Can You Meditate Through Art?
When was the final time y'all enjoyed what you were doing so much that you lot lost rail of time?
Can y'all remember of a fourth dimension when you were having coffee with a friend, reading, praying, beach combing, or making art, you got so immersed that you all of a sudden realized two hours had gone past without yous realizing?
This experience is something researchers refer to every bit "flow," and information technology turns out it's really important for your mental and emotional health. It also turns out that it's particularly common during fine art making.
(You lot tin can read more about why we experience menstruation in art here.)
When Exercise Y'all Experience "Flow?"
When I get into a state of catamenia through art, I feel similar I am a "medium." I am less making "decisions" about what to practice in the fine art than I am assuasive it to sally and develop. When this happens, it's pretty magical.
I actually experience like I am not in control of the art that is coming from me. (I could arrive the way of grade, and sometimes I do, but I try non to.) There are moments I say to myself, "Y'all desire me to practice WHAT? That's going to await horrible!" But I do information technology anyhow.
Sometimes information technology does look horrible, merely oft it doesn't . It's a fascinating ride, not knowing what comes adjacent. I am focused on 1 singular thing, the fine art, I allow go of command, and I feel both calmer and more energized. Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like meditation, right?
You tin can meditate through art.
Letting Become of Control
My favorite writer, Isabel Allende, talks well-nigh not planning out her novels. Each year, she sits downwards on the same day, and starts writing a new novel. She has no plan, nothing. She lets whatever wants to come, come up.
She follows her characters' wishes instead of dictating their lives. Boy, some of us could have a annotation from her in real life, huh?
If yous are somewhat new to art, or are currently in a slump, letting go of control over the production, and following the "process" tin be a beautiful way to experience flow and meditate through art. For me, this is spiritual. This is meditating through art.
Mandalas: "Spiritual" Art
I don't run across whatever art form as any more than spiritual than another. I believe a person's intention can make art either a spiritual experience or non. Nonetheless, some art forms seem to more easily lend themselves to a "spiritual" or mindful experience. Ane such course is the mandala. I mentioned them in a post a few weeks back about helping kids with anxiety through art.
Bailey Cunningham, founder of The Mandala Project, and author of Mandala: Journey to the Eye, explains that a mandala is a Sanskrit word significant circle, or wholeness. She notes:
"Information technology represents wholeness, and can exist seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself – a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the globe that extends both beyond and inside our bodies and minds."
This explanation hit home for me when she began ticking off all of the different places that mandalas announced. When people assemble, we do information technology in a circle – for music, dancing, prayer, or just talking. Await for mandalas all around you:
– In the natural globe: atoms, cells, eyes, faces, shells, fruit, flowers, trees, acorns, the sun, moon, stars, orbiting planets
– In architecture: Domed buildings: the U.Due south. Capitol, St. Paul'due south Cathedral, the Taj Majal, the Dome of the Rock, The Regal Vault of Sky, parts of Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, the Parthenon, and countless ancient and mod temples
– In art: Tibetan sand mandalas, Celtic spirals, Yin and Yang, Halos, and in children's get-go figurative drawings
Mandalas are everywhere.
Mandalas and Art Therapy
Equally an art therapist, I see office of my chore as making art accessible to everyone. Mandalas are a mainstay for fine art therapists. Because the mandala is a universal symbol, it feels accessible. You tin can fill up a mandala with free form color, or create a highly patterned piece.
For someone who is not in impact with their creative side, a mandala tin can be a condom place to offset making fine art. I need that sometimes, don't you?
Mandala: I Manner to Meditate Through Fine art
At that place are endless ways to meditate through art, and endless ways to brand a mandala. In that location really is no right or wrong. But because I'm thinking in that location's a chance that yous either need some inspiration for something new, or some management because it's your first mandala, hither'due south a pace past footstep guide.
one. Get together your materials:
Paper, pencil, round object for tracing, and markers. Toss in one white or metal pen for extra fun.
2. Create an Intention.
One time you have all your materials ready and have cleared a space for fine art making, take a few minutes to sit down quietly. Apply this short relaxation and visualization to create an intention:
Pay attending to your breath. Notice what it feels similar equally the wave of air moves naturally into your lungs, your chest and belly rising, and and then out through your nose, your trunk falling as the moving ridge crashes.
Just follow the breath gently with your attention. You don't need to estimate it or change it, just follow it.
After a few cycles of this, I invite yous to call to heed that quality or feeling that you almost need correct now. Y'all might need calm, centering, energy, peace, humor, or surrender. When you are clear nigh what your intention should be, focus on that word for a few breaths.
Imagine that through your art making today, you volition receive that quality or feeling.
When this feels concrete, you tin gently open your eyes.
three. Trace a circle
4. Create a blueprint based on simple shapes or lines.
I picked little flower petals.
5. Repeat or elaborate on the pattern.
Afterwards I made the little petals, in between each petal I drew more petals that were a bit fatter and pointed at the end.
Then I repeated those fat, pointy petals over each other until I reached the edge of the circle. I too added some dots into some of them.
6. Fill in your pattern with color.
vii. Enjoy!
What is your feel with menses, making mandalas, and spiritual fine art? What of import mandalas did I non mention on my listing? Does your fine art practice (or practice, or cooking, or woodworking) feel spiritual at times? Why do you call up that is?
Resources:
Here's some more resources on meditating through art and mandalas.
The Mandala Project
Why Is Art Making a Form of Meditation? – Nice post from Art Therapy Reflections
Calm Down and Get Your Zentangle On – Famed art therapist Cathy Malchiodi'south piece on Zentangle and meditative country
Mandalas equally a Spiritual Practice – A overnice page from the University of New Hampshire
The Meditative Art School – A couple who specializes in art and spirituality retreats in beautiful, exotic locations. How fun is that?
Jubilant the Mysteries: A Retrospective – A gorgeous book of artist Leo Kenney's art. They are luminescent.
References:
Cunningham, B. (2002). Mandala: Journeying to the Centre, New York: DK Publishing.
Source: https://mindfulartstudio.com/meditate-through-art/
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