Journey of the Four Gates Zentangle
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Kathryn Costa. She wondered if I was interested in her new Four Gates Stencil. It was serendipity. I’d wanted to try getting back into Zentangle to see what I could do with my non-dominant left hand.
i shared the early stages of that process here on my blog already, but I want to show you the fished mandala and encourage you to check out her website, ebook, and gallery if the mood strikes you.
The end result isn’t everything I wanted it to be, but it’s a starting point and a nice place to compare progress as I inevitably give this art another try.
As with all the Zentangle patterns I explore, it’s 95% about the process, about taking the time to do something for myself. The end product is always satisfying because it’s a reminder that I can take care of me. So maybe I can’t take myself out for ice cream. That’s okay. I can do this.
Working with my non-dominant hand has actually been helpful in taking me out of my anxious spirals. It takes an extra level of focus that pulls me into the present and keeps me from obsessing about all possible permutations of the future simultaneously.
If you’d like to give the free Four Gates ebook a read, I encourage you to check Journey of the Four Gates or learn more about the project on Kathryn’s website.