The calmer the water the clearer the reflection~ Anonymous
I’ve decided to take up meditation again. For 13 years I would meditate regularly twice a day for twenty minutes. I even got my kids and husband to allow me to have this quiet time. It’s been 6 years since I have meditated regularly and have noticed that my health, stress and well being, have suffered because of it.
Meditation lowers blood pressure, heart rate, lowers cholesterol levels, reduces stress hormones, and increases anti-ageing hormone DHEA, improves immune system and restful sleep. I didn’t realize that it helped with creativity as well. Being and artist this becomes a great motivator.
The wonderful reasons why meditation should be part of the artist’s life:
Calms the critic.
Gets you in touch with your authentic self, to express your uniqueness.
Helps you to get out of the repetitive loop of thinking that suppresses new ideas and inspiration.
Increases brain activity in the parts of the brain involved with ideas, insights and connections.
Increases your ability to focus on the big picture instead of trivia.
Helps you to be focused in the moment and enjoy the process as much as the result.
Increases insight moments of inspiration and answers to problems.
Eases fear and anxiety, less fear more risk taking and freer thinking.
Experience “Quantum Leaps” of imagination.
Be in a higher state of consciousness.
Helps you get in touch with the flow, where time stands still and effortless creating occurs.
Let’s you step in to the unknown.
Increases the ability to use your whole brain for problem solving.
Connects you to the field of infinite possibilities.
Do you meditate and if you do what have you discovered?
*ART20K footage completed 13,782 square inches
*Above painting~”Meditation”, measures 16″ x 20″, acrylic on canvas, price $800
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
Janet, these are compelling reasons to meditate regularly,
They are all health benefits aren’t they? How are you intending to share your progress ?
Are the benefits immediate, or do you go through different levels of benefit the more you meditate? And is yoga and meditation one and the same? 🙂 I always enjoy seeing your work
In your colours so look forward to seeing your new meditation paintings!
Well Maggie, what I have noticed so far is I am staying focused. It might be working on me quicker than someone who never meditated, “muscle memory”. I will let you know what I observe. There are enough great things that can happen through meditation that I am determined to make it a daily practice. Thank you so much for your comments.
I really want to try meditation !! 😉
Please do Bill and let me know how it works for you. Funny when I first started, I had a symptom that I was very tired and kept taking cat naps during the day. My teacher asked the group if anyone couldn’t keep their eyes open. I was glad he said something. I guess I was really sleep deprived and didn’t know it. It took meditation to help me be conscious of how I felt.
Hi…I have naturally low blood pressure & low cholesterol levels…hence when I meditate I tend to pass out…It ain’t for everybody, but I do support the idea in concept for some…Thanks for sharing, sari
I have low blood pressure too 90 to 100 over 60. I’ve never experienced fainting. Maybe eat something salty prior to meditating might help. Too bad for there are so many other positives you could receive.
Yeah I know…I’m starting slow…I bought Rahua Nut Conditioner from a Yoga studio the other day…Then stood watching the rain flood the street as I stood just outside the studio under an awning(held the door open when new yoga students walked in)…Later I helped to mop the floor of our building…I thought all that was pretty meditative…Who says you need to lie on a rug in the lotus position to be meditative? I guess if I ate salt I might not pass out so much…What kind of salt do you like to eat?
Lol salty food not straight salt. You are right mindfulness works also and can be done anytime. That’s ideally the way you want to live anyway, peace Sari.
So like Sea salt has iodine(anti-cancer) & sodium chloride in it…But then Kosher salt has aluminum silicate(good for memory) & NaCl…I checked our half the salt salt & it has Potassium(lowers blood pressure), magnesium(a laxative) & salt…I just realized that our half the sodium salt is actually dangerous for me, since I don’t need the blood pressure lowering nor the laxative…Thanks! I found out a while ago that when a doctor says something is a “salt” it is actually a cop out, because they don’t want to tell you what is really in it…Salt just means what kind of substance it is, the material…Unless the doctor says sodium chloride, that salt could be lithium salts or something else, bath salts, epsom salts…It is worth checking…Peace right back at you Janet Vanderhoof! (love your last name…our horses might too!)
I only use kosher salt thanks for the info. You are very interesting. Thank you Sari 🙂
I used to journal daily. I still do it occasionally. I also find praying very calming. It’s not so different than mediation.
I have never been as alive as I was when I meditated. I notice I have suffered as well without it Janet. I suppose when we empty our minds of the trivial, there is more room for the fantastic!! I love this painting by the way. As usual when I look at your work, I can hear, no FEEL, the wind moving through those trees. Thank you for your endurance in the way. xoxo! Chrissy
[…] Artist Janet Vanderhoof discovers the many ways meditation can increase creativity. […]
Hi Mary, the Prayer of the Quiet definitely is a meditation through contemplation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Quiet
Chrissy your precious soul knows it needs to be connected and I can see why it would be longing for meditation. Mine was longing and I wasn’t listening. Thank you so much for your poetic words about my art, hugs 🙂
I really love the pinks and greens in this picture. Vibrant colors.I also love the treatment of light. It really brings out the meditative theme.
I’m so glad that it makes you feel that way Shelley, just what I was trying to capture.