I received a PDF copy of The Magical Mandala: Coloring Book and Creative Meditation Guide from author/illustrator, Mercury McClutheon. I’m not entirely sure how to review a coloring book, but I figure pictures are a must.

Description from Amazon:
Welcome to The Magical Mandala! This book contains 50 beautiful mandalas ready to transport your mind to the relaxing world of coloring magic. The mandalas contained in this book welcome all skill levels. Whether you just want to play with color palettes or embellish with swirls and shading, these mandalas provide a range from plain and simple to difficult and challenging. This book also includes a helpful color association reference guide and four powerful and fun meditations. The meditations are designed to help you use your mandalas for awakening powerful insights, stimulating spiritual growth, and magical manifestation.

And just for fun, here’s the book trailer:

Review:
I’m not gonna lie; when I came across an offer for a PDF or mobi copy of a coloring book I was baffled. I mean, it doesn’t really seem the right format, after all. And that same thought follows into, ‘Why does Amazon offer a Kindle copy?’ But whatever. I happen to love mandalas and I own a printer, so I gave it a go.

The first third of the book is explanation and discussion of how to use mandalas in meditation and how coloring can contribute to it, as well as a meanings-of-color chart. If this is the sort of thing you’re interested in, you’ll probably enjoy the affirmations and instructions. It was easily understandable and not too mystically off-putting.

Then there are fifty mandalas of varying difficulties. Some with very small sections, that I would highly recommend keeping a pencil sharpener close for and can tell you a crayon would be too big to color with and some that by almost five-year-old easily challenged.

I read the introduction, randomly selected a half dozen or so to print (thought I looked at them all) and then my two daughters (~5 & 8), my two mother-in-laws (both mid-sixties) and I (late 30s) sat down to get our zen on.

I can’t claim to have tried the formal meditations, but I did  find it calming to simply sit and color. It’s something I loved as a child, but coloring in Princess Disney Whoever doesn’t appeal in the least. This allowed for adult arty expression and I sank happily into the task. (That’s mine in the bottom left of the picture.)

I appreciate the time and effort McClutheon obviously put into this project and if you’re looking to get in on the new grown-up coloring trend (this really is apparently a thing) I have no hesitation about recommending this one.