Create, Reflect, Relax
It can be hard to live in the moment when we’re always juggling tasks, scheduling activities, and playing catch-up. The Buddha Board lets you slow down, let go, and savor the enjoyment of creating.
The inventor is Eric Thrall, who envisioned a way to help people embrace the Zen concept of mindfulness. His drawing board is both a meditative product and a doodling tool. When you paint on the Buddha Board surface with water, the image darkens. As the water evaporates, the artwork slowly fades. What’s left is a blank slate—literally and figuratively. When the water disappears, so do the feelings and emotions that went into the artwork, leaving the artist with a clear mind, Eric says.
Learning to appreciate change and to value the present is important for all ages. The Buddha Board is a great tool for unleashing creativity without worrying about perfection or permanence. You can create artwork or simply doodle or practice brush strokes. The art may be fleeting, but the enjoyment lingers.
Amber
Happy day everyone…pull up a chair and ask away! We’re happy to show you that you don’t have to be Monet or Bob Ross to use a Buddha Board (though we do love Bob’s ‘happy lil trees’). Our reusable artboard extraordinaire will have you creating with the verve of the Masters or just simply being present with your innermost zen. It’s kind of magic that way. Thanks to Daily Grommet for allowing us the chance to share with you the simplicity and benefit of not being attached to anything you create. It’s only water! It inevitably will fade away and your slate will be wiped clean. How good does that feel? Still pondering the hows and whys? No problem. We’ll entertain your queries until we have you convinced that the brush can be your mighty sword.
Izzie
1/23/2013 12:16 PMThe Buddha board is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. I'd be ashamed to advertise this product on my website after all the really neat things I've seen you support.
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 12:28 PMHello Izzie. Thank you for your feedback, and we are sorry you feel this way about the product. Many people really adore their Buddha Boards, and the positive feedback we regularly receive is quite heartwarming. All the best to you.
Meredith – Grommet Team
1/23/2013 12:42 PM@ Izzie
Hi Izzie. I realize that this product is not for everyone, but I am really excited to tell the story of Buddha Board to those it speaks to. Everyone on our team here at Daily Grommet enjoys using the Buddha Board.
Janet
1/23/2013 12:27 PMWhat a wonderful idea! I like that I don't have to set up paints and go through paper and canvas (which can get expensive) if I just want to practice. Best of all, this is perfect for babies and young children to create paintings without the mess. I'll be ordering a couple - one for me and one for my baby!
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 12:35 PMThank you Janet! Yes, the boards are perfect for environmentally [and economically!] conscious artists who want to practice their creations before they commit them to paper. And the fact that there is no mess is certainly a bonus. We hope you and your little one enjoy your Buddha Boards!
Susan
1/23/2013 12:40 PMLove the concept ! Awesome attachment to buddhist philosophy of nonpermanence. Great way to express emotions, whatever they are, and then let them be gone.
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 1:14 PMWe could not agree more Susan!
"The only constant is change..."
[Isaac Asimov]
Linda
1/23/2013 1:02 PMI would like to know how long the art remains on the board before it fades? Also, is there a way to clear it on demand, or do you have to wait for it to clear naturally?
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 1:09 PMGreat question Linda—extremely light, less saturated brush strokes could disappear in 5-10 seconds, while heavier, more saturated strokes may take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to fade. The board will then return to a clear state naturally.
april
1/23/2013 1:02 PMI love my Buddha Board. I leave it on my desk and find it helps me de-stress. It is great for doodling without all the scraps of paper. Plus I get to play with water!
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 1:18 PMThis is wonderful April. Kudos to you for appreciating the moment and allowing the body and mind an outlet for relaxation.
jennifer
1/23/2013 1:33 PMway cool, but do you EVER have to replace the board?
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 1:48 PMThanks for this question Jennifer. The Buddha Board is not easily breakable, and with proper care it can last for years. [So, as long as you follow the instructions for care and use, your Buddha Board should last for a long time.]
Erin
1/23/2013 1:57 PMWhat a great idea! I am a casual student of the Chinese language, and this product strikes me as a GREAT way to practice calligraphy and stroke order in character-based languages without filling up reams of practice paper. I certainly appreciate the Zen influence and its application as a meditative tool, but I think this product could also be marketed effectively as a calligraphy practice tool.
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 1:58 PMThis is a wonderfully brilliant idea. Thank you kindly for the suggestion!
Jenna
1/23/2013 3:07 PMI immediately thought of a couple family members, who have OCD, and have a really hard time letting go of things (think Hoarders). I wonder if this would help the brain kind of reconfigure to accept "letting go" and change in general.
Amber – Special Guest
1/23/2013 3:27 PMJenna, this is an absolutely beautiful thought. Thanks.
And yes, I think you are on to something in terms of re-training our brains to remember to mindfully stay in the moment—letting go, but also allowing.
Flowing, not forcing.
Thank you for this.
Sharon
1/23/2013 10:14 PMThis is an amazing way to teach/reinforce mindfulness! As a registered nurse working in an out patient mental health setting that teaches dbt ,(a therapy that incorporates mindfulness concepts) I am thinking that this could be a fun useful learning tool. Great idea...