If we look up the terms meditation and art, we can start to understand how the two are connected.
Meditation is the single focused action with which to bring awareness and attention to the body and mind. Art is the giving of your attention to the making of things that are an expression of feelings and beauty. The two go hand-in-hand, and one can spur on the other. So let's look deeper into the connection between art and meditation.
Connection Art & Meditation
Have you ever heard of the state of mind being 'in flow'? It's a moment that makes you completely unaware of your surroundings, where time can travel so quickly, yiou dont realise you've neglected your basic needs of food, water and a toilet break. If you can give your body and mind to art and creating, you can reach a single focus and find a moment where you are lost in the practice. By creating something with your hands, you are slowing your heart rate, generating connections between mind and body (or hand and eye) and exploring what your mind and your body can achieve and create. With any creativity and meditation, practice and perseverance give you a great understanding of the craft and as cheesy as it sounds, you almost become a part of the thing you're making.
Meditation feels very similar. It's hard to slow down the mind and think about only being present. Often, the mind wanders around and thinks of everything but meditation, but eventually, the more you practice, the more you focus. you'll be able to achieve that state of flow in your mind, lower your heart rate and get 'in flow' with your thoughts and practise.
The Washington Post claims that “Art is the Vehicle to Meditation and Self Connection”. Our objectives with drawing and painting are aimed towards tapping into a place of calmness and enjoyment. The objective of meditation is to achieve stillness and calmness within yourself. This is a very personal experience, and I find in my creative practice that this is when I can find the peace I've been looking for - when I'm creating with my hands. We all have individual styles, trademarks, and ambitions, and so drawing can allow us to be ourselves, with no judgment from anyone, just us and our medium. No matter what our level is, it doesn't matter how we get there; this is a completely personal experience between you and yourself, and the journey provides so much more than the finished result. Like meditation, it helps us to get to a better understanding of ourselves, our craft, and our objectives. We need to be able to accept that this is our own hand creating this work, and with practice, we can improve and we can continue in this stillness within ourselves and our bodies.
How To Meditate With An Overactive Brain?
For people like me, whose minds run a thousand miles an hour, meditation can be challenging, difficult to focus on nothing and something at the same time. Ideas wander in and out of my head, past conversations, memories - anything but nothing. When I am drawing, I am finally able to completely switch off and stop thinking about things that can wait. Time doesn’t exist, and the next minute, the clock strikes 12, and I turn into a grouchy, tired pumpkin. Well, maybe less of the mutation, but it amazes me how quickly time can pass, and I have felt like it has only been a few minutes.
When trying to find the right craft to get your 'flow', it's important to not overthink it. Often, perfectionists (myself included), want to have an amazing finished product as quickly as possible and as professionally as possible. The meditation is not at the end; it comes at the start when you're problem-solving, looking for ideas, and tackling an issue that you kind of know how to fix but not quite. The journey is more important than the destination, and I know you've all probably heard that before, but it's true. Making mistakes, learning from them, creating growth in your craft and getting completely absorbed and lost in the artwork. That is when you'll find your state of flow.
Classes Vs Personal Practise
Flow can still be found in group classes. The wonderful thing about group classes is that you can either be chatty or you can just listen. People naturally understand that concentration is important for good results, but often, conversation can also improve your output as you're not overthinking things. Doing a task whilst being around other people can release some tension, avoid eye contact, which a lot of people dislike, and gives you a common ground. Although chatting is not quite meditative, the elements of time passing by quickly and feeling relaxed, inspired and encouraged all have brilliant benefits.
So long as you are present and engaging with the activity, you are able to also delve deep into this practice and find your element with just you and yourself. whether it's by yourself or in a group setting. You can feel like you are one with the group but at the same time on your journey of self-discovery.
So, what are you waiting for? Find a craft that you enjoy, take a few lessons to give you some fundamental skills and start improving your well-being in your own time. Find that flow, feel more relaxed and create something you're really proud of.
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