What Is A Celtic Art Mandalynth?

What Is A Celtic Art Mandalynth?

So, what is a Celtic Art Mandalynth, and how can it help focus the brain?

This is a question I'm asked quite frequently, along with, "How do these work?", "What do they do?", "How can they help with my anxiety?", "How can they help with my child's ADHD?"

A Celtic Mandalynth is a tracing tool. You simply use a stylus and trace along the pathway of the twisting line. Begin anywhere and cross over any intersections. Just follow the pathway.

Tracing isolates hand-to-eye coordination and forces the brain to focus on a single task. Celtic Mandalynth pathways are often unpredictable, which causes the brain to surrender "puzzle solving" skills and simply accept the immediate moment. This is the reason why tracing a Celtic Mandalynth is different than coloring one (which is also therapeutic). Tracing involves no decision making, allowing the brain to give into the meditative state.

The scientific theory is that when you isolate visual and tactile signals by tracing, the prefrontal cortex calms. This is the region of the brain responsible for planning complex cognitive behavior. Calming this region relaxes that behavior. It is believed that the brain centers in the medial prefrontal cortex, a region associated with slow wave sleep. The brain waves shift from Gamma Waves "active processing", into Alpha Waves "cognitive meditation". (The CelticArtStore is currently seeking brain wave studies to support this theory).

Simply put, when you trace the pathway of a Celtic Mandalynth, the brain calms down. When the brain calms down, the body calms in response. That's just how the mind-body connection works.

Anyone who has ever worked with a mandala or walked a labyrinth will tell you how the brain clears of all active thoughts and begins to meditate. That's because a mandala focuses the visual senses on a single purpose, while a labyrinth focuses mind and body on a twisting pathway. When the mind is allowed to retreat from puzzle solving (planning out your day) and ruminating (thinking the same thing over and over), it will decompress.

A Celtic Mandalynth combines the visual focus of a mandala with the tactile focus of a labyrinth. The shift into Alpha Waves happens very quickly and sustains for as long as you are tracing. Essentially, the brain shifts into a light self-hypnosis. I emphasize 'light' because you don't reach a state where you're "suggestible". No one can make you do anything silly.

When the brain is calm and focused, you can manage the triggers that lead to stress, anxiety or panic attacks. It's much more effective than deep breathing or counting to ten because more of the mind is involved. When the brain is calm and focused, you can better manage the erratic signal processing associated with ADHD and autism. The brain can self-regulate and settle, hopefully avoiding meltdown.

Can you trace traditional Celtic Art? Sure, but Celtic Mandalynths are designed to flow much better than ancient Celtic repetitive geometrics. Can you trace a mandala? Sure, but they often don't have a defined 'pathway'.

I have created Celtic Mandalynths to be circuitous and have a specific "feel" in the mind. Some Mandalynths are gentle and calming, some are mildly challenging, some are extremely challenging.  It's a truly unique experience.

Blessings to you all,

Ravensdaughter