Back in the day when I worked as a computer programmer I would sometimes get the question “How can you see to do all of the things you do on computers?” I got asked this because I am considered low vision. I have never driven and have had this condition my entire life. Additionally, the vision in my right eye is much less than the left. I am considered legally blind in my right eye and am around 20/100 in the left. Depth perception is not there because of the difference in vision between my eyes.
My answer to this question varied but was usually something to do with being able to adjust my monitor so that I could see what I needed to see. The ability to enlarge fonts and to work in a familiar desktop environment also helped me a lot.
I have also been asked this question in regard to my love for mandalas. There are several things that I can mention.
First, I never try to imagine what a mandala will look when finished. I learned early on to start in the middle and work outward. When I look at a blank coloring book mandala I scan for where I want to create color patterns and then select a color for the middle area. After that I work in rounds around the center selecting the color(s) for each round as I go.
As I work on a mandala my attention is focused on the very small area that I am currently working on. Being focused in this way has helped me develop deeper attention which makes the process very enjoyable for me.
Working in a familiar environment where one has control over one’s creative expression is also important. Coloring books are a simple way to become artistically expressive. When I began coloring as an adult I did not have a lot of time to devote to creative projects. I began with simple books and the goal to become more in touch with my inner child. Today, 20 or so years later, I have branched out to more complex coloring books and drawing my own mandalas. Some of the small habits I learned early on have stayed. Experience is a great teacher as well.
