Art Therapy & Mindfulness
Before you begin this Mindfulness Exercise of Art Therapy, pause for a moment. Close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Relax. Allow your thoughts to melt away. Once you’ve quieted your mind a bit, reflect on the questions below with loving awareness, openness, and mindfulness.
- Why did you select this topic in particular? Did something specific make you want to study it? What are you hoping to get out of studying this topic?
- When you think about this topic, how do you feel? Think in terms of your physical body, and not just abstract emotions. How does your chest feel? Your stomach? Your head? Now, how does your entire body feel like a functional whole?
- Consider these physical feelings. What emotions can you match up with them? Do any particular emotions reveal themselves to you when you concentrate on these physical feelings? What kinds of emotions are they? Do they reveal themselves to you fully, or are they complex and difficult to categorize?
- What stories have you already told yourself about this topic? What impact do these stories have on your life? How might they impact that way you perceive this exercise?
- Consider everything you’ve just thought about: the good, the bad, and everything in between. Now, remind yourself that many other people likely feel these same things when considering this topic. How does this new awareness feel? Is it comforting to know that you’re not alone?
- Lastly, reflect on how you plan to put this topic to use in your day-to-day existence, particularly in terms of increasing your overall mindfulness.
