In meditation, it is common to focus on the breath, which is readily available and serves as an anchor for our overactive and overstimulated minds.
In Pali, the language of ancient India, the word for breath is anapana. Specifically, ana refers to the inhalation, and apana refers to the exhalation. Thus, the two words combine for anapana.
According to MedlinePlus:
The process of breathing (respiration) is divided into two distinct phases, inspiration (inhalation) and expiration (exhalation). During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and pulls downward while the muscles between the ribs contract and pull upward. This increases the size of the thoracic cavity and decreases the pressure inside. As a result, air rushes in and fills the lungs.
During expiration, the diaphragm relaxes, and the volume of the thoracic cavity decreases, while the pressure within it increases. As a result, the lungs contract and air is forced out.
Watercolor paints are activated by water. Think of water as their life force or breath, prana in Sanskrit, which you may hear often in yoga. Watercolors in tubes already contain some water, while dried out pans should be sprayed to get things moving. Think of paints at this stage as being in a state of suspended inspiration. One of my favorite techniques is wet-on-wet, applying an almost puddly layer of clean water to the paper and then touching pigment to the water’s edge and watching color expand across the surface. I then tilt the paper to and fro, creating a sense of movement and direction. It is as if the paint is exhaling after holding its breath and waiting for that exact moment to let it all out, kind of like expiration.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly exhale when I witness this behavior. It’s exciting yet simple and is a beautiful moment to be in. Yes, you can work watercolors to create wonderfully intricate pieces, but when you let it do what it does so naturally well, it can be breath-taking!
Which brings me to my next point: how is your breath? Are you holding it out of fear that you’ll mess up or waste precious materials? Let the watercolor guide you and remind you to inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale… You derive energy from your breath—energy to move the paintbrush to deposit color that will dance on the paper, energy to strategically place water that will animate the paint. Remember, although I’ve touted the inherent magical characteristics of watercolor, none of it would happen without you.
In his program Level Up 108, Travis Eliot says during the “Cardio” class, “. . . [f]eel those beautiful lines of energy. It’s like this body, it’s a work of art, and these poses, you’re just molding your body into these different forms of art. But what brings that art to life is your breath and your presence and your compassion.”
It seems out of context, but I love the message. Even though he is talking about moving through yoga poses, this idea can be applied to any creative endeavor. The energy to create begins within.
Now, if you want your painting sessions to be an active meditation, you could find synchronicity between your breath and the brushstroke. Inhale on the upstroke. Exhale on the downstroke. Inhale on the leftward stroke. Exhale on the rightward stroke. That is merely one suggestion within a structured framework. If you would like to try something more freeform, repeat one brushstroke on both the inhalation and the exhalation. Is there a difference? Observe how your breath shapes the marks you make. Record any notes about the process.
Again, there are many ways in which painting can serve as meditation, and I will try to highlight them over time. For now, be mindful of how your breath is connected to your movements and to those of the paint on paper. After all, you are the inspiration behind your watercolors.
Passing time caring for critters.
Creating while they nap.
