Making Mindful Magic written and illustrated by Lea McKnoulty
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN9780994255204
Reviewed by Dianne Bates
This picture book is quite
different from the norm insofar as it doesn’t tell a story and it has no
characters, except for the reader. Through its calm text and muted coloured
illustrations, its creator invites the reader – young or old – to develop the
habit of mindfulness. In the back of the book she describes mindfulness as a
practice which makes one more grounded; and, too, it brings inner calm and
clarity of thought which leads practitioners to live authentically and happily.
All of which sounds like a very sensible recipe that could possibly lead to not
only personal peace, but community and even national and international peace!
The mindful experiences
include sitting quietly or meditating -- living in, and appreciating the
moment. Alternatively, one is encouraged to ‘take as long as you can’, great
advice for anyone trying to multi-task and consequently getting stressed. The
focus here for the reader is to concentrate on one activity at a time, until it
is finished.
In gentle, simple free
verse, each page narrates a way of being mindful, whether it is following a
bird, walking barefoot on grass, taking the time to enjoy the mightiness of the
heavens (finding stars) or watching waves. Exploring one’s creativity – ‘paint’
– helps heal the mind, not worrying about the product but becoming ‘lost’ with
paint, brush and paper.
Here is what McKnoulty
writes on the page titled ‘go walking in nature’:
‘A track leading somewhere/ The somewhere doesn’t matter/ on-the-way discoveries matter…’
Each double-page spread featuring
one mindfulness activity is accompanied by a subdued pastel illustration. The
quality of the pictures varies but some are very appealing, such as a child’s
bare feet on grass with a cloudy sky background, and a lone bird in a tree. It
seems the book’s creator follows her own advice of creating for the experience,
not for the product.
Making Mindful Magic is a book which can’t be rushed. It sets out to, and succeeds, in
making the reader take her time. One can open at any page and follow that activity
or move on to another activity. Or a parent might like to check out the back
pages where suggestions are given in prose on how to apply the practices to
one’s child.
This charming book is
recommended for anyone, child or adult, who wants to remedy a life that is too
busy and stressful
The book is available from
selected bookstores and Lea McKnoulty’s website www.makingmindfulchildren.com
