5 THINGS I DO TO CLEAR MY MIND FOR PAINTING

It is my intention that my paintings have an impact on people to help them heal and bring them joy and happiness into their lives and into their souls. As we have all heard many times, everything is energy and in that vein, thoughts are energy. So before and during my painting time I want to have a clear mind, clean energy and become an empty vessel so that I may download joy into all my paintings. I want to be singularly focused on the task at hand. If my mind is swirling with a to do list or my latest conversation, I am actually multi-tasking… the opposite of a singular focus. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Over time I have come to realize I utilize different “tools” to help me go to that Zen place. Depending on what is going on in my mind I use different methods. I share these with you so that you might find an idea that could help you get in your most creative space.

Listen to Tibetan Bowls

I think music has always been a way for visual artists to get in the flow. I do have my favorite Pandora stations and Sonos’ channels, but over time I realized that my mind would pay attention to the words of the song and my body would pick up the energy of the songwriter. The words and energy would side track me and before I knew it my mind would start to ponder why the lover left or what caused the heartbreak, LOL!

So what was the alternative? I thought back many years ago when I went to Cranial Sacral Healer in California. Before and after her sessions she would begin by playing Tibetan Bowls. It would immediately put me in a beautiful relaxed state and clear my mind of all it’s busy-ness. They have such a healing quality. Many articles and studies have been done to prove exactly that. I found a site that plays continuous sounds. Tibetan Bowls sounds is what I was personally looking for but, there are many other sounds to choose from.

 

Stare at the Sky

This may be one of the easiest on my list. I think I stole it from my childhood when I would sit in a field of wild daisies for hours on end and look up into the sky. It has such a tranquil and calming energy and yet it feels very powerful. The beautiful blue color and vastness has a mesmerizing ability like no other. It never fails to bring a smile to my face and the blankness in the canvas of the sky allows my mind to fall quiet. Try it. Trust me. You’ll like it.

Listen to a Guided Meditation
Sometimes when my mind is especially busy, I will use a guided meditation to calm it down. I use an app on my phone called Insight Timer.  It’s free! There is an endless supply of guided meditations on that app, with every topic under the sun. You can also use the timer feature to sit in your own quiet meditation.
One of my favorite guided meditations on that app is by Tara Brach called, “Loving This Life-Happiness”. It always puts a smile on my face, clears my mind and puts me in the perfect mode to paint.
There are times when I find I have an emotional upset which makes it almost impossible for me to paint. When I’m in that state, I will use a meditation that will get to the core of the issue and release it. It was created by my good friend Wendy Down. She is an amazing life coach and energy healer. The meditation is called “Pure Sleep Now”, but like I said, I use it to release an emotional issue. You can find the meditation here.

Move Your Body

Back in the day when I owned a design firm, I did a talk every year at a nearby University for the Interior Design students. One of the topics I spoke on was: What to do when you’re stuck and no creative juices are flowing. My simple solution was to go for a walk. It makes sense that our body and brains need oxygen to function at optimal capacity. There are studies upon studies that will speak to the virtues of movement and how it benefits our bodies. I know from personal experience taking a walk or jumping around my studio to my favorite dance music works! Try it. Trust me. It helps!

 

Pet a Kitty

We all know that loving a pet can do wonders for our lives, but did you know why?

According to Dr. David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D. a kitties purr calibrates at 500 on the scale of human consciousness. This is the same level that love measures. According to Hawkins we, as humans, live at vastly different “levels” of consciousness. Hawkins’ Consciousness Scale ranges from 0-1000, (1000 is the Highest Level of pure/consciousness humanly possible.) This Love level (same as a kittens purr) is the level which opens the door to benevolence, mercy, and forgiveness. This is a beautiful level to create from, don’t you think? Google Dr. David R. Hawkins and learn more.

These are just some of the things I do to help me get to the right head space in which to create from. I would love to hear from you if they work for you or what practices you use.