Mindfulness is about cultivating an awareness and appreciation of the here and now, of the richness of your present experience.
The South African College of Applied Psychology, blog, 2018
Mindfulness is a contemporary term for an ancient practice of finding connection with environment and integration within. There are many approaches to mindfulness, and you may need to find one that is best suited to you and your lifestyle.
Artful Contemplation is the daily practice of mindfulness through the contemplation of non-objective art.
Artful Contemplation cultivates awareness, realization and illumination through focused attention on a single inspirational image.
You may already be practiced in sitting meditation. And you may enjoy viewing or creating art. Artful Contemplation brings these meditative practices together in a powerful experience that extends far beyond language and concept.
Our collection of non-objective artworks are created with mindful and intuitive practices by self-taught digital artist, Lanon Carl Prigge.
These artworks speak in a language other than that of words, signs and icons. Meta-, from the Greek meta– μετά- meaning “after” or “beyond”, describes how our artworks point to dimensions that lie beyond ordinary reality.
We have made our artworks available as digital downloads, prints and collectible card decks so that Artful Contemplation can be practiced throughout the day in your ordinary home, work or social environments.
In this way, Artful Contemplation integrates seamlessly with the rhythms of a contemporary lifestyle.
What are the benefits?
Our need for stillness, silence and personal sanctuary increases in proportion to the speed, intensity and sociability of our lives. Like any mindfulness practice, Artful Contemplation offers the opportunity to slow down, settle in, pay attention and appreciate.
As a daily mindfulness practice, Artful Contemplation will assist you to:
- Achieve non-judgmental perception.
- Increase your trust in your intuition.
- Deepen your personal insights.
- Provoke transcendental realizations.
How do I practice Artful Contemplation?
If you are new to Artful Contemplation, then follow the tips outlined below to get you started:
1. Click on any of our Daily Artful Contemplation posts. A new intuitive artwork is created and uploaded everyday for your daily mindfulness practice.
2. Settle down. Settle in. Breathe. Observe what arises without censorship. Make note of your first impressions.
3. Perhaps certain sounds or smells get activated. You might experience strong feelings or memory flashes. If you prefer to make sense of things through words, then jot down any phrases that come to mind. Or if you are more visually inclined, doodle and sketch these initial impressions.
3. Don’t concern yourself with writing full sentences – and it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe you draw well. These first responses are for your eyes only and simply part of the process of moving past your first uprisings towards deepened contemplation. If you find yourself getting growing anxious about what the image means, return to point 2. Breathe. Settle down. Settle in.
4. Keep training your attention on the artwork. Immerse yourself in the metascape. Observe what arises and simply acknowledge what unfolds. Practice feeling with your eyes. Practice tasting with your ears. Submerge yourself in the colors. Flow with the music that arises as you journey along its contours.
5. There is no goal or outcome to your Artful Contemplation. There is no right or absolute interpretation of the artwork. In fact, your full engagement is far more beneficial than ‘correct interpretation’. You don’t even need to like the image. Give yourself permission to observe your observing. If you notice any tension or anxiety creeping in, return to point 2. Breathe. Settle down. Settle in.
No artwork is complete without a recipient. The artwork is a gesture from the artist. The viewer completes the movement with a reciprocal gesture.
INTUITIVE ARTIST, LANON CARL PRIGGE, 2019
Join the artistic revival
Artful Contemplation uses the same digital technology that tends to overstimulate and speed us up, to settle and slow us down.
Our exposure to technological innovations and diverse forms of sacred art gives artists at the dawn of the twenty-first century a unique opportunity to create more integrative and universal spiritual art than ever before.
Visionary artist, Alex Grey
Did you find your first experience of Artful Contemplation beneficial?
You can increase your daily benefits by doing one or all of the following:
