MINDFUL ART
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Creative activities are a way of practicing mindfulness, easing us into this process of focus, concentration, absorption and flow, similar to what people experience when meditating.
We were lucky enough to have watercolour artist, Bethany Mercer, guide our virtual retreat participants through a Mindful Mandalas Watercolour Workshop. Mandalas are a geometric configuration of symbols which in various spiritual traditions are a way of focusing and meditating. You don’t have to use watercolours to take part in this self-care practice. It’s about focusing on the pattern you are creating - adding colour through paints or colouring pencils is option. To have a go at home, with just a pencil, follow the simple steps below.
Start by drawing around a side plate in the centre of your paper.
Draw a dot in the centre of your circle and then draw a line vertically through the centre of the circle, and a line horizontally through the circle (it should look a bit like a target).
Then draw around an upside down glass in the centre of the mandala.
Draw several more circles freehand using the quarter segments as a guide.
Then in each ring (starting from the centre) draw a repetitive pattern all the way round (e.g. petal shapes, triangles, circles, dots). Continue until you have filled all of the circles.
You can now go back over the drawing and add colour with pencils or paints.
Top tip: Approach with curiosity, focusing on the process of creating rather than the outcome on the page.
”Painting is such an important way for me to relax. Focusing on what I’m painting and creative ideas completely takes my mind of everything else that has been whirring around that day. It allows you to completely switch off and is also great to do something totally different. Let you mind wander into a world of colour and paint rather than to do lists!”Bethany Mercer, Watercolour Artist