Art Gallery: June 9 - 15

DC has some great museums. Not too long ago, I went on a tour of the National Gallery with my niece and her fiancé. The docent was amazing as she ushered us from room to room featuring British and American works of art. Each painting came alive with rich meaning and history as she pointed out key elements like the stance of the subject, geometric patterns in the background, light and shadow, brush strokes and use of color. There was so much to see if one only knew where and how to look.

And isn't that what mindfulness is all about? What are the contours of our mental landscape? What patterns and themes appear over and over again? What symbols and images are reflected in the mural of life? Today, let's spend a little time contemplating the artwork of our mind.

Practice

Enter your meditation room as you would an art gallery. Find a bench where you can sit undisturbed. Just as you would allow a work of art to speak to you and reveal itself, instead of pushing your thoughts away as distractions, allow them to be the focus of your attention. No need to be a critic but rather see what surfaces in a nonjudgmental way.

As thoughts form and take shape, see if you can avoid getting caught up in their story. Instead create a little distance and observe it as you would a painting. Is the scene familiar? Have you seen the colors and texture before? Is it a rough sketch or a masterpiece? What emotion does it convey? Does it realistically capture life or is it more abstract? What else do you notice? Sit with your thoughts and continue to observe.

Maybe take in a whole roomful of mental pictures. Is there a theme running through all of them? Most of our thoughts are not all that original. Studies show 95% of our thoughts are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before. As you sit and pay attention, what subtle details are revealed? What can you learn from studying your thoughts? Any new insights?

Remember, you are the artist and the work of art. We paint the canvas of our lives moment by moment, stroke by stroke. Each new day is an opportunity to create something beautiful.