How arts literacy adds meaning to contemplative practices
We have many wellness practices at our disposal, and we all know the value of meditation by now. We’ve heard it a million times. This is especially so in this busy and distracting world. Taking a bit of time out of each day to focus on one thing like is good for our health and well-being. One thing can be as simple as breath, movement, a chant, an asana practice, etc. Or, of course, art. Sometimes though, meditation doesn’t quite do it for us. Or it does it for one part of us, but doesn’t translate into the rest of our lived-experience. We are in a very social and cultural world. Sometimes contemplative practices fail to make this leap. And as with all things, it’s good to create diversity and variance in our work and lives.
There are many kinds of meditations beyond the sitting meditation. It’s important that you find what works for you. We can be expansive in our idea of wellness. Walking meditations, pleasure meditations, an arts appreciation meditation — are all beneficial.
Arts literacy as medicine
What I teach is all about using art as a tool for healing. Course participants learn how to deepen their understanding of emerging art. This allows them to critically engage with the world and her peoples.
The foundation of arts appreciation is a contemplative practice of slow looking. We begin arts appreciation with labored, deep, and layered descriptive work. This also requires presence and grounding within our somatic processing.
It is critical to view arts appreciation as a contemplative practice. Only with this mindset will the potency of arts literacy have an effect.
This meditative practice links to a larger cultural issue. As a society we need to learn how to see again. We have lost a lot of detail in the grind we are all in. We struggle to articulate what we are experiencing. Slow gazing and descriptive work can re-build these old muscles. This practice will create space for new experiences and perceptions to emerge.
Understanding art to understand ones own response.
These foundation elements are essential for interpretation and arts literacy. They are also meditations and healing modalities in and of themselves.
An arts appreciation practice, which traditional contemplative practices lack, is rooted in culture. So, you get this individual exploration and medicine. But you also get to link continually to the collective, and tap into the rhythm of a culture.
We are such an individualistic nation. Sometimes I think the that the benefit of this cultural tie may not be alluring. But we also know, on many levels, that we need one another. We know that we need to align ourselves with community, with collective healing. Arts literacy is such a vibrant way to do this.
Arts appreciation as a contemplative practice is easy.
And, it can accompany any meditation practice.
Adding arts appreciation into your own practices will build a bridge between the individual and the collective. Art is cultural in nature. Because of this, an arts appreciation practice will connect your experiences to the larger culture. This allows you to deepen the cultural moment we are all making and experiencing.
So if sitting meditations don’t work for you, or you simply want to deepen your appreciation of art, start with a simple daily practice of arts appreciation.
It can be in person, it can be online, it can be sitting before art you already have in your house.
Sit and gaze lovingly at the piece. Observe it, observe your reaction to it, look at it in tremendous detail. Remember to breathe into the emotions and context that it brings up.
Want some structured guidance? Sign up for my introductory course on arts literacy.
