Welcome to my reflections on the power of spontaneous painting or drawing from a meditative mindset as a way to change the deep-rooted assumption of not being creative or of fear to communicate through art on a deeper level.
Did you enjoy drawing or painting as a child,
I mean,
Before the colouring between the lines,
Wanting the result to be a certain way and comparing to others?
Drawing or painting without any goal in mind is so relaxing,
Liberating and energising.
At least,
That is my experience,
So I would like everyone who longs for it to experience that too.
Not all of us need to make creations that sell for high prices or end up in musea.
That's creating with another purpose.
But we are all artistically creative in one way or another.
I also went through a period when I was afraid to draw or paint.
I don't recall the exact moment when it came back into my life because it kind of sneaked in through the back door.
It took me some time to discover and admit to myself that I missed it.
I missed the physical comfort that drawing and painting gave me,
The liberating energy it provided.
So I lived in denial for a long time.
I wish I had known then how habits work and that you can change them.
Now I'm a big advocate of every creative medium and the liberation it can offer.
I mean,
Playing with visual art materials and experiencing the more satisfying feeling when you allow yourself to create from a deeper level.
Creating for the sake of creating goes beyond the rules and limitations of the mind.
It even goes beyond the pure physical sensation of working with materials.
When creating from a state of deeper contact with oneself,
It also brings an energy to the creative process that causes it to resonate on a deeper level.
First and foremost for yourself,
But it can also become part of artworks in which one likes to elaborate certain aspects as these ritual moments give you access to your source.
And therefore,
I'd like to link it to some insights I gained from Judy Spencer's book on the placebo effect,
Which I think tie in very well with this topic.
Because understanding the mechanics behind habits,
It becomes easier to allow yourself to be playfully and joyfully artistically creative again.
Starting a new habit is not as difficult as people often imagine.
The first and most difficult step is to agree with oneself to set aside a specific moment in the day to allow yourself to play with pen or paint.
A moment free from daily goals and standards,
Regulations and rules.
There are many tips on how to start,
But in my experience,
It's more effective to start with what comes from within yourself.
As soon as we interfere with instructions,
The mind will be back and takes control.
And that's precisely why the creative flow gets blocked in the first place.
We think we are not creative.
We are convinced that we have little or no artistic talent.
We are afraid the outer world will not like it if we create from a deeper level instead of participating in the current trend.
Here is what I got from Judy Spencer's book.
The basic premise is that our thoughts are very powerful.
They are responsible for our choices.
And our choices predict our behaviours and therefore also our experiences.
And every experience will be stored,
Based on and linked to the emotions it evoked.
That way it comes full circle,
Because our emotions guide our thoughts.
And so it becomes clear why we keep doing the same things over and over.
According to him,
That's the reason that in order to change the way we are and behave,
We must start by examining and changing our thoughts.
He states that if we succeed in changing our thoughts,
This can lead to a new state of being,
It can change our brain chemistry,
It can even affect our health.
But,
As we have given our thoughts time to grow and flourish,
We must also give ourselves time to form new thoughts so that they can grow into new routines we feel comfortable with.
And be sure that the mind will resist.
It will persuade us against any change unusual and familiar.
So the only condition is that we really want to achieve a change in our habits.
So when you feel you are ready to start,
Find yourself a place to sit for a while,
Undisturbed.
Gather all you can find and that you might want to use.
Pen,
Paint,
Brushes,
Charcoal,
Paper or cardboard or whatever else you like to work with.
Turn off all electronic devices and set a timer if necessary.
Start with a few minutes to get used to the new habit.
After a while,
50 minutes is a good length of time.
Give yourself a big hug,
Breathe until you feel relaxed.
Then say out loud what you wish to change and do this in a positive way and with all your heart.
It could be something like,
I am okay with drawing or painting without any obligation or goal in mind.
What I create is what wants to come out at this moment.
I will not judge it or accept opinions of others.
These are honest creations made in the here and now.
As Judy Spencer says,
There are three elements needed to make suggestibility work.
Acceptance,
Belief and surrender.
Are you ready to take your first step?
Wait till you spontaneously start with the material that appeals to you.
And let it happen.
Play.
Play is the right word,
So ask that busy mind to take a nap during that time.
Take the material and colour you feel attracted to.
Go with your feel and your mood.
It can be figurative or abstract,
Minimalist or exuberant.
If you feel like,
Change colour,
Mix colours,
Wipe away or blur or accentuate.
Go wild or be very delicate.
Follow your hand and go with the movement.
When you feel satisfied,
Just stop.
Take the time to look at what you created.
Be as open-minded as a small child marvelling at its creations.
Be grateful for what has come true.
And if thoughts arise,
Do as you would in meditation.
Give them some attention and let them go.
Maybe you like to number your creations at a date and write some words on the back,
In case you like to keep track of how you're growing or in case you would like to develop certain aspects in your art practice later on.
If it is possible to display your creations somewhere in the house,
That would be great,
Or take a picture with your mobile.
That way you can look at it from time to time.
And every time you look at it,
Repeat the promise you made to yourself and feel it deep inside.
It is important to repeat this daily as a ritual.
It does not have to be done at the same time or in the same place every day,
Although that may help to stabilise the new habits in the beginning.
The reason why it is necessary to keep doing this is because the moment you start implementing the change you want to see,
It will feel very uncomfortable,
Unfamiliar and strange.
The normal routine is disrupted.
And routine is very deeply ingrained,
Not only as part of our life,
But also of that of our ancestors.
And it is also deeply anchored in our social environment.
This means that even if we are aware of the thought habit,
It also has roots we are not aware of.
From experience I know that even when the new habit is fully integrated,
There may be moments you feel less energetic or a little down because life isn't going exactly the way you want it to.
And that's when old thought patterns dare to resurface.
Not in a powerful way,
But still tempting enough.
So it's clear that we will have to go through some discomfort to change something in our daily life.
In the words of Judy Spencer,
First there must be a biological,
Neurological,
Chemical and genetical death of the old self.
We have to get comfortable in the unknown,
The place of possibilities.
That's the best place to create your future.
That's the place where acceptance,
Belief and surrender are important motivators.
The body doesn't know the difference between an emotion created by a thought or by an experience.
The moment the body receives a clear intention about its future,
It will no longer live in the past.
It will live according to the new future it creates.
By emotionally embracing the new habit in our mind and of times,
We will at some point move from thought to reality.
To conclude this,
I would like to quote Judy Spencer once again.
You need to feel lifted,
Inspired and empowered to make the new habit yours.
And in this,
The emotional element is crucial.
And when you experience the good vibes of those daily creative moments,
You will automatically long for that daily ritual.
And you know the nice bonus you get from these creative moments?
They help you to anchor yourself,
To calm your mind.
And over time,
You will see progress in the way you use the painting or drawing materials and in the way you look at life and the role your deeply inspired artistic creations can play.
I wish you the creative future you wish for yourself.
Thank you for listening.
Many blessings.
