When my kids were younger, I’d describe my kitchen as a hybrid between dinner time and endless craft projects. Crayons and glue sticks competed for space alongside macaroni and cheese and veggie slices. I haven’t quite gotten over that space for crafts, and even now I’ll open a drawer to find watercolor sets and paintbrushes, stickers and beads, tucked right next to holiday napkins. But I think there’s a reason I keep them on hand. I haven’t stopped creating.
Lately, I’ve been thinking (and making) about mandalas. If you had asked me before, I would have said coloring them felt too decadent, too indulgent, too…impossible. With all my ADHD glory, the idea of sitting still to fill in tiny shapes seemed laughable.
And yet, somehow, I keep circling back. One section here, one doodle there. There’s something about it that pulls me in—a steadying of the mind, a quiet rhythm of pen on paper, a rare pause in the middle of the noise.
This month of Elul, as we inch toward Rosh Hashana, I can’t help but see the connection. These weeks are meant for introspection, for cleaning out the cobwebs of our minds and hearts. Coloring a mandala feels like a practice in that same spirit: slowing down, focusing on one detail at a time, and letting your thoughts wander wherever they please. It’s not about perfection, it’s about presence. And sometimes the stray thoughts that sneak in while you’re coloring are the ones worth listening to.
Of course, mandalas aren’t only for grown-ups in search of soul-work. Hand one to your kids and suddenly they’re entertained, focused, and quiet (an Elul miracle). While they’re happily coloring apples and honey jars, you might even get a moment to breathe—or sneak another mandala page for yourself.
Here’s one of my favorites from our Rosh Hashana Mandala Collection—a little snapshot of calm you can print and color right at your table. And if it brings you the same joy it’s brought me, use the code challah50 to grab the rest of the collection for just $1.50.
Because maybe this season isn’t about rushing through our lists, but about finding small, steady ways to pause, reflect, and add a little bit of beauty (and maybe whimsy) to the everyday.