Mindful Art Selection for Our Spaces

I have been studying mindfulness meditation which provides an opportunity to scan yourself, body, mind, thoughts and be one with yourself. I have really begun to enjoy this experience because it brings me home to who I am and the acceptance thereof.

How I have begun to experience mindfulness as it relates to space and decor has been very interesting. For example, I have observed that the artwork that we have in our homes:

-reflects how we think of ourselves and others

-affects how we feel and act

-gives others and impression of who we are

In our home, we have a lot of color and abstract art. What does that mean? Perhaps, it is a state of awareness that we live our life in the abstract or that we don't necessarily define ourselves our our lifestyle in the strictest sense of absolutes. I don't know. I am pondering this.

However, the energy of artwork in our spaces:

- reflect the emotions and feelings of the artist

- reflect back to the viewer what the artist's emotions are when it is experienced

- reinforce the energy of the intention we set for our space

So what if the art piece is an inherited piece we acquired or a gift? I believe based on the energy of the giver, we can draw on it as a recipient. If it is from a dysfunctional giver, perhaps we could draw on that dysfunctional energy in a way that may be harmful to us. Therefore, mindfulness comes in as an observer. Breathing into your awareness of the art and finding balance in your feelings about it is a first step.

Artwork, photographs, objects and furnishings can subconsciously keep us in the past instead of the present. Mindfulness is about staying in the present. Therefore, new aware of the impact of what items may have on our subconscious and how it may affect your emotional state upon viewing it.

One of the Five Cardinal Rules of Feng Shui I work with is surrounding yourself with things you absolutely love. With artwork this is not an acceptation. If you are considering purchasing or obtaining a piece of art and have some uncomfortable feelings about it, try a great technique popularized by mindfulness expert, Tarah Brach called RAIN-

Recognize- your feelings around the object

Allow- the experience you are having with it

Investigate with kindness, while learning more about the origin of the art, the artist's intention and if appropriate the cultural use of the piece.

Nurture- rest in natural awareness to experience it without emotion or judgement.

After the technique, begin to look at your art piece with new eyes and experience it as an observer. If it still is not providing the energy you need for yourself or your space, you have made a mindful decision not to purchase or obtain it.