Meditation, Art, and Brainpower
What does meditation have to do with art and brainpower? I'll
get to that in a moment. First, I have to tell you about a simple
meditation you can try. I think you'll enjoy the experience.
Find a quiet place with nice scenery. Maybe an isolated corner
of a park, a spot on the roof of a building, or anywhere you
can enjoy the view. Stand there and take a good look at the scene
in front of you.
Now close your eyes, let the tension drain from your muscles
as much as possible, and breath deeply through your nose. Then
let your breathing fall into a comfortable rhythm. Pay attention
only to your breath. When your mind wanders, just bring it back
to your breath. This gets easier the more you do it.
After five or fifteen minutes, when your mind has quieted,
open your eyes. Look around without words going through your
mind. All is the same, and yet it looks different. The colors
may even seem more vibrant. It is an experience you probably
won't be able to easily describe or explain.
Art and Brainpower
What is happening is that you're seeing with "new"
eyes, because your mind is quiet. Normally, your thoughts affect
how you see. In fact, this is why many people have problems drawing
or painting. For example, even when a photo of someone's face
is right in front of you, you may draw what you think the face
looks like, instead of what is actually there.
This is why good art instructors will have you turn the photo
upside down, and then draw the face. This technique interrupts
your normal mental interpretation of the face, and leaves you
with nothing to do but draw the lines the way they are. If you
try this technique, you'll be surprised by how much more accurate
a drawing done this way is.
Brainpower and Meditation
What about brainpower and meditation? This "clearing"
of the mind that meditating gives you allows you to break out
of your habitual patterns of thinking and see things in a new
way. Try meditating before working on a creative problem - or
a personal problem. You may get better ideas.
|
