fun Practice – Diamond Painting! Now, I realize this is a fun passtime for me, and a torture method for some of my friends. This fun month has lots of activities, but not all will be for you! Check out this month’s Introduction for more on mindfulness, flow, and Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try. We will have 31 different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

incomplete in progress cherry blossom diamond painting
Diamond Painting

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Diamond Painting! Today is a KISS simple day, but you can turn a fun and simple childhood pastime such as crafting into a mindful practice and your own Zen activity. You can make this as simple or as complex as you want, and taking a step back and observing your approach can be a way to learn more about yourself. I personally LOVE working on challenging craft that keeps the hands busy as a meditative activity to help me process complex issues ‘in the background’ as I work. These Diamond Painting sets take a very long time to complete, so you get a large return in entertainment time for a relatively small small investment. This is a fairly new craft, so please check out if you have not heard of it before! Now, I realize this activity is not for everyone, so here is another reminder about Tea Ceremony – my recommended substitute practice for any suggested daily Fun Practice this month you do not want to try.

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

completed ballerina diamond painting
Diamond Painting

Want to See more like this?

Follow DailyYogi on Pinterest!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 3 – International Drop a Rock Day

Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Santosha and Mindfulness Summer Fun Month to align with July’s Anti-Boredom Month. I have heard if we focus on the past we will be depressed, if we focus on the future we will be anxious, and the key to joy is living in the present moment. A couple of the Yamas and Niyamas reflect this secret of happiness hidden in the “now”.

Mindfulness is central to a number of eastern religions and philosophies, and is becoming a common theme in western therapy, psychology, and self-help. We have also focused on mindfulness in some of our past daily practices, especially on past Santosha Days and with some focused meditation practices. Mindfulness and losing oneself in the current moment is my idea of “finding flow” that we most commonly experience during “getting in the zone” during particular athletic, work, and artistic activities. Zen Buddhism takes this concept further with Zen Arts such as Tea Ceremony, Archery, Painting, and Flower Arrangement. So, we will focus this month on trying different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

cool shot of painted rock white with rainbow and imagine hidden in large tree knot with leafy shade - Painted Rock original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/HOgkWa7ajw0
Painted Rock

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness/flow Activity: Making and Dropping a Painted Rock for International Drop a Rock Day! Make sure to practice mindfulness and try to enjoy each day’s practice with all five senses. Learn ideas, techniques, and best products for painted rocks here! Make sure to use smooth rocks, and wash with soap and water and allow to dry fully before painting. You will likely want newspaper to keep your area clean, as well as acrylic paint and paint brushes. Make sure to use sealant after painting and before dropping out in the world for others to enjoy! Today’s practice may be more fun than flow, but it is a good opportunity to practice Aparigraha or Non-Attachment as we leave our creations in the world, or shrug off any mistakes.

We started this month with a deep dive of the Zen Tea Ceremony, but today is a more simple activity. Tea and other beverage recommendations from our intro had enough varieties to suit nearly everyone, but some of our practices this month will not be a good fit for you.. that’s okay! If today’s practice is not for you, try a craft of your choice, or go back and try another personal Tea Ceremony today!

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.

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Please comment and share your experience with today’s practice. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!