Loving-Kindness Colouring and Loving-Kindness Meditation: Exploring the Effectiveness of Non-Meditative and Meditative Practices on State Mindfulness and Anxiety

Coloring pictures with loving-kindness themes can increase state mindfulness and self-compassion and reduce state anxiety just as effectively as loving-kindness meditation. In a study of 180 university students randomly assigned to either loving-kindness coloring or loving-kindness meditation, both groups showed similar improvements, with no significant differences between the practices. The findings suggest that coloring may serve as a viable alternative to meditation for cultivating loving-kindness, potentially offering a more accessible entry point for people who find meditation difficult.

Study at a glance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Loving-kindness meditation has been recognized as a valuable form of meditation practice and features in most mindfulness programs. The present research explored the potential of an alternative non-meditative loving-kindness practice; namely, loving-kindness coloring. University students (N= 180) were randomly assigned to the loving-kindness coloring condition or the meditation condition. Both loving-kindness meditation and loving-kindness coloring were explored by measuring state mindfulness, pre-, and post-intervention. Results indicated that both conditions similarly increased in-state mindfulness and self-compassion, and decreased state anxiety, while there were non-significant differences between the practices. We concluded that there are similar levels of effectiveness to loving kindness meditation when introducing loving kindness coloring. Future implications on the applicability of loving-kindness practices are discussed.